Laptop Question Non-smoking related

[the dude abides]

Does anybody know for certain if you can, and if yes, how to upgrade my graphics card on a HP Pavillion dv5000 laptop? Or do anything to the current card to make it work?

Everything I'm reading online says no, but I know that there's always a way if you can find the one who knows how to do it. :)

I've got a few friends that are addicted to a game that apparently I just have to try. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. I bought it and installed it without reading the system requirements. Duh. I don't play too many video games other than cribbage on Pogo.com and hate to think that I just pee'd $60 down my leg.

When I launch the game I get a Console box that pops up with a Windows warning box that comes up over that that says "Error during initialization: Video card or driver doesn't support vertex shader 3.0 or better."

Help!

 

[fire it up]

Unfortunately i don't think there is a way to upgrade your card and would most likely have to get a new one to play the game.
Heard the game was supposed to be good so I grabbed it and played it once then just tossed it into the pile of games that were just OK but then again I'm not a huge fan of first person shooters because they are all so similar.

 

[beer-b-q]

Unfortunately it would require replacing the video chip which is soldered into the motherboard and so it is not possible...

 

[ddave]

That is more than likely the case.

Dave

 

[eaglewing]

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2

YES, you CAN update your VID card drivers...

I'll bet anything you can get the latest driver PACKETS from what ever VID card you got...

HOWEVER, I have and have played every COD there is until MW2. I have NOT bought it yet, but my COD5 (which is Modern Warfare 1) is starting to MESS UP, and I'm mean on a PC with far better graphics than your laptop!!!

I am actually in the process of getting a NEW PUTER just because of CODMW2 and other programs as well... like WIN7, etc. My NEW one will have 8GIG of RAM and the fastest CPU on the market.

But getting back to your Q.... the error said If you look for the LATEST drivers for your card, you might, just might, be able to comply.

I've got a whole 'squad' waiting for me to get this game and I keep finding something else getting in the way. But the guys say it IS FUN and a good stable game, more so than even COD5 which I thought was the best game I have ever played!!!


DUDE, if nothing else works, I'll buy the game off you!!!

 

[the dude abides]

Thanks everybody. I did update my drivers and no such luck.

 

[ddave]

You can always update the drivers but what he wanted to do was update the card itself. On a desktop, even if it is built in to the motherboard, you can switch off the builtin one in the BIOS and install an additional card.

However on a laptop, the video chipset is generally a part of the motherboard and cannot be upgraded.

Dave

 

[dirt guy]

What Dave said.

The video card is integrated to the motherboard.

Dude, maybe you can trade the game to a rancher's kid for some tasty beef. There's always room for more Dudestrami in the fridge.

 

[csmith2884]

Dude, they do make an external video card for laptops....but many are usb based so the speed is questionable. I would want to read about it via google search but it might be possible....

....Hope that is clear as mud.

 

[deltadude]

From HP website:

However there are laptop docking stations that allow for a secondary Video Card. You will have to contact HP and see if the docking cable port on your laptop will handle video input from another video card.

Here is a docking station that uses the PCMCIA slot if you have one.

Asus tested a product in 2007 but took it off the market.

This might get you closer to possible solution

good luck..

p.s.
You can buy a PC for $500 that will do exactly what you want play games and be fast enough to compete. A lot of companies are really struggling and there a deals out there. If there is a laptop solution it will not work the way you want.

 

[blue]

I can't tell you much about the video card...but the game is friggin awesome...as soon as the wife and kids goto bed, I am in full combat gear (not really) and play my xbox360 into the wee hours of the morning. It is addicting.

 

[geek with fire]

Not to rub salt in the injury, but I can tell you that laptops in general don't work well for gaming (except those marketed specifically for gaming; like the Dell XPS, and the like). The problem is, the graphics chipsets are cut down versions of their full size counter parts. This is for heat and power sake. I've yet to find a standard laptop that will run high end games. Even my work laptop, which I speced out on the high end, doesn't care for most new games. Sorry Dude.

 

[the dude abides]

Thanks guys, I appreciate all your help.