Upgrading a graphics card?

[Flynn Arrowstarr]

@Frey - to get to the Device Manager in Windows 7 (this works in Vista and XP as well):

• Go into the Start menu and right-click on Computer in the right column (called My Computer in XP).
• Select Manage from the menu. You will be prompted by UAC (Windows 7 and Vista) to confirm you want to run the application.
• A new window will open and on the left side of the new window you will find Device Manager.
• On the right side of the window, find the line that is labeled Display Adapter and click the little arrow next to it to expand it. You'll see your graphics card listed.
• Right-click on the graphic card name and select Update Driver Software...
• A new box will open and ask if you want to automatically search for a driver or install one from your computer. Click on Search automatically for updated driver software.
• If new software is available from Windows Update, it will automatically download and install. You may have to reboot to complete the installation.
• If no updated software is found, you will see a window that says the best driver is already installed.

This is assuming you're using the default Start menu settings for your version of Windows. Instructions for the Classic Start Menu will be different.

Hope this helps.

Flynn

[MoonsAreBlue]

@ Flynn

I've had two Samsung laptops, and both times I have tried the method you just mentioned, and I was told that both graphics (one Nvidia, one AMD) drivers were up to date. However, when I went to the Samsung website, there were more current drivers that the automatic update didn't seem to find. So I've not come to trust when Windows does a search for me.

[Frey]

Thanks Flynn! It actually was like Moons said: the Device manager said my drivers were up to date, but I suspected they weren't so I went to the Samsung website. My laptop wasn't even listed there anymore, so I went to the Nvidia Geforce website and looked for driver updates for my card. I read everything carefully to check that it was compatible with both my card and my laptop, and then downloaded it. Turned out I had the 188 version of the driver... and the newest one was 267  .

I can't say if it was the updated graphics card, the updated Direct X, the new patch or Showtime, or maybe everything together, but my game hasn't crashed in a few days... even though I removed ErrorTrap and Overwatch to play the Clones challenge. I still panic everytime my game freezes  LOL but it doesn't crash. So... after changing DEP settings, changing paging files settings, uninstalling, reinstalling, factory reseting over and over, installing stabilizing mods, patching up manually and updating Direct X and the graphics drivers... my game seems to be working at last! Though everytime I say this it starts crashing again  so fingers crossed that it won't this time.

Thanks to everyone  you're all the best!

[Flynn Arrowstarr]

@ Flynn

I've had two Samsung laptops, and both times I have tried the method you just mentioned, and I was told that both graphics (one Nvidia, one AMD) drivers were up to date. However, when I went to the Samsung website, there were more current drivers that the automatic update didn't seem to find. So I've not come to trust when Windows does a search for me.

Might have to consider a Samsung if I go to replace my laptop later. I've had the opposite issue with HP and Acer. The laptop maker didn't update the drivers but Windows Update finds them.

Flynn