Still no way to force Aero?

[dirka]

Ok, so im wondering if there is any progress on getting Aero enabled on non supported video cards. I have the intel 915(pos) and it basically meets all the requirements but there is no WDDM driver. So has anyone heard any news about reg hacks or the like to get aero. Im getting pretty tired of this bland basic theme.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

No there isn't. Your best hope is to wait for 3rd party styles for Vista Basic.

[nevets]

If you have home premium and above, you can turn on aero

changing theme just like XP (well almost, with a couple of more clicks)

Vista is so damn annoying.... the options keep getting buried deeper in... :pinch:

[dirka]

If you have home premium and above, you can turn on aero

changing theme just like XP (well almost, with a couple of more clicks)

Vista is so damn annoying.... the options keep getting buried deeper in... :pinch:

Thats not the problem, I know where to turn it on, but my video card is not supported so Intel has not or will not develop a WDDM driver to enable Aero. So what I'm hoping for is a way to trick Vista into thinking that my card is ok and therefore enable Aero... there has to be some way since my card meets all the minimum requirements, it just lacks the driver

[akaladis Veteran]

Thats not the problem, I know where to turn it on, but my video card is not supported so Intel has not or will not develop a WDDM driver to enable Aero. So what I'm hoping for is a way to trick Vista into thinking that my card is ok and therefore enable Aero... there has to be some way since my card meets all the minimum requirements, it just lacks the driver

Your video card is only as good as its driver.

-me, now

Windows can't speak directly to your video card, so for all they know, your card could be an ugly 20 year old CGA. The driver is the piece of software that exposes the capabilities of the board to the operating system. If the driver says "I can do A and B" and the operating system says "do C" it will just fail (in a graceful way or an ugly wait, it doesn't really matter). Now, what *could* be posible is to ask software to do the rendering instead of the hardware. I'm not sure if Vista has such an option, but even if it does, my guess is that it won't be any good (too slow).

[McoreD]

Try this

http://wmwiki.com/mcored/research/vista/Fo...+src-McoreD.zip

It forces Aero for PCs with RAM less than 1 GiB. Wonder if it works for Video cards as well.

[J400uk]

I remember reading somewhere that intel will eventually release WDDM drivers for the 915 to enable aero, so there is still hope. At end of day, sooner or later somebody is going to find the registry entry that would let you manually enable aero.

[nevets]

Thats not the problem, I know where to turn it on, but my video card is not supported so Intel has not or will not develop a WDDM driver to enable Aero. So what I'm hoping for is a way to trick Vista into thinking that my card is ok and therefore enable Aero... there has to be some way since my card meets all the minimum requirements, it just lacks the driver

odd, even an RC2 worked perfectly fine with laptops that I tested with 915 chipset videos. RTMs also works. What's the specs of your system and video?

The slowest laptop was a toshiba a105 with 512 ram. Aero worked (little choppy).

I did a windows update on drivers to fix some drivers that didn't fully work with initial install.

[dirka]

odd, even an RC2 worked perfectly fine with laptops that I tested with 915 chipset videos. RTMs also works. What's the specs of your system and video?

The slowest laptop was a toshiba a105 with 512 ram. Aero worked (little choppy).

I did a windows update on drivers to fix some drivers that didn't fully work with initial install.

I have a Dell XPS M140 2 ghz with 1gb of ram. The video card is a Intel 915gm that has directx 9, pixel shader 2.0, and 128mb ram (shared). But I am positive this card could run Aero no problem without transparency...so if there was only some way to get windows to think im using the Intel 945 card (which is supported), I would be in the money.

[apu95]

Yup, I'm in the same conditions too. My laptop has the 915 chipset and I know it can run Aero no problem, since I used it with the older builds like RC1 and whatnot. I don't think that Intel would have a hard time making the WDDM driver, since the architecture of the 915 and 945 are pretty much the same things. Hopefully they'll come to their senses and write the damn thing already...

[UncleSpellbinder]

Intel will not release wddm drivers for 915 and below ever. It's a done deal. From Intel:

Q3: Is Intel providing WDDM drivers for Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 (Intel GMA 900) on Intel 915 Express chipset-based platforms?

A: Intel will provide support for WDDM drivers beginning with the Intel? 945 Express chipset family and beyond. See question 5 below for a detailed explanation of WDDM support on Intel? 915 Express chipset-based platforms.

However, Windows Vista is supported on the Intel? 845G, 865G, 915G Express desktop chipsets and 852/855GM mobile chipsets running XPDM (XP Display Driver Model) drivers for Intel graphics. Windows Vista will install on these platforms, but advanced features such as Windows Aero will not be enabled as XPDM drivers do not support Windows AEROQ5: Why doesn?t the Intel 915 Express chipset family support Windows Vista Aero??<AA: The overall graphics architecture and design of the 915 Express chipset family (with Intel? Graphics Media Accelerator 900 graphics engine) was finalized prior to Microsoft releasing details and specifications around the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) driver. Given this, there are hardware limitations in the 915 Express chipset architecture that would limit graphics performance and memory capabilities when attempting to run WDDM on Vista.

