Q5: Why doesn't the Intel 915 Express chipset family support Windows Vista Aero?
Q3: Is Intel providing support for 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.
Windows Vista is supported on the Intel® 845G, 865G, 915G Express desktop chipsets and 852/855GM mobile chipsets running XP drivers for Intel graphics. Windows Vista will install on these platforms, but advanced features such as Windows Aero will not be enabled as Vista drivers using WDDM are required for Windows Aero.
Q4: How can the Windows Vista operating system run on Intel platforms that will not have WDDM drivers?
A: There are two different driver models that are available in the Windows Vista operating system, the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) and the XP Driver Model (XPDM). The Windows Display Driver Model drivers provide the 3D graphical user interface experience to users, while the XP driver model provides an interface that visually resembles the Windows* XP/Windows 2000 User Interface, but does not support the Windows Vista Aero desktop theme or user interface.
Q5: Why doesn't the Intel 915 Express chipset family support Windows Vista Aero?
A: 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 driver and running the Aero interface. Given this, there are hardware limitations that would limit graphics performance and memory capabilities when attempting to run WDDM on Vista with the 915 Express chipset architecture. Intel addressed these hardware limitations with the desktop and mobile Intel 945 Express chipset families, so Intel provides support for WDDM drivers beginning with the Intel 945 Express chipset family and beyond.
查看:Microsoft Windows Vista* Support FAQ