Windows 8.1 on Mid 2009 MBP - Doesn't work with projector

Question

Level 1

8 points

Windows 8.1 on Mid 2009 MBP - Doesn't work with projector

I have successfully installed Windows 8.1 and the bootcamp drivers on my mid-2009 Macbook Pro 17" laptop. Everything appeared to be working fine until I connected the laptop to a projector for a presentation. Windows says "Your PC can't project to another screen. Try re-installing the driver or using a different video card". The machine has a Geforce 9400M card, although Windows 8.1 detects it as "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter". The driver actually works fine on the display (correct resolution, good color, etc) but won't extend to a projector. This function worked perfectly under Windows 7 but seems to have broken under Windows 8.1. I tried to update the bootcamp drivers, but any of the recent builds say they don't support this hardware.

Any ideas? How about upgrading to Windows 10?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Posted on Sep 24, 2015 2:02 PM

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Answer 1

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 28, 2015 10:58 AM in response to TC Guy

Can you try Boot Camp Support Software 4.0.4033 and test? The W7 drivers should work with W8. You may need to install the drivers with Administrative privileges and compatibility set to W7.

Post Date: Mar 14, 2013

File Size: 601.76

System Requirements

MacBook (13-inch, Late 2006)
MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2007)
MacBook (13-inch, Late 2007)
MacBook (13-inch, Early 2008)
MacBook (13-inch, Late 2008)
MacBook (13-inch, Early 2009 & Mid 2009)
MacBook (13-inch, Late 2009) *
MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2010) *
MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2008)
MacBook Air (13-inch, Late 2008 & Mid 2009)
MacBook Air (11-inch & 13-inch, Late 2010) *
MacBook Pro (15-inch & 17-inch, Core 2 Duo)
MacBook Pro (15-inch & 17-inch, 2.2 & 2.4GHz)
MacBook Pro (15-inch & 17-inch, Early 2008) *
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) *
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009 & Mid 2009) *
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2009) *
MacBook Pro (13-inch and 15-inch, Mid 2009) *
MacBook Pro (13-inch,15-inch, and 17-inch, Mid 2010)
MacBook Pro (13-in, 15-inch, and 17-inch, Early 2011 & Late 2011)
Mac Pro (Mid 2006)
Mac Pro (Early 2008) *
Mac Pro (Early 2009)
Mac Pro (Early 2007)
Mac Pro (Mid 2010)
Mac Pro (15-inch and 17-inch, 2.2 & 2.4GHz)
Mac mini (Mid 2007)
Mac mini (Early 2009 & Late 2009)
Mac mini (Mid 2010) *
iMac (17-inch, Late 2006)
iMac (20-inch, Late 2006)
iMac (24-inch, Late 2006)
iMac (20-inch & 24-inch, Mid 2007)
iMac (20-inch & 24-inch, Early 2008)
iMac (20-inch, Early 2009 & Mid 2009)
iMac (21.5-inch & 27-inch, Late 2009) *
iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) *
iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2010) *
iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010)
iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011 & Late 2011)
iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011)

all these drivers support Windows 7, 32 bit

* drivers that support Windows 7, 32 and 64 bit

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Answer 2

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 24, 2015 3:18 PM in response to TC Guy

TC Guy wrote:

The machine has a Geforce 9400M card, although Windows 8.1 detects it as "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter".

You need to see it as a nVidia adapter. You seem to be missing the nVidia drivers. If you have USB connectivity to Windows, download BC drivers (option 2) and run setup.exe from the Bootcamp folder. It should detect and install appropriate drivers. Please post back if you run into any issues.

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Answer 3

TC Guy Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 28, 2015 7:49 AM in response to Loner T

Thanks for the reply. I agree that in order for full functionality to return, the machine needs to see it as an nVidia adapter. However, Windows 8.1 is quite insistent that the default "Microsoft Basic Display Adapter" is the best driver to use. Indeed it does work fine - except for the ability to share the screen to a projector. I have downloaded a few of the BC version 5.x driver packages from Apple and they all say that this older hardware is not supported and refuse to install. I also downloaded the latest drivers from nVidia for the 9400M card. The nVidia driver install complains that supported hardware was not detected. Perhaps the nVidia 9400M in the MBP is slightly different from the OEM version? Maybe Apple has custom firmware on the card that will only work with it's BC drivers. If I could fool the BC version 5.x installer into thinking that my mid-2009 hardware is supported, it would likely install the correct video driver just fine.

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Answer 4

TC Guy Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 28, 2015 10:57 AM in response to Loner T

The nVidia driver that came with BC 4.0.4033 did the trick, thank you very much. I didn't install the whole thing, just drilled down into the drivers folder and found the one for nVidia. I can now use the projector functions under Windows 8.1.

Thanks again Loner T.

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Answer 5

Loner T

Level 9

59,536 points

Sep 28, 2015 11:08 AM in response to TC Guy

Excellent. You should create a Windows System Restore point in Windows with this driver in place. Windows Update should also be set up for notifications only, not Automatic Updates, otherwise it creates problems with BC drivers.

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