What NVIDIA MX250 GPU driver for a515-54G-70AG

Puraw
Puraw ACE, Member Posts: 13,191 Trailblazer
My laptop is Aspire5 a515-54G-70AG, OS: W10 20H2 build 19042.870 64x Home (single language) with Nvidia GeForce MX250 display card.
Cannot install Windows mandatory security update April 2021, probably need to update my 2019 drivers. 
There are 3 identical VGA NVIDIA driver sets for my model laptop on the ACER site, with the same version numbers: 26.21.14.4137 same launch dates: N175-G5, G0 and G2, which one should I install? G5, G0 or G2?
I am not a gamer and have no software installed that uses NVIDIA MX250 GPU.
The NVIDIA website recommends a brand new driver set for MX250 but I am hesitant to download that, prefer an older OEM version?
Appreciate if anyone can help me with this.

Answers

  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,065 Trailblazer
    edited April 2021
    Puraw said:
    My laptop is Aspire5 a515-54G-70AG, OS: W10 20H2 build 19042.870 64x Home (single language) with Nvidia GeForce MX250 display card.
    Cannot install Windows mandatory security update April 2021, probably need to update my 2019 drivers. 
    There are 3 identical VGA NVIDIA driver sets for my model laptop on the ACER site, with the same version numbers: 26.21.14.4137 same launch dates: N175-G5, G0 and G2, which one should I install? G5, G0 or G2?
    I am not a gamer and have no software installed that uses NVIDIA MX250 GPU.
    The NVIDIA website recommends a brand new driver set for MX250 but I am hesitant to download that, prefer an older OEM version?
    Appreciate if anyone can help me with this.

    Puraw, I've looked at your A515-54G-70AG and it does not appear as a specific Acer "Model Definition and Configuration" in the Acer Service Manual" hence, your model has the NVIDIA default chip that is the NVIDIA N17S-G2-A1 chip, which is a different chip to the VGA Driver (N17S-G2) as that is a specific chip like all the other G5 and G0 chips, the other drivers that is similar the N175-G2 driver version 26.21.14.4137 is not related to your laptop. The latest NVIDIA driver version 466.11 dated; 14/04/2021 is an NVIDIA supported product and they say that the supported MX 200 drivers support all GeForce MX200 Series and the GeForce MX250 notebook is a fully supported GPU as is the MX230 notebook and allot more, see their list at the 466.11 driver page and at their Supported Products list.

    Also and don't forget to install the latest Intel graphics driver for the Intel UHD 620 graphics that is integrated into your CPU, best is to download and install the Intel® Driver & Support Assistant to get all the Intel graphics, chipset etc drivers form this Intel program. Note: your primary Intel UHD 620 GPU will be used 98% of the time seeing that you are not a gamer as your GeForce MX250 GPU only engages when complex graphics and/or you are gaming so your Mx250 is very rarely used.  
  • Puraw
    Puraw ACE, Member Posts: 13,191 Trailblazer
    edited April 2021
    @StevenGen thanks for the quick response: I downloaded and installed (Express, drivers only) the NVIDIA link you provided and it looks fine in Device Manager and HWINFO64 (April 2021 date). I got a notification for NVIDIA Ctrl panel to be downloaded from the Windows store and that failed (error). When I check installed programs NVIDIA Ctrl panel is listed with today's date but not present in the start menu. I uninstalled Ctrl panel and tried to download it manually from the store, again error, The store has Ctrl panel listed as owned as of 2020 so there maybe a conflict with my older copy. I hid that owned copy in the store and tried to download but got again the error. The Ctrl panel app in the store is listed as a 11/2017 version (3.5 years old). The store feedback has many complaints with the same issue (won't install). Not sure I need a Control Panel for this new driver?
  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,065 Trailblazer
    edited April 2021
    Puraw said:
    @StevenGen thanks for the quick response: I downloaded and installed (Express, drivers only) the NVIDIA link you provided and it looks fine in Device Manager and HWINFO64 (April 2021 date). I got a notification for NVIDIA Ctrl panel to be downloaded from the Windows store and that failed (error). When I check installed programs NVIDIA Ctrl panel is listed with today's date but not present in the start menu. I uninstalled Ctrl panel and tried to download it manually from the store, again error, The store has Ctrl panel listed as owned as of 2020 so there maybe a conflict with my older copy. I hid that owned copy in the store and tried to download but got again the error. The Ctrl panel app in the store is listed as a 11/2017 version (3.5 years old). The store feedback has many complaints with the same issue (won't install). Not sure I need a Control Panel for this new driver?
    First you have to uninstall the old copies of all your old NVIDIA drivers. After you install the NVIDIA 466.11 driver you should have an NVIDIA icon in the taskbar (see caption) with access to Control Panel, CP is not an indiidual software download! This is another NVIDIA program that you probably don't need as its for games settings called "GeForce Experience" and also notifies you of any driver updates for your GPU, its up to you if you want to install this? Forget about Windows Store.


