OpenGL Outdated, Unable to Update

I did this Google search:

https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=Nvidia+GeForce+320M+driver+for+OSX+Maveric ks&as_qdr=all&newwindow=1&num=100&filter=0

and found that apart from a complete reinstall of the OS, which may lose data, most users are doing the following for the time being:

Turn off "Automated Graphics Switching" in "Energy Saver" preferences.

thom20 wrote:

Ahh, Mine is a 13" one, so it only has one graphics card, so automated switching cannot happen because there are not 2 cards to switch between

OK but is there an option to turn it off? If so give it a try.

The following is the best thread I can find for you:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5493333

Neville Hillyer wrote:

OK but is there an option to turn it off? If so give it a try.

FWIW, there is only one graphics controller present in that particular system; that is not the integrated and the high-performance controllers that are present on some of the other MacBook Pro configurations. I'd expect that attempting to disable the sole graphics controller present would be inauspicious.

To the OP: OpenGL and OpenGL ES are integrated with OS X. The only way to upgrade them is to upgrade OS X, and if you're running Mavericks, then you have the latest version that Apple is supporting with your particular Mac.

I don't see a 13" MacBook Pro mid-2011 model listed (at all), but I do see a mid-2010 model (MacBook Pro 7,1) with the NVIDIA GeForce 320M. There is no second graphics controller available in that model. Both MacBool Pro 2011 13" MBP models (Early 2011 and Late 2011, both are listed as MacBook Pro8,1 — which seems a little odd, but I see several references to that) had Intel graphics, according to the lists I'm checking.

The MacBook Pro 15" models tended to have dual graphics controllers in that era, which is what Neville Hillyer is referencing.

To the OP: can you provide a pointer to whatever software package or tool is requesting an upgrade to OpenGL? (It would appear the software might not support your particular MacBook Pro, unfortunately.) Alternatively, check with the support folks for the package, and probably send along your hardware configuration information to them.

Perhaps read all posts at the Apple link I provided.

Neville Hillyer wrote:

Perhaps read all posts at the Apple link I provided.

Those posts are for the 15" and 17" MacBook Pro models.

Various of those MacBook Pro models can have dual controllers.

The 13" inch model here does not have dual graphics controllers.

Though managing to shut off one of the available one graphics controller would be... entertaining. But not something I'd recommend here.

As far as I can tell from reading various threads the consensus is that until Apple provide an update the only things that have worked so far are:

1 - Clean OS install - with some risk of data loss

2 - Disable AGS

I am not expecting this to turn off the only graphics card - merely any automatic switching attempt.

There may be a risk in this action but I would try it - a full backup first may be wise.

thom20 wrote:

No specific program is asking me to upgrade, it is just that I have generally had trouble with OpenGL games and that I think that the fact that my OpenGL is outdated may have something to do with it. It is not that it is outdated for the game, it is that Apple says I should have a different version.

You could choose to contact Apple Support directly and ask, or if you have access to BugReport, log the report via that. Or if you would prefer to post the URL of the Apple documentation you're looking at here, then I can report it to our  hosts with a link back to this discussion. (This would not be the first time there was stale information around, or details of a particular Mac model was missing from some list, either.)

If you're encountering OpenGL bugs within games or other applications? Best to check with the folks supporting those about that. There can be many reasons for rendering-related bugs.

One thing that I recently realised is that the "Supported" OpenGL Version for my computer is acutally for the straight Macbook version of this computer, and that my 13in 2010 Macbook pro Isn't acutally listed at all. The Macbook does have the 320M card though, so I assume that it would apply.

This app may help you identify what you are currently running:

Mac App Store - OpenGL Extensions Viewer - iTunes - Apple