Stubborn GPU won't let me update drivers

[zeuses23]

So my dad recently gave me his old Sony VGN-Z56GG Laptop, running Windows 7 Professional, and i was just updating and installing new stuff. While installing the drivers I noticed that the GPU drivers weren't getting installed. The GPU in question is an NVidia GeForce 9300M GS. I tried getting the drivers from the official website but that also gave an error saying that the installer isn't compatible with the hardware, and the GPU also started acting funny, showing an error code 43 in device manager. After breaking my head over this issue for 2 days, apparently it turns out that laptop manufacturers are notorious for changing up the hardware and device ID of such components, and that we can only install the driver from the original manufacturer's site. I tried to modify the driver installer itself, but i could see, that my GPU's device ID and other stuff was too different. The only reason why I haven't done that is because the drivers on the site are from 2009, whereas the gpu reached its EOL in 2014.

 

I then upgraded the laptop to Windows 10, hoping that windows might have drivers for my GPU, but it didn't. The GPU was still showing error 43, so to fix it, I downloaded the drivers from 2009 and tried to install it, but after installing the drivers, the GPU vanished from Device Manager. Turns out, it was hiding as a hidden device with the name VGA Controller. I tried everything to install the drivers, but it now gives error 45. As a last resort, I was(still would if this starts working again) going to flash the VBIOS to an NVidia VBIOS, but nvflash can't detect the gpu.

 

What should I do now?

Also, if and when this starts working, would you recommend that I should flash my GPU VBIOS?

 

THANK YOU!!!

[Allan]

Laptop drivers should be obtained ONLY from the website of the laptop manufacturer.

[Mark.]

...or via the Windows Update channel.

[Allan]

With all respect, drivers should only be obtained from Windows Update as a last resort. The laptop manufacturer (or in the case of desktops, the specific hardware manufacturer) is always the first choice. Microsoft often bastardizes drivers, crippling certain features, to insure widest acceptability among various hardware to earn WHQL certification.

[Mark.]

no argument there, I agree, it's just that I have had in the past where the latest driver from the manufactures website has not worked and the Windows Update one has due to it a) not being the latest, and b) having passed MS tests for compatibility.

in the end, whatever one works for you.
as with most things with computers, there is rarely a 'one fix fits all' approach. 

[zeuses23]

I wouldn't say I didn't try to update my drivers using windows update, but it didn't work out for me the one time i tried using it .

Also I used DDU to uninstall the drivers of my intel gpu and then the nvidia one, and now device manager is giving me error 45.

https://imgur.com/a/wHt0Quz

[patio]

DDU is garbage...once again you should only be runnin the grafix drivers from the laptop manuf. site...

[EndOfForever]

I'm not sure if you fixed your issue yet, but anyone else who has this issue with this laptop can find the specs to OP's computer here https://www.sony.com.sg/electronics/support/laptop-pc-vgn-series/vgn-z56gg/specifications.

The page for drivers from the manufacturer (as recommended from above) is found here http://www.driverscape.com/manufacturers/sony/laptops-desktops/vgn-z56gg/191643. Make sure to select Windows 7 64-bit if you're the OP!

[patio]

Why would you send him to driverscape ? ?...just curious

[BC_Programmer]

Driverscape is known for inserting trojan horse malware into their driver downloads.

Even just the information on that page I think is enough to distrust them; the first item is their own "Driver utility" as it is on all their driver pages.

But somehow the "Mobile Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family" driver is listed as being for Windows 10- and yet somehow was also released in 2009, as well as that it was provided by NVIDIA...

Sony's own site has driver downloads for the laptop, though. here. They can be found listed as 'Original Drivers and Applications"

I downloaded what looked to be the corresponding drivers from each and they were not the same.

[EndOfForever]

Why would you send him to driverscape ? ?...just curious

When you google "Sony VGN-Z56GG drivers" its the 2nd result which says its sony-asia.com.  It redirects to driverscape from google, and I had no idea the website was known to have malware baked into their driver files... would malwarebytes be able to detect something like that?

[patio]

All im sayin is do your research before you recommend anything here...

[EndOfForever]

I'll keep that in mind for the future, thanks!