nforce 4 drivers

[slick2004]

Im looking for the best drivers for the nforce 4 chipset, any recommandations?

 

[sonoma1993]

I would assume the latest ones from nvidia website would be the best. The newest one on nvidia for the nforce 4 is like october 2005 for winodws xp and novmember 2005 for windows xp64.

 

[potato28]

Dont install the IDE drivers. U'll thank me for this...

 

[John]

Originally posted by: potato28
Dont install the IDE drivers. U'll thank me for this...

Please don't spead FUD.

There's some great info in this thread.
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=29&threadid=1654288&enterthread=y

I've built hundreds of systems using the nForce 2,3,4 chipsets and always install the NVIDIA SW IDE Driver. Several years ago when the IDE drivers were real buggy for the original nForce I had a couple of them develop an issue after the IDE driver was installed. I'm sure that if there was a 'major' problem NVIDIA would have yanked them a long time ago.

I am not disputing the fact that some people have problems, but please understand that a large percentage of the system builder community does not.

 

[Mem]

Nvidia SW IDE works fine in my experience,I would just install latest official Nvidia chipset drivers .

 

[jlbenedict]

Originally posted by: potato28
Dont install the IDE drivers. U'll thank me for this...

Good advice. Use the native Microsoft drivers.

 

[BlueWeasel]

Originally posted by: John

Originally posted by: potato28
Dont install the IDE drivers. U'll thank me for this...

Please don't spead FUD.

There's some great info in this thread.
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=29&threadid=1654288&enterthread=y

I've built hundreds of systems using the nForce 2,3,4 chipsets and always install the NVIDIA SW IDE Driver. Several years ago when the IDE drivers were real buggy for the original nForce I had a couple of them develop an issue after the IDE driver was installed. I'm sure that if there was a 'major' problem NVIDIA would have yanked them a long time ago.

I am not disputing the fact that some people have problems, but please understand that a large percentage of the system builder community does not.

I've had similar luck as well. I used the NF2 platform for 3 years, and I just recently moved on to a NF3 754 setup, and have never had any problems with the Nvidia IDE drivers, even with optical drives and burners.

 

[duragezic]

I always installed the SW IDE with my NF2 and do still with my NF4. Haven't found any reason not to.


One thing though, I've read some reports about the NV IDE drivers being "worse" for Starforce protection in that you can disable your optical drives via Device Manager and have it work, but need to still unplug them. For a SF 3.7 disc, I tried every single fvcking solution out there and I still have to physically unplug them. I read people with NF3/4 DON'T need to unplug them (read it quite a few times too) but can disable via Device Manager (or even BIOS). But I sure can't. I don't know if the NV IDE drivers are the issue or if these people are speaking from SATA-based hard drive systems.


edit: BTW, that thread didn't seem to say anything concrete either way. Most of the people found it better to remove the NV IDE drivers. I'm not experiencing any problems with them (never have before) but some people talk of a performance increase with MS drivers (and others say the opposite). I'm only interested in performance and now, more so if the MS drivers will allow me to disable CD-rom drives and play Starforce 3.7 games. Guess I can test that today.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: potato28
Dont install the IDE drivers. U'll thank me for this...

Best advice.

Originally posted by: John
Please don't spead FUD.

It's not FUD. The IDE drivers have serious stability issues (not to mention the NAM firewall corrupts downloads on some systems) with SOME systems (maybe not yours). They are also completely incompatible with certain revisions of your motherboard BIOS. Why would you want him to risk his PC for nothing (possible performance decreases of NCQ?)

 

[InsiderGamer]

Originally posted by: xtknight

Originally posted by: potato28
Dont install the IDE drivers. U'll thank me for this...

Best advice.

Originally posted by: John
Please don't spead FUD.

It's not FUD. The IDE drivers have serious stability issues (not to mention the NAM firewall corrupts downloads on some systems) with SOME systems (maybe not yours). They are also completely incompatible with certain revisions of your motherboard BIOS. Why would you want him to risk his PC for nothing (possible performance decreases of NCQ?)

I believe I have the nForce IDE drivers installed on my system, but I did not know of any potential problems prior to installation. If I go Add/Remove this IDE driver and reboot, will Windows install the Microsoft drivers for me?

The reason I ask is I noticed enabling NCQ results in a very noticable decrease in system performance. Boot time is slower, and the HDD is excessively loud at times in comparison. Would using the Microsoft drivers result in a significant increase in NCQ performance?

