Solved Think I've screwed up Alienware M17x R3 graphics

Firstly, thanks for any help. I'm a noob at this.

When I installed Windows 8 (Pro x64), suddenly my games ran really slowly. I tried going onto the NVidia Control Panel, yet it said something about no compatible software. I downloaded and ran the latest drivers for my 660M card, but it said it couldn't install until an Intel driver was installed - I googled this, and followed a post saying uninstall the NVidia drivers and the Intel drivers and re install - I uninstalled and downloaded the drivers, but they will now not install: the NVidia drivers saying I need to install an Intel driver, and the Intel drivers saying my computer does not reach the minimum requirements - yet I know it does, since it came pre installed with that driver!

My specs are: 16GB RAM, 1080p display (no 3D), Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics with a 2GB GDDR5 NVidia 660M discreet graphics, a 750GB 7200RPM HDD, a 500GB 5400RPM HDD and a 2.3GHz i7-3610QM processor. Thank you for any help, David.

Looks similar to my Ivy Bridge laptop. I'll try to help.

The next listed steps all worked on my system.

Intel HD 4000: I've installed it from here:
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Sea...e Processors with Intel HD graphics 4000/2500

I took the zip (second in line) and went to Device Manager myself because I don't always trust driver installers.

What I recommend is you also update the SATA, USB and system PCI devices (all intel) from the zip chipset utility:
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=22153&lang=eng
Seems that even brand new laptops are a few months (or years, depending on devices!) outdated on drivers, mainly on the system section.

This is what I mean (just an example from older pc):

All those lines with Intel and PCI... can be updated from the Intel chipset utility.

You probably also have something called SATA RAID under storage:

The first one is from Intel and has newer drivers (included in the same chipset package).
Don't forget USB.

This has to be done manually from Device Manager but improves stability and performance.
One of the system devices gave me a BSOD and had to update it from Safe Mode, but it worked!
It's something called 3rd generation ...processor and after update => Xeon or 3rd gen..., seems important for the motherboard.

Then add the latest nVidia:
NVIDIA DRIVERS 306.97WHQL

without issues and now not only graphics but ALL drivers are up to date.

That's all I did, and since we have similar systems (here i7-3630QM , NV 660M, intel 4000 gfx) all should be alright there, because it is here.

Intel drivers saying my computer does not reach the minimum requirements - yet I know it does, since it came pre installed with that driver!

Click to expand...

This is like a bad joke and luckily never saw it.
What I do saw was after the nVidia install, I went to NV control panel and it said i'm not running nVidia (was running on Intel..) and a reboot or reinstall of nVidia from scratch might be the solution.

Sorry I went a bit advanced here, but most of those drivers are related to each other (all bunch of them from Intel including disk controllers and processor!) and most people don't even bother to update all of those. But I never had bluescreens (except form the time I had to update that peculiar Xeon? driver there).

You can apply only what you need (graphics) but if you can apply all (or most) these tips here, your laptop will be better than when you bought it.

Good luck

First of all, thank you for all of this! However, I have hit a problem: the NVidia Graphics Driver installer comes up with an error message saying 'this graphics driver could not find compatible graphics hardware'; What to do now?

davidgibbons111 said:

First of all, thank you for all of this! However, I have hit a problem: the NVidia Graphics Driver installer comes up with an error message saying 'this graphics driver could not find compatible graphics hardware'; What to do now?

Click to expand...

Oops!
The one from the link must be for notebook:
NVIDIA DRIVERS 306.97WHQL
This has to fix it because the driver is OK.

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Extra info (just in case):
Sometimes you must be running on Intel when this pops out.
Restart and try again. I had this one too. (annoying when you see that if you ask me)

If it's not helping:
Uninstall both Intel and Nvidia like this:

Then reboot (after both are uninstalled) and try again.
This way all older files get removed and you so a clean install of the new ones.
-----------------------------------------------------

Try the new link above. I also fixed my other post.
Thanks

Hopachi

I have done all this, and it seems fixed. I will post back if there are any other related issues, but it looks as if the coast is clear. Thank you.

Glad that worked.
You're welcome.