Video: Why Intel 915 graphics don't have a WDDM driver for Vista

By Josh Bancroft (Intel) (69 posts) on April 2, 2007 at 2:12 pm


Click To Play

I get this question a LOT: "Why hasn't Intel released WDDM drivers for the 915 integrated graphics chipset? I can't run the fancy visual effects in Windows Vista, like Aero Glass, without one!"

People hardest hit by this issue include virtually all Tablet PC and UMPC users, along with lots and lots of people using laptops with that particular Intel integrated graphics chipset. I personally have two systems, a Lenovo X41 Tablet PC and an Asus R2H UMPC, that are affected. The Intel Software Network forum is full of complaints, rants, and even veiled threats on the topic - implying that we, Intel, are sitting on the driver, or not releasing it for some unknown reason (most speculate that it's because we want to force people to upgrade to a newer, more powerful graphics solution).

In this video, I sat down with Intel's Chuck DeSylva, right after he gave a presentation at GDC 2007 on the topic of optimizing your games to take advantage of the Intel G965 graphics chip. I asked him the million dollar question: Why are there no WDDM drivers for Intel 915 graphics?

Watch the video for the answer. It's about 3.5 minutes long, and weighs in at 22MB if you want to download it directly.

The short version (if you're impatient): The WDDM Vista driver spec came out long after the 915 design was complete and in production, and even though it has advanced features like Pixel Shader 2.0, there is a missing hardware feature, called the Hardware Scheduler, that 915 lacks, and without that, it doesn't meet the WDDM spec from Microsoft, and we (Intel) can't release a WDDM driver for it.

There. It's done. I hope that answers your questions. Please link your friends and associates to this video/post for the "definitive" answer.

As always, we're open to your feedback, so please feel free to post a comment, respond in the ISN forums, or contact me directly if you have any more questions or issues.

Categories: Mobility

Comments (190)

April 2, 2007 4:26 PM PDT


jkk		 ...but could we run aero even without hardware scheduler?

..if you would just release a beta driver with aero support, we would be very happy!
April 2, 2007 4:30 PM PDT

Josh Bancroft (Intel)
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 We can't do that, because Microsoft won't let us release a WDDM driver that doesn't meet the WDDM spec. We can't call it/certify it WDDM because it doesn't meet the spec, and Aero Glass won't run because the driver isn't WDDM.

I know it sucks, but that's what we're up against. :-(
April 2, 2007 4:37 PM PDT


jkk		 The question was: what would happend if you would release the driver... Would it work? would it work on some stuff but not all?

Lets play that microsoft would give you green light to do it?
April 2, 2007 4:57 PM PDT

Josh Bancroft (Intel)
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 I don't know the for sure answer to that question, but I'd guess it's something like "we don't have enough people/time/resources to spend writing a driver that we know won't meet the spec". It would be awesome if it happened, but it would also be awesome if Intel decided to buy a Ferrari for everyone who bought one of our products... :-(
April 2, 2007 7:10 PM PDT


grim		 The guy just repeated whats on the Intel website. Whoopdy doo. As stated before they dont want to release drivers. Yes, Aero & Glass can and will work on the gma900 if it had drivers. Period. This is just another stupid excuse from Intel.
April 3, 2007 11:05 AM PDT


Habib		 I feel seriously cheated.

Can't wait to cut my tablet pc open and tear the 915GM out to replace it with a 945... Guess I WILL upgrade soon, but this time I'll make sure that the unit won't include an Intel chipset, just to be on the safe side...

I recommend everyone else who's bothered by this does the same. It's a pitty that Intel ignores its customers like this, albeit we're the ones who drive profits...

Cheated is the right word, indeed.
April 3, 2007 11:10 AM PDT

Josh Bancroft (Intel)
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 @grim - It would work if we could make WDDM drivers. We can't make the drivers, because the hardware doesn't meet the Microsoft WDDM spec. What more could we do?

@Habib - Microsoft controls the WDDM spec, not us. We can't go back in time to add hardware features to old chips to meet a new standard from Microsoft.

Yes, it sucks, but I don't think you're being fair or rational by blaming the issue on Intel.
April 3, 2007 11:27 AM PDT


Habib		 Josh, thanks, I am well aware that even Intel can't go back in time (or can you?!?)

I also did understand that part about the WDDM spec. However, in one of your posts it sounded like the 915GM WOULD work if only you were "allowed" to make WDDM driver.

Now, Microsoft is big, no doubt, but Intel isn't the smallest pea in the pot itself, and I believe that Intel could negotiate with Microsoft on this, since the userbase of the 915GM is quite large. After all, a working solution, if communicated correctly, would be in Microsoft's interest as well (think of the lost business for them caused by this).

Am I completely out of the picture here?
April 3, 2007 11:33 AM PDT

Josh Bancroft (Intel)
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 That sounds about correct regarding what would have to happen to enable 915 to do the fancy Vista Premium stuff. Only Microsoft knows for sure what the impact of the missing hardware features (hardware scheduler, namely) in the 915 would be. But it's up to them to decide to change the spec.
April 3, 2007 11:44 AM PDT


Habib		 And it's up to you guys to put on some pressure on them in the interest of your customers, that is. ;-)

Let me know if I can be of any assistance on that matter, More petitions can be drawn up easily.
April 3, 2007 1:51 PM PDT


Bhongoza KamaPhitha		 Buy AMD and they won't play the blame game
April 3, 2007 1:59 PM PDT


Ricardo Ramirez		 I know aero thing is great to look but still can live without it. But what about DVD Maker and Movie Maker. I think those applications are quite a good match for Apple Ilife, and we just can't use them for the same driver problem.
April 3, 2007 2:15 PM PDT

Josh Bancroft (Intel)
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 @Ricardo - Microsoft made that decision. Microsoft wrote the code that won't let you run DVD Maker or Movie Maker if you don't have the right graphics card. I wish it ran on 915, too - I have an X41 Tablet and an Asus R2H UMPC, neither of which can run those apps.
April 3, 2007 2:46 PM PDT


John Haynes		 This just sounds like two arrogant companies blaming each other and not listening to their customers.

Why don't Intel and Microsoft for a change listen to the customer base - Microsoft change the standard or have an option in the standard to support the 915 and Intel write the drivers ......

To me as a simple customer...the above is the most simple solution.

If Intel and Microsoft don't stop playing these games they won't have a customer base - there are companies out there now that will in teh next 5 year overtake both Microsoft and Intel ....
April 3, 2007 4:36 PM PDT


jkk		 As said before:

If you wanted, you could make beta drivers. They dont need to mach the wddm specs, we don't need "microsoft digitally signed" drivers.

I'm using NVIDIA unsigned beta drivers, which enable aero fine.
April 3, 2007 6:43 PM PDT


Tom		 This just stupid. I bought a 2000 dollars tablet PC last year and now its trash. Next time, I will make sure I get a amd processor with ati video driver, at least them they don't find excuse. There's no big hardware differnece the 915 and 945 , they are just playing games with us.
April 3, 2007 7:14 PM PDT


David		 I'm not an expert with computer but please don't insult our intelligence saying it's not possible to make the WDDM driver. If we, the consumers push far enough eventually there will be something. So rather than wasting your time explaining, you guys should put some effort in to making it before jumping to the conclusion.
April 3, 2007 9:02 PM PDT


grim		 What most people dont understand is that you DONT have to make drivers that fully comply to Microsoft WDDM spec to make Aero & Glass along with other programs to work fine in Vista.
April 3, 2007 9:03 PM PDT


grims		 What most people dont understand is that you DONT have to make drivers that fully comply to Microsoft WDDM spec to make Aero & Glass along with other programs to work fine in Vista.
April 4, 2007 4:57 AM PDT


Habib		 The beta driver thing sounds reasonable... Is it reasonable? If so, why isn't Intel doing it?

Thanks,
H.
April 4, 2007 6:54 AM PDT


CyberKnight		 Can the 915 do Aero glass?!?
YES it can. And in fact, it did. During the early Vista stages (aka Longhorn), I did run on my 915 based TabletPC with the full Aero glass support. It required a small change in the registry to force the DWM to skip hardware detection but, since the 915 supports DX9 and pixel shader 2.0b, everything ran fine and surprisingly smooth.

Honnestly, I don't think Intel is completely fair with this issue. Maybe they could release an *UNSUPPORTED* WDDM driver that would allow people interested in "taking this risk" to enjoy Aero glass on their 915.

Anyhow, the point is it DID WORK and should.
April 4, 2007 10:56 AM PDT


Roland		 hi there,

cyberknight, in the 52xx builds aero was still being done via software... not in hardware as in the final version of vista/longhorn. still there are rumours about people using a 945 driver with the 915 and aero working.

josh, could you please provide an explanation what this "hardware" scheduler thing is, you're talking about (and what it actually does)?

cheers guys, keep calm :)
April 5, 2007 5:36 AM PDT


Metafix		 Josh above all thanks for this post. I understand the issue fully and support intels decision in not making the official wddm driver (and I do have a laptop with i915 intergrated).

There are solutions to make Aero work on i915 with forcing Lakeport WDDM drivers (I know its not quite a correct or safe move yet still...) and a few other hacks exist too. Consult with google with those.

But if Intel makes a beta driver or sth to make it work they could release the source to the community. I belive there are some talented people out there who would uptake this task and work on unofficial versions of the Vista Aero Intel i915 drivers.

This would not only make the i915 users happy, it would return their trust in Intel and also it would solve the official WDDM spec problem.

No matter what in Intel I trust. Its a shame that the product currently cant do what it trully can because of the term which Microsoft layed down upon us.
April 5, 2007 10:14 AM PDT


CyberKnight		 Roland, I would like to see some tangible facts concerning your assertion about Aero being done in software. I have serious doubts that it was the case since the "glass" effect (with the blur and false reflection) was most certainly done using pixel shaders. Obtaining this effect with software rendering is not likely possible to get in real-time (I mean more than 30fps) on a 1,73MHz Pentium M.

