Installing DR 12.5 on win7 pc without dedicated GPU

Hello everyone! I am new here, after searching for answers I decided to join and ask on the forum.

I have an computer which is running windows 7. I built it in 2013 as an photo and video editing machine and have the Adobe Master Suite CS6 on it and want to keep that as long as possible (don't prefer subscription model).
After many years I am ready to try Davinci Resolve. When searching online I found that the last version to run on windows 7 is DR 12.5.6 (according to forum threads). When reading the requirements I see that Desktop Video 10.4.1 is required. As I understand that Desktop Video is for connecting to hardware that I do not have I am questioning that it is really necessary. The same about the RED Rocket Drivers.
If it is required than there is another thing about support. Namely, version 10.1.3 is the last to mention support for CS6. Newer version simply state "CC 2014 and earlier". Does anyone know if 'earlier' means also CS6?

My computer built is as follows:
ASUS Z87-A mobo
CPU I7-4770 (non-K)
32GB RAM
Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit (sp 1) installed on HDD.
SSD installed for media.

The computer has (still) no dedicated GPU as I was instructed to built it as low on power usage as possible. The Haswell generation CPU has an integrated GPU (HD4600). I would like to install an Nvidia GPU at some time but am wondering if I could use DR for simple stuff before I buy one.
The readme for DR 12.0 does state "Intel GPU support on Mac and Windows" and DR 12.5.6 requires "NVIDIA/AMD/Intel GPU Driver version - As required by your GPU".
Does that mean I can still use the program for simple tasks? At the moment I would like it to specifically make LUT's based on Xrite Colorchecker profiles generated from full-HD h.264 mp4 sources.
And about GPU's, it seems (according to forum threads) that people with DR 12.5 are able to use the Geforce GTX 1080. Does anyone know if there is a limit to how young a GPU can be used? For lets say an RTX 2080 or even RTX 3080 on an old DR version like 12.5?

So summarized the questions are:
- is Desktop Video 10.4.1 (and RED Rocket Drivers) really necessary to install DR 12.5.6 (on win7)?
- if required, does it (still) also work with CS6?
- can DR 12.5.6 be run with an Intel iGPU HD4600 for simple tasks?
- can DR 12.5.6 use newer GPU's like RTX 2080 or RTX 3080?

I am questioning that it is really necessary.

It is not.

if I could use DR for simple stuff before I buy one.

There's a 95% functional Free version, so...you can try.

can DR 12.5.6 use newer GPU's like RTX 2080 or RTX 3080?

Yes.

Thank you for the straight answers Jim!

if I could use DR for simple stuff before I buy one.

There's a 95% functional Free version, so...you can try.

Well, my first question was preventing me from trying. With that answered I guess I will at least try it out.

Maybe I am too quick with the next question, but if I find it working and like it that much that I want to purchase it, is that still possible with such an old version?

[Dwaine Maggart]

12.5.6 minimum Windows requirement is 8.1 Pro. While it might (probably will) work in Win7, some stuff, like H.264 UHD for sure won't work. And even basic HD H.264 might not work if you don't have the Microsoft Win7 update for that.

And I'm not as certain as Jim that 12.5.6 will work with current NVIDIA hardware and drivers. I'm sort of doubtful about that.

If you buy a Resolve Studio DONGLE, that will work with any Resolve Studio version, even 12.5.6. If you buy a Resolve Studio ACTIVATION code, that will only work in Resolve Studio 14 and higher.

Why not update to Windows 10, get a decent GPU and use current Resolve code, if you find that the free version of 12.5.6 works for you?

I've worked in resolve 16 on a win 7 Intel machine with rtx 2060 Super. The only problem seemed be lower GPU performance which was slightly better than a RX 580, probably due to lack of studio drivers for win 7. Also (can't remember or confirm now because the machine is currently unavailable to me) GPU HW decoding/encoding might be partly or completely non-functioning.

Sent from my Mi 9T using Tapatalk

Resolve 15 works fine on my old Win7 workstation - 16GB RAM, Geforce 780ti card

12.5.6 minimum Windows requirement is 8.1 Pro. While it might (probably will) work in Win7, some stuff, like H.264 UHD for sure won't work. And even basic HD H.264 might not work if you don't have the Microsoft Win7 update for that.

Thanks for informing me, I missed that part about h.264, that is a serious problem. Which update? But before that, I installed DR and upon launching it, it immediately crashed with the problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: Resolve.exe
Application Version: 12.5.6.17
Application Timestamp: 594220c4
Fault Module Name: Resolve.exe
Fault Module Version: 12.5.6.17
Fault Module Timestamp: 594220c4
Exception Code: c0000094
Exception Ofsset: 000000000097a338
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1043
Additional Information 1: 5f6b
Additional Information 2: 5f6b34979b70c8e50025cdda88255c5a
Additional Information 3: 24b6
Additional Information 4: 24b611a4281e124367d036b0fb464697

I opened it a few times but it crashed the moment I try to open a folder with media files in it (mp4, mov, avi not even displayed) with the same error with the only difference:
Exception Offset: 0000000000976763
Additional Information 1: 327b
Additional Information 2: 327b5444f387dd7668022be4e847f9d0
Additional Information 3: d54d
Additional Information 4: d54d0b5fe8775c92dd83d4746104677c

There was another with difference:
Additional Information 3: a2aa
Additional Information 4: a2aa2ca7f47bb2db36008ead95d85701

There was also a different crash from a dll (I believe I tried to change the preferences):
Fault Module Name: MSVCR100.dll
Fault Module Version: 10.0.40219.325
Fault Module Timestamp: 4df2bcac
Exception Code: 40000015
Exception Offset: 00000000000761c9
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1043
Additional Information 1: caf6
Additional Information 2: caf6f60de03c38c50d0df7d93be0a121
Additional Information 3: 493d
Additional Information 4: 493dac96cdc0d30f8ef3381c98ad5968

And I'm not as certain as Jim that 12.5.6 will work with current NVIDIA hardware and drivers. I'm sort of doubtful about that.

I was somewhat afraid of that.

Why not update to Windows 10, get a decent GPU and use current Resolve code, if you find that the free version of 12.5.6 works for you?

I don't really want to break Adobe CS6. My computer is still reasonably fine. I will eventually build a new computer, but I don't intend to do so in 2021.
I do intend to buy the Canon R5. Next to h.264 it also has h.265 10bit 4:2:2. I really want to consider all options since the Apple M1 is the only option at the moment. I hope NVIDIA will release a better NVENC accelerator on new GPU's fast.

Jan, FWIW I still have Premiere CS6 on my Win10 workstation and it functions fine.
But not a patch on the speed and utility of Resolve 16.