Well you just bought yourself a new notebook with nvidia graphic card and you found out that the driver on the manufacturer’s support/download page (asus, acer, sony, msi, hp..) hasn’t been updated for some time and now you can’t run your newly bought game for your powerful notebook graphic card (gt 460m, gt 540m, gt 550m or gt 550m ..) or your graphic card performance is compromised. Out of desperation you go to the nvidia support page hoping to find the latest nvidia driver for your notebook. You download it and snap! There’s the error: “NVIDIA Installer cannot continue” – “This graphics driver could not find compatible graphic hardware”.
Don’t worry there is always a way with drivers, that is if you search long enough :) If you have changed a few notebook generations with nvida mobility graphic card through the years, you already know that nvidia doesn’t care particularly about updating their mobility drivers for specific manufacturers which is kind of frustrating. In fact I don’t know if there was a notebook ever built which the official nvidia mobility drivers do support. I’ll show you how to modify the nvidia mobility drivers to make them support your specific hardware. I have done this the easiest way possible for my Asus K53SV and it worked perfectly. It should work for other manufacturers as well, at least it’s worth a try :) .
* If for any reason you cannot do the steps below (lazyness doesn’t count :P ) please just write your notebook model and the Hardware ID from the first step of this guide and I will do my best to modify the driver for you.
** I reserve the right to feel lazy myself :)
Things you’ll need:
Reqired:
- Latest Official nVidia Notebook Drivers from nVidia Support Site (choose your model and operating system)
- Latest Official nVidia Notebook Drivers from your manufacturers website (Asus, Sony, Acer, HP, Lenovo, Dell, Toshiba) in my case Asus.
- Winrar – Install this free archiver for extracting the driver files
- Notepad++ – If you ever edit files for reason other than “post it” notes I recommend this file editing software. This is optional but it’s pretty handy
Ok let’s begin.
Step one: Copy Hardware ID
Find your hardware ID of your nvidia grahpic card for notebooks. TO do that right click on My Computer select Manage. Next choose Device Manager on the menu on the left. A list of all of your hardware will appear in your right window. Click on the Display adapters and depending on that if you have previously installed your driver you will find either: Standard VGA Graphic Adapter or your nvidia GT XXXM model.
Whichever it is, right click on it and select Properties, Details from the tabs on top, and finally choose “Hardware Ids” from the Property menu. Now if you look at those phrases it looks like klingon, but it actually is wookiee :). Select the one which ends with the SYBSYS string, something like this:
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&SUBSYS_15E21043.
It should be the longest of them all. If there is a longer phrase than that which has another & sign after that SUBSYS string (..&REV_A01) after that something like:
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&SUBSYS_15E21043
&REV_A01
That’s not it. So right click on the correct hardware ID and select copy. Now it is stored into your clipboard and you can paste it any time. Don’t copy anything until you paste this one!
Step two: Extract
Extract both of the drivers that you have downloaded. The one from your manufacturer’s website and the latest version from nVidias Download page. I will use as an example the asus nvidia driver for the gt 540m on my Asus K53SV notebook which I downloaded from the Asus Download page. So right click on it and choose: “extract to …” and your driver files will be extracted to a folder where your file resides.
The same goes for the nvidia mobility driver for notebooks. Right click on the file (probably something like: 271.61-notebook-win7-winvista-64bit-international-whql.exe) and choose: “Extract to 271.61-notebook-win7-winvista-64bit-international-whql.exe\“. You will have two different driver folders correspondingly.
Step three: Copy Some Klingon Text
Now we will need to open two inf files with identical filenames from both drivers. Go to your newly created folder, the one where the asus driver was extracted, and you will notice more driver folders inside like: Display.Driver, Display.Optimus, Display.Update NV3DVision and some files like setup.exe etc. Navigate to Display.Driver folder and here you have to find out which of the *.inf files (nvaa, nvac, nvam, nvao, nvar..) contains your Hardware ID. You can do that with notepad++. Edit any inf file with it (let’s say nvaa.inf) and press Ctr+Shift+F to Find in Files. Then paste your hardware ID from step one into the “Find what:” and click the … button to navigate to the Display.Driver folder from the asus driver and choose that as a “Directory:” .