Now, for the "hardware" thing, he was probably talking about the DWM "proposed" requirement for "interruptibility" that is to be implemented by GPU in DX10. I think there is a lot of confusion in this area.

If this whole "hardware" thing is true, then, someone should explain why an ATI Radeon 9550 (which is DX9 and shader 2.0b) is Aero glass capable.

I still don't think Intel has told the whole story yet.
April 6, 2007 5:41 AM PDT


Min		 I really really wish that intel will provide the beta drivers for 915 Chipset that fully comply to make Aero & Glass version in Vista. Or else, I have totally no idea what should I do with my laptop which is using Intel 915 Video chipset. Intel please ....
April 6, 2007 11:55 AM PDT


cody		 I ran the registry hack for the betas and my 82915 could run aero glass, so why in the world would they not release some patch if not a driver to allow glass on 915s?
April 8, 2007 12:26 PM PDT


Armando Mata		 deseo informacion de la placa madre fw-82801-eb
April 9, 2007 9:50 AM PDT


Charles		 Ok, guys i915 cannot run Aero,

So Why my laptop runs many GAMES just fine ? Aren't they too much superior in graphic demand than the stupid Aero ?

Give me a break !
April 10, 2007 12:18 PM PDT


rik		 i understand a bit about computers . . more than the average 15 yr old any way but what i dont understand is that ive brought a brand new Advent 7104 laptop at a bargin price . . . it came with the intel graphics card everyone is going mad abowt . . . and it wont run counterstrike right or half life at anything above 30 fps i even got an extra gb of ram so its got 1.5 gb of ram .. any way lil off topic but i spent 499 or however much it was on vista ultimate edition and i cant run it with full effect because of some stupid graphics card . . . i spent about £1000 on this laptop just to get it to normal standard and intel keep confusing me with this im gunna ask the question that has been asked a million times over but i keep getting mixed messages . . . IS THE MOBILE INTEL 915GM/GMS,910GML PHYSICLY CAPABLE OF RUNINIG THE AREO GUI if so please tell me if the lakeport driver will run on the retail version of vista

i have spent my life savings on getting a laptop and getting more ram etc .. and it all seems for nothing please shed soem light on this subject because i am reali frustrated
April 10, 2007 12:23 PM PDT


rik		 sorrry i forgot to mension my laptop has : 1.7GHz pentium M processor would this mean also there is no hope ? because wen i had vista on my laptop before it seemed o.k but im onli 15 ive onli learnt what i no from work experiance and forums . . .
April 10, 2007 1:04 PM PDT

Josh Bancroft (Intel)
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 OK, guys, here's the deal.

There's "Vista Ready" and "Vista Premium Capable". Microsoft decides which is which:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/capable.mspx

The 915 graphics chip is "Vista Ready". It runs Vista just fine. It is NOT "Vista Premium Ready". From the above Microsoft site:

<blockquote>Some Windows Vista Capable PCs have been designated Premium Ready. These PCs will provide an even better Windows Vista experience, including the Windows Aero user experience. Features available in specific premium editions of Windows Vista, such as the ability to watch and record live TV, may require additional hardware.</blockquote>

Confusing? Yes. Deceptive? Well, some people think so, and have brought a lawsuit against Microsoft for this exact issue:

http://arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars/2007/04/04/mic.....over-vista

In fact, since that lawsuit, Microsoft has gone back and made a change to that paragraph I quoted. Read about what it used to say:

http://arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars/2007/04/09/mic.....ta-capable

So.

To everyone who bought a laptop with Intel 915 graphics, because it was labelled "Vista Ready", you were NOT deceived. It IS "Vista Ready". It runs Vista just fine.

But.

If you somehow thought that "Vista Ready" meant that you could run the cool 3D tab flipper, and the fancy "Aero Glass" high end 3D interface, you were wrong.

I'm sorry you didn't understand what you were getting when you bought a system with an old, low end, legacy graphics chip. I'm sorry the Microsoft marketing material and logo labels confused you. I really am. I wish none of us had to deal with this.

Is Intel ever going to release a "beta"/unofficial driver for 915 graphics?

I'm not the "official" person to answer this, but I'd say "no".

Why?

Because it's an old, low end, "legacy" part. There aren't any people at Intel dedicated to writing new drivers for this part. Intel laid off 10% of its workforce last year - 10,000 people. Ten thousand. The rest of us that are left are trying to get all the work done. Obviously, we can't do the same amount of work. Some things have to get dropped. Decisions have to be made about what projects are going to happen, and which ones are going to get cut. Like I said, I'm not the "official" person to say, but my guess is that there just aren't people sitting around, collecting a paycheck, that could be thrown at writing an unofficial "beta" driver. Wouldn't it cool if it happened? Of course. Would Intel like to do it if we had the resources? Certainly! But we live in the same reality that you do, and we have to make our budget balance just like you do. We can't always do everything that we'd like to do.

I hope this serves as a "final word" on this discussion. If you have more questions, please do continue to discuss it here, email me, whatever. But I'm hiding anything or holding anything back - I've laid it all out on the line, here, and I hope it helps you guys understand.

And if I could buy everyone a drink to make you feel better, or a brand new "Vista Premium Ready" computer to run the Vista eye-candy, I would. But there's that whole "reality" thing...
April 10, 2007 1:30 PM PDT


rik		 yer thanks for clearin things up it just seems like a spent loads of money on nothing reali because my laptop got some old graphics card in it . . . man i hate laptops now i wish i had of spent my life savings on something future proof i think ill get a desktop wid quad core least then it will last bowt 5 years before it is classed as obsolete like evry piece of technology i own . . .
p.s is it physicly capable of runnin aero or what cos im still a little confused vista is the most confussing operating system and it all very frustrating !!! spech when ur 15 and in school and have spent a lot of money to be told that it you shouldnt have bothered :(
April 10, 2007 1:34 PM PDT


rik		 just an after thought when did this on board thingy come out coz i brought my laptop october online at http://www.pcworld.co.uk i saw a tv ad bowt my laptop n online it seemed that it was a new 1 n ive read articles saying that it hardware directx 9 . . .
April 10, 2007 5:09 PM PDT


ian		 What gets up my goat is that laptops with this card are displayed with the Windows Vista Capable sticker on them,
not realy capable if they dont run Vista integrated apps like movie maker and DVD maker not to mention the Aero Glass whatever that is. as usual if the buyer don't ask the correct questions before purchase then they are pretty well left in the lurch and no one gives a damn.
and even computer geeks don't always know all the correct questions to ask relating to a new system.
April 11, 2007 7:30 AM PDT


z		 It seems clear to me that this is not a technical problem but rather a "political" consequence of a pure marketing issue created by MS.

I detest that one supplier (in this case MS) actively leverages the vague and imprecise information available online in order to push additional sales of Vista.
However, I realised that MS does this regularly some time ago and subsequently switched to Linux.

Aero is like a pale copy of Compiz/aiglx.
Compis/aiglx runs just fine with the 915 and I will never have to rely on a vendor that does not care about its customers one bit.

I use Ubuntu Linux and I am constantly fascinated by the fact that people choose to stay with the shoddy products and practices MS keep dumping on its unsuspecting customers.
April 11, 2007 9:46 AM PDT


David		 My 8-year old uses an Acer laptop we bought for him last summer. We chose the laptop because it had a sticker that said "Vista Ready". When my son finally had enough savings, he bought a copy of Vista Premium specifically because it has Windows Aero. The Acer has the 915 chipset and doesn't run Aero. So now my son is broken hearted and feeling cheated by both Microsoft and Intel.

Intel isn't interested in making an Aero capable driver, beta or otherwise, because they are much more interested in forcing people to buy new machines so they can sell more chips.

My son and I feel that we were mislead and cheated. For my part, I will never buy another machine, laptop or desktop, that has an Intel processor or an Intel chipset. I will recommend the same to everyone I know.
April 11, 2007 10:02 AM PDT


rik		 well i understand that that hardware scheduler is somethink it needs for a wddm driver but is there any other form of driver that will allow you to get aero on vista ultimate or is there any way some one COULD make 1? or is there any hacks patches etc. that "force " vista to display Aero ? if so please tell me before i give up hope and go to linux . . . . i wish i had never brought my laptop now ... before this i had an IBM 600X that worked amazingly fast the onli thing i had upgraded was the harddrive to a 5400RPM PATA . . .
i wish laptops had the ability to upgrade the graphics card they would be a million times more popular ... but then again intel would end up losing lots of revenue because EVERYONE would buy a graphics card that wasnt shared memory... or intel to be procise... no diss to intel but it the truth you make amazing processors just crappy graphics cards!!!! and sound cards for that matter the intel sound card that i got with my laptop 1 of those crapy AC'97 ones wen i put the earpones in the jack it makes a buzzing sound especialy if i have a dvd or cd in the disk drive !!!!
April 12, 2007 11:51 AM PDT


Chris		 I've been reading this forum for a while and i see whats been said about the GMA 900 being a legacy part and the "Hardware Scheduler" and all that but what i cant understand is why would
an old beat up "Legacy" Part like the GMA 900 be sold in new computers...... its easy for you to say "oh just go and buy a new Laptop" if it were that easy then im sure this forum would be empty right now but the "Reality" is for most of us a laptop is an investment and not everyone has wads of cash to buy a new one every 6 months when they become obsolete.
I'm also trying to understand why is it if Aero was able
to work and run smoothly in the beta versions of Vista why
is it that for some odd reason that the same "Legacy" hardware that was capable of running this "Premium" feature
in the betas is now incapable in the release version..... Did the hardware requirements change that much from beta
to release?
I have been trying to understand something else too why
is it that some things that worked in XP don't work in Vista
e.g. I have Windowblinds and some features that worked in XP
(transparent titlebars,glowing buttons & certain animations)
are somehow disabled in Vista... Wonder why???
Honestly This wouldn't bother me too much if
1. I could use all the applications that came with Vista
2. I had not just recently bought this laptop
3. If knew that the hardware was 100% incapable of running
Aero
4. If the graphical features that worked in XP worked in
Vista
5. If i wasn't being treated as the naive and gullible
consumer the corporate bigwigs think we are.

