Vista SP1 and Aero

[ShadyPenguins]

I've patched my laptop with the RTM version of SP1 for Vista. Unfortunately, when I do this I have trouble getting Aero to work again. I've tried installing and reinstalling various drivers from both this site, and directly from nVidia. I've also tried installing the last two DirectX redist packages. So far, the only way I've managed to get Aero to work is if I use a really old driver from Alienware which doesn't support very many features. I also had this problem when I tried using a RC version of SP1 on a fresh copy of Vista at the beginning of the year. The only thing I've seen that seems to relate to my problem is that most of the video card/driver information is missing in dxdiag when Aero isn't working. The driver seems to work fine aside from Aero: DirectX programs work, driver shows up fine in the device manager, games play fine. If I uninstall SP1 then I can get both Aero and the various nVidia features. Driver Cleaner and CCleaner didn't seem to help any either. I haven't been able to get any drivers for my card directly from Windows Update either; the driver update thinks the best driver for my card is the generic VGA driver.

Hopefully someone can help me out with this. I'm open to any ideas that anyone has.

I'm using a GeForce Go 6600 on Vista SP1 32-bit.

Some of the drivers I've tried are:

96.85 Aero, but no features

167.51 Features, but no Aero

167.62 Currently using

169.09

169.25

169.28

169.61

171.16

173.90

174.31

I had to add a line for SP1 to get the NERD script to work, but it seemed to do fine, except for the EDID info. Windows said it couldn't run that program in full-screen mode.

LaptopVideo2Go_LogFile.txt

[®®®]

The reason for AERo not working is that the driver installation is messed up:

PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0148&SUBSYS_22951584&REV_A2\4&1BD945E4&0&0008

Name: NVIDIA GeForce Go 6600

Driver installed from C:\Windows\INF\oem39.inf [mobile_nv_NV3x]. 158 file(s) used by driver:

C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\nvlddmkm.sys

C:\Windows\system32\nvd3dum.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvwgf2um.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvapi.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvoglv32.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvcpl.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvsvc.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvmctray.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvdisps.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvdispsr.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvgames.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvgamesr.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvmccss.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvmccssr.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvmobls.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvmoblsr.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvvitvs.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvvitvsr.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvmccs.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvmccsrs.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvwss.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvwssr.dll

C:\Windows\system32\oemdspif.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvhotkey.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvcolor.exe

C:\Windows\system32\nvudisp.exe

C:\Windows\system32\nvapps.xml

C:\Windows\system32\nvwsapps.xml

C:\Windows\system32\nvcpl.cpl

C:\Windows\system32\nvcplui.exe

C:\Windows\system32\nvcpluir.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvexpbar.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvdisp.nvu

C:\Windows\system32\dpinst.exe

C:\Windows\help\nvcpl\nvdsp.chm

C:\Windows\help\nvcpl\nv3d.chm

C:\Windows\help\nvcpl\nvmob.chm

C:\Windows\help\nvcpl\nvwks.chm

C:\Windows\help\nvcpl\nvcpl.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcpl.cpl

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplui.exe

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcpluir.dll

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvexpbar.dll

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcpl.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplara.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspara.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dara.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobara.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplcsy.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspcsy.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dcsy.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobcsy.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcpldan.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspdan.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3ddan.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobdan.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcpldeu.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspdeu.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3ddeu.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobdeu.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplell.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspell.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dell.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobell.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcpleng.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspeng.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3deng.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobeng.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplesn.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspesn.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3desn.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobesn.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplesm.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspesm.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3desm.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobesm.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplfin.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspfin.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dfin.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobfin.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplfra.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspfra.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dfra.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobfra.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplheb.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspheb.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dheb.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobheb.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplhun.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdsphun.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dhun.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobhun.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplita.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspita.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dita.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobita.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcpljpn.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspjpn.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3djpn.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobjpn.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplkor.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspkor.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dkor.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobkor.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplnld.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspnld.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dnld.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobnld.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplnor.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspnor.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dnor.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobnor.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplplk.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspplk.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dplk.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobplk.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplptg.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspptg.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dptg.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobptg.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplptb.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspptb.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dptb.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobptb.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplrus.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdsprus.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3drus.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobrus.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplsky.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspsky.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dsky.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobsky.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplslv.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspslv.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dslv.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobslv.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplsve.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspsve.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dsve.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobsve.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcpltha.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdsptha.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dtha.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobtha.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcpltrk.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdsptrk.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dtrk.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobtrk.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplchs.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspchs.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dchs.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobchs.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvcplcht.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvdspcht.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nv3dcht.chm

C:\Windows\nvtmpinst\nvmobcht.chm

C:\Windows\system32\nvcod.dll

C:\Windows\system32\nvcod100.dll

Try DriverCleaner again or delete files manually. Also clean registry from any NV entries.

[Quubik]

Is it now possible to use sp1 with legal activation.

[ShadyPenguins]

The reason for AERo not working is that the driver installation is messed up:

Try DriverCleaner again or delete files manually. Also clean registry from any NV entries.

I'll try cleaning and reinstalling it a few times in safe mode just to be sure. ...And praying for better results this time.

Is it now possible to use sp1 with legal activation.

I've been using the version off Windows Update. So, it just uses my original RTM activation. It still requires the beta strings in the registry to obtain, but gives every indication that it's the actual RTM. i.e. version number doesn't say it's a beta, there's no version number on the desktop, and there's no time limit on it. The release I got was dated around the 22 of February, so it's also after the RTM annoucement date.

[ShadyPenguins]

I still haven't managed to get it to work. I ended up uninstalling the nVidia drivers in safe mode, and running driver cleaner. I deleted as many registry entries, configuration files and stray driver files as I could find. Of course most, if not all of them, came back when I reinstalled the driver. It seems to generate the nvtmpinst folder when it installs the driver. It doesn't seem to matter that the files are available in the folder either. I tried uninstalling SP1 and the RTM still has that set of files in the same directory. Since most of the files in the nvtmpinst folder are localized help files, and the rest seem to get copied to the system32 folder, I can't see how they're causing the problem. I finally convinced it not to require the files in that folder by removing the list of help files from the [nv.PanelClient] section of the inf.

Unfortunately, it's still not working. Any other suggestions?

I attached the latest NERD results, as well as a set without SP1 installed.

LaptopVideo2Go_LogFile_RTM.zip

LaptopVideo2Go_LogFile.zip

Edit: I've noticed that if I close the lid for a few seconds and then reopen it, the screen will go dark for a second and then come back and Aero will be working. It basically acts like it does when a video driver crashes and Vista has to reload it. I also tried reloading the themes and WDM services, but that didn't do anything. Attached a NERD file with Aero up and running.

LaptopVideo2Go_LogFile_LidAero.zip

Edited March 17, 2008 by ShadyPenguins

[Guest Huckphin]

Hey ShadyPenguins,

I had the same problem that you did. When I installed Vista SP1, it did not work, and I was hunting around for a solution. I instead got it to work through the Control Panel, and I don't know if it is related to your issue, but it is a much simpler fix.

I went to Control Panel, make sure you are in Classic View, then I went to Perfomance Information and Tools, then under the Task list on the left column, I clicked on Adjust Visual Effects. From there, I reselected (I selected it, but it was already selected) Adjust for Best Appearance, and I got Aero to work. Did this work for you?