[apu95]

"The overall graphics architecture and design of the 915 Express chipset family (with Intel? Graphics Media Accelerator 900 graphics engine) was finalized prior to Microsoft releasing details and specifications around the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) driver. Given this, there are hardware limitations in the 915 Express chipset architecture that would limit graphics performance and memory capabilities when attempting to run WDDM on Vista."

I think that's total bull. Aero ran perfectly fine on the previous builds, and those weren't even finalized and ran much slower than the RTM. I doubt very much that those "hardware limitations" will keep the system from completely running. I'm actually curious what these so called hardware limitations are...

If I want my system to run at a snail's pace just so I can have Aero, it should be my choice, not theirs. By saying that the architecture would limit the performance when ATTEMPTING to run WDDM, they're confirming that the 915 is able to run it with the appropriate drivers, though not necessarily at a blazing speed. I wouldn't mind attempting to run Aero on it, just to see how well it runs...

[UncleSpellbinder]

@ apu95

I couldn't agree more. I have that 915 as well, and I'd like to have Aero running too. But unless a third party creates/hacks a driver, it doesn't look like it will ever happen.

So, I'm currently looking for an inexpensive video card. ATI or Nvidia, I suppose. I've heard that Nvidia has driver issues and I don't know much about ATI, though.

[apu95]

I wish it were that simple for laptops :(

I know ATI has good drivers...I'm running Ultimate on my desktop and my 9600XT runs Aero perfectly :)

[okz19]

i think i am onto something !!

(almost there to enabling aero, )

i know there are many intel 915gm/gms/910gml (gma900) users out there who cannot experience aero, just like me because winsat assess the computer as user experience index rating as 1 because of the graphics card.

well i have managed to FORCE my computer into believing it has and experience rating of 5 ! i did this by edit winsat files, the first picture shows my original user experience rating (being 1) this is with the original winsat files.

the second picture shows my user experience rating as 5, this has been achieved by editing the winsat files, no registry hacks etc, because i know they dont work. i am also able to diable winsat so that after it has been changed to 5, winsat will never retest, but at the moment it doesnt seem to need disabling (whereas when i first started out i could change the rating easily, but it would remain grey, and say in needs rerating - but i have fixed this it will never rerate the computer, unless you install new hardware)

now my problem is that for some reason, i still have no aero, i believed aero was directly linked to your experience rating, as many 915 (gma 900) users will know, no matter how good your computer is, the maximum user experience rating you can get is 1.9 because we are not supplied with a wddm driver, also you need a 4 for aero (atleast that is what i have been led to)

if anybody knows of anything else linked to the enabling of aero, (apart from wddm driver) please send me an email, and if you would like to become involved, and help me with this, let me know my email is okz19(at sign here)hotmail.co.uk

many thanks okz19

[Rascally]

I too have the damned 915 chipset on my Dell Inspiron 6000 (god I'd love to class-action suit them sometimes..."vista-capable", my ass). I've been looking for ways to hack it so I can run Aero, down to the point of checking out ftp://aiedownloads.intel.com/df-support weekly to see if they accidently throw anything up there. ;)

I'd found the WEI stuff you're showing there a while back, okz19 (the XML files in the performance folder or whatever). That won't matter because you still need some kind of WDDM driver. That's the fun part.

Oh, and in case you're curious, you guys are right, Intel IS full of shxt. I've been watching this unfold since around Beta 2. On the Intel developer forums, a couple intel engineers actually said developing WDDM drivers for the 915 would be very easy and they'd probably get to it soon after RTM (that's where the rumor comes from about the eventual 915 WDDM drivers by the way.) About 2 days later, Intel nuked the thread. A day later, Intel nuked EVERY SINGLE THREAD where people even brought up the 915 chipset and vista in the same thread (never mind the same post!)

I'm not wearing my tin foil hat right now, but it's pretty obvious what's happened here. For example, Dell's sales are slacking (well they were until Mike Dell came back Stone-Cold style). Being just about Intel's biggest partner, it's easy for them, and say HP to say "hey look, we need to sell about 30% more laptops this year. Be a pal, and make about 75% of the laptops sold in the past *year* TOTALLY OBOSOLETE? Thanks!"

I rest my case. :)

[okz19]

im really confused, cos when i discovered that i paid hundreds more basically for aero and i couldnt even use after being told my laptop (which is less than a yr old) is vista capable, i decided id look into whats stopping it,

and i found the xml shite, when did u discover this? cos i searched the net for it, and just got no results!

so what else have you discovered? does you experience rating appear in grey, or in blue like mine?

also have you noticed the 915 update on windows update, that just fails to install?? i wonder why that is? message back !!

