Latest NVIDIA ForceWare Video Drivers

[Chappy]

I also wonder if there isn't a setting in the nvidia control panel that my alleviate this prob. I see a task there for managing custom resolutions, could that be what I would need to work on? I didn't look at this CP when 175.16 was installed.

That's what I was about to suggest for you to look at if you had the Ntune CPL installed, it may be locked in there. I had that happen to me awhile back with 1680 x 1050 and a beta in the 154.xx range or so, and I fiddled with that until I noticed the CPL resolution setting was off.

 

[hkancyr]

Thanks Chappy I'll check it, next time I install the WHQL's.

 

[John Edwards]

I'm not sure if this is the right forum (with all the tech-talk and keen gamers!), but it's about NVIDIA drivers, so here goes!
My PC was delivered last summer with NVIDIA GeForce 8400GS graphics and 162.13 driver. Over the past few months I have tried on several occasions to update the driver (because of a problem with stuttering live TV when scrolling in other windows), including those recommended by the PC maker and the very latest 175.16 WHQL, but on EVERY occasion it has failed (producing just a black screen with a flashing cursor top-left) and I've had to roll back to 162.13 via safe mode.
As instructed, I disable virus protection and don't use a download accelerator during the update. I usually try it as an Administrator (and have even tried as the hidden 'built-in administrator'). However, the present installation instructions don't seem to say that there is a need to uninstall previous drivers first (just nTune, which, as far as I know, I don't have) - should I be doing so? [NVIDIA do not respond to my submissions and the PC supplier pleads ignorance!]
I want to get the driver up to date BEFORE attempting the Vista SP1 upgrade, as I have read of problems otherwise.
Can anyone suggest what the problem might be? PLEASE!!!!!!!

 

[recountryman]

I have always uninstalled and then look for traces (files and in registry) then reboot and install the new driver. I know there is a program that will also remove all traces but right now I cannot recall the name.

 

[John Edwards]

I have always uninstalled and then look for traces (files and in registry) then reboot and install the new driver. I know there is a program that will also remove all traces but right now I cannot recall the name.

I have 2 worries over that (given my experience), which you might be able to reassure me about:
a) with NO driver installed, how will I be able to interact with the PC (will it use a very low resolution screen interface, like safe mode)?
b) having eliminated all trace of the old driver, how would I roll back if the new one fails yet again?

I think that the existing driver is ALSO held in the RECOVERY [D] disk sector; can it be left there without prejudice to the new installation, while preserving the source for a roll-back if needed?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Brink]

Hi John Edwards,

When you uninstall the video driver Vista will automatically install a default generic driver for it. It will be the same one used when Vista was first installed before the recommended Nvidia driver was installed. You will be able to everything just fine. With a generic driver you just will not have all of the options and performance available like you would with the one from Nvidia.

You will not have anything to Rollback to when you uninstall the driver in Device Manager, but if the new Nvidia driver does not work out, then you can simply uninstall it again and try another Nvidia driver version.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[John Edwards]

Thanks for your reassurance. As a precaution, I have bought Driver Cleaner to do the job fully and the process went as expected UNTIL I tried to install the new 175.16 driver.
On the first reboot, I was presented with a low-res VGA screen, but the second reboot (and subsequent attempts) produced a black screen (with no cursor and no sign of further disk activity) following the Microsoft progress bar.........
Rebooting into 'Last good configuration' I get a VGA screen, and Device Manager shows the display adapter as Standard VGA Graphics Adapter (with a MS driver). Scanning for new hardware produces nothing and 'add legacy hardware' shows nothing under 'display adapters' (although under 'all', nVidia Corp offers a series of Serial ATA Controllers (MCP61 and various flavours of nForce) plus an nForce RAID Class Device).
[I tried updating the VGA adapter driver and although it found the new nVidia driver, it wouldn't install it due to 'wrong handle'.]
Rebooting again into Safe Mode, the nVidia card is properly shown as the adapter and the driver is correctly 175.16! It also shows up correctly in services and startup.
I have no idea therefore why I'm getting a black screen. Could it be anything to do with the footnote to the nVidia installation instructions?
HELP!!!!!!!

 

[Brink]

John Edwards,

You might try the 174.74 or 174.53 versions as well to see if they work better until a newer one that 175.16 comes out to try.

Shawn

 

[johnwillyums]

Hi All. I'm running a BFG GTS 512mb card with 169.25 drivers and I have no issues other than it runs hot.
It's like in the mid to high seventies after only half an hour of gaming in Bioshock or Half Life 2 but I don't whether this is normal.
I now see that Nvidia are recommending 175.16 with their little calculator thing and I've been following this thread and John Edward's problems with this driver.
Does anyone think I should employ the 175.16, would there be any benefit? Or should I leave things as they are?
I'm running Vista HP 64x and Ubuntu 8.04 in a dual boot and I don't have any driver issues in either system so there would have to be some advantage for me to upgrade to 175.16.

