Bootcamp won't use my graphics card in windows 8

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Bootcamp won't use my graphics card in windows 8

I've installed Bootcamp with my W8, 64bit, OS - Full installation btw, not an upgrade.

Everything seemed to be set up, only need to activate my windows copy and do assess the system under control panel.

I checked and checked for any and all avaliable upgrades to download via the update portion inside the control panel until there's none left to download.

I've installed Silverlight. - Adobe, Flashplayer, Shockwave, Air, and Reader, - outside of the "Check for updates" part above.

Before I activate my windows copy, I went to the "Systems" part of the control panel and where the computer is rated numerically, etc, and did the system check to get the number, etc. It was actually very low, too low for this New iMac I just recently bought in march of '13. - 1TB harddrive, 16GB Memory, Nvidia 650 Graphics card, .. geared up with some very decent equipment, maybe not the peak like so many others out there, but It'll glide smooth.

I partitioned 300GB of my 1TB harddrive for my Windows 8 - 64 bit/OS - With almost 700GBs left for my Main Mac's OS. Plenty of leg room for this 2nd partitioned.

However, the problem is that when I did that systems check, it keeps showing that this computer isn't using my video graphics card, at all. - How do I fix this to where no matter which operating system I'm using, all the computer's gear I paid good money for is always being utitilzed at all times???

I'm really in a bind at the moment, if anyone see's this and has the time to help me out, I would seriously appreciate it!

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2012), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4), trying to use my 64 bit W8 Full OS

Posted on Jul 15, 2013 11:52 PM

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Answer 1

mende1

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Jul 15, 2013 11:57 PM in response to THOWRYAON

1. Have you installed the Windows support software for your Mac? > http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1638?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

2. Have you installed the most recent driver for the graphic card from the NVIDIA website? > http://www.nvidia.com

If not, do these steps

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Answer 2

THOWRYAON Author

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Jul 16, 2013 12:14 AM in response to mende1

I have the bootcamp windows support software I downloaded through bootcamp assistant onto a flashdrive, but all that I knew to do with that was to just leave it where it was in the slot in the back of the computer, I didn't remember reading anything about having to open up that usb drive and do anything with those files beforehand. Do I?

I'll check the Nvidia site for those drivers, but it's not that the computer's showing that it's there but not using it, it's not showing the card at all.

Thanks btw for your help so far!

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Answer 3

mende1

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Jul 16, 2013 12:15 AM in response to THOWRYAON

The NVIDIA drivers that come with the Boot Camp drivers are outdated. The ones you get from the NVIDIA site give you better performance and compatibility. Also, if the GPU can't be used, the NVIDIA installer will tell you that

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Answer 4

THOWRYAON Author

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Jul 16, 2013 12:23 AM in response to mende1

Alright, well I've checked out the NVIDIA site for the drivers, and honestly, I'm a little new to this kind of thing and I'm somewhat lost at the moment. I found the NVIDIA download that helps find whatever drivers you'd need and maintain them, etc. I clicked on it to install the download and it hardly even started working before it had an error message pop up and reverted me to their systems requirements page online, and I really don't know what to do next. Any ideas?

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Answer 5

mende1

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Jul 16, 2013 12:24 AM in response to THOWRYAON

What does the error message say? From what you say, I think that the installer can't detect the graphic card

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Answer 6

THOWRYAON Author

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Jul 16, 2013 12:26 AM in response to mende1

It says that the graphics driver isn't supported. That the NVIDIA download can't be installed

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Answer 7

mende1

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Jul 16, 2013 12:29 AM in response to THOWRYAON

Open Device Manager. To access to it, go to the Modern UI interface (the one that appears just after starting up Windows) and type Device Manager. Then, open it and look for graphic cards or video or display adaptors. What does it show?

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Answer 8

Jul 16, 2013 12:32 AM in response to THOWRYAON

Just to be sure, have you now installed the BootCamp utility or not?

There is some hardware in your Mac, that Windows may not find itself, unless you have installed all BootCamp drivers!

You left your WindowsSupport Drive in the USB-port, okay... but are you sure, it installed those drivers?

(Did you run the BootCamp.exe (or setup.exe) inside your WindowsSupport Folder/on your WindowsSupport Flash-Drive??)

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Answer 9

mende1

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Jul 16, 2013 12:32 AM in response to Free 4 Live

If the NVIDIA installer can't detect the NVIDIA GPU, you can be sure that the Windows support software won't do anything that can change this

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Answer 10

THOWRYAON Author

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Jul 16, 2013 12:34 AM in response to Free 4 Live

No I don't think it did. I haven't even messed with that drive the entire time. I'll go to the usb, but exactly, how do I go about installing the drivers?

As in, do I open the drive, and then one folder at a time and then go one by one through each sub folder until I access it's setup or install thing to go about installing it? or is there a overall summary type install that'll do it by selecting something else? Sorry btw, I'm new to Mac products.

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Answer 11

mende1

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Jul 16, 2013 12:36 AM in response to THOWRYAON

As you are now in Windows, you just have to download the drivers I provided you in the first link of my first reply. Then, decompress the file and run the installer.

The installer will install all the drivers your iMac needs, so you don't have to install each one individually

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Answer 12

THOWRYAON Author

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Jul 16, 2013 12:38 AM in response to mende1

How do I "decompress" the file?

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Answer 13

Jul 16, 2013 12:41 AM in response to THOWRYAON

Well the Driver Utility may not have the same rights as the BootCamp software, lets just give it a try!

If you have the Folder on an extra drive (not on your WinInstall drive) there should be an .exe to install all drivers at once right on the drive!

If you used the same drive as your WinInstall (so if your USB-Drive was bigger than 4GB) there should be a folder called WindowsSupport with the .exe for all in it!

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Answer 14

mende1

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Jul 16, 2013 12:40 AM in response to THOWRYAON

Just double-click the downloaded file

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Answer 15

THOWRYAON Author

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Jul 16, 2013 12:41 AM in response to mende1

I double clicked the zipped file I just downloaded. Now I'm looking at two other files, one titled "Bootcamp" the other's titled "$Windows" or w/e. What do I need to do now?

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