Windows 7 Graphics Card Driver Compatability - XP to 7

[Photo]

Hello all,

My knowledge of computers is lacking, but I am attempting to upgrade to Windows 7, and have run into some problems with my install.

I'm running an HP Pavilion dv4000 Laptop, with plenty of ram, space, etc. The graphics setup I have, however, is where the problem seems to originate. I have a Mobile Intel® 915GM/GMS, 910GML Express Chipset Family, and DirectX version 11, to my knowledge. My laptop had been running XP, and I did a clean install to Vista Home Premium (Which I had other computers running anyway), in an attempt to upgrade to Windows 7. I am currently running Vista.

I am not certain how to proceed with updating to Windows 7. Do I need to purchase a new graphics card?

Thank you everyone, for your consideration and support.

 

[Digerati]

Hi Photo and Welcome.

You need to run Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to ensure your legacy hardware is capable of supporting Windows 7 before going forward. If you can, you need to visit HP and download W7 drivers to have them on hand.

As far as another graphics card, since that is a notebook, it is likely the graphics solution is integrated into the motherboard, and not a card that can be replaced. Therefore, it is likely you cannot upgrade the graphics. And the specs for your notebook bare that out.

 

[Photo]

Dear Digerati,

Thank you for you assistance. I have run the Upgrade Advisor, and checked with HP about driver software for the chipset. I guess I am out of luck though, as the appropriate drivers are not available for my older notebook. I would downgrade back to XP if that were possible, but it seems OS codes are no longer available for purchase - whether that means for XP, Vista, or Windows 7 (which surprizes me, considering Windows 8 is still a "new" system.)

Perhaps I will have to figure out something else, though I do not imagine there are even computers available for purchase with Windows 7 now, either. Darn. In the meantime though, thank you for your time and assistance. I am still wrapping my head around these kind of things, so I greatly appreciate you patience with my lack of basic understanding. Thank you, again.

 

[Digerati]

You are welcome.

Frankly, it is not a good idea to go back to XP, if your computer is currently supporting something more current. XP SP3 was a great operating system, but it is obsolete and needs to go away before it becomes a threat to the rest of us. It was designed over 11 years ago to support legacy hardware and software from the DOS era more than 10 years before that. Before the completely unpredicted massive explosion of high-speed home Internet use, and the security woes that brought - thanks to the badguys.

While W7 is much more secure than Vista, Vista is much more inherently secure than XP can ever be. And support for XP ends April 2014. If you really don't like the latest versions of Windows, try Linux.

Did the Upgrade Advisor say your system is not compatible? Or just HP?

That said, W7 and Vista use the same driver database (more or less) so it is common to use Vista drivers when W7 drivers are not available. Many have done so with no problems. But it is not always successful. And of course HP will simply say, "I told you so!"

So if you want to gamble, back up the data you don't want to lose and give W7 a try.

Perhaps I will have to figure out something else, though I do not imagine there are even computers available for purchase with Windows 7 now, either

There may be a few still around - but I think that might make me wonder why. So for notebooks, the chances are likely slim. But Windows 7 licenses are still around. So you can build your own PC with W7, or visit a local computer shop to have them build one for you. If you buy from the big makers, you get what they think you want and need. If you build your own, or have someone build one for you, you can get what you need, and what you want - and build it right.

 

[Pauli]

The problems with laptops and anything but desktops are, they are very limited in upgrade. I have a traditional ATX desktop, it can probably be upgraded as far as Heaven goes high --- of course it's not portable, but the question remains, what do you want?

I doubt there are bicycles running as Porches?

 

[GeneralHiningII]

You could always go for mATX