nForce users: new official UDP released (4.24)

[Megatomic]

New official nForce UDP - 4.24

Here are the 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
Introduced NVMixer ? replaces SoundStorm Control Panel for all audio configuration tasks. Note that NVMixer operates best when run at 1024x768 16-bit color
Introduced improved AC ?97 / Soft Audio driver ? adds EQ, speaker cloning, and speaker wizard support
Introduced Speaker Wizard ? incorporates all NVSwap features, ensures correct speaker setup on analog or digital speaker systems
Introduced Cinesurround ? virtual 5.1 mixdown to headphones or 2 speakers
Introduced new Environments ? simple, preset driven sound environments
Enhanced ASIO support and added support for AC ?97 / Soft Audio systems
Added user adjustable ?rear channel creation? support ? adds off, clone, reverb and delay
Added support for Realtek ALC655 codecs, Realtek ALC658 codecs, and 7.1 support for Realtek ALC850 codecs
Added support for WMV-HD audio streams and WaveFormatExtensible calls
Improved playback of mono content
Addressed audio issues in numerous games and applications

Storage Driver Improvements:
Support for Serial ATA controllers
Full NVIDIA RAID functionality on supported platforms
Improved compatibility with 3rd-party drive management, CD ripping and recording software.
Automatic DMA-mode fall-back when data errors are present due to poor cabling
Improved handling of various storage devices


I'll report back on these drivers later.

 

[mechBgon]

Darn it, you guys are wearing out my ":Q" emoticon!

 

[Mem]

Cool,the official drivers I`ve been waiting for Megatomic .

 

[Mem]

Update:Installed ok for me,did not install the "SW IDE driver" ,new NV mixer is nice.I just installed over the top which`s not what I normally do with drivers,however all is fine with music and gaming so far.

 

[gistech1978]

gonna try these out when i get home for lunch.
woohooo.

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: Mem
Cool,the official drivers I`ve been waiting for Megatomic .

hahaha

Honestly, there is not much difference between these official drivers and the remix I created. Ethernet drivers is probably the biggest difference.

 

[DefRef]

Which version of the audio driver comes with this? I DLed just the 4.31 drivers over the weekend and lost my back speakers in games and no amount of tweaking would fix it. I ended up having to reinstall the 3.36(?) drivers that came with the last UDP.

DVD audio was fine, but RightMark, UT2K4 and FC both lost the back speakers. I'm running a DFI LANParty NFII Ultra (Rev. A) via S/PDIF into Logitech Z-680 5.1 speakers. Anyone else having these problems?

Also, what's with the Nvidia IDE driver? I haven't been following this, but it seems like everyone's avoiding install it.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: Mem
Update:Installed ok for me,did not install the "SW IDE driver" ,new NV mixer is nice.I just installed over the top which`s not what I normally do with drivers,however all is fine with music and gaming so far.

This set is actually designed to be an overlay install. I've been pleaseantly surprised by this particular audio set, it's the first time I've used nV over the realtek audio drivers thanks to them correcting issues with game audio I had with previous nV sets.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: DefRef
Which version of the audio driver comes with this? I DLed just the 4.31 drivers over the weekend and lost my back speakers in games and no amount of tweaking would fix it. I ended up having to reinstall the 3.36(?) drivers that came with the last UDP.

DVD audio was fine, but RightMark, UT2K4 and FC both lost the back speakers. I'm running a DFI LANParty NFII Ultra (Rev. A) via S/PDIF into Logitech Z-680 5.1 speakers. Anyone else having these problems?

Also, what's with the Nvidia IDE driver? I haven't been following this, but it seems like everyone's avoiding install it.

Correction, I do have these audio drivers on my HTPC and there is no problem with 5.1 by S/PDIF out, I can't speak to the analog. SW IDE drivers are working great for me BTW.

 

[Mem]

Also, what's with the Nvidia IDE driver? I haven't been following this, but it seems like everyone's avoiding install it.

Some people are having problems with the "SW IDE drivers" it seems like 50/50 on good or bad.

I was feeling brave and have just installed the SW drivers,so far all is working fine,both my DVD and CDRW drives work ok and Nero 6 done a burn with no problems,quick test of UT2003 and Morrowind are working fine, so the SW IDE drivers are here to stay unless I get any problems in the near future.

This set is actually designed to be an overlay install. I've been pleaseantly surprised by this particular audio set, it's the first time I've used nV over the realtek audio drivers thanks to them correcting issues with game audio I had with previous nV sets.

DAPUNISHER, it`s just that I`m so use to using Driver Cleaner .

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: Mem

Also, what's with the Nvidia IDE driver? I haven't been following this, but it seems like everyone's avoiding install it.

Some people are having problems with the "SW IDE drivers" it seems like 50/50 on good or bad.

I was feeling brave and have just installed the SW drivers,so far all is working fine,both my DVD and CDRW drives work ok and Nero 6 done a burn with no problems,quick test of UT2003 and Morrowind are working fine, so the SW IDE drivers are here to stay unless I get any problems in the near future.

This set is actually designed to be an overlay install. I've been pleaseantly surprised by this particular audio set, it's the first time I've used nV over the realtek audio drivers thanks to them correcting issues with game audio I had with previous nV sets.

DAPUNISHER, it`s just that I`m so use to using Driver Cleaner .

Don't I know it! It's your repeated recommendation of the software that led me to it intially :beer:

 

[DefRef]

Like I said, DVDs have back channels, so it follows that a HTPC would be OK, but how about GAMES? Over at the Nforcer site, there was a massive thread about the 4.31s with lots of similar issues, but no fix.

 

[coastertux]

When I install it looks for wdmaud.drv in the folder it extracted to but it can not find it. I located the file in the C:\WINDOWS\System32 directory and pointed it there but it didn't take that file either. I tried re-downloading too.

 

[screw3d]

Should I still install the older Ethernet drivers for this or have the issues (whatever they were) been fixed?

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: screw3d
Should I still install the older Ethernet drivers for this or have the issues (whatever they were) been fixed?

My advice is to use the ethernet driver from the 2.03 UDP. The new one still spikes CPU usage.

 

[Megatomic]

Actually I'm seeing mixed reviews on the ethernet drivers over at NForcersHQ forum. You ought to give the new ones a try. At worst you just have to roll back to the previous set.

 

[Jeff7]

The audio and IDE drivers appear to be the same things that were available separately before - 4.31 and 4.12. And I discovered that the IDE drivers were awful for CD burning. They'd lock the computer up about every 3/4 of a second, for 1/4 of a second, like, even the cursor froze in place - it did that the entire time that the CD was burning; the PC was virtually useless then. Back to default PCI IDE drivers, and all's well. nVidia just doesn't seem to know how to make good IDE drivers. Video and audio, fine. IDE? Nope, not yet.
I will give the other drivers a shot though. I've not had problems with the network drivers as yet; haven't encountered any of the CPU spiking that some have discovered.

Megatomic - lucky this time. I almost posted this, but I remembered the LAST time I posted about new drivers, only to find later that you had done so. Searching for "nForce drivers" turned up nothing. "nVidia drivers" - nothing. So I just checked the Motherboard forum - there's the thread.

 

[Megatomic]

You have to keep you eye on me Jeff, I'm tricky like that.

Regarding the ethernet drivers, they definitely DO cause the CPU spikes still. I'm rolling back to the ones in the 2.03 UDP now.

Regarding the NV IDE drivers, they have almost always worked well for me. The ones in the 2.41 UDP were a disaster but the 3.13 and 4.12 IDE drivers were great for me. I can burn like a champ.

 

[Megatomic]

My new remix:

Audio driver version 4.31 (WHQL)
Audio utility version 4.31
WinXP ethernet driver version 3.13 (WHQL)
GART driver version 3.77 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files
Memory controller driver version 3.38 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files
SMBus driver version 4.04 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files
WinXP IDE 2.5 driver version 4.12 (WHQL) with updated uninstaller files
Installer version 4.38

It's identical to my 3.13j remix but I used the packages from the new UDP to make it instead of the files I downloaded here and there. Not a bad driver set.

 

[magratton]

Out of curiousity, how do you create your remixes? I tried to do it once:
- unpacked the 3.13 unified.
- unpacked the 4.13 audio
- cut out the audio directory
- pasted in the 4.31 audio directory
Ran the install.. Blew away my machine. Wham! right to reboot. So what are you doing?

 

[screw3d]

Originally posted by: magratton
Out of curiousity, how do you create your remixes? I tried to do it once:
- unpacked the 3.13 unified.
- unpacked the 4.13 audio
- cut out the audio directory
- pasted in the 4.31 audio directory
Ran the install.. Blew away my machine. Wham! right to reboot. So what are you doing?

That's was what I did too, but only for the Ethernet drivers. Didn't run into any problems for me..

 

[Megatomic]

That's all I did too. I am not sure what happened magratton. I'll include my UDP remix when I send the board to you.

 

[Mem]

Actually I'm seeing mixed reviews on the ethernet drivers over at NForcersHQ forum. You ought to give the new ones a try. At worst you just have to roll back to the previous set

No problems for me with the new driver,infact my PC seems more nippy now,I`m very happy with these new drivers.

 

[nemesismk2]

I have been testing these new drivers since this morning and have had no problems at all!

 

[RaymondY]

Don't remember what version of the Nforce driver I currently have on my machine. Any way to figure it out???

Just did some checking and found out I still have UDP v2.45 installed. PLanning on upgrading to 4.24. Any suggestions??? Recommendations??? My system is a Asus A7N8X Deluxe with the last BIOS and 2-512mb Corsair PC3200LL-PLT with a Athlon XP2500+.

Thanks