OpenGL Support

PCs, Processors & Graphics Graphics & Gaming
1

First of all, here’s what i’m working with:

Intel® HD Graphics (Core i3)

Report Date: 9/2/2021
Report Time[hr:mm:ss]: 12:40:22
Driver Version: 8.15.10.2900
Operating System: (6.2.9200)
Default Language: English (United States)
DirectX* Version: 10.1
Physical Memory: 3959 MB
Minimum Graphics Memory: 32 MB
Maximum Graphics Memory: 1696 MB
Graphics Memory in Use: 235 MB
Processor: Intel64 Family 6 Model 37 Stepping 5
Processor Speed: 3192 MHz
Vendor ID: 8086
Device ID: 0042
Device Revision: 18

* Accelerator Information *

Accelerator in Use: Intel(R) HD Graphics
Video BIOS: 1931.0
Current Graphics Mode: 1920 by 1080

I am having problems that I don’t think should be happening, but I am not tech-smart enough to be sure. I used to use a laptop that ran Blender and some games just fine, at the moment I cannot remember the exact intel graphics it had, but it was a atom. That laptop was cheaper than the PC I currently use, so I imagined that it would run Blender just fine like the laptop did, now I find myself unable to use it due to OpenGL not being available. As I understand the computer needs OpenGL to function so I imagine that some version of it is working, but I can’t even manage to find which version that is.

Is this a hardware or software issue on my part? Do I need to buy a GPU for this pc, if I want to use blender?

2

You have a very old 1st generation Intel Core processor in that laptop. It’s graphics engine was never supported by Intel for use with Windows 10. In cases like this, Microsoft’s compatibility driver is loaded and provides minimal support for graphics usage. You are tripping over this ‘minimal’ support; the OpenGL support is *very* old and this is problematic for a lot of software.

Unfortunately, there is no good answer for this issue. Intel did not provide a driver and Microsoft has stated that they will not provide any upgrades to their compatibility driver. Bottom line, the only resolution to this issue is to get a newer laptop. [Aside: there are some folks who have stated that there is a way to upgrade just the OpenGL support, but I have seen no evidence myself of this working.] I would add that the reason why that Atom-based system didn’t have that issue was because it was newer and had a Windows 10 driver from Intel that actually provided a later version of OpenGL.

Sorry, wish I had a better answer,

…S

3

Thank you so much for your answer.

I was a worry of mine that this was the case. It simply baffles me that this computer uses 2012 technology, when it is new and more expensive than my laptop.

Your answer is satisfactory because now I know that I will simply have to buy new hardware, which is a bummer but achievable.