XP firewire crashes Vostro 3700

Download and install the June 2010 Directx Patch.

Extract the files to C:\DIRECT

Then Run C:\DIRECT\DXsetup.exe

DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010) - Microsoft

DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010) - Microsoft

Then Reboot.

Then install The latest NVIDIA Drivers. "nVidia Geforce GT 330M-Switchable"

The Dell-issued driver determines when to switch on which card, usually intel when on battery and nvidia 330M when plugged in.

Dell customized the Intel HD & NVidia GT 330.

CUDA didn't work straight away.

Install the Dell GPU driver alongside an older version of CUDA 2.3 rather than 3.x

Try (for Win7 32bit):

 <ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>

and the old toolkit from:
http://developer.nvi..._downloads.html

The Directx Patch Applies to XP, Vista, WIN7.

This should be installed first.

It may need to be Hotfix reinstalled over the top after installing the nvidia drivers.

It patches too many things to enumerate.  It is not harmful and otherwise is WHQL certified.

I suggest Chipset.

Then Directx June 2010

Then INTEL Video

Then Nvidia video.

Intel HM57 Express Chipset Family

Release Date: 3/16/2010

Version: 9.1.1.1023, A00

http://ftp.us.dell.com/chipset/R253422.exe

ftp.us.dell.com/.../R253422.exe

Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD

Release Date: 7/28/2010

Version: 14.42.4.5273, A03

http://ftp.us.dell.com/video/R275099.exe

ftp.us.dell.com/.../R275099.exe

XP Video Drivers from Dell

nVidia Geforce GT 330M-Discrete

Release Date: 1/6/2011

Version: 6.14.11.8921, A02

http://ftp.us.dell.com/video/R292859.exe

ftp.us.dell.com/.../R292859.exe

Cuda 2.3 drivers for XP

Developer Drivers for WinXP (190.38)32-bit  64-bit  

Thanks for this, SpeedStep.

Your first step (installing DirectX End-User Runtimes) seems straightforward (although irreversible).

I am confused (I'm only an end user) about CUDA and the Dell drivers:

1.  The "nVidia Geforce GT 330M-Switchable" driver documentation says under Compatibility that it is only for Windows 7 and Vista (and it does not show up on the drivers available for XP), but under Installation Instructions speak about how to install it on XP. Is it truly OK to try on XP?

2. I downloaded the CUDA 2.3 for XP installation file but this seems to be a sort of development tookit rather than a runtime? Is there already a more recent CUDA in the "nVidia Geforce GT 330M-Switchable" driver? If so do I have to remove it before installing the old CUDA?

3. Dell does not provide an Intel HD driver for XP on Vostro 3700. However, I got the driver from the Intel site and it works fine now (without the nVidia Geforce driver installed). Can I just keep my Intel driver the way it is and go ahead installing the three new programs in the order you suggest (DirectX End-User Runtimes, nVidia Geforce GT 330M-Switchable" driver, and CUDA 2.3)?

If the above seems OK to you, I will set a restore point, do the operations and report back. Thanks and best regards, John

Dear SpeedStep,

I had previously tried to install these three Dell drivers in a slightly different order (Intel HM57 Express Chipset Family=>nVidia Geforce GT 330M-Discrete=>Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD). The nVidia Geforce gave only the option of installing their HD audio driver, which installed fine. The Dell Intel Graphics Media Accelerator installed but did not activate the Intel HD video card. I downloaded and installed the Windows XP driver from the Intel site (as recommended by posting en.community.dell.com/.../19794919.aspx of December 2010), and it worked perfectly. At that time I had a perfectly running XP installation except that the nVidia Geforce card was not recognized (second Video Controler inactive in the Device Manager).

Following your advice I tried to install following:

1. DirectX June 2010 update (installed fine)

2. Dell nVidia Geforce GT 330M-Discrete driver (again it gave option for only the HD audio – I did not pursue the installation since this driver was already installed)

3. Cuda 2.3 drivers for XP (installation program said that the program could not find compatible drivers for the equipment and stopped). No change in nVidia card status.

4. I then took a chance on the Dell nVidia Geforce GT 330M-Switchable driver (installation program said that the driver only works for Vista and Windows 7 and stopped).

I still have a perfectly running XP installation except that the nVidia Geforce card is not recognized (second Video Controler inactive in the Device Manager).

Unless you have additional advice, I will have to believe that Dell has not developed drivers to enable switching to the nVidia Geforce GT 330M, as they admitted to a client in February 2011, replacing his mother board (en.community.dell.com/.../19783976.aspx).

This is annoying, but I still have a very good system using Ubuntu as primary OS and XP for legacy programs. I should say in closing that XP mode of the Windows 7 installation delivered with my computer is a farce (incredibly slow communication with the host computer hard disk, no firewire or USB 2.0 support, unreliable launching of XP applications from the native Windows 7 window, frequent crashes of the XP virtual machine – sometimes requiring its erasure and reconstitution). I really don't see how XP mode can be marketed as a stable, reliable product.

Thanks and best regards, John