I always knew that the integrated graphics was garbage but
i didn't expect that it wouldn't be able to run a little
transparency and 3D!!
All I'm saying is that If you don't have the resources
or man hours to put in the work I'm sure that there are
thousands of people waiting to write custom drivers, if your
not able to do it yourself the release some source or something that we have to work with..... I'm sure that most people on these forums don't care too much about using custom drivers, all I'm saying is that don't try to tell
people who have spent their hard earned money on your product that there is no hope when there obviously is and
don't just expect us to disappear when you give us your
empty responses and meaningless excuses because your companies wouldn't be so successful if you didn't have smart
and capable employees. I know the purpose of every business is to maximize profitability but to do so at the disadvantage of your customers will only lead to more jobs getting cut and more crappy support for your "legacy" products which leads to a never ending cycle....... so although i know Microsoft is just as guilty as you guys
I'm sure the long beautiful and prosperous relationship between
both companies could pave the way for a solution to this
problem.
I still like Intel products for now but I'm not sure how long that will last........
April 14, 2007 6:26 AM PDT


Fulano		 To: Josh Bancroft,

Why earlier versions of Windows Vista (with lakeport drivers) were able to run Aero just fine in a laptop with a 915 chipset (GMA 900)? It did worked for me. Were are those drivers?

By the way, in 2001 I bought a computer to my grandmother, at that time it didn't say "Vista Ready", but it runs vista perfectly (without aero). How do you explain that? it wasn't specified as "Vista Ready"? In the world of computers everytinhg is possible.

If you want to help us, tell us were we can download those old lakeport drivers, or something better. If you dont know how those driver worked or were to get them, tell us at least who knows, or ask him and tell us. If you dont care about us, well... just keep giving us excuses... that's all you have been doing in this forum.

Please hear all of us, we need your help! Maybe you are not the person who can make this possible, but in that case Im pretty sure you should know someone who can or at least the correct steps we should take to achieve what we want.

Come on!, is your opportunity to do something cool... DO IT!

Dont be afraid of doing what you know is right... We are counting on you.
April 14, 2007 8:03 PM PDT


John L.		 DON'T HAVE HOPE IN THIS GUY, he's here to not to help us, he is Intel's response to us after thousands of signatures signed, so just keep they petition alive, sooner or later they will send another one that can actually make a decision.
April 14, 2007 10:02 PM PDT


Milo		 Aero worked on the Intel 915 chipset Vista beta release, but not on the final release of Vista. I can't see any problem with the Intel 915 chipset not working with the final release of any version of Vista, Yet they tell us Aero won't work wrong. I have a retail version of Vista now Aero don't work on my Intel 915 chipset and the adviser now tells me all I can run is Vista Basic WRONG. What goes? Aero on the Intel 915 should work but the drivers are not there for it to work on the final release of Vista.
April 16, 2007 2:38 PM PDT

Josh Bancroft (Intel)
Total Points:
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Status Points:
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Brown Belt
 To those noting (correctly) that Aero Glass worked during the Vista Beta, ask yourselves this question:

What changed between the beta and now? Vista, or the Intel 915 graphics chip soldered to your motherboard?

That being said, I'm going to try to talk to the graphics group to see if I can get them to release a "beta" or unofficial, unsigned driver for 915. Maybe even open source.

I don't even know the exact people I need to talk to about this, so don't get yourselves too excited, but I'm going to look into it.

As always, in the spirit of transparency, I'll keep you all updated.
April 16, 2007 7:42 PM PDT


Chris		 Hey all we ask for is some input, whether you get through or not at least you gave it a try, thanks in advance hopefully your efforts will bear fruit.
April 16, 2007 9:04 PM PDT


Chris		 oh yeah to the guy about the lakeport drivers already tried them in home premium they install in safe mode but when you boot into the full os then it switches to vga save.....
April 17, 2007 10:27 AM PDT


Ricardo		 Good luck! Bonne chance! Held og lykke! Buena Suerte! Succes! Veel geluk! Bonne chance! Go n-éirà­ an t-à¡dh leat! àdh mà³r ort! Viel Glà¼ck! Alles Gute! Maika'i Pomaika'i! Sok szerencsét kivà¡nok! Buona fortuna! ご幸運を祈ります! УÐ'ачи! Zol zayn mit mazl!
April 18, 2007 1:21 AM PDT


Puklo		 It's a chicken & egg thing: Microsoft laid an egg (so what's new) by writing that stupid code and Intel is too chicken to go after MS in behalf of the customers.
April 18, 2007 12:55 PM PDT


Fulano		 Thanks JB!
April 18, 2007 11:07 PM PDT


Min		 Thanks in advance for your efforts.
April 19, 2007 9:12 AM PDT


Cesar		 Thanks JB!

I am on the same boat. Waiting for the Beta driver...
April 19, 2007 3:05 PM PDT


Yoshi		 Thanks for your efforts
April 19, 2007 5:13 PM PDT


JM		 Wow, thanks a lot. I'm sure millions out there would benefit from the outcome of your reply. The depravity strikes hard not when you have it, but when you can see something and not have it. Thanks for your effort. Bring us some good news...
April 20, 2007 3:59 PM PDT


rik		 any news yet about the "beta" drivers ? it would be reali useful!!! to be honest im not that bothered about aero im more bothered about the fact i bought the most expensive edition and can't use movie maker and a lot of the other features that require a WDDM driver compatible card its just so anoying !!!!! i bought my laptop bak in october and now it called old !!!! grrr its so frustrating

and just to let you all know the "lakeport" drivers dont work in vista ultimate .... tried it and it came up with a blank screen and would hang ..... left it on for 1 hour and nothing ...... but it was worth a try !!! probly not the place to discus this but ne way.... my intel ac97 sound card has faulty shielding and so u can hear alll the compnet noices when you plug in your earphones !!! it buzzs and squeeks and does ur head it !!! so next time guys do something about it !!! it just seems that intel has lost its way ...... they make crappy chipsets with their own crappy componets that 85 % work.... its not like i had a choice not to buy intel since they basicli own the laptop market with nearli all laptops made using at least one of their processors ....
soz i appear to be wining but im stuck with a laptop that is basicli an intel 1 because of all its parts manufactured by intel and the intel parts dnt work !!!! so it a bit useless atleast ive never had trouble with the processors !!
April 21, 2007 8:22 AM PDT


adam		 Thanks a lot JB. We appreciate your initiative.
April 21, 2007 2:00 PM PDT


sk		 Any word yet?
April 22, 2007 5:00 AM PDT


enzomusic		 Yeah, an open source driver would be really very amazing. :) That could give us the button to push aero on and to be satisfied. :)
April 22, 2007 5:56 PM PDT


Prashant		 So you want to say that, Intel cannot release any drivers without permission from microsoft?
Apart from WDDM we don't even have a regular graphics driver update for 915 since a long time, which clearly shows intels's lack of commitment towards supporting even 2 yr old products. They are interested in selling new products only. With such a short sighted approach intel cannot remain market leader. No one wants to buy intel's so called latest technolgy which becomes obselete in 1 year.
April 23, 2007 11:53 AM PDT


Filipe Teixeira		 Thanks a lot for your iniciative. I've a R2H with 915 and I think all the UMPC users would be very pleased to know that they can run aero, Movie and DVD maker. On the other and I have also a ACER TMC200i that has not any sticker saying "VISTA WHATEVER....." and it runs Vista and aero perfectly well. The Vista sticker doesn't grant you nothing...
April 23, 2007 9:31 PM PDT


boond		 I lost my money to buy toshiba M55 notebook where this notebook use 915 intel graphic and than this graphic not support for aero and i disapointed not solusion for this. so intel is SUCK...

I recommended for people who's to buy notebook check the graphic adapter and make sure that NOT INTEL PRODUCT .
April 24, 2007 8:28 AM PDT


Ricardo		 I would like my drivers medium rare done, please
April 24, 2007 1:14 PM PDT


Cam Soper		 Hey, thanks for going to bat for the community and trying get buy-in for an unsupported driver. I know I'd happily use it on my 6-month-old laptop.

This is a prime example of blogging providing customers a voice. Whether or not someone builds a driver, at least your tried. That's very commendable.
April 28, 2007 9:55 AM PDT


Slask		 Hey Josh, did u had a talk with the graphics group? i m counting on u.
April 28, 2007 12:41 PM PDT


Donald Taylor		 Well, im here in Iraq and was excited they were going to have copies here to buy. I have the 915 chipset and the Fine VISTA CAPABLE sticker. I am very upset that my comp doesnt work with Vista, well beyond upset. The fact that it was vista capable was the selling point for me. Well like one of the people out here for the company i work for says. "WE DIDN'T LIE TO YOU, THE TRUTH JUST CHANGED."
April 29, 2007 7:41 AM PDT


Vindictive Pantz		 There are several things that have been frustrating about this entire situation:
1) The inability to run Windows Movie Maker.
2) The inability to run Aero (admittedly a nice to have, not a need to have)
3) Perhaps the most frustrating: The inability of the OS to detect that the onboard graphics are DirectX 9.0 compliant (http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/gma900/index.htm)

The last item is particularly frustrating. It appears that Windows Movie Maker looks for DirectX 9.0 compliance, but the driver as it stands today does not report compliance.

That being said, is the card DirectX 9.0 compliant or not? If so, why does Windows think it is not?

As someone else mentioned, the frustration is best exhibited by my ability to run full 3D rendered games without issue. If I can do that, why can I not edit video, etc.?
April 29, 2007 7:51 AM PDT


Slask		 Hey Josh, forgot to mention in yesterday's post that could you please tell the graphics department that we want drivers that can enable only Aero Glass. We don't want fancy things like Flip3D, Thumbnail Preview or fancy opening and closing of windows, nothing. Olny Aero Glass.
Thanks in advance.
April 29, 2007 1:41 PM PDT


Pran		 Hey, forget the WDDM for 915 for running Aero, I can't even run stupid Secondlife. why? coz I dont have Vista drivers!

!!!

This is the worst thing you could do to your brand.
April 30, 2007 3:59 AM PDT


SESSE		 Hey, forget the WDDM for 915 for running Aero....I can't even watch films with a high performance or play Call of Duty....... 8 ( and the laptop is 4 months old.
April 30, 2007 12:23 PM PDT


Slask		 @ Filipe Teixeira
I was wondering if u could tell me how to run Aero on 915? I also have an ACER-1644 laptop with this chipset. i would be really thankful to u.
May 1, 2007 9:37 AM PDT


Alex		 I would like nothing more than to be able to use aero on my 915 laptop. Pleeeease make it a reality!
May 1, 2007 10:38 AM PDT


Slask		 Hey Josh, we all are counting in on you. You are our last and only hope.
May 1, 2007 11:34 AM PDT


sk		 Cmon josh , make it happen.
May 1, 2007 2:51 PM PDT


Matt J		 I've just "upgraded" to an AMD laptop which displays aero just fine, even though the hardware specifications for the video driver appear to be worse. A driver could be made but it wouldnt help intel sell its new chipsets. AMD from now on, goodbye intel!
May 1, 2007 6:10 PM PDT


sk		 In the spirit of transparency, josh we are eagerly awaiting your update.
May 1, 2007 9:50 PM PDT


Rawr		 Give me Aero, or give me death! ...or AMD. Come on Intel! This is ridiculous! It's absurd that nothing's been worked out with Microsoft, or that we haven't even been able to use unsigned drivers. If this isn't taken care of, my next laptop purchase will NOT be anything that consists of Intel hardware.
May 1, 2007 10:52 PM PDT


SESSE		 It's Right $$$$ - JOSH - $$$, we all are counting in on you. You are our last and only hope.
May 2, 2007 12:40 AM PDT


BlueRay		 When you will release this beta version because we all want it very urgent, please and we will be very thankful for you.
May 2, 2007 10:25 AM PDT


Slask		 I check this page almost 10 times a day with a hope to see a link for those drivers.
May 2, 2007 12:26 PM PDT


Mazen		 I check the page daily too... can we please get a driver (beta or not, I am sure I speak for a lot of us?), it will buy you guys a ton of goodwill!
May 2, 2007 2:39 PM PDT


Andrew W		 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/KB933708

What about people who have 82915 in thier computers and no free pci or no AGP slot to add a new video card?


How are we supposed to watch WMV files without a green line in them?
May 2, 2007 10:24 PM PDT


SESSE		 I check the page daily too...

JOSH BANCROFT....on April 16th...
YOU WERE GOING TO "talk to the graphics group" ...and?
HAVE YOU DONE IT?.... What did they say?.....

We want to know..... Tell us (we, the desperate Intel/Vista users)

/From Sweden
May 2, 2007 10:30 PM PDT


SESSE		 ...and By the way..JOSH BANCROFT....
..You call yourself as "Social Media Evangelist for ISN"

...and....

...I am GOD.... Give me the Driver.

8 )
May 3, 2007 12:24 AM PDT


Gabe		 @Andrew W

Just go to Intel's site and download and install the newest XP drivers. They work fine. You will not have the green line anymore.

Still waiting for Aero though... I am amazed at what my 915 can do with Beryl.
May 4, 2007 11:36 AM PDT


Slask		 Hey Josh, please tell us something. What did the graphics people say? They must have an experimental/beta driver with which they tried the aero theme (and wrote the report that this chipset is not capable). Please provide that driver at least.
May 5, 2007 7:16 AM PDT


Anon		 I don't think he's going to bother. Look people, this is Intels page! all this was created for was to simulate that intel are trying to do things.

I personally wouldnt hold your breath for any types of replies from now on
May 5, 2007 8:04 AM PDT


Andrew W		 Gabe thanks

I found that fix after I posted and never came back to repost. It just makes me wwwunder if intel and Microsoft knew of the error with the green line instead of using the XDDM driver why the don't us the latest xp driver if the 82915 is not aero ready?
May 6, 2007 11:52 AM PDT


Rawr		 Getting close to a month since your last post. At least say it's not happening instead of just letting us hang like this.
May 6, 2007 1:22 PM PDT


Slask		 I agree with Rawr.
May 6, 2007 2:58 PM PDT


Jk		 This makes me so cross, please just release the dammed drivers
May 6, 2007 3:01 PM PDT


Vince M		 Why won't you fix this? My girlfriend bought a laptop, she sent me the specs and asked me if it would run Vista, I said yes because I checked the Microsoft/Intel sites and they all gave me the impression it would run Vista with Aero. That was in September. So we went out and bought a stick of ram, a new hard drive, and a copy of Vista. After installing Vista on the machine I knew right away we were screwed. The SOURCE (Circuit City) lied to her as well telling her that it would run Vista and Aero (how were they suppose to know?).

Intel and Microsoft, thanks so much. Not only won't I ever buy another Intel product again. I won't ever buy another Microsoft product again. Thepiratebay works just great. I used to be legit but this has pushed me over the edge. Both monolith companies are screwing the end-user worse then ever before with this one.

I'm tempted to rip out the Intel 915 and replace it with one of the chipsets that works but I feel that I shouldn't have to do such things after paying $1500 for a laptop that isn't even a year old.

INTEL I WILL SHIP YOU MY LAPTOP AND YOU WILL REPLACE THE CHIPSET FREE OF CHARGE FOR YOUR LIES. CHEATING LIEING BASTARDS!
May 6, 2007 3:18 PM PDT


Taylor		 Waiting for those drivers....
May 6, 2007 4:59 PM PDT


Brett		 Hey I have windows vista on my computer and laptop and it works great!!! HAHA... Well u should know not the trust any sales people because all they care is your money and why would you pay for something to upgrade this early in the stages of being released. The only reason i upgraded is because my compony gave it to me and we are all updating our systems to vista. but really do more investagation be for you do a stuped thing like that and waste money dont blame it on Microsoft or Intel you made the decion. Yes well all still hate intel but its not there falt give them a brake. And we all know Microsoft is a monopoly but the drive the nation in computers and and they are good at what they do.
May 6, 2007 9:36 PM PDT


Taylor		 Learn to spell bud... back on topic. I heard there's some people out there getting the 945 driver to work? any news on this?
May 7, 2007 2:51 AM PDT


Andrew W		 Brett why can't we blame them? they offered aero in the beta driver for the 82915, but instead of offering it microsoft made them take it out since it didn't meet all the requirements
May 7, 2007 4:29 AM PDT


kiyakkoray		 is there any news? are they going to release the damned drivers?
May 7, 2007 8:48 AM PDT


Slask		 Josh, are you even reading this space?
May 7, 2007 2:03 PM PDT


LGM		 He posted his response on his main page... calm down...let the man work, and hopefully this will work out for all of us!

http://software.intel.com/en-us/blogs/2007/05/07/update-on-t.....ver-issue/
May 8, 2007 10:58 AM PDT


Ricardo Ramirez		 Hey Josh
How can we as the force we all together are, help you to convince the people who's calling the shots on this matter. Intel or Microsoft that releasing a driver or relaxing the Vista requirements in this case would be the smartest thing to do for their interests?
May 8, 2007 5:40 PM PDT


drumthrasher109		 Wow look at all of these.
Intel should do something.
May 8, 2007 7:00 PM PDT


Alicia		 Everyone seen this petition?

http://www.petitiononline.com/intel915/petition.html

Josh Bancroft, what response did you receive when you asked the relevant people about making this driver?
May 8, 2007 8:58 PM PDT


Luis Falcao		 This is so simple to intel resolve. If they don't have the "brain" to make this WDDM driver, put the 915 driver to the open source community. We solve the problem.
May 10, 2007 3:41 PM PDT


Brett		 Andrew the beta driver was based on the windows xp drivers and they noticed a problem and backed off intel in in the process they said to me when i call them last week because we have some laptops at work that use this chipset and we are supporting windows vista to our customers and we want to have it to be right with our customers but give a chance they are working on it if they cant figure it out intel said they are going to do something with the chipset to make it work

o btw tayler making a big deal over nothing the areo interface does not even run that good unless u are running a 512mb w/fast gpu and like 2 gb of ram to run stable
May 10, 2007 3:43 PM PDT


Brett		 o btw andrew if u want try to find the beta driver for the chipset and try to load it
May 10, 2007 9:02 PM PDT


Fulano		 By Brett: "Yes well all still hate intel but its
not there falt give them a brake. And we all know Microsoft is a monopoly but
the drive the nation in computers and and they are good at what they do."

All companies that are good are good at what they do because we let them. Because we buy their products. That way they get more money and are ahead of other companies... because of the money they generate when we buy... if we change what we buy everything shifts to the other side. Nvidia and ATI listen to their clients petitions and make excellent video cards with an incredible support. My sugestion NEVER BUY an INTEL INTEGRATED VIDEO CARD. Or else when the next chipset comes out your computer is nothing to them. Intel claims to be the best, they claim to be like an artist on chipset designs... but artists never forget their first painting and is as important for them as their latest.

So your point is that should be satisfied with this issue?, that we should let things as they are because they are that way and because we are in such "good" hands? I DONT THINK THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS FORUM WANTS THAT.

PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID OF THEIR GOVERMENT, GOVERMENT SHOULD BE AFRAID OF THEIR PEOPLE. AND THIS INCLUDES COMPANIES THAT EXPLOIT CUSTUMERS.

