Troubleshooting Video Drivers: What Do I Need to Know?

In summary: You have a video card and driver installed, but it is not working because your computer has no software to support it. You need to install software from a list of specific locations or the hardware was not installed because your PC has no software. This hardware is a video card, not a video driver.
  • #1
JerryClower
68
1
I want to talk about video drivers. When I go to my device manager I have no 'known' video drivers. There is a tab that is titled 'Other devices'. When I click on it, there is a driver titled "Video Controller (VGA Compatible)". The manufacturer is unknown and I cannot install any software to make it run. When I attempt to install software for it I get two options. They are : Install the software automatically (Recommended) and Install the software from a list of specific location (Advanced) Neither of them bring any help. They just say "the hardware was not installed because your PC has no software" or something like that. I have a couple of questions.

1) What is this Video Controller?
2) How do I get a video driver/card?
I'm trying to figure all of this out because I'm trying to run a computer game and it keeps saying I don't have Directx 9 ( I do ). Also, I recently "restarted" my computer. By that I mean I started a whole new Windows and deleted all my old files and started with a new copy of XP.

Now onto these video drivers/cards.
Do you always download them, or can you go to stores and buy CD's with them on them?

Also, someone explain the differences between a video card and a video driver.

Sorry if this is too much all at once. Be sure to quote me at needed parts to avoid confusion.
 
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  • #3
You can do a Google search for Directx 9 drivers. You'll find them on Microsoft's website. I do believe the have a newer version out now, maybe Directx 11.

Depending on the manufacturer of your PC you could go to their website and usually under the "Support" section they'll have a place to download drivers. I would enter the model number and go from there. If you built it yourself you should have drivers that came with it.

JerryClower said:
Also, someone explain the differences between a video card and a video driver.
A video card is a piece of hardware that plugs into the mother board which processes the video signal out to your monitor. The video driver is the software that tells the hardware how to function. You could compare it to a driver (the software) in a car (the hardware) controlling how the car moves.
 
  • #4
DirectX generally doesn't work well(if at all) if the video subsystem is running in VGA compatibility mode.
Correct the video driver issue as mentioned above.

If the video card is an "add-on" you may need to open up the computer and note the make and model# of that card and, like said before, do a web-search to download the drivers.
 
  • #5
Do you have an onboard video chip [on motherboard]?. If so, you need to disable that before you can activate the plug in card.
 

1. What are video drivers and why do I need to troubleshoot them?

Video drivers are software programs that allow your computer to communicate with your graphics card and display visuals on your screen. They are essential for proper functioning of your computer's graphics and gaming performance. Troubleshooting video drivers is necessary when you encounter issues such as poor display quality, driver crashes, or compatibility problems.

2. How do I know if I have the latest video driver?

You can check for the latest video driver by going to your computer's Device Manager and expanding the Display Adapters section. Right-click on your graphics card and select "Properties," then click on the "Driver" tab. If there is a "Driver Version" listed, compare it to the latest version on the manufacturer's website. If there is no driver version listed, you likely need to update your driver.

3. What are common signs of video driver issues?

Some common signs of video driver problems include distorted or pixelated graphics, freezing or crashing of programs, and a blank or black screen. You may also receive error messages related to your graphics card or driver.

4. How do I troubleshoot video driver issues?

First, try updating your video driver to the latest version. If that doesn't solve the problem, try rolling back to a previous version of the driver. If the issue persists, you may need to uninstall and reinstall the driver. It is also important to make sure your computer meets the minimum system requirements for the driver and that your graphics card is compatible with your operating system.

5. Can I prevent video driver issues?

While some video driver issues are unavoidable, there are steps you can take to prevent them. Make sure to regularly update your video driver to the latest version, and only download drivers from reputable sources. Keep your computer's operating system and other software up to date, and make sure your computer meets the minimum system requirements for the driver.

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