Nvidia GeForce Go 7600 driver help needed

[ArcticPrince]

Without going into all the gory details I had to install a new OS on my HP Pavilion dv9260nr Notebook. The only os I had access to was Win 7 RC1. It seems to have installed just fine and as you can see, I am back online. My problem is there does not seem to be any video drivers available! I have tried both HP and Nvidia's website but no luck.

Does anyone have any workarounds or suggestions? I am in a very remote location and my outlet is online gameing. Without any drivers I am stuck in windows native resolution and can't game....

Thanks

 

[frozenlead]

Try using Vista drivers on the card.

 

[ArcticPrince]

I tried that...they wouldn't install. Got a message that basically says "these drivers are designed for a different operating system" and the install aborted. I did forget to mention that I am on a 64 bit system.

Thanks though..

 

[frozenlead]

You give up too easily, my friend.

Try extracting the installer and installing the drivers manually.
http://legroom.net/software/uniextract

 

[ArcticPrince]

Finally found my problem, it appears that the HP9000 series has a known problam of the GPU losing contact with the motherboard. Basically there are only two fixes, either send it back to HP and pay $400 or try to reflow the solder yourself and take a big chance of totally screwing up your motherboard.

Thanks for the help...

 

[frozenlead]

The desoldering problem was only for the 8400 and 8600 series GPUs - your 7600 should not be experiencing that.

 

[ArcticPrince]

Hmmmm...well if it is not the desoldering problem I am out of ideas. I tried extracting the video drivers and they still wouldn't install. I reformatted my OS partition and then installed Vista 64 bit ultimate and had no luck with drivers. I then reformated and tried 32 bit OS and no drivers would install. I tried Win 7 upgrade and the upgrade went ok, but still the drivers would not install. Don't have the drivers right in front of me, but I tried 3 different drivers. The only thing I didn't do was install XP and go that way.

 

[frozenlead]

Did you try drivers from here:
http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/

Nvidia's website has drivers for your card for almost every OS - why won't they install? Does it give you a specific error?

 

[ArcticPrince]

One of two things happen if I try to install a video driver. Either I get an error message that says something like "this driver is not designed for this system" (using a 64bit driver on a 32 bit system). Or, I seem to get the driver installed and during the reboot, the system either hangs and will not boot into windows or the screen condenses and all that is shown is faint lines on the top 1/4 th of the window with the rest of the screen black. The only way back into windows is by booting up in safe mode and removing the video driver and then I can reboot and get back into windows. This has remained constant for about 2 weeks now. It is NOT a now and then thing, it is a constant.

 

[frozenlead]

The only thing I've got left is an OS incompatibility or error..but you tried a retail OS and that didn't work.

Perhaps your card is dying. This problem really just doesn't make much sense; the fact that it only screws up when you install a driver supports a driver failure theory, but the fact that it does this across every OS install with different drivers supports the a hardware failure theory.

The only thing I can think of is to try every OS/driver combination you can muster until you find a config that works...and if not, you'll have to replace the board.

 

[ArcticPrince]

Thats kind of where I was going until i found the solder flow problem. I still havent found where it does not relate to the 7600.

All that being said, I will probably replace this computer when I get back home in mid-Nov. I can't go into much detail, but I quite often end up kind of isolated for weeks at a time and my only outlet is my computer. I can not afford to be without for any length of time as I would probably go insane! LOL

I am looking at another HP (dv7t Quad Edition $1600) vs a Sager NP8690 ($1800). Sager specs are impressive, but I have never even seen one and don't know much about their quality of build or support.

any suggestions?

 

[frozenlead]

I'm an owner of a Sager NP5793 (see my configuration for specs).

Sager doesn't actually build their machines - a company called Clevo does, however, they're widely considered among the best-performing notebooks on the market. Build quality (I can't say anything about the newer designs, as I don't have them) for my machine is superb. It's well built and has withstood the time I've had with it: there isn't a scratch on the machine, and functions like a champ. They're generally louder and have lower battery lives than other machines...but that's the price you pay for high performance.

While there are people who speak well and ill of every other company, I've never heard a negative comment about a Sager machine. I don't know of any owner who was dissatisfied with his/hers.

 

[ArcticPrince]

Battery life is not a concern of mine, I rarely boot up without AC power. I am really leaning towards the Sager, thats probably the way I will go unless I find an M17 alienware on giveaway prices...

 

[frozenlead]

It's almost a guarantee you won't be disappointed. There are a few other Sager users here on the forum - if you can find them, they'll be glad to give you their opinions, too.