NVIDIA Installer cannot continue This graphics driver could not find compatible graphics hardware The reason

for this does not show up in The way around this s up when the setup error is that the specific device ID for your graphics card any of the INF setup files. More on this later. is to manually add your device ID to the INF file so it show programs checks for "compatible hardware"

Steps: 1. Get your device ID: click on CONTROL PANEL, then CLICK on SYSTEM, then CLICK on DEVICE MANAGER 2. Under Other Devices/ (or if your video card already has a driver under Displa y Adapter) click on Video Adapter 3. Click on Details, Device Instance Id should already be selected 4. You will see something similar to this: PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DD1&SUBSYS_20421043&REV_A1\ 4&30DE1B This has the detail about your specific video card maker, chipset and model For instance in my system VEN_10DE tells me the Vendor is 10DE which is the Vendor ID for NVIDIA DEV_0DD1 tells me the Chipset is 0DD1 which is the Chipset GTX 460M SUBSYS_20421043 tells me that this is the Specific MODEL GTX 460M in the Asus 73 JW Laptop 5. If you haven't already done so then MANUALLY Download the latest NVIDIA drive r for your video card from the NVIDIA website and run the install program. It wi ll give your the error : "This graphics driver could not find compatible graphic s hardware" Don't Panic. 6. GOTO the install directory. The default will be something like: c:\nvidia\DisplayDriver\275.50\WinXP\ English\Display.Driver\ or c:\nvidia\DisplayDriver\260.63\WinXP\ International\Display.Driver\ 7. there will be many INF files there of the type: nvaa.inf nvac.inf nvam.inf nvao.inf nvbl.inf etc... 8. Pick any one of them (I picked nvam.inf) and make a backup copy then open the original in NOTEPAD or your favourite text editor 9. Scroll down until you see lines like: [NVIDIA_Devices.NTx86.5.1] %NVIDIA_DEV.0405.01% = Section001, %NVIDIA_DEV.0405.02% = Section001, %NVIDIA_DEV.0407.01% = Section001, %NVIDIA_DEV.0407.02% = Section002, %NVIDIA_DEV.0407.03% = Section003, %NVIDIA_DEV.0407.04% = Section004, %NVIDIA_DEV.0407.05% = Section001, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0405&SUBSYS_15D21043 PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0405&SUBSYS_16341043 PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0407&SUBSYS_080117FF PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0407&SUBSYS_15881043 PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0407&SUBSYS_16181043 PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0407&SUBSYS_16321043 PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0407&SUBSYS_17A21043

%NVIDIA_DEV.0407.06% = Section005, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0407&SUBSYS_3D7B17AA %NVIDIA_DEV.0408.01% = Section001, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0408&SUBSYS_19021043 These files are for the most part listed BY the four digit HEXidecimal number th at appears after DEV. 10. NOW CAREFULLY scroll down to the section that is similar to your chipset / D EV number %NVIDIA_DEV.0CB1.01% = Section041, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0CB1&SUBSYS_203C1043 %NVIDIA_DEV.0DEE.02% = Section042, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DEE&SUBSYS_15621043 %NVIDIA_DEV.0DEE.04% = Section042, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DEE&SUBSYS_15A21043 11. Take a look at this pattern. You will make a DEVICE ID for your Video Adapte r and insert it here The first part is the same for everyone: %NVIDIA_DEV. From Step 4 my DEV is 0DD1 so my device id so far is: %NVIDIA_DEV.0DD1.01% NOTE: id there is already DEVs same as yours then your line will be the next inc rement ie... %NVIDIA_DEV.0DD1.02%, or %NVIDIA_DEV.0DD1.03%, etc for the section just make it the same as the section where you're inserting it s o I have: %NVIDIA_DEV.0DD1.01% = Section042, the next part is the same for everyone so you will have: %NVIDIA_DEV.0DD1.01% = Section042, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_ add the rest (your DEV and SUBSYS numbers) so it matches your DEVICE ID and your finished device ID should look similar to this: %NVIDIA_DEV.0DD1.01% = Section042, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DD1&SUBSYS_20421043 INSERT IT WILL LOOK LIKE THIS: %NVIDIA_DEV.0CB1.01% = Section041, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0CB1&SUBSYS_203C1043 %NVIDIA_DEV.0DD1.01% = Section042, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DD1&SUBSYS_20421043 %NVIDIA_DEV.0DEE.02% = Section042, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0DEE&SUBSYS_15621043 12. NOW SCROLL DOWN to the [Strings] section it will look like this: [Strings] DiskID1 = "NVIDIA Windows 2000/XP (32 bit) NVIDIA = "NVIDIA" NVIDIA_DEV.0405.01 = "NVIDIA GeForce 9500M NVIDIA_DEV.0405.02 = "NVIDIA GeForce 9500M NVIDIA_DEV.0407.01 = "NVIDIA GeForce 8600M NVIDIA_DEV.0407.02 = "NVIDIA GeForce 8600M NVIDIA_DEV.0407.03 = "NVIDIA GeForce 8600M NVIDIA_DEV.0407.04 = "NVIDIA GeForce 8600M NVIDIA_DEV.0407.05 = "NVIDIA GeForce 8600M NVIDIA_DEV.0407.06 = "NVIDIA GeForce 8600M Driver Library Installation Disk 1" GS" GS " GT" GT " GT " GT " GT " GT "

Same as before add a line in for your Video card: NVIDIA_DEV.0CB1.01 NVIDIA_DEV.0DD1.01 NVIDIA_DEV.0DEE.02 NVIDIA_DEV.0DEE.04 = = = = "NVIDIA "NVIDIA "NVIDIA "NVIDIA GeForce GeForce GeForce GeForce GTS 360M" GTX 460M - KAPs INF MOD" GT 415M " GT 415M "

NOTE: id there is already DEVs same as yours then your line will be the next inc rement ie... NVIDIA_DEV.0CB1.01 = "NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M" NVIDIA_DEV.0DD1.01 = "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M" NVIDIA_DEV.0DD1.02 = "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M - KAPs INF MOD" NVIDIA_DEV.0DEE.02 = "NVIDIA GeForce GT 415M " NVIDIA_DEV.0DEE.04 = "NVIDIA GeForce GT 415M " 13. SAVE FILE 14. If you have the file ListDevices.txt open it and add a line under the approp riate section 15. GO back and manually run setup.exe from where the NVIDIA files where extract ed: NOTE: DO NOT RUN THE DOWNLOADED APPLICATION OR YOUR WILL OVERWRITE EVERYTHING YO U'VE JUST DONE! For Example Your setup program may be here: c:\nvidia\DisplayDriver\260.63\WinXP\ International\setup.exe