GeForce 320m intermittent problem on windows 7, MBA 2010

I've installed Windows 7 on a bootcamp partition on my macbook air (2010 version). Most of the time, Windows 7 cannot detect the 320M GPU, reporting an error and defaulting to basic VGA. Randomly the GPU is detected and the 320M driver runs fine (and shows Aero).
I'm trying to figure out if it is a driver problem or a hardware issue. I've uninstalled and reinstalled the driver multiple times. When I do so, occasionally the driver will 'take' until I reboot...and then not recognize the GPU again.
I've run a hardware test with no errors reported, and the GPU is always recognized on the MacOS side.
Has anyone run into this problem?

Macbook Air 2010, Windows 7

Posted on Dec 26, 2010 9:28 AM

Reply
12 replies

Dec 26, 2010 7:04 PM in response to Rucci

I am having the same problem. this is very annoying. talked to Apple support they claim it is a Nvidia and microsoft problem. talked to Nvidia they said it is an apple issue. Microsoft did not help.
I am not the only one with this issue and I hope the apple team works on an update for us. I have MBA late 2010 and I installed windows 7 32 bit version and updated to bootcamp 3.2 and the problem is intermittent. the mojority of the boots in windows the driver does not load with code 43.
Please help.

Jan 9, 2011 11:51 AM in response to Allan Scullion

Hi

I am having the same problem - it used to be fixed by uninstalling the nvidia driver in device manager and rebooting (then after windows automatically installed the nvidia drivers, rebooting again). However, the latest bootcamp update last week has now made the problem permanent!!!!

I've raised a call with Apple - has anyone had any success with Apple or Nvidia?

Shaun

Jan 11, 2011 4:53 PM in response to Rucci

My experience mimics the string below. The code 43 errors have been a persistent problem that I have been able to solve by disabling and then re-enabling the NVIDIA device (on almost a daily basis). I was getting used to that annoyance, but now, to my consternation, that routine no longer seems to cure the problem. Throughout this experience, the device has worked flawlessly on the OS side, but it now seems to be permanently stopped by Windows 7 (citing code 43, as if that were helpful). I have reinstalled the Windows drivers, disabled and re-enabled, run every troubleshooter I can find, all without success.

If Apple wants to tout their hardware as capable of using both systems--I would not have been able to justify mine if it didn't work with Windows--then they've got to stand up and get this issue fixed via bootcamp, modified drivers, or work with Microsoft. Apple, please address this asap, as the computer is crippled without a fix.

Jan 23, 2011 4:50 PM in response to Rucci

I think I may have found a fix.
As everybody has done I tried so many things to try to fix this with no success. However one day I noticed that the Windows 7 boot animation changed to windows vista boot animation. I found that I can fix that by launching command prompt as an administrator and run the following command:

bcdboot %WinDir% /l en-US

This worked and the windows 7 animation came back. Now 90% of my windows boot the nvidia driver loads properly. From time to time the windows boot animation disappears and then I get the nvidia driver load error, by running the above mentioned command it fixes the problem again.
Let me know if this works for you guys as this may give a clue to Nvidia and apple to figure out the root of the problem.
I cannot figure out why this regression in the boot animation occurs but it seems somehow related to this problem (maybe one of the programs is changing something in the boot list of windows 7) I do have office 2010, mcafee antivirus and adaware installed on my system.

Thanks and good luck

Jan 24, 2011 2:24 PM in response to Doumit

Dear Apple,

It is with acute dismay that we would like to bring to your notice following thread from nvidia forum relating to Bootcamp, nvidia graphics driver and windows 7.
http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=185737&st=0

PLEASE resolve this issue as a priority without which MacBook Air running Windows 7 is crippled. We have installed several legacy softwares for business purpose but cannot run windows because of nvidia driver or bootcamp failure.

PLEASE fix this problem!!!

Mar 11, 2011 1:22 PM in response to Rucci

I follow the Nvidia forum trying to solve my issue but apparently, all the MBA with a bootcamp dualboot have the same problem as us.
This problem occurs half the time.
I use MS Windows 7 32 bits Ultimate with default graphic drivers (supplied by "Apple" via bootcamp). I often use second screen with mini displayport (VGA)and any specific software or hardware.
Please, help me.

Aug 9, 2016 11:03 AM in response to Boutils

1. Check the lastest changing of hardware driver
* Specially, Windows 7 Updates

(1) open control pannel
(2) run Program and Features
(3) View installed updates
(4) Sort by Installed On data
(5) Remove lastest one which installed just before you got an error

Simply, if remove the lastest Windows Update, It will be resolved.

I have got this error with KB2249857 update.

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GeForce 320m intermittent problem on windows 7, MBA 2010

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