windows vista driver updates

Hi aaronw_01:

What is the model of your Sony VAIO laptop?  Is there one particular out-of-date driver that is causing a BSOD or other issue on your computer?

If you know the make/model of your hardware components like your network card, graphics card, etc. (which you can find at Control Panel | Hardware and Sound | Device Manager) you might be able to find the latest available Vista-compatible drivers by searching the original manufacturer's website.

For example, I had intermittent BSODs on my 32-bit Vista SP2 computer in 2013 that pointed to a problem with the driver for my NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS graphics card.  The NVIDIA GeForce website at https://www.geforce.com/drivers shows that the last certified driver for this graphics card for 32-bit Vista SP2 was v307.83 (released 26-Feb-2013) and the BSODs stopped after I updated to this driver.

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.9.0 * Norton Security v22.15.1.8

HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS

Hi Bill Smithers,

Thanks for your response. I may have been incorrect when I said all the 53 drivers needed to be updated. I went through Microsoft Windows Vista Driver Updates Driver Support Optimization and it appears that it was just telling me how many drivers it picked up during the scan. My apologies (please be patient with me).

My laptop model number is: VGN-CS16G Windows 32-bit. I went to the Sony support link you provided but the closest model numbers that I could see in the list that was closest to mine was a VGN-CS215J and VGN-CS320J. once selected I was given a list of software updates but none are for Windows Vista, only Windows 32-bit/64-bit, Windows 7 and 10. I'm concerned if should download the update for the Windows 32-bit or not considering its not for the same model number as my laptop.

Please advise.

Thanks.

Hi Great White North,

The model number is: Sony VGN-CS VGN-CS16G

Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit Operating System Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 @ 2.26GHz 2.00GB RAM

I had a look at the device manager but it's just gives me a list of all devices in the system and I don't know how to tell if any are out of date.

How can I tell if any devices are out of date?

Thanks.

The model number is: Sony VGN-CS VGN-CS16G

Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit Operating System Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 @ 2.26GHz 2.00GB RAM...

...I may have been incorrect when I said all the 53 drivers needed to be updated. I went through Microsoft Windows Vista Driver Updates Driver Support Optimization and it appears that it was just telling me how many drivers it picked up during the scan.

Hi aaronw_01:

I don't believe I have a tool called "Microsoft Windows Vista Driver Updates Driver Support Optimization" built in to my Vista SP2 OS.  Is this a factory-installed utility provided by Sony that is specifically designed for VAIO computers or is it a third-party driver updater utility from another company like Driver Support?

Drivers provided by your computer manufacturer are always preferred since they will be certified to function correctly with all the hardware components for your computer make/model, but according to the Sony support article 1st Dec 2017 - VAIO Driver and Software Downloads Ending Sony is no longer providing driver updates for VAIO computers that were originally shipped with the Vista OS.  It appears that most of the manuals, drivers, etc.  on the official support page for the VGN-CS16G at https://www.sony.com.sg/electronics/support/laptop-pc-vgn-series/vgn-cs16g have already been removed from their support site.

You might find newer drivers on the hardware manufacturer's site (e.g., Intel, NVIDIA, etc.) that are compatible with Vista SP2 operating systems but that doesn't guarantee that they are optimal for your VAIO VGN-CS16G. Unless you have a specific problem or reason for updating your drivers (e.g., there is no sound from your speakers, your graphics drivers are responsible for BSODs, etc.) I wouldn't suggest that you try updating with newer hardware drivers that may or may not work well on your system (and might even cause a serious problem at boot-up) unless you have an emergency recovery plan in place. 

Every issue I've had on my Vista SP2 machine that was related to a hardware driver (e.g., intermittent BSODs, browser crashes during video playback, etc.) was caused by an outdated graphics card driver. The specs <here> for your VAIO VGN-CS16G suggest that you have a NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS graphics card, and a manual search at the GeForce Driver site at https://www.geforce.com/drivers indicates that the v307.83 driver (a.k.a. v9.18.13.783, released 26-Feb-2013) is the last driver NVIDIA released for the GeForce 9300M GS that is compatible with 32-bit Vista.  If you can confirm you have an NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS graphics card (open the Windows Device Manager and look under Display Adapters) then you should have an NVIDIA Control Panel installed on your computer.  Go to Control Panel | Hardware and Sound | NVIDIA Control Panel, and then select Help | Updates | Check for Updates to see if there is an available update for your current driver.  Note that the GeForce v310.90 driver (released 05-Jan-2013) has a higher version number but is slightly older than the v307.83 driver.

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.9.0 * Norton Security v22.15.1.8

HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS

Hi, I have been given an old Sony Viao laptop which is still running Windows Vista. I believe all the drivers (which apparently are no longer supported) require updating which need to paid for. All 53 of them. Does anyone know if they can be updated for free, or if there is a free upgrade to windows 10 please? 

Thanks in advance.

The drivers don't need to be paid for or updated.

The Vista operating system is what is no longer supported

Are you sure that you do not have a 3rd party program telling you this?

We do not recommend that you use any Registry Cleaners, Optimizers, Driver Updaters, Tune -Up utilities, etc.

They may do more harm to your operating system than any good that they claim to be able to do.

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You normally only replace/reinstall drivers if you are having a problem with the existing ones or you require newer features that a newly released driver for a particular device would give you.

A lot of released drivers have never been updated since the year that they were released, but the devices they are for still work correctly.

If you need to check:

You should obtain your Driver Software from your Computer or Hardware Manufacturer, not through Windows Update (except for Microsoft Hardware Updates), as Microsoft normally does nor have those latest Drivers available as Microsoft relies on the 3rd Party Hardware Manufacturer to supply them.

Go to your Computer or Hardware Manufacture's website > Driver and Software Support Section > look up your Computer or Hardware Model number > then your Operating System > locate the correct Drivers > download and install them.

Driver Downloads:

Sony Vaio:

http://esupport.sony.com/perl/select-system.pl?DIRECTOR=DRIVER

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As to upgrading to 10, there is no free upgrade from Vista.

How to buy Windows 10; extended support ends October 14, 2025 :

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en\_US/cat/Windows/categoryID.70036700

But first make sure that you have the correct system requirements and that your Computer Manufacturer supplies the correct Drivers for your older model number for 10.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/windows-10-specifications#sysreqs

"Windows 10 System Requirements"

https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/3884/windows-10-system-requirements

"Windows 10 FAQs"

http://www.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/windows-10-faq

Cheers.