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Correct Nvidia Driver?

Question asked by Ralph Burns on Dec 8, 2007
Latest reply on Apr 11, 2008 by Wim Van Der Velden

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I had been long trouble-free using my current setup, but now have constant Solidworks hangs and also residual graphics (an old graphic that won't go away).

Dell M90 3GB ram, XP SP2
Nvidia Quadro FX 2500M
Driver Version 8.4.2.9
Solidworks 2007 SP3.?

What is the correct driver? I don't even find it listed on the Nvidia page:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/IO_20010601_3381.html
or Solidworks page:
http://www.solidworks.com/page...videocardtesting.html

I did previously download two different driver programs;
for Solidworks:
84.26_forceware_winxp2k_english_whql.exe
for Abaqus:
91.36_forceware_quadro_winxp2k_english_whql.exe
I cannot remember if I ever used the Abaqus one. Abaqus is running fine.

Last tidbit, the most important one. I had used a GretagMacbeth i1 screen calibrator for Photoshop work, and recently noticed in Task Manager that (conflicting calibration) Abode Gamma Loader was still functioning even tho it was removed from the startup folder. I disabled it from startup in msconfig, and doubly renamed the Adobe Gamma Loader.exe file to .exeOLD to neuter it.

I'm reinstalling the i1 and Soliworks now, but will want to repair the video driver if there is no chance. Can anyone confirm the correct driver, thanks.

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Anna Wood Dec 8, 2007 5:53 PM
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The driver for your Dell M90 is listed on the SolidWorks website. When looking at the list you must select Dell as your manufacture.

See attached....

Cheers,
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- M90_GPU.png82.1 KB
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Josh Mings Dec 8, 2007 9:53 PM
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Hey Ralph, have you tried loading that profile into Gamma Loader? You can do that in the Control Panel ->Adobe Gamma
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- Ralph Burns @ Josh Mings on Dec 9, 2007 1:02 PM
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  Yes Anna - I eventually found the "nVidia" driver under "Dell" on the Solidworks website. Tricky, those guys... why not cross-list them? Anyway, I reloaded the driver with no improvement.
  
  Perhaps some CAD files became corrupt:
  
  I did manage to continue work one one project yesterday by going files backed up several days ago.
  
  Today I need to work on a larger assembly, and it locks up SW right away if I try to move an assembly component. If I go to backups a few days ago, no luck either. If I go back a whole week, then I have momentary success. Alas.. loose a whole week?
  
  It's a little interesting that my usually stable Solidworks has gone haywire, but the "CAD" interface on the much more buggy Abaqus FEA hasn't had problems.
  
  I have still seen some ghosting in the video this morning, but not right now. By ghosting I mean that some windows text box will remain on the screen even after it's associated program is closed.
  
  Josh: I did find Adobe Gamma on the control Panel as you advised. I just tried to load the profile created by the GretagMacbeth i1 calibrator into Adobe Gamma, and got the error, "The selected profile is not a legal RGB display profile". However, I don't have time for photography now, so will deal with that later.
  
  Thanks for the input, signed -
  
  desperately crumbling....
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  - Anna Wood @ Ralph Burns on Dec 9, 2007 3:25 PM
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    Ralph,
    
    To test to see if your issues are video card related....
    
    With SolidWorks started, but no files open, go to Tools > Options > Systems Options > Performance and check Use Software OpenGL.
    
    This will bypass your video card. With your video card bypassed, try working with your files in SolidWorks. Your video will be slower, but if your video card is going bad you should be able to see the issue you have go away.
    
    It is entirely possible that you have a component going bad on your computer and that SolidWorks is bringing the weak component to the forefront. Not unusual as CAD programs will push your systems to its limits.
    
    If you are still having issues I would call Dell and see if you can get a tech out to look at your system.
    
    Cheers,
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    - Brent Armstrong @ Anna Wood on Jan 22, 2008 2:20 PM
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      Anna!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      
      You just solved my SW 08 crashing problem.
      
      Thanks.
      Brent
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    - Tracey Lundrigan @ Anna Wood on Jan 31, 2008 12:55 PM
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      Hi,
      
      Selecting "Use Software OpenGL" seems to have fixed our problems as well. We weren't crashing, but the monitors were flickering in dual monitor mode. Two different machines types, same FX 1700 video card, both running SolidWorks 2008. Drivers had been updated, had tried VGA and DVI, had tried LCD and CRT. All flickered. No flicker with a single monitor.
      
      I'm not sure what performance hit the users are going to see, but they are pretty happy so far!
      
      Thanks.
      T.
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      - Christopher Thompson @ Tracey Lundrigan on Feb 1, 2008 4:02 AM
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        Hi,
        
        I also have a Dell M90 with an NVidia Quadro FX 2500M video card. However, I am using Windows XP Pro x64 (64-bit) and SW 2007 64-bit SP 5.0. No 64-bit video driver is listed for the NVidia Quadro FX 2500M, although an equivalent video driver is listed for 32-bit Win XP Pro.
        
        Why has SolidWorks not released a video driver for 64-bit Win XP Pro? It would seem likely others are using Dell M90 laptops with Win XP x64.
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    - Fayraz Hussain @ Anna Wood on Mar 31, 2008 2:59 PM
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      Anna Wood wrote:
      
      Ralph,
      
      To test to see if your issues are video card related....
      
      With SolidWorks started, but no files open, go to Tools > Options > Systems Options > Performance and check Use Software OpenGL.
      
      This will bypass your video card. With your video card bypassed, try working with your files in SolidWorks. Your video will be slower, but if your video card is going bad you should be able to see the issue you have go away.
      
      It is entirely possible that you have a component going bad on your computer and that SolidWorks is bringing the weak component to the forefront. Not unusual as CAD programs will push your systems to its limits.
      
      If you are still having issues I would call Dell and see if you can get a tech out to look at your system.
      
      Cheers,
      
      I have been having random crashes using SW2008 SP3.1 x64; I am using the Quadro FX1700 with the latest drivers and have also tried the verified drivers on the SW website but no luck.
      
      I went into the Performance section in Systems Options and Software Open GL is ticked but greyed out and I do not know how to untick it?
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      - Matthew Cempa @ Fayraz Hussain on Apr 1, 2008 1:22 AM
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        Do a solidworks Rx and look at what graphics card it lists, I bet it says generic GDI. If this is the case, solidworks is not recognizing the card as being an nVidia card and thus you are always using software open GL. Try a full uninstall of your driver and a fresh install of the lates supported driver. I've seen this happen but I don't really know what causes it or the real cure.
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Kelvin Lamport Feb 1, 2008 10:56 AM
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Although not always needed, it often pays to uninstall the old driver, and then reboot before installing the new driver.
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John Lhuillier Apr 1, 2008 1:47 AM
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Do you have a Microsoft mouse and using the Intellipoint 6.1 or 6.2 driver. I've had issues with 2008 on 3 computers that had Nvidia cards with and without the certified driversand using the Intellipoint drivers. Graphics switching to OpenGL. Laggy text input when editing hole callouts. I've removed the Intellipoint drivers and have not had the lag or switch to OpenGL.
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Fayraz Hussain Apr 1, 2008 6:45 AM
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I have just uninstalled the drivers and installed the latest Nvidia Quadra drivers and will see what happens, I have selected OpenGL and deselected it and it still crashes.

@Matthew; The graphics card is coming up as the specified hardware not a generic one.

The other thing is I am using the machine through a KVM switch so I am not sure whether that is causing the problem so that will be my next plan to get rid of that and try it.

I have looked on here:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/I...10601_3381.html

But my Quadro FX1700 is not listed under the x64 section.

EDIT: I have eliminated the KVM switch and it still crashes randomly, this time it crashed when I tried to check in a document into PDMWorks.
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1-527E6D Apr 2, 2008 3:10 PM
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Loads of problems with the SW recommended drivers for NVIDIA, the older one refuses to reload after a reboot, yes I disabled the AV when installing.

The New one causes constant crashes and system lockups, when viewing folders with SW file in it, even when SW is not running, I downloaded the latest from NVIDIA and knock on wood so far so good.
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- Wim Van Der Velden @ 1-527E6D on Apr 11, 2008 7:51 AM
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  Jason Kahn wrote:
  
  Loads of problems with the SW recommended drivers for NVIDIA, the older one refuses to reload after a reboot, yes I disabled the AV when installing.
  
  The New one causes constant crashes and system lockups, when viewing folders with SW file in it, even when SW is not running, I downloaded the latest from NVIDIA and knock on wood so far so good.
  
  I did have the flickering problem of dual screens here.
  Configuration:
  - Solidworks 2008 Sp3.1
  - nVidia quadro FX1700
  - dualscreen: Samsung 24" (1920x1200) / Dell 19" (1280x1024) both on 60hertz
  - Windows XP 32 bit
  
  The problem started with installing the second monitor.
  The flash/flicker was only once a minute. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
  
  Installed a new driver (version 169.47) for the FX1700 from the nVidia website.
  This solves the problem for me.
  For Solidworks this driver doesn't differ with the ofiicial recommended driver.
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Fayraz Hussain Apr 3, 2008 6:22 AM
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I finally worked out what was causing the crashes on my Solidworks 2006 x64 setup; it was Windows Desktop Search so uninstalled that and also I use PDMWorks, which startsup with SW but the key is to disable the startup of PDMWorks and add it in manually after SW has loaded so far there has been no crashes.

Both are using the latest service packs so hopefully the next release will sort the problems out.
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