Windows – Why is the same graphics card slower in a faster machine

driverslaptopnvidia-geforcesony-vaiowindows 7

I've got a really weird issue. I have two laptops, both Sony Vaio.

The first is a VGN-SZ1HP with the following specs:

  • Intel Core Duo T2300
  • 2GB RAM
  • GeForce Go 7400 (128MB)

The second is a VGN-SZ3XP with the following specs:

  • Intel Core Duo 2 T7200
  • 2GB RAM
  • GeForce Go 7400 (128MB)

Both have 13" screens and run at the same resolution: 1280 x 800, and they are both running a clean installation of Windows 7 x86.

The second machine is clearly the more modern one, but for some reason it is noticeably slower with graphics (e.g. Aero) than the first one. Why could this be?

More Details

There is noticeable stuttering on the second machine when you're opening and closing windows. I can't understand why. Aero is completely smooth on the first machine, so it makes me think there's something quite wrong, given their specs. The only difference between the two machines is the driver versions.

The first machine is running 8.17.11.9621, which (I believe) it got automatically from Windows Update, whereas the second machine was impossible to find drivers for. Windows installed Generic drivers, which were terrible. I tried NVidia's official drivers, but they refused to install.

I tried Sony's official drivers, but they were for Vista and they were just as slow as the current ones (below), with the added bonus that they kept crashing.

So I eventually resorted to using NVidia MobilityModder to get the machine to install NVidia's 7.15.10.9813 drivers.

The hardware IDs for the two graphics cards are identical:

PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_01D8&SUBSYS_81E6104D&REV_A1

Anyone got any ideas?

Perhaps there is there a way I can manually grab the drivers from the first machine and install it on the second?

Best Answer

You could use a tool such as Driver Magician Lite to backup the video driver from your first computer.

This will create a directory with all the required files and including the inf file, which you can transfer to the second computer.

In the second computer, go into the Device Manager, locate your display adapter, right-click and Properties, Driver tab, Update Driver button, click Browse my computer, then point it at this directory.

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