You will find a bunch of Klingon there as well, but don’t worry we only need to find and copy a few lines from there. Press Ctrl+F to search for a term, and in the search field Paste(Ctrl+V) the phrase we copied from Step one. If you have downloaded your correct driver you should find two lines(maybe more or less) with that phrase. Now copy the line where your term is contained, it should look something like this:
%NVIDIA_DEV.0DF4.01% = Section083, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&SUBSYS_15E21043
and scroll up to the begining of that section to see what section it was copied from. It should be something like:
[NVIDIA_SetA_Devices.NTamd64.6.0]
Remember that section name.
Step four: Paste Klingon Text
Now navigate to the folder where the official nvidia driver was extracted(271.61-notebook-win7-winvista-64bit-international-whql). You will notice the same folders as in the previous driver. Again find the nvam.inf file in the Display.Driver folder and edit it. Now find the section from which you copied your line, add a new line by pressing enter and paste the one you copied from Step three.
*If there are more than one lines found containing the PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&SUBSYS_15E21043 phrase you will have to copy those lines from the Asus nvidia driver in to the latest official nvidia notebook driver which we are modifying by repeating step 3 and step 4 for the other lines as well. In my case the line:
%NVIDIA_DEV.0DF4.01% = Section069, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&SUBSYS_105C1043
from section [NVIDIA_SetA_Devices.NTamd64.6.1]
Step five: Add VGA Name
Now after you added those few lines into the corresponding sections in our modified driver, copy the phrase whithin the % sings:
NVIDIA_DEV.0DF4.01 from
%NVIDIA_DEV.0DF4.01% = Section083, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&SUBSYS_15E21043
and then do again a search in the Asus driver nvam.inf file for that term: NVIDIA_DEV.0DF4. Understandably you will find both of the lines which you already copied into the modified nvidia driver:
%NVIDIA_DEV.0DF4.01% = Section083, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&SUBSYS_15E21043
from section [NVIDIA_SetA_Devices.NTamd64.6.0]
and the
%NVIDIA_DEV.0DF4.01% = Section069, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&SUBSYS_105C1043
from section [NVIDIA_SetA_Devices.NTamd64.6.1]
the next find however should look something like this:
NVIDIA_DEV.0DF4.01 = “NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M”
Copy this whole line, and then copy it in the same section in the nvidia driver, under [Strings] . If you scroll down a little in that section, you will a list of nvidia graphic card names like:
NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M
NVIDIA GeForce GT 325M
NVIDIA GeForce 310M
NVIDIA GeForce GT 335M
NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M
..
And here you can find your graphic card model, and paste the one we copied on a new line, next to the same graphic card name for estetic reasons.
Step six: Replace CatalogFile
And finally compare the first section in the beginning in both nvam.inf files, [Version]. There is a value in that section called Catalog File and in the original nvidia driver looks like this:
CatalogFile = NV_DISP.CAT
BUT in the Asus driver in the nvam.inf file we have:
CatalogFile = nvam.CAT
If these two values are different as in my case with the asus k53sv nvidia driver, copy the value from your manufacturer driver (asus in my case) into the nvam.inf in the official nvidia driver, the one which we modify. And that’s it.
Now beofre you run setup and reward your nvidia notebook graphic card with the latest nvidia notebook driver, uninstall your current nvidia driver (if any) maybe run driversweeper to clean any left overs and restart your machine.
If you have questions or any misunderstandings, you know how to use the comment box below :)
GREAT work man….
i have notebook asus vx7 with nvidia gtx460M same problem with official nvidia driver and asus dont realase new driver also :|
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0DD1&SUBSYS_20411043&REV_A1
i have windows 7 64 bit and i want install new nvidia drivers 285.62 WHQL
can you modify driver for me pls?
