nForce UDP 4.40 available

[Megatomic]

New nForce drivers - Linkage

I haven't had a chance to try them yet, I'm at work until 5pm. But maybe some of you on summer break can have some fun. Included in this set are:

NV IDE
NV Ethernet
NV SMBus
NVGART
NV MemCtl

All version 4.40 (except IDE which is 4.45) according to the .infs in the archive. The .zip password is ocworkbench rules.

Now with audio driver/utility ver. 4.35 The audio driver/utility is WHQL certified.

 

[colonel]

thanks, but those drivers dont work with 98/ME

 

[Megatomic]

I believe that 99% of all nForce based computers purchased through retail channels come with WinXP preinstalled. And I also believe that the vast majority of self-built nForce based computers have WinXP/Win2K installed on them by the builders. Win9x users should count themselves as damn lucky that anyone makes new drivers for them.

This isn't an official UDP release either...

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: colonel
thanks, but those drivers dont work with 98/ME

your point?
MS doesn't support win98/ME anymore

99% or more of people out there use Win2K~and up

 

[Mem]

This isn't an official UDP release either..

BAH!......... Megatomic you know what I think of unofficial drivers ,but thanks for the info,my latest official set are working great and I don`t see any need to change them until Nvidia releases another official set .

 

[Megatomic]

I know Mem, but I fight PC boredom constantly and beta nForce drivers give me something to do. I'll report in later with my results.

Time for my 90 minute commute home.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

These are just someone's remix.

 

[watek]

I'm still using 2.45. No need to update to latest right?

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
These are just someone's remix.

They're not mine. My remix is the 4.24 UDP with the 2.45 ethernet driver. If they're someone's remix they're more than likely from a beta tester or an OEM doing testing for NV.

Either way I don't care. I just like seeing new drivers.

 

[Mem]

I'm still using 2.45. No need to update to latest right?

The latest official version have a better nForce display panel and the latest Nvidia SW IDE drivers actually work well on my PC, you can get the latest official 4.24 drivers from here. .

Release Date: May 10, 2004.

Release Notes

* WHQL certified kit
* Unified drivers with support for nForce, nForce2, and nForce3 products. This package does not include support for dual-processor systems.
* General compatibility fixes
* Audio Driver Improvements
o Introduced NVMixer ? replaces SoundStorm Control Panel for all audio configuration tasks. Note that NVMixer operates best when run at 1024x768 16-bit color
o Introduced improved AC ?97 / Soft Audio driver ? adds EQ, speaker cloning, and speaker wizard support
o Introduced Speaker Wizard ? incorporates all NVSwap features, ensures correct speaker setup on analog or digital speaker systems
o Introduced Cinesurround ? virtual 5.1 mixdown to headphones or 2 speakers
o Introduced new Environments ? simple, preset driven sound environments
o Enhanced ASIO support and added support for AC ?97 / Soft Audio systems
o Added user adjustable ?rear channel creation? support ? adds off, clone, reverb and delay
o Added support for Realtek ALC655 codecs, Realtek ALC658 codecs, and 7.1 support for Realtek ALC850 codecs
o Added support for WMV-HD audio streams and WaveFormatExtensible calls
o Improved playback of mono content
o Addressed audio issues in numerous games and applications
* Storage Driver Improvements:
o Support for Serial ATA controllers
o Full NVIDIA RAID functionality on supported platforms
o Improved compatibility with 3rd-party drive management, CD ripping and recording software.
o Automatic DMA-mode fall-back when data errors are present due to poor cabling
o Improved handling of various storage devices

 

[Megatomic]

My personal remix will consist of:

Audio driver version 4.31 (WHQL)
Audio utility version 4.31
WinXP ethernet driver version 4.40 (WHQL)
GART driver version 4.40 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files
Memory controller driver version 4.40 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files
SMBus driver version 4.40 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files
WinXP IDE 2.6 driver version 4.45 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files
Installer version 4.38

When I'm done eating dinner I'm going to uninstall my previous driver install, run driver cleaner in safe mode, and then install my new remix. I'm hoping for something nice from the new SWIDE driver and maybe a little something from the memory controller driver.

 

[Megatomic]

Ok, so I have the new drivers installed. I cheated and just installed them over the last drivers. The upgrade install went very smoothly, the NVIDE and the NV Ethernet drivers aren't WHQL certified despite the .cat files but they seem to be ok.

The biggest difference I've seen is in the SWIDE drivers. There is now an option to cache reads as well as writes for hard drives. Using HD Tach 3.0.1.0 my CPU Utilization went up from 4% to 8% and the burst speed went from 115MB/sec to 124MB/sec. The other scores stayed about the same.

Memory scores in AIDA32 v3.93 are pretty constant between the two driver versions.

I haven't run any other benchmark tests yet. I'm gonna do a test for Dapunisher (HD) then I'll get back to the NF tests.

 

[Sylvanas]

keep us updated!

 

[Megatomic]

Now with audio driver/utility ver. 4.35 The audio driver/utility is WHQL certified.

Just the way you like 'em Mem. Fresh and unofficial.

 

[Mem]

Just the way you like 'em Mem. Fresh and unofficial

I`ll watch from a safe distance .

 

[watek]

looks like there's some new ones

 

[Megatomic]

Yes, but only the IDE and audio drivers are new. The rest of the components in the 5.03 set are quite old actually. I just got back from reinstalling my drivers. Here's my new remix:

Audio driver version 4.35 (WHQL)
Audio utility version 4.35 (WHQL)
WinXP ethernet driver version 3.13 (WHQL)
GART driver version 4.40 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files
Memory controller driver version 4.40 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files
SMBus driver version 4.40 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files
WinXP IDE 2.5 driver version 4.12 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files
Installer version 4.38

Everything is WHQL, just the way I like it. I'll post results back later.

 

[watek]

Where can we download a remix set like that?

 

[Megatomic]

I don't have a server or webspace I can put my remix on but it is easy to make your own. You just mix and match the folders.

In THIS thread at nForcersHQ.com Forums you can find several premade remixes with which you can make your own remix.

Just start with the 4.24 UDP, delete the folders of the drivers you want to update and replace them with the folders containing the new drivers. It's really easy.

 

[watek]

It seems pretty easy i'll try it out thanks.

 

[watek]

Are the older ethernet drivers better?

 

[Megatomic]

The ethernet drivers in the 4.24 UDP are fine. I just never saw fit to update them as the older ones in my remix have always treated me well.

The ethernet drivers in the newer leaked sets are not WHQL certified, that's why I didn't include them in my remix. I may get the new ethernet drivers and update my remix.

 

[Megatomic]

Ok, I get better performance from the 3.13 ethernet driver, that's why I never upgraded them. I think I'll just stick with them forever. :heart:

Ok, and let me explain what I meant by better performance. My scores at toast.net are only a little higher, and my score using the CNET Bandwidth meter is like 150 higher. But the real clincher for me is that when I'm downloading a large file I can still surf other webpages just as if I wasn't downloading a file. With the 4.16 and later versions my surfing is choppy much of the time while downloading. This may not be repeatable by anyone else but it was dramatically evident for me.

YMMV but I would be interested to hear if anyone else notices similar issues.