NEXT TIME I'LL JUST IGNORE YOUR NONSENSE! OPEN YOUR EYES!
May 10, 2007 11:51 PM PDT


Andrew W		 Josh what about the fact the driver included on the vista dvd/cd produces a green line while watching WMV files? I know that if you revert to the xp driver it goes away, but I had to search for that answer. What about posing it on intel.com as a known issue with the 82915?
May 11, 2007 4:43 AM PDT


Fulano		 Andrew if you download gma900 driver directly from intel you'll the green line problem... update it from microsoft if you can, this solved my problem.
May 11, 2007 9:39 AM PDT


Andrew W		 Fulano I id that. I was asking mainly so other less technical people know about the workaround.
May 12, 2007 8:08 AM PDT


sk		 can you give the link from the microsoft site where you updated the gma900 driver to remove the green line.
May 12, 2007 8:10 AM PDT


Alicia		 Hi! Can someone please explain the workaround with the display adapter driver?
May 12, 2007 7:07 PM PDT


Andrew W		 I used the xp driver
May 13, 2007 6:04 AM PDT


Alicia		 Would someone be kind enough to advise those who do not know, where we can get the Microsoft driver from to fix the green line on WMV files issue. Thank you.
May 13, 2007 7:29 AM PDT


Patrick		 Thank you very much for your efforts in trying to do something for us 915 users. The petition is sitting at over 4500 signatures and im sure even a beta driver would be pleasing.I know these things take time and even though there are 4500 signatures and probably three times that of users wanting or waiting for something to happen you are the first to actually attempt something and for that i thank you. I don't know anyone in the programming deptartment but have forwarded the petition and a letter to a number of media outlets to try and bring forth something from either intel of microsoft. Im yet to hear anything but i will be looking forward to seeing your update in regards to your effort and even if it doesn't pan out I thank you for your efforts its more than anyone else has done.
May 14, 2007 1:08 PM PDT


Alicia		 Yes, thank you Josh, you seem to be the only one interested in helping us all out. Please keep working. Thanks.
May 15, 2007 3:41 AM PDT


Sesse (desperate)		 Yeahh. Please keep working. Thanks.
May 15, 2007 11:03 AM PDT


Fulano		 Alicia there's nothing like a fix, at least for now or that I know of. Trying to download a better driver from Intel's download site was the cause of my green line. I used Vista's Windows Update software. After checking for updates it said that there was an update for the video card (915GM/GMS...), and updating solved the problem... hope this helps... also try updating everything related Windows Media Player 11.
May 16, 2007 8:36 AM PDT


Alicia		 OK thanks Fulano.
May 17, 2007 1:32 PM PDT


Andrew W		 Fulano

That driver is for GMA 900 and the topic is Intel 915 integrated graphics. If I am missing something let me know, but that driver doesn't look like it will work.
May 17, 2007 8:12 PM PDT


Ean Bowman		 Well what do all of us who bought laptops before you came out with an intelligent chipset do?

I'm trying to run something in Windows Longhorn right now and I have no OpenGL support at all on this machine but my nVidia product works perfectly.

This is truly irresponsible. At least release a reference driver with software support for the scheduler.

Even if it is slow it will allow us to use our god damned video cards!

FFS!

I bought this laptop last year... I don't want to buy a new one just yet.
May 22, 2007 9:38 PM PDT


Fulano		 My bad Andrew I use "gma900" and "intel 915..." interchangeably but I'm always referring to "intel 915...".
May 23, 2007 12:35 AM PDT


Ultima		 I think it's not Intel's fault here, But Intel is to chicken to do something about it. Again many hate toward Microsoft. I don't know what those programmers at Microsoft are being paid for? They can't even write code that can do aero efficiently. Look at Beryl, Compiz in Linux. They run all those things on 915 hardware. What makes window unable to do this? All it has to do is glass and 3d flip. Is that so hard to do that it requires new hardware? Ridiculous!!! Bull****!!! I don't know what Microsoft is thinking? I think they are losing it. Keeping customer out of their Operating System?? HAHAHAH. I sure hope Microsoft dies for this.
May 24, 2007 9:42 PM PDT


Andrew W		 Yes it's Intel fault they put the support in the beta driver . Microsoft made them take it out. Intel could put the driver up for download, but they didn't

Andrew
May 24, 2007 10:05 PM PDT


Andrew W		 we atleast need the driver to use the movie maker application with 82915.

Andrew
May 25, 2007 1:56 AM PDT


Habib		 Still nothing has happened. You guys REALLY do not care about your customers...

makes me want to sell my holdings in Intel Corp...
May 25, 2007 6:33 AM PDT


Alicia		 Josh Bancroft, you haven't replied in ages, are you still working on this case? At least tell us that much, so we all don't have to keep visiting here if you really aren't going to do anything, like the others.

I thought you were different man.
May 29, 2007 4:27 AM PDT


m16fmr		 i need to turn on aero what ever it cost plz send me any hacked ,offecial ,any thing
May 29, 2007 7:42 AM PDT


Ricardo		 Sorry guys but i give up
My Vista crashed and I went back to XP
And let me tell you "I liked it"
My machine behaves way faster and smoother by far.
So "Hasta la Vista Josh..."
May 29, 2007 8:57 AM PDT


Ryan		 I have read this entire disaster of a thread and I've come up with two main opionions:

1. A lot of you people need a spell checker. Firefox has one built into it and you can get IESpell for Internet Explorer. Even if you have an intelligent argument you will sound less intelligent when using words like "realli" and "u" in your sentences.

2. A lot of you people need to chill out and think rationally. Yes it sucks that you have an older laptop (or a cheaper newer one, and yes I realize there are exceptions like tablets out there too), and yes it sucks that it doesn't run Vista Aero. Here's one thing to think about: DOES AERO MAKE THINGS NOT WORK? The answer is no, Vista runs just fine without Aero Glass.

I am running a Gateway notebook with 2GB of RAM, a Pentium M 1.86 and a the 915GM chipset. I actually found this blog post while doing a Google search for my eventual move to Vista Ultimate. I'm actually more bummed that I won't be able to use Windows Movie Maker to convert videos to PDA-sized if I switch to Vista than I am about Aero Glass (which I've become accustomed to on my desktop)

While Aero Glass is certainly great looking eye candy, it does not make your PC run any better or worse; it's purely aesthetics.

Now to play the blame game.. who's fault is this? It really lands on Microsoft, but there must have been reasons for the levels they set WDDM req's at where they are. While the 915 chipset *could* run Aero Glass it might have severe performance hits with several windows open or something. While Intel *could* spend its resources on a beta release of a driver, it's rather fiscally irresponsible. Intel has a budget just like everyone else out there and has stockholders to report to. Unhappy with the outcome? Buy a share of Intel stock and make a complaint at a stockholder's meeting.

PS: Josh has started a new post on the issue, let this one die. One important thing to note: He addresses the argument of the magical "Beta" drivers that Intel allegedly had back in Vista RC1/RC2.. this mystical driver didn't exist, Vista just allowed XP drivers to run. Once MS required WDDM compliance, Aero is no longer a choice.

http://software.intel.com/en-us/blogs/2007/05/07/update-on-t.....ver-issue/
May 30, 2007 2:42 AM PDT


jim st james		 DO NOT BE DECEIVED,MICROSOFT AND INTEL TOGETHER ARE RESPONSABLE FOR THIS RORT,THE PROOF THAT YOU CAN RUN SOFTWARE RENDERING GLASS(AKA GLASS 2K SOFTWARE)PERFECTLY AND FLAWLESS ALSO 3DFLIP (AKA MADODATE SOFTWARE)AND FULL MICROSOFT VISTA GLASS SIDEBAR ON A THINKPAD 600X WITH ONLY 4MB NEOMAGIC DRIVERS ON ONLY 500 MGHZ!THIS PROVES CONCLUSEVLY THE INTEL 900 SEREIS
SHOULD MORE THAN BE CAPABLE(PERIOD)NO IFS NO BUTS,NO MORE EXUSES,WAKE UP OR BURN IN HELL YA LIARS.
I RUN FULL GLASS EFFECTS AERO SIDEBAR AND 3DFLIP MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN WHAT MICROSOFT OR INTEL COULD EVER DREAM OF ATTAINING,MUCH LESS CPU LOAD,MUCH LESS MEMORY USAGE
YES INDEED THE RORTERS SHOULD HAVE ADOPTED SOFTWARE RENERING TECHNIQUES,THIS VISTA AERO THING PREPARED BY MICROSOFT IS THE BIGGEST SCAMM IN MODERN DAY TECHNOLOGY.
SHAME ON THEM THAT BELEIVE OTHERWISE.
*I HOPE PEOPLE WITH DRIVER EXPERIENCE CAN GET TOGETHER TO FORGE AN UNNOFICIAL WDDM DRIVER EVENTUALLY THGAT WILL BREK THE BACKS OFF ANY MICROSOFT+OR INTEL COWARD WHO ARE RESPONSABLE FOR THE RORT,AS OPPOSED TO INNOCENT INTEL EMPLOYEES WHOM BEEN BLATANTLY LIED AT.(LONG MAY THEY RUN)
May 30, 2007 2:49 AM PDT


jim st james		 anyone who is skeptical,google for glass 2k + madotate 3d flip,enable full sidebar on any p111 machine with as low as 2.5mb 2.5mb video ram 500+up
see for yourself how clear and perfect it is.
then try to quantify how software rendering techniques
cannot be applied to a friggin 915 pci express 16x chipset.
onboard graphics engine with 128 mb dedicated ram!!
go figure
May 30, 2007 2:59 AM PDT


jim st james		 i ordered a good used laptop that stated ati x300 graphics engine,then upon further observation noted the model number
which coincides with onboard intel 900 graphics engine instead.
now before i fork out the hard earnt coin,i am gonna comfirm prior to hand whether this laptoip runs the ati chaphics engine ,if it doesn't i will not procceed with the transaction due to misleading advertising,thus conclude
any 900 intel product crap (infact wouldn't even contempate swapping for my tp600e)why bother with the unproven?so as you see people intel and microsoft have made your laptops virtually worthless by todays standards.
and to hell with the spell checks that doesn't resolve the peoples concerns with their investments now does it?
May 31, 2007 11:34 PM PDT


MPG		 I have a computer with the 865G onboard graphics and it has the god-awful problem with green line/bar or other discolorations and anomalies while playing WMV videos. Does anyone know of a fix for that chip?
June 1, 2007 6:19 AM PDT


rik		 well i have started using the glass2k software and i have noticed that it really does slow down the graphics of the desktop experience which i guess proves that this chipset sucks to be honest ... never get shared memory onboard graphics in a laptop ... i have learned my lesson and have to live with it... i don't hold out much hope for a " beta" driver ever being released now ... its not intels fault they are just being practacle... but they could open it up to the public to do because at least it would get done then...