Hi, this was awesome thank you for posting this. I was stuck once it came to extracting the files from the sony.exe driver. I was able to do so with the Nvidia driver no problem. I have a vpccw21fx…no drivers from sony for almost a year now. Any help with this would be amazing, I’d really like to update my card!
guys!! check out to the latest nvidia 285.62 driver..finally i can install it without facing the confusing method in this page.. i use asus a43sv and have the nvidia gt540m and this latest driver work for my notebook,just go and search on the official nvidia webpage..
hi i really dont know how to do that sorry :) well im just a kid ..i also have asus k53sv can u send me the 285.62 driver that will work? tnx [email protected]
what should i do if i want to use windows xp and not windows 7, i use asus k73sv
I don’t know if i did well or not but i still got the error; has anyone been able with an Asus VX7, I would like to be able to play Battlefield 3 :'(
Hello, I’ve searched s many places fr this problem and nowhere the solution because i want the drivers to be fr WindowsXP not Vista/7, i tried your way several times but it keeps giving me compitability erors, so pls if you couldhelp me i would be very very very thankfull
my laptop: Acer Aspire 5742G with |Nvidia Gefrce GT520M
and the coddy thing is: PCIVEN_8086&DEV_0046&SUBSYS_04881025
email: [email protected]
Thank you very much,
Teodor
I am trying to update to NVIDIA 285.62 on a Sony Vaio VPCCW21FX.
I am stuck on trying to find the Hardware ID in the driver files. It cannot find any references with my hardware ID.
Any suggestions?
hey bro i have asus k53sv i5 2410 m , nvdiai gt 54m 2 gb same like urs i dont knw wat to do this is my hardware id PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&SUBSYS_15F21043
. can u make file for me then plz send me plz plz plz at [email protected].. plz bro
i have error in the middle of installing please help !!!
hasan_dent[email protected]
add me to messenger
dude,. need help,.
ASUS A42JC VX029D
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A70&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_A2
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A70&SUBSYS_00000000
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A70&REV_A2
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A70
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A70&CC_030000
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A70&CC_0300
I also need help…
I stucked at finding the hardware id from the inf files. There is no line such as PCIVEN_8086&DEV_0126&SUBSYS_050E1028.
I have a Dell XPS L502X laptop.
Can someone help me with that?
Hey man.
I could complete the actions only for 3rd try but it worth it, now it does work.
The only problem I detedted already is that when I close nvidia control dest it stops like it would have made an error and asks if look for a sollution on the internet or just close. It doesnŰ’t semm like a sirious issue, since other things work fine, but I thougt I’m gonna ask you what can cause this issue.
Thank you very much for the sollution!! You rule!
Gabor
Hi I have a Sony Vaio VGN-AW120D I’m trying to get the Nvdia 285.38 to work this is my Hard ware ID
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0649&SUBSYS_9040104D&REV_A1
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0649&SUBSYS_9040104D
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0649&CC_030000
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0649&CC_0300
I can’t seem to get it to work. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
You are an Ultimate guy dude…thanks for the great post….really amazing….
First of all great forum!
I did all, but nothing works don´t know why.
Asus n43jm – Gt435m
the old message was: “can´t find hardware”,
now after the mod is:”important files missing”
please HELP!
hi, i have a sony vaio ar71j in windows 7 32bit, with nvidia geforce 8400m gt
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0426&SUBSYS_9016104D&REV_A1
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0426&SUBSYS_9016104D
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0426&CC_030000
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0426&CC_0300
amazing post. works great with my MSI CX640 (GT540m). thx u so much :)
Hey i got the same notebook. Can you upload the file pls?
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9PZJS41T
Hey Bro,
Pls help me on my ACER 5745G GT330M Graphic
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A29&SUBSYS_035B1025&REV_A2
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A29&SUBSYS_035B1025
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A29&CC_030000
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A29&CC_0300
Email : [email protected]
need help
asus k43sv
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&SUBSYS_16721043&REV_A1
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&SUBSYS_16721043
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&CC_030000
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&CC_0300
i ant find the copied file
vaio vpccw21fx
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A75&SUBSYS_9072104D&REV_A2
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A75&SUBSYS_9072104D
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A75&CC_030000
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A75&CC_0300
allora io ho windows 7 e come produttore mobile intel graphics hd. come risolvo?
need help..it doesn’t work for me…i have Sony Vaio AW11Z/B with Nvidia 9600M GT
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0649&SUBSYS_9040104D&REV_A1
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0649&SUBSYS_9040104D
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0649&CC_030000
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0649&CC_0300
pplease help to fix the inf file!
tnx!
