Z5710 with Nvidia GeForce G210m video card

Hi

I have an Acer Aspire Z5710 with Nvidia GeForce G210m video card (Win7) and I've been trying to update the drivers for the video card...

No matter what I try to do I just get the message 'NVIDIA Installer cannot continue' 'This graphics driver could not find compatible graphics hardware'

I've tried loading an older driver and was successful with that, but I still can't install a newer driver than my original one..

Has anyone got any idea how I can do this please?

Or failing any solution to this problem, is it possible to get an upgraded graphics card? I think the 'm' denotes a mobile graphics card and don't know a great deal about laptop forms factors but have done plenty of work on desktop pc's before!

I wouldn't bother with a new driver as the computer runs very well, but I like playing games that are graphics heavy and this is where my problems are, with the screen freezing up all the time.

Thanks

Mike

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Alan-London

The problem rests with the nVidia installer. nVidia are making modifications to address the problem but I still find one version works OK and the next release not!

Version 331.82 works on my M5 and is also compatible with the G210m. Give it a try:

http://www.geforce.co.uk/drivers/results/70286

Mike2

Hi Alan, thanks for your response!

I have tried

331.93

331.82

331.65

331.58

331.40

320.49

and 310.70 i was recommended to try this one as well and also a very early driver,

None of the above drivers would load ( all with the same 'NVIDIA Installer cannot continue' blah blah) except the early version, cant remember which one that was (something like 240.833??), but that is a very basic driver which was obviously worse than the original...

Alan-London

Very odd. Drivers 331.82 and 331.65 work fine without modification for laptops using both Intel and nVidia graphics.
Perhaps your All-In-One has a different architecture which throws the nVidea installer.

It appears that Acer have only ever released one nVidia driver back in August 2010 - 8.17.11.966. Is that the driver you are using? If not, can you tell me the version of the driver you have which installed OK. I'm rather intrigued and would like to have a look at the latest (working) driver you have used.

At this point, I think I would be inclined to load the original Acer drivers for both Intel and nVidia and then retry 331.82 and 331.65.

Mike2

Hi Alan,

Yes the 8.17.11.966 driver is the original one that came installed with the PC and is the one I currently have running.

The older driver I successfully installed and then replaced, was the 8.17.12.5933. This did run the card, but only just!

Alan-London

I've just had a look at your driver.
Can you post the following info please (you can copy and past - it must be complete and no errors):

1. From Device Manager, expand 'Display adapters'.

2. Display properties for nVidia driver (not Intel).

3. In properties, select 'Device Instance Path'.

4. Copy value string and post back.

Your original driver doesn't have quite the same structure as those I have modified but hopefully it will simply be a case of adding info to a current one - fingers crossed!

Mike2

Hi Alan,

The device inatance path is... PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0A74&SUBSYS_02971025&REV_A2\4&17EEEF41&0&0008

I'm actually going away for a few days so probably wont respond for that time, just want to thank you for all your efforts and wish you a Merry Christmas.

Regards

Mike

Alan-London

OK. That's all I need.

I'll have a look when I can.

Merry Christmas to you too.

Alan-London

Mike,

I need to send you a couple of files so that you can modify nVidia 331.82.

I don't think I can post files here (only images). If you don't mind letting me have an email address (by PM of course) then I will email them to you.

Alan-London

Mike,

Try the following and let me know how you get on (obviously I can't test this):

Start the 331.82 install, allow to unpack (C:\NVIDIA\...) and cancel install.

Replace ...\International\ListDevices.txt

Replace ...\International\Display.Driver\nvacn.inf

Run ...\International\setup.exe

Finger's crossed!

Mike2

Hi Alan,

I followed your instructions and it all worked 331.82 actually loaded, hooray ...

But I think the video card must be damaged in some way as the new driver made things worse unfortunately.

But a big thanks to you, for all your help!

I don't suppose you'd have any suggestions for replacing the video card altogether would you? I read somewhere that its not possible without spending an arm and a leg.

Thanks again for all the trouble you've taken, its much appreciated Smiley Happy

Alan-London

Well that's bitter/sweet.
I'm as sure as I can be that my modified files are loading the correct sections.
What problems are you having?

Looking back at your original post, it seems likely to me that your card (having only 512MB etc) is simply not up to

the task and it may well make little or no difference using a later driver. Perhaps lowering settings will provide

greater stability in more demanding games.

I can't comment re changing the card as I'm not at all familiar with your machine. However, I can offer a little

information and a link for further reading:

Your card description is:

288-1N135-000AC GEFORCE G210M 512MB (64BITS) DDR3 SAMSUNG MXM3 (Acer part no.: VG.PCMG2.100)

This card, if I read it correctly, is a 2nd generation board (MXM-A). If you do wish to replace it, you need to be

aware that they are not all interchangeable. You would need to read further on that one. Also, there may be an issue

with your BIOS if it expects to see specific hardware - I don't know I'm afraid. That said, another variant of your

machine had this:

288-1N136-000AC GEFORCE GT240M 1GB (128BITS) DDR3 SAMSUNG MXM3 (Acer part no.: VG.PCMG2.400)

Don't take my word for it but I would have thought that would work.

For reference, I believe your G210M board looks like this:

Some MXM info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_PCI_Express_Module

Mike2

Thanks for the information Alan,

I'm running everything at the lowest settings possible and the problems are that the games just freeze and its not possible to do anything,other than close the program down and then restart. That was with the old driver installed, with the new driver I get the same problems but also the game window will suddenly close down and start back up again, this can happen maybe 5 times in 10 seconds and at other times once every 20 mins or so ...

Regards

Mike

cody

Hello,
i in trouble in this problem too,
Can you help me by give me some information to install the latest driver.i hope you will reply ASAP

Warmest rgds,
Cody

Alan-London

Cody:
Can you confirm your Acer model and video card?
Also, which version of the driver are you *successfully* running and which is failing?

cody

Hello,

my Acer model is Aspire Z5710

My video card model is NVIDIA GeForce G210 512MB

I have tried all latest version and yet all unsuccesfully install

now my driver current version is 196.66 .I hope you reply ASAP

Warmly Rgrd,

Cody

Alan-London

The latest driver is 332.21. If you haven't already downloaded this, can you get it and start the install. Looking at it, I'm sure this one won't install either but if you run it you will have unpacked the files to C:\NVIDIA by default. Keep this directory and files. I think only two files need to be edited but I'm still checking. Hopefully a fix later or tomorrow.