Aero isn't that appealing to be honest its the fact that we cannot run software that we have paid for which is the biggest annoyance !!! movie maker while being rarely used , it is fun to mess about with wen your stuck on a long flight and you have watched all the films you brought with you !!!!

also there are quite a few issues in vista when trying to watch wmv (i think it is) films , there is a green line down the middle
also there are general glitches ... and the actual XP drivers have more features like screen rotation .... however these appear to be usesless in vista. wich is a big shame.

intel i'm sorry but i have come to a conclusion .... you need to spend more into researching how you can develop much better onboard graphics because even the new x3000 chipsets are unreliable... thankfully i have them in a desktop that has pci express slots because i am now using ati graphics....

i feel that intel and microsoft both have changed since vista , they do not appear to care about older technologies ... xp could run fine on 10 year old machines but now .... vista wont even run 100% on a 1 year old computer its ridiculous...
sometimes change isn't everything... intel and microsft are not what they used to be which is a shame ... booth are becoming dis-economies of scale which is a sad factor of business .... sometimes they lose touch of what is important
June 2, 2007 5:02 PM PDT


Andrew W		 How about just the driver to enable moviemaker to run on vista?
June 7, 2007 10:39 PM PDT


Fulano		 A SOLUTION? In the old days I used a program called "3d Analyze" to play games with features that my video card didn't have. This application was able to trick the game to recognize my video card as another one more advanced... as an ATI or NVIDIA to be more specific. With this app it was like having a new video card, and it really worked as a new video card. I wonder if there is a programer willing to study how this software worked and how and if its possible to trick Windows Vista to recognize our video cards as another one, more advanced. Make it an ATI or NVIDIA PLEASE!!! Thanks!!!

All of "3d Analyze" i found on the web. It seems the author is selling the source code. Take a look:

http://www.tommti-systems.de/go.html?http://www.tommti-syste...../shop.html

http://www.shareit.com/product.html?productid=300002147&.....LIVERY=EML

http://www.tommti-systems.de/go.html?http://www.tommti-syste.....files.html

http://www.3dfxzone.it/dir/tools/3d_analyze/download/

http://www.3dfxzone.it/dir/tools/3d_analyze/tutorials/

http://www.3dfxzone.it/dir/tools/3d_analyze/archive/
June 11, 2007 3:45 PM PDT


Ean		 Ryan: I like Firefox and the spell-checker is a welcome addition, even if I rarely need to use it.

As well, my issue was with running Longhorn Server and simply wanting to quickly run an OpenGL app. Don't go on about a server OS being only for servers. How man home users do you know who ran Windows 2000? I knew a hell of a lot.

As for Aero Glass, etc. I could care less. I bought a fairly decent, albeit cheap laptop last year and the driver support shouldn't end with the release of an OS almost as soon as the chipset is out.

A 2 or 3 year old chipset is still fairly new and Intel knows that manufacturers were still using it right up until and throughout this fiasco.

It's still irresponsible to not continue driver releases.

Is Microsoft mostly to blame for their extremely restrictive driver specifications? Yeah, they're responsible. Aero must be the most inefficient windowing system known to man if it _requires_ more than a 950 chipset to run.

That's just ludicrous!

Anyway, I'm done. I just thought Ryan was a little short-sighted even if his mind and heart were in the right place.
June 13, 2007 5:05 PM PDT


Ali		 Hi, This may be a start on a way to enable glass on non WDDM devices like my Intel 915, it will be enabled but it would give a error after some time.

Instructions:

Step 1 - Download Fast Aero
http://www.mytempdir.com/1322627 or
http://fastaero.wordpress.com/

Step 2 - Extract the files and run "fastaero.exe", click on "start vista glass..." then click "OK". Notepad will apear so exit it.

Step 3 - Open "Task Manager"; Ctrl+Shift+Esc, make sure your on "processes", right-click "explorer.exe" and click end process.

Step 4 - Again on "Task Manager" click; File --> New Task then type "explorer" and hit "OK."
June 13, 2007 11:46 PM PDT


programmer		 People, please understand that the problem in the Aero/Intel/MS case is what i chose to call "interface-politics" from MS. Their plan is simply this - Force the hardware manufacturers to make hardware in such a way that the programmer-interface offered by the hardware can be utilised by and only by MS. This has been MS's plan for decade. Yet it is unfortunate that people fail to understand it.
June 15, 2007 9:46 PM PDT


taryn		 It's obvious that a lot of Vista buyers got ripped off. What puzzles me is why you're all so focused on the 'eye candy' of Aero Glass.

The real issue you should be mad about is that WDDM won't work without a a hardware scheduler. The technical issue is probably that microsoft decided to require hardware scheduling to simplify bitplane compositing to the video stream. But, as Apple showed us in the summer of 2002 with the release of Jaguar, hardware scheduling is not a prerequisite for bitplane compositing in GPU hardware:

"Quartz Extreme requires a NVIDIA GeForce2 MX, GeForce3, GeForce4 Titanium or GeForce4 MX card or any ATI AGP RADEON card. A minimum of 16MB VRAM is required; 32MB VRAM is recommended for optimum performance."

And bear in mind, older video hardware still ran Quartz fine. (Though much slower since the compositing had to be done by software.)

I'm not trying to start an Apple/MS flame war. As a developer of video systems, I simply want to make it clear that technical issues did not create this impasse. Microsoft wanted to guarantee a minimum level of WDDM display performance, and they shafted a lot of customers (and Intel) in order to do so. There's no point in blaming Intel, (for this particular arrogance) microsoft was simply indifferent to the needs of its customers.

(Of course, in 2002, a lot of Apple users got annoyed because their older machines couldn't do compositing in hardware. But their display controllers weren't made obsolete, so they let it go.)
June 17, 2007 12:07 AM PDT


Dino J.		 Thank you so much, Josh Bancroft for all your efforts. I pray that yes a beta open source release of WDDM for 915 would be successful.

This battle is so unfortunate. The lesson we learn in here is NOT TO BELIEVE PC vendors and Software vendors . . . I guess it is better to wait before making any purchase . . .

God bless you all.
June 25, 2007 2:19 PM PDT


Ian S		 That took a while to read! I have downloaded the win2k_xp142550.exe file from the intel website. It may not resolve the AERO problem but it got rid of the green line running down my screen whenever I tried to play video files. I hope this may help.
June 25, 2007 5:32 PM PDT


Chuck Desylva		 Re: "I feel seriously cheated. Can't wait to cut my tablet pc open and tear the 915GM out to replace it with a 945..." A totally feel your pain. It makes things really problematic when we use older parts for the UMPC and other mobile solutions and users want Vista on these parts which were designed way before the base Vista graphics spec for Aero was created. As an end user of mobile devices myself, I think it is really lame that MS won't just support graphics solutions just a few generations back on Vista. I think it is really going to hurt them in the long run.

As for this post: "The guy just repeated whats on the Intel website. Whoopdy doo. As stated before they dont want to release drivers. Yes, Aero & Glass can and will work on the gma900 if it had drivers. Period. This is just another stupid excuse from Intel." I stated the truth. Unlike you I don't have anonymous posts and the internet to hide behind. I have no reason to BS you.
June 25, 2007 10:46 PM PDT


EdwardOC		 Ha,
Who cares, Intel chip-sets are crap they offload everything onto the CPU all the time and trash your FSB limits..
Buy AMD and use a better OS like Linux or better yet Solaris with Compiz.

You could also buy a Mac if you really want Intel hardware and something that "Just Works"^TM.
Regards,
Edward.
July 4, 2007 3:06 AM PDT


jake		 Im really stuffed. My Intel M 23GHz laptop i only got about 8 months ago. I ran xp for about 6 months with WindowBlinds vista skin! it was great. Then i bought vista ultimate- thought id have aero and evreything- just vista basic! No Aero scheme nothing! I have a Intel 915GM 128MB ram, 512MB Intel M 23GHz Toshiba! Help!
July 8, 2007 8:37 PM PDT


JMPZ		 So, um, any word from the driver group? Anything at all?

Please?

We could all use a little transparency :) And thank you so much for trying.
July 8, 2007 8:41 PM PDT


JMPZ		 Anybody looking for more info should go here:

http://software.intel.com/en-us/blogs/2007/05/07/update-on-t.....ver-issue/


Josh made a new post. Nothing yet, but at least there is some status.
July 14, 2007 11:14 AM PDT


NeelKool		 Guys,I am using the same intel 915 Graphic card & i have lost hope that intel might release any update for this card.
So i started to search for any software that might support transparency & thank to "TrueTransparency Software" which is a freeware software,I was able to get what i wanted.
Do try this software until there is any progress from intel
You can download the software through the website

http://www.crystalxp.net/galerie/en.id.5139-truetransparency.....-tools.htm
July 23, 2007 8:00 PM PDT


Paco		 FIX THE GREEN LINE.

Here is the last Intel 915GM Graphics Driver for Microsoft Windows Vista. v.6.14.10.4704 (30 Jan 2007). Fix the problem.

Driver:
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp34501-35000/sp34749.exe

Info:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDes.....ob-47264-1

Thanks to HP.
July 24, 2007 8:36 PM PDT


Ibrahim		 Hello Mr. Paco, I tried this driver by downloading ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp34501-35000/sp34749.exe. But nothing makes. They have named xp driver as vista driver.
July 24, 2007 10:04 PM PDT


Ibrahim S. Hmd. from Abu Dhabi		 They won't develop the drivers and try Never buying Intel hardware again

It is funny how a 2002 nVidia card runs Aero and Intel's 2004 hardware won't run it...

