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Thread ID: 119732	2011-08-07 09:56:00	Is buying a new video card really necessary for Windows 7?	undiejuice (16495)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1221400	2011-08-08 02:55:00	Hi. My resolution is actually set at 1280x1024 @ 60hz which is the maximum in (Windows 7). That's because, as explained above, Windows 7 does not have drivers for the card. Buying a new GPU and using that card's drivers will enable higher resolutions to be used, including 1680x1050. (Windows 7 successfully detected my three year old Raedon HD and booted up at 1920x1080 with Aero on on first boot :))	pcuser42 (130)
1221401	2011-08-08 02:57:00	You do not need a graphics card to "enhance" Windows. You need an up to date driver for the GPU however, but that is regardless if you use a separate graphics card on the onboard GPU. For gaming though, yes, it's the single most important component in the entire system. You can't be playing anything very new if you're using such an old card. Change to the new one and download the driver, then set your monitor resolution (although it should auto do this after) to it's native resolution. That will make Windows prettier. Hahaaa....I just hope buying another graphics card is the right investment and decision to make reading text like this any better? If it turns out to be custard, its money down the drain and makes my experience using Windows 7 less pretty. LOL. What does GPU mean? (I guess, you'll tell me to google it)	undiejuice (16495)
1221402	2011-08-08 02:59:00	The native resolution of the CMV 221D is 1680x1050, but without supported graphics drivers you're unlikely to be able to set it to that. As Sol has pointed out, Windows 7 does not have drivers for the GeForce 4200 series, and in fact as they are a DX7/8 card they fall below the minimum system requirements for Windows 7 (which specifies a DX9-compliant GPU). I'd suggest you'll need to upgrade to a DX9-compliant/Win7-supported GPU, get a monitor whose native resolution is available to the standard VGA drivers, or put up with it.	inphinity (7274)
1221403	2011-08-08 03:04:00	[QUOTE=I'd suggest you'll need to upgrade to a DX9-compliant/Win7-supported GPU, get a monitor whose native resolution is available to the standard VGA drivers, or put up with it.[/QUOTE] Yeah, I noticed when I tried to look for Windows 7 drivers for my graphics card with no success. Oh dam, are you suggesting I have to buy another monitor as well? What the 'fish'.... I just hope that buying the card is a good investment, because really I don't want to upgrade, but have been forced to by my institution in using Office 2010 (which I can't stand) and Windows 8 (instead of XP) to follow suite. Thanks for your help too.	undiejuice (16495)
1221404	2011-08-08 03:08:00	I would suggest that not having drivers is preventing the monitor from being detected or allowing the correct resolution to be set. are you certain nvidia don't have drivers available? If not the 6200 would work :pf1mobmini: Yeah I tried using the alternative drivers, but Windows 7 would not let me. I just want to be sure that buying another graphics card is the right way to go. Ok, graphic cards can be pricy, so I want to be certain, I have made the right decision before buying a new one which can accomodate for Windows 7. I really hope that reading text will improve greatly on a LCD monitor. I can still read text, but I have to lean back a little to read it better.	undiejuice (16495)
1221405	2011-08-08 03:10:00	Yeah, I noticed when I tried to look for Windows 7 drivers for my graphics card with no success. Oh dam, are you suggesting I have to buy another monitor as well? What the 'fish'.... I just hope that buying the card is a good investment, because really I don't want to upgrade, but have been forced to by my institution in using Office 2010 (which I can't stand) and Windows 8 (instead of XP) to follow suite. Thanks for your help too. No, that monitor will be fine, IF you get a GPU with drivers. Otherwise, if you don't want to do that, you could get a monitor whose resolution is supported by the standard VGA driver, to resolve the clarity issue. Personally, given the machine has a 4200Ti, I'd just be buying a new PC.	inphinity (7274)
1221406	2011-08-08 03:12:00	Thanks everyone for all your input. My guess I have no choice but to upgrade to another video card. I just hope this is the right move for me because graphic cards are not like 'leaves' on a tree. I have to assure myself that my investment in a reasonable and suitable card will do the job and I can read and type the text better.	undiejuice (16495)
1221407	2011-08-08 04:01:00	You may well find it hard to get a AGP slot DX9 card, as that architecture was superceded back in 2006? To summarise, your video card is not supported by Windows 7, hence the generic standard video card drivers which dont support wide screen, therefore the LCD monitor cant be used in its native crisp 1680x1050 resolution, causing the blurry text. Solution, purchase cheap DX9 AGP video card (pricespy.co.nz) @ $64	SolMiester (139)
1221408	2011-08-08 05:07:00	A little explanation which might help you understand. GPU = graphics processing unit, or just your graphics card. Easier to type I guess. LCD monitors do not scale well which means they only look their best when set to the correct (native) resolution. Yours looks fuzzy because windows can't set the correct resolution without proper drivers so it is set wrong. Any Graphics card with DX9 support or better and drivers for windows 7 should fix this problem. All this has been covered more or less, I was just trying to make it clear.	dugimodo (138)
1221409	2011-08-08 06:54:00	wouldn't it be better to get a new cheap motherboard for about $100, $100 CPU. The motherboard has a buitlin video card that can handle any resolutions you want for normal work .... and you can use your current monitor. Much faster than upgrading just the video card. And some Ram for $60.	Nomad (952)
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