Best wishes, John

Asus P5N-E SLI, Q6600 2.4ghz, BFG 8800GTS 512mb, 4gb OCZ RAM, Thermaltake 650watt PSU, Thermaltake Golden Orb CPU cooler, 2x500gb Samsung Spinpoint HDDs, Thermaltake Tsunami case, Samsung 226bw (1650x1080)

 

[Brink]

Hi Johnwillyums.

You can always give it a try to see if it improves anything for you. If it causes problems, then you can go into Device Manager and use the Roll Back Driver option under the Driver tab to go back to the previously installed driver.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[johnwillyums]

Thanks Shawn. I was hoping you'ld say that.
It's quite late here so I think I'll wait until tomorrow night and do the whole safe mode-uninstall 169.25-driver- cleaner routine which I understand is the recommended method.
Probably won't see any difference although I am getting a sleepy screen problem. After not doing anything for ten minutes I normally go into the my photo screen saver but since I got this card I've been getting these weird grey screens more and more.
After much mouse clicking and thumping num lock on and off I get the blue swirl thingy and my desktop comes back but it's odd and seems to be increasing.
I don't get any driver failed notifications so it's as likely something to do with SP1 which coincided with the GPU. Must remember in future not to make two major changes at the same time. You don't know which to blame.

Thanks once again and I hope the new computer is coming together, John:D

 

[johngalt]

If it is running hot (as my eVGA 8800 GTS does) get RivaTuner and adjust your fan speed - I changed mine (using an eVGA supplied utility) to about 75%, and now my card stays in the mid 40s when not gaming and mid 50s when gaming. I selected 75% because at that speed it is still not overtly noticeable over the rest of my hardware, but provides adequate cooling.

 

[johnwillyums]

Shawn, John. Thanks for your input.
I just installed 175.16. I think. It all went rather strangely.
I booted into safe mode and uninstalled 169.25. I was just about to run driver cleaner when Vista installed a driver. When I rebooted I ran Rivatuner and it seemed to be 169.25 again.
I had 175.16 on the desktop so I ran that as administrator and went through a Nvidia driver install and then reboot.
The system booted up in normal mode and everything looked good in terms of resolution etc. I put some music on Winamp and played a visualisation and that looked good too.
However when I ran Rivatuner the bottom half of the box was empty and I have a message saying: "no supported driver detected"
I rebooted and Rivatuner still says the same. I booted into Ubuntu and the restricted driver manager tells me that I have an Nvidia driver installed.
Back in Vista I opened device manager-display adapter-properties-driver and found driver 7.15.11.7516. That certainly seems to contain some of the right numbers but I don't really know.
So. I haven't tried any games yet so I don't know whether this driver is going to be as stable as 169.25 or whether it is actually 175.16 and not 169.25.
Any ideas why Rivatuner is not showing it?
Also, John; assuming I can get Rivatuner working again and still have an overheating problem how do I increase fan speed?

Thanks for your help, John

 

[johngalt]

I never got really good at working with RivaTuner (mainly because I used it for 3 days and then dumped it for the eVGA utility) but on one of the tabs there will be a slider to adjust the speed of the fan - of course the bad news is that this will be reset on reboot, hence my desire to *sometime* figure out how hack the hardware profile manually so I can change the thresholds manually and have the fan kick in at lower temps....

 

[frenchyinpaddyland]

Sorry to barge in but could you tell me the difference between
GFORCE RELEASE and FORCEWARE RELEASE?
I have the latest Forceware release but I do not know about the GForce release
thanks guys

 

[Brink]

Hi Frenchy,

GeForce is just the type of hardware series for the model of the graphics card. Forceware is the driver software.

Shawn

 

[johngalt]

@johnwillyums - I found this - this should help you out - I am doing it right now as I type this, so once I get it working the way I want I'll be happy to assist you if you run into problems.

RivaTuner 2.0 fan speed & Overclock Guide

 

[frenchyinpaddyland]

@johnwillyums - I found this - this should help you out - I am doing it right now as I type this, so once I get it working the way I want I'll be happy to assist you if you run into problems.

RivaTuner 2.0 fan speed & Overclock Guide

hi
thanks for the information you have and the article also talked about the 8800GTS...I have the 8600GTS!!!will this make a difference...surely?

let me know .please
thanks

 

[johnwillyums]

Hi Johngalt,

Thanks for your and others help. I think I'm running 175.16 now but can't be sure.
I uninstalled Rivatuner and then reinstalled a latest version but it still cannot see a driver. The box is just blank with "no supported drivers detected for this display adapter" wrtten over the top.
Might it be that Rivatuner cannot see it because they are not up to date with the very newest drivers?
I hope it's that simple.
I hope this goes. I've been trying to post for a few days but keep getting a "message too short" error. Apparently Firefox RC1 won't play nicely with this website. The beta was ok so may have to go back to that. fingers crossed.
Cheers, John


edit: well whatever the problem was it's sorted now.

 

[Brink]

John,

I'm glad to hear it sorted itself out. You can check to see what driver version you have for a device in Device Manager in the Control Panel (Classic View). For example, expand Display adapters and double click on your graphics device listed under it. Next, click on the Driver tab to see the driver version. For this you will see 7.15.11.7516 for the 175.16 version.

Hope this helps,
Shawn