Intel is getting lost its brand name
July 26, 2007 2:27 AM PDT


Nick		 There are alot of people who just want Movie Maker & DVD Makerr to work. We all payed alot of money for Vista. So just give us WDM Drivers !
July 28, 2007 9:15 PM PDT


Ibrahim S. Hmd. from Abu Dhabi		 I did not find any problem in other graphics card. Because All other old graphic cards are simply supporting vista Aero Glass effect.

Only Intel is the problem. I will never buy any intel product and I don't want to suffer in future as I am suffering to get the wddm driver for useless intel chipset.
July 28, 2007 9:18 PM PDT


Ibrahim S. Hmd. from Abu Dhabi		 I request INTEL to changge their advertisement from "INTEL INSIDE" to "INTEL INSIDE NOTHING"
July 30, 2007 2:50 PM PDT


mark		 SO... why isn't it permissible to use software emulation to at least make a driver that work MS and Intel have done this before when Windows 95 was first released? No, it wouldn't be a fancy smanchy WDDM driver cause it doesn't meet the M$ standard but it would at least work as legacy support.

If Intel dosen't want to write it ... make an Open Source version by supplying ALL of the information necessary to someone who CAN
July 30, 2007 7:00 PM PDT


uknown		 People, don't waste your time on this one. You have to understand INTEL 915 OR whatever 945 video chipset is a complete 100% certified piece of junk.
What 3d graphics or Aero are we talking about when this piece of junk video doesn't run it at all? If you want to know what I mean just get 3d city screensaver.
Even old ATI mobility 7500 found at Thinkpad T40 laptops which supports directx 8 only, runs it very well. Try it with Intel. Then you will see what I mean.
This piece of s*** should never be in any desktop or laptop anyway. But for some reason, or maybe manufactures tried to save 5 pennies it's in most today systems. Sorry folks but you are dammed. It will not be released. If it will, you will see how useless piece Intel stupidity.
August 7, 2007 2:49 PM PDT


XAVIER		 Leap Backwards.

http://WWDDM.ActieForum.com
August 7, 2007 2:50 PM PDT


XAVIER		 :)

http://WDDM.ActieForum.com

!
August 9, 2007 10:59 PM PDT


MOENIO		 Well, I just found out what the problem on my VAIO FS-980 is. I don't care about aereo, but when I play video on my laptop, there is a green nasty line or green outlines against the the light contrast. This is what's buggin me. If my laptop has a sticker that says "Windows vista Capable"..then it better be. If intel gave a "go" for the hardware to properly function with Vista, then it better be. If they found out it isn't after all, they better work their arses off to come out with a solution. We are spending moneys to upgrade taking into consideration that the proper tests were performed because it carries a sticker that says so. I suggest Intel makes due on their word and give us, the consumers, a proper solution. They have to remember word-of-mouth can be your best marketing friend....or your worst enemy.
August 12, 2007 9:25 AM PDT


IBRAHIM		 There's good news, and there's bad news...

You can't use Aero on your card (that's the bad news)

But your card supports Aero and all glass effects, all you need is for Intel to get off their lazy arses and write the drivers for Vista - something they promised they'd do but haven't yet (that's the good news - more or less)

So don't worry, you'll have Aero in the end, but I can't tell you for a fact whether or not Intel will be making Aero-enabled drivers for Beta 2, or if they'll wait it out all the way to RTM, or maybe just until RC1...
August 15, 2007 1:04 PM PDT


Anthony		 I'm still frustrated with my 915 without aero. Its not like the 915 can't meet the specs, it can. To me, its more like Intel chooses to ride on the excuse that the 915 doesn't meet the WDDM spec set by MS. Of course, it would benefit intel, since everybody would have to go out and buy new hardware.

Guess what? Due to their dominant position in the market, chances are their next laptop is gonna have the "Intel" inside sticker on it.

In a way, I think its a BEAUTIFUL thing that Intel got slammed with the Antitrust lawsuits in the EU. It has indeed abused its competitors, AND its customers as well, especially with this 915 issue.

No offense JB, but there is no way that people will feel good about this driver issue, especially when all the dirty linen are all out for all to see. AMD, Break Free.
August 18, 2007 1:55 PM PDT


Niall Mooney		 I agree that Intel is abusing its market position in this case because they are actively spiting their customers. It would probably take Intel 200 milliseconds to take the decision and allow their engineers to release their drivers.
August 23, 2007 1:08 PM PDT


Rasika		 MONIEO, I too have a VGN-FS980 running Vista. There is a bug in the Sony provided driver. All you have to do is to go to the sony support website enter your model no and download the latest drivers. There is a note anout this problem in the Known issues section.

Another thing since MS lap dog Intel won;t make any WDDM drivers for 915, why can't some guy write up a unofficail driver for the 915. I know it not as easy as it sounds but it must be worth a shot at.
August 23, 2007 1:12 PM PDT


Rasika		 Since Aero depends on the windows experience index to run is there an way to edit the subscore and make Aeroto run on it?
August 23, 2007 4:28 PM PDT


Keith		 I must say that I have never been so disappointed in my life...well maybe not, but it's close. I have been a devoted Intel person since I got into computing back in the mid 80's but because of Intel's slap in the face over the 915 issue I will probably never support Intel again. I have decided that any other purchases will not include Intel products. It would be SO easy for Intel to make a small change in the drivers to support Aero and consider them BETA and make probably thousands of people happy.

Sorry Intel....It was a good relationship while it lasted but I've got to move on
August 30, 2007 3:10 PM PDT


hope		 can somebody tell us how far they have come with this driver? any progress or how long it will take to reach us loosers
August 31, 2007 3:49 PM PDT


Niall		 We must have the capabilities of the GMA 900 restored. That means the release of the WDDM driver.

But most pressingly give us back our 96MB*!

*Intel BIOS updates, forced on us "customers" via Intel partners (other large monopolistically aspiring corporations) restricted the GMA from using 224MB as specified when we bought the product, to only 128MB! For product differentiation purposes.
September 14, 2007 10:15 AM PDT


Kemp		 I believe Intel will regret their choice with not providing the customers with some sort of solution. I will buy either AMD or a Mac the next time out.
November 10, 2007 10:33 AM PST


Manuel		 Well,

Intel, are you ready to loose 1 million customers all over the world?

Because that is what is going to happen.

Bye, bye Intel. Next laptop won´t be an Intel inside. For sure.
December 6, 2007 2:04 PM PST


kaos		 the Aero issue doesn't bother me to much.What pisses me off is the fact that vista installs perfect on my 915,But i can enable my S-cable out for my external monitor with vista.Has anyone figured out a way to get that feature to work with vista? The option to turn it on just isn't simply there.Makes me wanna smash the dam thing.I agree if Intel can't even fix my small issue.I will never buy Intel again. Like i said aero i don't care about.Give me my damn s-cable out option!!!!
December 23, 2007 1:34 PM PST


Josembi (Italy)		 I'm delusioned by the intel 915 graphic card in my dv 2555 hp laptop. I tried ceaselessly to install beryl from linux but to no avail I even updated linux to 7.10 and useld beryl compiz but the machine would just hang.....

Then came the blank screen. I ran linux in recovery mode and typed;

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.bak
sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

then
sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.bak /etc/X11/xorg.conf

to revert back to the former working position. I was guided through a set of dialogue boxes which said in substance that my graphic card is "s***".

Men, release the damn drivers on WDDM. I know they are there and it can be done. Else we can opt to NVIDIA, radeon and ATI in future.

Josembi
January 6, 2008 2:55 PM PST


Edwin		 I agree with Josembi. The fact that intel failed to realease a driver on the 915 chipset is totally wrong.
Its relevant to note that the consumers are the sufferers, and this may create an economic damage in future as far as purchase os intel products is concerned.
Edwin
January 13, 2008 8:14 AM PST


zng		 OMG. Nice video :)
January 24, 2008 4:29 PM PST


Sawyer		 intel...Don't play with us
I'm serious it's been a long time since you did NOTHING about this driver(as far as we know). And if you guys took so long to say 'NO, we can't build/write this driver', you better think twice, because I'm sick and tired of staying here, waiting for a reply.
At least you could just tell us what's being done about this.

By the way, the latest driver was released in 2004 for windows.
What about linux users?

I tell you what: if you guys have some respect to your customers, you should consider to keep us update about this driver, not only for windows but also for linux distros as well.
Have you put yourselves in our position? How do you think we are supposed to fell?

I tell you again, intel: DON'T turn your back on the community
You have been warned. Write down the driver ASAP. Please!

[ if you dare delete this post again, no problem ]
January 26, 2008 3:35 PM PST


Joe		 Well, I for one will never turn to Intel again. I received my HP Compaq nx6110 in December 2006 for Christmas, with the understanding that Vista was going to work completely on it. Here it is January 2008, and I just purchased Home Premium. Because my laptop was unfortunately manufactured with the MobileIntel 915 Graphics Chipset, Vista looks like crap! And half of the amazing features DO NOT WORK! The swift powerful platform I thought I was upgrading to gave me this complete JOKE! Had I known this was going to happen I would have spent LESS MONEY and went with Vista Home Basic! To the people of Intel, Your losing customers, which means your losing money. In the future, I'll go with AMD or purchase a iMac (it may have Intel inside, but at least i'm guaranteed to have something spectacular) because this is completely ridiculous. So now I wasted a lot of money on this Vista Home Premium, the ONE computer that it was compatible on that I COULD PUT IT ON, DOSEN'T WORK. I guess I'll go back to XP to my complete disappointment.
January 27, 2008 10:11 AM PST


Sawyer		 A four-years-old driver that has no update. no answers. no deal. no NOTHING.
Dell, Sony Vaio, HP, Acer's machines with an intel-based i915 can't run vista dvd maker and vista movie maker, neither
Is this just to force us to buy a new hardware? So be it.
And I will MAKE SURE it's not intel based processor/video graphics.
AMD/ATi is the way to go from now on. I HATE intel. Those bastards SUCK!
This is a slap on the consumer's face. While we are here, asking for the driver the hardware we bought needs, all they do is to release new graphics driver, and they don't provide at least a feedback...it's ok.