I've been reading benchmarks for NCQ on/off and though it seems for general use, NCQ is better disabled. But I want to make sure I can make an informed decision by seeing if this is true on my own, and this doesn't work if NCQ was hindered in the first place by these nForce IDE drivers.

Thanks in advance, guys.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: InsiderGamer
I believe I have the nForce IDE drivers installed on my system, but I did not know of any potential problems prior to installation. If I go Add/Remove this IDE driver and reboot, will Windows install the Microsoft drivers for me?

Yes, the NVIDIA installer will revert the controller driver back to atapi.sys which works because the nForce 4 controller can operate perfectly in PATA emulation mode.

The reason I ask is I noticed enabling NCQ results in a very noticable decrease in system performance. Boot time is slower, and the HDD is excessively loud at times in comparison. Would using the Microsoft drivers result in a significant increase in NCQ performance?

Microsoft does not actually have SATA or NCQ drivers that I'm aware of.

I've been reading benchmarks for NCQ on/off and though it seems for general use, NCQ is better disabled. But I want to make sure I can make an informed decision by seeing if this is true on my own, and this doesn't work if NCQ was hindered in the first place by these nForce IDE drivers.

I'm pretty sure they ran using Silicon Image SATA drivers too and got the same result of NCQ, but don't quote me on that.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: xtknight
It's not FUD. The IDE drivers have serious stability issues (not to mention the NAM firewall corrupts downloads on some systems) with SOME systems (maybe not yours). They are also completely incompatible with certain revisions of your motherboard BIOS. Why would you want him to risk his PC for nothing (possible performance decreases of NCQ?)

I build and service a lot of systems, therefore I have the opportunity to work with a lot of different hardware. I can't recall the last time I've seen the NVIDIA IDE driver cause a stability or performance problem on a nForce Intel or AMD rig. Most of the time the naysayers that continually bash the NVIDIA IDE driver have very little technical experience. If you like using the MS IDE driver then more power to ya. Whatever works best and gives you a good piece of mind is all that really matters; especially if it's your own system.

In regards to the NVIDIA NAM, I choose not to install it since there are other viable options. A NAT router w/ SPI is a move viable option IMHO.

So in regards to the OP's question I recommend the latest nForce package from nvidia.com, choosing 'yes' to install the NVIDIA SW IDE Driver, and choose 'no' when it prompts you to install the NAM.

 

[xtknight]

Originally posted by: John
I build and service a lot of systems, therefore I have the opportunity to work with a lot of different hardware. I can't recall the last time I've seen the NVIDIA IDE driver cause a stability or performance problem on a nForce Intel or AMD rig. Most of the time the naysayers that continually bash the NVIDIA IDE driver have very little technical experience. If you like using the MS IDE driver then more power to ya. Whatever works best and gives you a good piece of mind is all that really matters; especially if it's your own system.

I guess so. The reason I ask is, are there any advantages whatsoever with installing the NVIDIA SW IDE driver besides hotplug support which triggers the annoying 'Safely Remove Hardware' system tray icon? We already know its NCQ support is helpless on desktop systems.

I find the logic flawed that you would risk instability when there are no real advantages to it. My A8N-SLI Deluxe nForce 4 SLI system will flat-out not boot (BSOD with nv sata sys driver) with BIOS 1001 and the latest NVIDIA SW IDE driver, and that's on a brand new install of XP SP2. I have tried it, and it's very frustrating. With the latest BIOS it will boot properly, but then my display drivers will crash spontaneously. When I do not install the SW IDE, my display driver never crashes. I do not overclock, and my memory has passed an hour of memtest (and I do not have any stability problems with other programs or drivers).

ASUS themselves say right on the chipset download to update the BIOS before installing the chipset driver, and there's a reason for that. Just FYI...

In regards to the NVIDIA NAM, I choose not to install it since there are other viable options. A NAT router w/ SPI is a move viable option IMHO.

I agree with that. I have had a NAT router and not a single virus. NAT is secure by nature, on the inbound. And to get viruses to send stuff >>out, you'd have to open e-mail attachments/receive via a hole in web browser to trigger a virus to exist in the first place. Proper patching (WMF exploit for example) and reasonable practices (disable preview in OE so shell stuff can't execute) will prevent the virus in the first place.