I too have the damned 915 chipset on my Dell Inspiron 6000 (god I'd love to class-action suit them sometimes..."vista-capable", my ass). I've been looking for ways to hack it so I can run Aero, down to the point of checking out ftp://aiedownloads.intel.com/df-support weekly to see if they accidently throw anything up there. ;)

I'd found the WEI stuff you're showing there a while back, okz19 (the XML files in the performance folder or whatever). That won't matter because you still need some kind of WDDM driver. That's the fun part.

Oh, and in case you're curious, you guys are right, Intel IS full of shxt. I've been watching this unfold since around Beta 2. On the Intel developer forums, a couple intel engineers actually said developing WDDM drivers for the 915 would be very easy and they'd probably get to it soon after RTM (that's where the rumor comes from about the eventual 915 WDDM drivers by the way.) About 2 days later, Intel nuked the thread. A day later, Intel nuked EVERY SINGLE THREAD where people even brought up the 915 chipset and vista in the same thread (never mind the same post!)

I'm not wearing my tin foil hat right now, but it's pretty obvious what's happened here. For example, Dell's sales are slacking (well they were until Mike Dell came back Stone-Cold style). Being just about Intel's biggest partner, it's easy for them, and say HP to say "hey look, we need to sell about 30% more laptops this year. Be a pal, and make about 75% of the laptops sold in the past *year* TOTALLY OBOSOLETE? Thanks!"

I rest my case. :)

[rajputwarrior]

now my problem is that for some reason, i still have no aero, i believed aero was directly linked to your experience rating, as many 915 (gma 900) users will know, no matter how good your computer is, the maximum user experience rating you can get is 1.9 because we are not supplied with a wddm driver, also you need a 4 for aero (atleast that is what i have been led to)

intel gmas 945 get a three for aero performance and it can do aero, also a straight 6200 igp gets a 2.4 i beleive and it can do aero. It's all about the cards capability to do pixel shader 2. If your card can do it, then you should be able to run aero.

[okz19]

the gma 900 supports all the requirements for aero, we just dont have a wddm driver

intel gmas 945 get a three for aero performance and it can do aero, also a straight 6200 igp gets a 2.4 i beleive and it can do aero. It's all about the cards capability to do pixel shader 2. If your card can do it, then you should be able to run aero.

[Raa]

Can't force the 945 driver on the 915 chipset?

[okz19]

Can't force the 945 driver on the 915 chipset?

nope i have tried, after installation of the 945 driver the computer reboots as normal, but the second you log into vista its crashes with blue screen error, and the only way to get the original driver back, is in safe mode

[okz19]

YES I HAVE THE AERO EFFECT !! i have the most hated graphics card, intel 915gm (gma 900) without a wddm (cos there aint one) and 512mb

i have included a screenshot note that 1 box isnt transparrent this is because i havnt quite go to it in the registry! i also have the windows open and close just like in aero, (p.s notice on the bottom right window it is red, i done that through the registry, i also have the aero glass borders, dont know if you can see them on the screenshot, i would like to tell you how i done all this but its long and confusing, but i am almost there in cracking the computer for the real aero!! i can also force the computer to display a system rating of any number i want, i have it set at 6 at the moment, but all i will say for now is making your system rating higher will not enable aero, i have six, and no aero, and my dads comp has a rating of 1 with 512mb ram and has perfect aero, the only diffence is he has a wddm driver, and i know how to tell the computer it has a wddm driver however winsat then decides its found new hardware, and requires you to re evaluate the computer so that it can enable aero! but it dont work cos it picks up that there is no wddm driver and tells the computer it doesnt have a wddm, and stop aero from enabling. so once i have worked everything out, i will release a reg file that will automatically put the keys into the registry and enable aero upon your next restart!!

also one more thing copying reg keys from an aero enabled computer doesnt enable aero!! this is because of winsat, winsat has the aero enabled / disabled hidden somewhere but no in the registry, the registry will say default applied, whether the computer does aero or not, because the default is written in the computer by winsat, (if you get what i mean, if not basically in this case instead of the registry telling winsat what to do, winsat tells the registry what to do

[6785077276]

Please let us know how you managed to get those aero effects so far.

Thanks

[Brandon Live Veteran]

Please let us know how you managed to get those aero effects so far.

Thanks

Dude, look at the picture. It's not Aero, it's Vista Basic with a program like WindowFX.

[harlot011104]

I'm not just calling your bluff, this is fake...

You either used a program to make your windows & taskbar transparent or photoshopped it. Aero Glass' border transparency behaves differently than what this person has has posted, above is a screencap from an authentic Aero desktop. (which I too cannot unlock on my laptop)

I hope someone can crack this soon because I'm getting the Vista blues over here.