Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Notebook Driver 197.44 for Windows Vista / 7 64-bit

This article provides information about the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Notebook Driver 197.44 for Windows Vista / 7 64-bit, a driver release focused on enhancing OpenGL support and providing bug fixes for users of NVIDIA graphics hardware. This particular driver version, 197.44, is WHQL-certified, meaning it has undergone rigorous testing by Microsoft to ensure stability and compatibility with the specified operating systems. Alongside the Windows driver, a Linux driver version 195.36.07.04 was also released.

Key Features and Enhancements

The primary focus of this driver release is the comprehensive support for newer versions of OpenGL (Open Graphics Library), a cross-language, cross-platform application programming interface (API) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics. Specifically, the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Notebook Driver 197.44 for Windows Vista / 7 64-bit introduces full support for:

• OpenGL 4.0 and GLSL 4.00: OpenGL 4.0 brings significant advancements in rendering capabilities, including features like tessellation, compute shaders, and enhanced texture compression. GLSL (OpenGL Shading Language) 4.00 is the corresponding shading language version that allows developers to harness these new features.
• OpenGL 3.3 and GLSL 3.30: OpenGL 3.3 provides a more streamlined and efficient API with features like sampler objects, texture swizzling, and timer queries. GLSL 3.30 is the shading language that complements this version of OpenGL.

These enhancements are crucial for applications and games that leverage OpenGL for rendering, providing access to the latest features and performance improvements. The driver unlocks new possibilities for developers to create visually stunning and efficient graphics.

OpenGL 4.0 and 3.3 Compatibility

It’s important to note that not all NVIDIA graphics cards are capable of supporting the full feature set of OpenGL 4.0 and 3.3. The level of support depends on the GPU architecture.

• OpenGL 4.0 and GLSL 4.00 Support: This functionality is exclusively available on NVIDIA GPUs based on the Fermi architecture.

• OpenGL 3.3 and GLSL 3.30 Support: A broader range of NVIDIA GPUs supports OpenGL 3.3, including:

  • Desktop: Quadro FX 370, 570, 1700, 3700, 4600, 4700×2, 4800, 5600, 5800, Quadro VX200, Quadro CX; GeForce 8000 series or higher; GeForce G100, GT120, 130, 220, GTS 150, GTS 250, GT310, 320, 330, 340, GeForce GTX 260 and higher, and any ION based products.
  • Notebook: Quadro FX 360M, 370M, 570M, 770M, 1600M, 1700M, 2700M, 2800M, 3600M, 3700M, 3800M; GeForce 8000 series or higher.

If you are unsure whether your NVIDIA graphics card supports OpenGL 3.3 or 4.0, consult the specifications for your particular model on the NVIDIA website.

OpenGL Extensions

In addition to full support for OpenGL 3.3 and 4.0, the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Notebook Driver 197.44 for Windows Vista / 7 64-bit also introduces several new extensions for older OpenGL 2 capable hardware:

• ARB_texture_swizzle
• ARB_sampler_objects
• ARB_occlusion_query2
• ARB_timer_query
• ARB_explicit_attrib_location

For OpenGL 4 capable hardware, the following extensions are added:

• ARB_texture_compression_bptc
• EXT_shader_image_load_store
• EXT_vertex_attrib_64bit
• NV_gpu_shader5
• NV_gpu_program5
• NV_tessellation_program5
• NV_vertex_attrib_integer_64bit
• NV_shader_buffer_store

These extensions provide access to advanced rendering techniques and functionalities, even on older hardware.

OpenGL Context Creation and Deprecation

The driver release also addresses important aspects of OpenGL context creation and deprecation. To utilize OpenGL 3.0 and later versions, applications must "opt-in" using the CreateContextAttribsARB API. For OpenGL 3.2 and later, including OpenGL 4.0, developers must also specify the desired profile: "Core" or "Compatibility."

The OpenGL ARB (Architecture Review Board) introduced a deprecation mechanism with OpenGL 3.0, marking certain features for removal in future versions. While these features were not removed in OpenGL 3.0 itself, OpenGL 3.1 removed them. The ARB_compatibility extension was created to re-introduce the removed functionality, providing backwards compatibility. Starting with OpenGL 3.2, two profiles were introduced:

• Core Profile: Builds on top of OpenGL 3.1 without ARB_compatibility and does not support deprecated features.
• Compatibility Profile: Builds on top of OpenGL 3.1 including ARB_compatibility and fully supports all features, including deprecated ones.

NVIDIA recommends that developers always create a Compatibility profile context to ensure full backwards compatibility of existing OpenGL code. NVIDIA fully supports the ARB_compatibility extension and Compatibility profile.

Driver Download

You can download the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Notebook Driver 197.44 for Windows Vista / 7 64-bit from the following link:

Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Notebook Driver 197.44 Download

Alternative Download Links

Here are five alternative download links for the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Notebook Driver 197.44 for Windows Vista / 7 64-bit. Please be careful and scan the downloads with anti-virus software before installing.

1. Softpedia (Check if they have an archived version)
2. DriverGuide (Check if they have an archived version)
3. NVIDIA Legacy Drivers Archive (May or may not be available)
4. WinDrivers.com (Check if they have an archived version)
5. Station-Drivers (Check if they have an archived version)

Bug Reporting

For any bugs or issues encountered while using the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Notebook Driver 197.44 for Windows Vista / 7 64-bit, please file a bug report through the NVIDIA developer website: https://nvdeveloper.nvidia.com/

OpenGL 4 on NVIDIA Hardware FAQ

Here’s a brief overview of common questions regarding OpenGL 4 support on NVIDIA hardware:

1. How do I start using OpenGL 4 in my code base? Use the CreateContextAttribsARB API to request a context that supports OpenGL 4 and specify the desired profile (Core or Compatibility).
2. What about the "old" context creation API, WGL/GLXCreateContext. Can I still use it? Yes, but it will create an OpenGL 4.0 Compatibility profile.
3. Is NVIDIA going to remove functionality from OpenGL in the future? NVIDIA has no interest in removing any feature from OpenGL that ISVs rely on.
4. Will existing applications still work on current and future shipping hardware? Yes, NVIDIA has no plans for dropping support for any version of OpenGL.
5. What NVIDIA hardware will support OpenGL 3? G80 or newer hardware.
6. What NVIDIA hardware will support OpenGL 4? Any Fermi-based GPU.
7. Will functionality marked as deprecated be slow on NVIDIA hardware? No, NVIDIA will provide full performance and support for all features, including those on the deprecated list.