Please tell the others not to buy ANY intel products. Tell who you know, tell everybody. Let's make those 'big brothers' listen to us and BEG for our money.
January 28, 2008 11:20 AM PST


Luis Falcao		 After almost 1 year with this discussion, Intel still playing with theis customers.

I already brought another notebook with AMD. I always brought AMD based computers and when I brought my Dell laptop I decided to "give" one chance to Intel, but for now on I will never buy any more intel based computer.

"The human knowledge belong to the world
Say yes to the opensource."

If intel release the 915 driver to opensource community, 915 WDDM driver will be launched quickly, cause we will do it. Do what the intel says that is "impossible" to do.
February 1, 2008 2:10 PM PST


Steve		 Are you people retarded? Maybe you're blind, deaf, can't read or understand English? It is _NOT POSSIBLE_ to write a WDDM driver for the 915 on Vista. The hardware does not support it. PERIOD. You can't write a 'magic' driver that gets around this issue. Intel doesn't have some agenda to force people to upgrade. Can't run Aero? Too friggin' bad. Why would you expect an old business class graphics chip to support everything?

Vista is a next-gen OS that has next-gen requirements. Gee, I can't run it on my 386-SX25.... I'll blame Intel because they created that too!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Display_Driver_Model
February 2, 2008 1:36 PM PST


Luke		 Becuase alot of the people that bought new computers thought it would be able to since thats what it was advertised like. the whole issue of capable and ready...

Its not just old laptops that arnt able to run aero, dvd maker and dreamscene... it is possible aswell since i had the pre release beta and it worked perfectly for the so many months i had it.

nice to know you feel happy about having a rant against everyone here steve.
February 4, 2008 5:58 AM PST


vikas		 MY PC
February 4, 2008 5:59 AM PST


vikas		 I WANT DIGITAL SOUND TO MY PC
February 11, 2008 9:31 AM PST

Josh Bancroft (Intel)
Total Points:
3,492
Status Points:
2,992
Brown Belt
 You guys might find this interesting. This is a news article, and doesn't represent Intel's views, etc. I'm just sharing a link to a related news story I found:

"Allchin: We really botched "Vista Capable" scheme"

"Now the court has heard that several Microsoft employees also shared Wong's doubts. One employee's email stated that "even a piece of junk will qualify" for the "Windows Vista Capable" sticker, according to court testimony reported in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Corporate vice president, Mike Nash, was also quoted as saying: "I personally got burnt. Are we seeing this from a lot of customers? I now have a $2,100 e-mail machine."

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/buyer/news/164457/allchin-we-really-b.....cheme.html
February 12, 2008 11:03 AM PST

Josh Bancroft (Intel)
Total Points:
3,492
Status Points:
2,992
Brown Belt
 There's some more discussion on this topic (specifically, the PCPro article) over at Slashdot:

Microsoft Had Doubts About the 'Vista Capable' Label (http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/02/12/1658249)
February 13, 2008 2:55 AM PST


mandar adivarekar		 Intel 82801 vga driver Dawonlod
February 15, 2008 11:04 PM PST


Ucarn		 Excuses Excuse...Moving into the gaming world calls for HIGH demand if you plan on selling your products in a lot of laptops..Second life is good topic..You guys are partners, you have a sim on the SL world map..Yet..Their arnt any drivers for the latest 965 chipset..And a lot of people have that and rely on that to have a great time on SL.
February 21, 2008 8:55 AM PST

Josh Bancroft (Intel)
Total Points:
3,492
Status Points:
2,992
Brown Belt
 I really feel like I'm missing something here that you all are talking about. I'm really trying to understand this issue, so please, tell me what I'm missing in the following:

Microsoft decided to make some "premium" features in Windows Vista accessible only if you have a high-end video card. Correct?

There was a lot of confusion caused by how Microsoft marketed these features in Vista - "Vista Capable" versus "Vista Premium Ready". Correct?

The gateway that Microsoft uses in the Vista software itself to determine whether you get the "premium" features (Aero Glass theme, DVD Maker, Movie Maker, etc.) is whether or not your video card has a "WDDM" - Windows Display Driver Model - driver (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Display_Driver_Model). Correct?

Since it's Microsoft's software, they get to determine the criteria as to whether any particular video card can have a WDDM driver. They set the requirements. The cutoff line has to be drawn somewhere. Some cards will qualify, and some cards won't. Correct?

Intel 915 integrated graphics, an older graphics chipset that is aimed at low cost, low power applications like laptops and other mobile devices - NOT PERFORMANCE - does not meet the WDDM driver criteria that Microsoft has set. Correct?

Intel CAN'T write a WDDM driver that somehow magically overcomes the fact that it DOESN'T MEET THE WDDM REQUIREMENTs THAT MICROSOFT CONTROLS. That is a fact.

Lots of you were led to believe, through how Vista was confusingly marketed, that your computers with Intel 915 Integrated Graphics would be "Vista Capable". And this is true. Your computers with 915 graphics will run Windows Vista just fine. That is a fact.

Lots of you are angry, however, because your laptops with Intel 915 Integrated Graphics are NOT "Vista Premium Ready". You thought, for whatever reasons, that "Vista Capable" was the same as "Vista Premium Ready". That is a fact.

You probably feel kind of dumb that you bought a laptop with Intel 915 Integrated Graphics and then you bought Vista (or you bought them at the same time), and now, it doesn't do what you thought it would do (even though there was no marketing and no promise that the Vista Premium features would work!). I know I would. That is a fact.

Now, you're mad. You feel like you got screwed, got burned, got tricked. You feel the need to lash out at someone. You could lash out at Microsoft, but that's like tilting at windmills. And where would you vent your feelings? Maybe you're complaining just as loudly to Microsoft, and I'm just not seeing it. Someone please provide me a link if this is the case.

At the end of all this, I hope you can see how Intel's hands are tied here. We got burned by the unclear Vista marketing just as much as you did, because now we (I) have hundreds of unhappy 915 owners that are angry and need to lash out, so you're lashing out at Intel.

I'm sorry this happened. I'll keep my personal opinions on how Microsoft handled this to myself. I hope that my efforts to explain and clarify what's going on have helped you to understand, if not to dissipate your anger.

You're free to buy laptops with whatever kind of graphics chipset you want in the future. If you value performance, and want to be able to run the "eye candy" premium features in Windows Vista, I hope that you do your homework, and buy a laptop with a graphics chipset that meets the requirements that Microsoft has set forth (hint: other Intel integrated graphics chipsets, beyond 915, do this just fine).

If you decide that performance and these "premium" visual features are important, you might decide it's worth it to spend the extra money to get a dedicated graphics card in your laptop from Nvidia or ATI.

And, deep within the bowels of Intel, I'm sure someone is working on a time traveling magic wand to go back and add features to the 915 hardware spec, then magically transform all of the 915 chips sitting in factories and warehouses and in your homes and offices, so that they meet the WDDM driver requirements, and are suddenly capable of running the premium stuff in Windows Vista.

I'll let you know as soon as that's finished, and ready for release. ;-)
February 29, 2008 9:39 AM PST

Josh Bancroft (Intel)
Total Points:
3,492
Status Points:
2,992
Brown Belt
 Given the fact that this whole issue is blowing up, in terms of mainstream coverage, talk of class action lawsuits, I've decided to lock this comment thread. The discussion has run its course as it pertains to Intel Software Network and this blog. I'm sure there will be other, more appropriate places to continue this conversation. This is no longer the place, and I don't want to spend any time talking to lawyers about this. I'm just a blogger who tried to start some conversations, and get some answers, and this is beyond me and beyond this blog now.
October 22, 2008 10:31 AM PDT


OMAR TORRES		 QUIERO LOS DRIVERS DE LA PC IBM CELRON PARA CONFIGURAR LA PANTALLA VGA NO LA PUEDO ACHICAR O BAJAR RESOLUCIONES OEN SU DEFECTOP HACERÑA MAS CHICA
October 28, 2008 12:58 PM PDT


Ehsan		 Hello there,

I have a FS-540P sony VAIO notebook and I am so unfortunate to have intel 915 as my graphics adapter. Can I go somewhere and replace the video card with something else? Or is it an on-board card?

Thanks.
November 1, 2008 3:12 AM PDT


Daniel		 I've a 915G motherboard. Can i get the Vista Aero Glass feature enabled if i upgrade my PC with a vista compatible Graphics Card (like... with a ATI Radeon HD4350)?...
November 1, 2008 10:39 AM PDT


dan steven		 i want half life
November 18, 2008 11:36 AM PST


FeepingCreature		 The sheer concentrated dumbness in this comments thread is appalling.
November 19, 2008 3:08 AM PST


Frank de Lange		 The biggest lesson of them all to learn from this debacle must be that had Windows Vista been free software that driver would have been written whether Intel and/or Microsoft wanted it or not. The 915 is no speed demon but it can run a full effect desktop shell as shown by eg. Compiz on $your_favourite_free_software_platform. All this mud-slinging between two colossal closed source companies does not yield anything but fatter lawyers. The same energy spent in the free software realm would have produced a working solution a long time ago.

The choice, as always, is yours. I made mine about 15 years ago and have not had cause to look back since.
November 24, 2008 9:59 AM PST


Ed		 >We can't do that, because Microsoft won't let us release a WDDM driver that doesn't meet the WDDM spec. We can't call it/certify it WDDM because it doesn't meet the spec, and Aero Glass won't run because the driver isn't WDDM.

Yet they were more than happy to bend the rules and certify 915 as Vista Capable and screw all of the other players in the market. Funny how that works, huh?

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