Is it worth updating my graphics card again?

[WickedWeekend]

So, I booted up a game earlier today and it told me to update my graphics card's drivers. I found out it was a Radeon HD 3200 by ADM (ancient I know). I updated it and all seemed fine until it was finished and the screen diminished into a 800x600 display. I did the same installation thing again, and got the same results. I'm going to restore to a previous setting on startup, but I'm curious. What happened exactly and is there a way to truly update the drivers without the system not recognizing the fact I have a graphics card?

Note: I also plan on getting a new graphics card, but the one I have is integrated into the desktop, since it is a tower free model. Is it possible to switch the Radeon HD 3200 for the newer one?

[Axw_JD]

use whichever version of the drivers you can get from Windows Update (should be an optional update. You might need to enable Microsoft Update to see it).

Radeon 3200 is not a gaming GPU so yeah you should see some benefits from an upgrade. It is also a DirectX 10.1 card, and right now with the release of Windows 8 we are at version 11.1 so you will also gain compatibility with newer games and graphical effects.. A Radeon HD7850 or 7870 is a cheap enough upgrade that also comes with 4 free games so thats probably what you want.

You should be able to change the resolution after updating the drivers back to the native resolution of your display, is it not allowing that?

[WickedWeekend]

use whichever version of the drivers you can get from Windows Update (should be an optional update. You might need to enable Microsoft Update to see it).

Radeon 3200 is not a gaming GPU so yeah you should see some benefits from an upgrade. It is also a DirectX 10.1 card, and right now with the release of Windows 8 we are at version 11.1 so you will also gain compatibility with newer games and graphical effects.. A Radeon HD7850 or 7870 is a cheap enough upgrade that also comes with 4 free games so thats probably what you want.

You should be able to change the resolution after updating the drivers back to the native resolution of your display, is it not allowing that?

I don't plan on ever getting Win8, if that's what youre saying. And to your question, it just isn't recognizing the fact that I have a graphics card. I have no ability to change the resolution, unless I'm missing something.

When I go to see my hardware on the control panel (I can't describe the window I was in, I don't have access to my computer as of now.) it just flat-out says I don't have a graphics card available. Also, when I open up a management program made by ADM, it says either I don't have a graphics card or it isn't working. It obviously is the latter, and it says I should update it.

[TheMatrix]

Has this issue been going on ever since you first used that game with your current hardware? If so, you should might need to get a different graphics card. If not, there's a possibility that there were updates to it that require different hardware.
Otherwise, ask whoever made the game for support, or try their or any other online community(including this one ;)) for help.
And you did install the latest version of AMD's drivers, which I assume you can find here (http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx)?

[WickedWeekend]

Has this issue been going on ever since you first used that game with your current hardware? If so, you should might need to get a different graphics card. If not, there's a possibility that there were updates to it that require different hardware.
Otherwise, ask whoever made the game for support, or try their or any other online community(including this one ;)) for help.
And you did install the latest version of AMD's drivers, which I assume you can find here (http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx)?

It's not really a recurring issue. It came up once I attempted to update the drivers. And I used that exact link, lol. I'll try going to the game's support, and maybe it'll get solved there. Because it's a rather new game, Marvel Heroes.

I don't know if I can get a better graphics card yet, though. I'm really in the hole money wise.

EDIT: I rebooted the computer, it turns out the update went fine. But the graphics card is not compatible with the game, so I think I'll buy a new one.

[Axw_JD]

I don't plan on ever getting Win8, if that's what youre saying. And to your question, it just isn't recognizing the fact that I have a graphics card. I have no ability to change the resolution, unless I'm missing something.

When I go to see my hardware on the control panel (I can't describe the window I was in, I don't have access to my computer as of now.) it just flat-out says I don't have a graphics card available. Also, when I open up a management program made by ADM, it says either I don't have a graphics card or it isn't working. It obviously is the latter, and it says I should update it.

You mentioned you were going to upgrade the graphics card, I was simply saying that the latest version of DirectX is 11.1 and has been available since Windows 8 launched so you want a GPU that suppots at least 11.1 so all future games will work since you will have to upgrade at some point in the future anyways (and with Windows 8 being lighter, faster and overall better than 7 you can expect a computer that works with 7 being upgradable to the latest version of Windows for many years to come).

Also regarding your original question, yes if you want gaming you will need to upgrade your GPU. Also if you want gaming you will need to upgrade Windows in order to fully take advantage of your GPUs as well.

Get into the Device Manager and uninstall the GPU from there (Right click, uninstall, check the box that says delete driver from computer), restart and do a Windows Update check. There you should be able to find a WDDM 1.1 version of the driver.

Then again, as I said before, the HD 3200 is NOT a gaming GPU. It can do some light gaming but you will have issues.

[Emerald Dream]

Closed at OP request. :locked2: