When will Nvidia offer a new video driver for XP?

[crossrode]

Nvidia video diver version 93.71 was released last October 2006, almost five months ago. That has to be a record for time involved between video driver releases regarding Windows XP OS. AMD/ATI has released at least a couple new versions of their video drivers recently. I have had some new driver releases increase my hardweare's performance significantly. Maybe by 5% or more. I've always looked forward to new releases. Now we are getting them every six months? My Nvida cards don't perform that well.

Also, is Nvidia's latest VISTA video driver even certified? What's up with that?

 

[ShawnD1]

They only do driver updates when they think they can improve the drivers. The current ones seem pretty damn good - they have lots of functions, they're stable, and they work on every card I've tried. ATI releases lots of drivers because they seem to cause new problems every time they release a new version.

Expect to see fewer and fewer patches for XP since Nvidia and ATI have had 6 years to make their drivers work properly. Expect frequent updates for Vista.

 

[crossrode]

Ok. So I have nothing to look forward to where increasing the performance of my 7900GTO, two 7800GT's, three 7600GT's, and my 6600GT is concerned. Just those seven Nvidia cards (I have additional Nvidia editions) cost me probably $1650.

 

[ShawnD1]

Correct. Software optimization only goes so far. There's a certain point where you say "Ok I don't think Windows XP can run on this Pentium 1, time for better hardware"

Are you currently having problems with any of these cards?

 

[crossrode]

No. I'm not complaining. I'm concerned that no new drivers have been released by Nvidia in five months that would help the performance of my array of expensive Nvidia video cards. I noticed there are new versions of the only DX10 card (8800) on the Nvidia website.

I have had problems with system non-boots and failure to laoa nvidia drivers on certain systems, including black screens and the such in the past. If your Nvida Card is less than their 6200 series the company's new driver releases have no meaning for your video processing hardware. I was hoping that my two SLI systems and my 7900GTO would get a software performance increase in the future.

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

Originally posted by: crossrode
Ok. So I have nothing to look forward to where increasing the performance of my 7900GTO, two 7800GT's, three 7600GT's, and my 6600GT is concerned. Just those seven Nvidia cards (I have additional Nvidia editions) cost me probably $1650.

Why in Gods name did you consume that many cards.....

 

[A5]

If you want something more recent, you can try to find a good beta driver, but they're pretty much concentrating on Vista at the moment.

 

[Oyeve]

I'm still on version 81.98, last version that will allow SLI for my mobo chipset before Nvidiots decided to disable SLI on ULI.

 

[crossrode]

I have 11 desktop computers running and 1 notebook.

 

[crossrode]

Originally posted by: Oyeve
I'm still on version 81.98, last version that will allow SLI for my mobo chipset before Nvidiots decided to disable SLI on ULI.

Yeah, that version sounds familiar. I ran it for a long time because it didn't cause any problems. The version right after that wouldn't let me bott up to windows on my EPOX Socket 754 SLI system. Kind a like when you get one of their scrambled downloads.

 

[crossrode]

Speaking of BETA drivers, Nvidia hasn't released anything that my old 'Kingston Traveler' will plug in to to increase their video processing products performance have they?

 

[crossrode]

I have an old CD wallet that holds probably 150 CD's filled with Nvidia Drivers I have burned. THe wallet finally filled up and I had to get a tool box recently to keep my collection video drivers in. I would put them on my Jump drive, but it's occupied running my system RAM these days. I got the toolbox freed up because my system takes so much RAM I had none left to keep in there.

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: crossrode
I was hoping that my two SLI systems and my 7900GTO would get a software performance increase in the future.

There is no such thing as software performance increase. You want faster performance, go buy new card and maybe other hardware to prevent bottlenecks.
You seriously spent $1.5k on video cards thinking they'll get substantially faster with time?

 

[crossrode]

So why do you bother to use the latest driver?

 

[MegaVovaN]

Because it has various bugs fixed, I don't expect latest driver to really boost performance of my 6800GT or even old 5200FX (back-up card)

 

[crossrode]

Bug fixes? New video driver releases can fix far more than bug fixes. You are naive to say the least. You should read the details of the Nvidia releases regarding performance enhancements to everything from shader processing to specific performance increases in specific games, applications etc. If you think one driver performes just as well as the next...well crank up that Windows '95 and get that 5200FX Behemouth rollin' my friend. Who needs drivers for performance issues anyway. Right?

 

[3NF]

Originally posted by: crossrode
I have 11 desktop computers running and 1 notebook.

Must be toasty warm in that room

 

[crossrode]

Originally posted by: 3NF

Originally posted by: crossrode
I have 11 desktop computers running and 1 notebook.

Must be toasty warm in that room

I am thinking fo the DOT (Dept. of Transportation) who recently decided nt to upgreade their 15,0000 computers to Vista. Partly due to driver issues when you get right down to it.

Hey, I'm a lot smarter with 11 computers to keep me busy than the guy who has all the bugs in his drivers. 8)

 

[ShawnD1]

Originally posted by: MegaVovaN
There is no such thing as software performance increase.

Software dramatically changes performance, mainly by utilizing certain pieces of hardware a certain way or by using a more efficient way of number crunching.
Just as example, I once wrote a very basic program that was to find all the perfect squares between 1 and X; such as 10 having 1, 4, and 9 (1 squared, 2 squared, 3 squared). My original program did this check on all numbers between 1 and X. One day my friend pointed out "hey why not just count from 1 to the square root of X?" I thought about it for a second and realized he was right. Counting up to the square root of X would get the same answers as counting all the way up to X, but it would run much faster. That is what software optimization is all about.

 

[latino666]

I thought they would of came out with a fix for that WoW: BC bug that people are seeing with their 8800's.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: SoundTheSurrender

Originally posted by: crossrode
Ok. So I have nothing to look forward to where increasing the performance of my 7900GTO, two 7800GT's, three 7600GT's, and my 6600GT is concerned. Just those seven Nvidia cards (I have additional Nvidia editions) cost me probably $1650.

Why in Gods name did you consume that many cards.....

doh...

 

[Rubycon]

Yeah it would be nice if they had a 64 bit driver that didn't make the card about as useful as a pepper mill.

 

[HannibalX]

The manufacturer does not owe you new drivers every month.

The drivers that came with the cards work fine and they enable the cards to work as advertised.

Driver updates are a courtesy from the hardware developer.

Cliffs: Qui?cher?bitchin?

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: Pale Rider
The manufacturer does not owe you new drivers every month.

The drivers that came with the cards work fine and they enable the cards to work as advertised.

Driver updates are a courtesy from the hardware developer.

Cliffs: Qui?cher?bitchin?

LOL the ever growing user base tends to disagree with you.

As a matter of fact if you said that at a LAN party I'd be willing that you would be wearing a variety of food stuff. :laugh:

 

[HannibalX]

Originally posted by: MS Dawn

Originally posted by: Pale Rider
The manufacturer does not owe you new drivers every month.

The drivers that came with the cards work fine and they enable the cards to work as advertised.

Driver updates are a courtesy from the hardware developer.

Cliffs: Qui?cher?bitchin?

LOL the ever growing user base tends to disagree with you.

As a matter of fact if you said that at a LAN party I'd be willing that you would be wearing a variety of food stuff. :laugh:

Show me the agreement between you and nVidia where it says they will provide you new drivers whenever you want them.