Hi!
I haven’t tried these steps just yet, but before I go ahead:
I have a Dell XPS L502X laptop delivered with a Nvidia Geforce GT 555M graphic card with Windows 7 32-bit..
On Nvidia’s pages the necessary (Win7 32 bit) drivers are easy enough to fin,. but Dell however only provide nvidia-drivers for the 64-bits version of Win 7..!
.. will it cause any problems??
Bro,please help me.I use acer aspire 5935g,nvidia gforce gt240m cuda 1gb.Now my grphics card driver 8.15.11.8645..i download latest driver for gt240m version 285.62(d/load from nvidia website because acer didn’t have updated driver for this g/card),but i cant install it.It comes message’this graphics driver couldn’t find bla.. bla…i tried like ur post,but when i paste find in to find my hardware id,can’t find it.so i’mt stuck at step 3.Could u help me?
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A34&SUBSYS_02001025&REV_A2
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A34&SUBSYS_02001025
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A34&CC_030000
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A34&CC_0300
Great help man! finally updated my nvidia driver! thanks!
I can’t find the hardware with PCIVEN_8086&DEV_0046&SUBSYS_1C221043
I have an Asus a52j
THAT REALLY WORKED !
Thank you !
Hi read your post very useful and very confusing for me if you can help me i’d be more than grateful:
Notebook Model: Sony Vaio VGN=NR31J (Graphics Card Geforce 8400GT M)
Operating System: Windows Vista 32-bit
Hardware ID: PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0426&SUBSYS_902D104D
my email [email protected]
Thanks in advance
Hello,
Thank you for such a detailed post. I beleive it could help me to update video driver and fix issue with video card.
But I wasn’t be able to locate my hardware id at extracted official driver from nvidia.com
hard id: PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A2B&SUBSYS_905A104D
model: sony vaio vpc z133gx
TIA!
hey bro i have a sony viao pcg-8111L with what i think is a nvidia geforce 8600M GT and formated to win7 32bit and cnt seem to even install the driver!!!! help plz
Hi,
Thank you for the help …. But I have one small proplem !!
I’m using sony vaio, and I downloaded the both driver from the NVIDIA website and the sony website… So I Extract the file from the NVIDIA and I found the ” .inf ” files…. But the driver from the sony website came as “.exe ” so there were no “.inf ” files……
If you can help me to modify the driver for me, please !! Thanks in advance …..
Sony vaio. VPCCW21FX
Hardware Id. PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0A75&SUBSYS_9072104D
Geforce 310M
Amigo espero me puedas ayudar lo que pasa es que tengo un notebook sony vaio vpceg15fl con una tarjeta de video Nvidia GeForce 410M tengo instalados los controladores de Sony que son la version 267.43 pero me gustaria tener los ultimos actualizados para mi tarjeta de video que si no me equivoco es la version 285.38 ojala me puedas ayuadar de antemano muchas gracias :)
Friend I hope you can help me it’s just that I have a sony vaio notebook vpceg15fl with a video card I have installed Nvidia GeForce 410M Sony drivers are version 267.43 but I would like to have the latest updates for my video card if you do not is the version I’m wrong I wish I can ayuadar 285.38 in advance thank you very much:)
Is it safe?
Hey there mate. I am having a bit of difficulty with my new N55SF because the original Nvidia drivers have different inf files than the newly released ones. How do I know where to put those lines or does this method still work?
Please someone help me, I can not update the drive, adiconem me on MSN: [email protected]tmail.com. So I pose to asistencia remote and you can get me please
Hey bro. Please help me.
Acer Aspire 4830TG
GEFORCE GT540M CUDA
PCIVEN_10DE&DEV_0DF4&SUBSYS_05501025&REV_A1
Hi There, Can you please please help
I have an Alienware M18x R2. I want to install the new 365.10-notebook-win10-64bit-international-whql drivers for my brand new GTX970M Cards in SLI
Hope you’re still around Sir
help me with hardware id frm 970m
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_13D8&SUBSYS_51061558&REV_A1
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_13D8&SUBSYS_51061558
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_13D8&CC_030000
PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_13D8&CC_0300