  • Puraw
    Puraw ACE, Member Posts: 13,191 Trailblazer
    edited April 2021
    Hi @StevenGen.


    I finally got CP from the MS store, there was something hung-up there. I will check out the latest Intel drivers tomorrow....
  • Puraw
    Puraw ACE, Member Posts: 13,191 Trailblazer
    @StevenGen
    I updated my Intel UHD drivers too with your link (Intel Assistant) all OK, no Intel CP but never used that anyway:

    I have an issue with all 10 NVIDIA tasks in Task Scheduler, the telemetric will eat up my metered bandwidth (26GB/month) and slow down my booting. I am planning to uninstall 2 NIVIDIA prms: Frameview and Experience



    And possibly change 2 services to Manual instead of Automatic start

    As you stated before Intel UHD does 99.9% of the display tasks so I never use my NVIDIA GPU, what is the point having all that NVIDIA telemetric going on daily? What do you think?

    Still unable to install that April 20H2 security update KB5001330 (error 0x800f0922) I am now downloading the previous March 29 update again KB5000842 that also failed but may now install OK with my updated (20H2 compatible) display drivers
  • StevenGen
    StevenGen ACE Posts: 12,065 Trailblazer
    edited April 2021
    Puraw said:
    @StevenGen
    I updated my Intel UHD drivers too with your link (Intel Assistant) all OK, no Intel CP but never used that anyway:

    I have an issue with all 10 NVIDIA tasks in Task Scheduler, the telemetric will eat up my metered bandwidth (26GB/month) and slow down my booting. I am planning to uninstall 2 NIVIDIA prms: Frameview and Experience

    And possibly change 2 services to Manual instead of Automatic start

    As you stated before Intel UHD does 99.9% of the display tasks so I never use my NVIDIA GPU, what is the point having all that NVIDIA telemetric going on daily? What do you think?

    Still unable to install that April 20H2 security update KB5001330 (error 0x800f0922) I am now downloading the previous March 29 update again KB5000842 that also failed but may now install OK with my updated (20H2 compatible) display drivers

    Leave the nvida GPU alone and don't change anything, it will work when its needed, that is what these types of gpu's are deigned to do!

    With the April 20H2 security update KB5001330  updatego through all the diagnostic notes that Microsoft lists, also, try to clean your system out from all the old windows updates through - This PC > right click on C drive or your boot drive > Properties > Disk Cleanup > Cleanup system files > Windows update cleanup and all the other things that are taking up diskspace, delete all those as you don't need them. Then, try to install the "April 13, 2021—KB5001330 (OS Builds 19041.928 and 19042.928)" update or go directly to the KB5001330 update at the Microsoft Update Catalog website and get it from there and install it as a standalone file, simple and it should work, otherwise there is something wrong within your Win-10 OS and it needs to be fixed or taken back to an earlier "Restore Point" through windows, also its always best to backup your system periodically (I do it every week) with a good external software like the Macrium Reflect v7 or similar as that is a must for safety.  
  • Puraw
    Puraw ACE, Member Posts: 13,191 Trailblazer
    @StevenGen
    Hi, regarding windows 20h2 failed updates (both March and April) I have done all that (including resetting WUA), according to many others there is a compatibility issue with some systems (like mine). I will try again in May.
    Thanks for your help.
  • Puraw
    Puraw ACE, Member Posts: 13,191 Trailblazer
    Hi @StevenGen
    FYI, Windows update rolled back the new Intel xx9466 GPU driver to xx6911 (May 2019) so all for nothing. The new NVIDIA drivers are OK but I uninstalled those NVIDIA FrameView SDK and Experience programs (no more online chatter).
    About that failed update KB5001330: Edge was updated yesterday and I defragged my boot sector with the /B parameter (Defrag command), then disabled Windows Defender, enabled the App Readiness service (automatic start), rebooted and went offline. Started the standalone .msu for KB5001330 in it installed in 15 minutes without any issues. I am now on