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Fernando 1
=|| Easy RAIDer ||=
Guru
Joined: 05 Sep 2004
Posts: 1579
Location: Germany
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 Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 12:30 pm Post subject: actual Vista (32/64bit) driver packs for NF4-7 chipsets |
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@ all Vista (32/64bit) users with an nForce 4/5/6/7 series chipset mainboard:
Actual information:
For not understandable reasons NVIDIA has yet not been able to present nForce chipset driver packs, which are working for all NF4-7 chipsets. They have tried it in June 2008 with the release of the sets 15.17/15.18, but - due to the problems users got by using them - they had to remove them from their websites 2 weeks later. Since 3rd July 2008 NVIDIA is offering again the various old nForce driver sets, which do not run perfectly with any nForce chipset.
Even NVIDIA's currently "newest" official driverpack 9.64, which is only presented for some NF7 series chipsets, doesn't contain the best combination of nForce IDE and Ethernet drivers. As a result the users get less performance with their system than possible.
These were the reasons why I continued to build and upload some new Vista x86/x64 driverpacks, which might be interesting for a lot of users with different nForce chipset mainboards.
The installation of my driverpacks may be useful for nForce users, who ran into problems with NVIDIA's official packs (for example NF4 RAID users) or who are searching for a driverpack combination, which gives them a better performance (owners of all NF4-7 chipsets).
Last update: 07/01/2008
Changelog:
- New: special WHQL driverpack or nForce4 RAID systems
- New: WHQL "Performance Packs"
- enhanced compatibility of the "Modded Performance Packs"
- removal of the separate nForce IDE 10.1.0.26 drivers
Preliminary notes
Many users with an nForce chipset mainboard, who are running or going to install Vista (32/64bit), are searching for nForce chipset drivers, which are suitable for their special chipset and will give them the best possible performance and stability of their system. For not understandable reasons NVIDIA does not offer them for all nForce chipsets.
This was the reason why I started this thread.
Besides some other nForcersHQ Forum members it was mainly TwL, who helped me to find the best nForce driver mixture for each nForce chipset series. Whithout his assistance and feedback I wouldn't have been able to present these "Best for NF4-7" chipset driver packages.
If you want further informations about TwL's benchmark results and his review about the properties and features of all actual nForce IDE drivers and the impact done by different Ethernet driver versions, you should have a look into this special thread.
Here are my actual nForce chipset driver packages for Vista x86 and Vista x64:
A. "Vista WHQL Driver Packs":
1. "NF4 RAID WHQL Driverpacks"
(Working WHQL driver combination for NF4 RAID systems)
Changelog:
- new package
Although NVIDIA's recently released and meanwhile withdrawn Vista nForce driverpacks v15.17/15.18 were presented as being compatible with all NF4-7 chipsets, the included nForce IDE drivers v10.3.0.21 did not work at all with nForce4 RAID systems.
This is the reason why I have created and uploaded special WHQL signed Vista driverpacks for users with an NF4 RAID system.
Here are the download links (with multilingual installer):
32bit driverpack v2.0 for Vista x86:
Main download link (eSnips)
Mirror 1 (MediaFire)
Mirror 2 (RapidShare)
64bit driverpack v2.0 for Vista x64:
Main download link (eSnips)
Mirror 1 (MediaFire)
Mirror 2 (RapidShare)
These are the components of these special Vista packages:
| Code: |
Ethernet Driver (v67.80) WHQL
SATAIDE Driver (v9.98) WHQL
SATARAID Driver (v9.98) WHQL
RAIDTOOL Application "Sedona" (v9.99)
SMU Driver (v1.45) WHQL
SMBus Driver (v4.64) WHQL
HD Audio Driver (v1.00.00.23) WHQL
optional IDE driver registry cleaner (made by TwL)
Installer (v5.84) |
Notice:- Contrary to NVIDIA's officially offered nForce chipset driver packs v15.17/15.18 these packs are fully supporting nForce4 RAID systems. Users with such hardware configuration can use the included nForce IDE drivers v9.98 even from scratch by loading them during the Vista installation. For further details you may look into this guide.
2. "Special WHQL Performance Packs"
(usable with MCP51, MCP55, nForce 680i and NF7 chipsets)
Changelog:
- new package
NVIDIA's actual nForce chipset driver packs 15.17/15.18 still don't contain the best combination of nForce IDE and Ethernet drivers. As a result the users get less performance with their system than possible.
That is the reason why I have created and uploaded these "Performance Packs", which might be interesting for a lot of users with different nForce chipset mainboards.
Here are the download links to the "WHQL Vista Performance Packs" (with multilingual installer):
32bit driverpack v2.0 for Vista x86:
Main download link (eSnips)
Mirror 1 (MediaFire)
Mirror 2 (RapidShare)
64bit driverpack v2.0 for Vista x64:
Main download link (eSnips)
Mirror 1 (MediaFire)
Mirror 2 (RapidShare)
These are the components:
| Code: |
Ethernet Driver (v67.80) WHQL
SataRAID Driver (v9.99.09) WHQL
SataIDE Driver (v9.99.09) WHQL
RAIDTOOL Application (v9.99.09) "Sedona"
SMU Driver (v1.45) WHQL
SMBus Driver (v4.64) WHQL
HD Audio Driver (v1.00.00.23) WHQL
optional IDE driver registry cleaner (made by TwL)
Installer (v5.84)) |
Informations:
- Compatibility:
My "WHQL Performance Packs" are fully supporting nForce 430/410 (MCP51=socket 754/939), nForce 590/570/550 (MCP55), nForce 680i and NF7 series chipsets. Users with other chipsets, who want to enhance their performance, have to take one of the "Modded Vista Performance Packs" (see below).
- Performance details:
The nForce IDE drivers v9.99.09 of my "Performance Packs" are as rock stable as the 10.3.0.21 ones, but have a better performance. Users will get the best results, if these IDE drivers are combined with Ethernet drivers, which do not drop the speed. The brandnew Ethernet drivers v67.80 obviously are the best choice as partner of the 9.99.09 IDE drivers (tested and reported by TwL, look here).
You may use all above presented packages at own risk.
Any feedback is much appreciated - wether you succeed with the driver installation or not.
Please add a short information about the OS, the used package and your nForce chipset.
Attention:
Update of the Ethernet drivers:- The Ethernet drivers, which are part of these inofficial nForce chipset driver packages, are running fine with nearly all nForce chipsets, if they are installed the correct way. The running Ethernet drivers should not be just updated! You have to uninstall the previously loaded Ethernet drivers before you run the installer and decide to update the complete chipset driver package!
- After the installation of the new Ethernet drivers you should verify, that the hidden device ("View" > "show hidden devices") named "Bus Enumerator" has been updated too. Otherwise the Ethernet Controller will not work. Some nForce chipset mainboards need more than 1 reboot to get the Ethernet devices (Bus Enumerator and Network Controller) completely and properly installed.
Update of the nForce IDE drivers:
It is always risky to replace previously installed nForce IDE drivers by other ones, especially with nForce RAID systems, but you can minimize the risks:- If you want to update the Vista nForce IDE drivers (unless you have just done a clean Vista installation), you should do it manually. You will find the details within the chapter "How to safely update the nForce SataRaid drivers of a running Vista x86/x64" within the start post of this thread.
- If Vista 32/64bit should refuse the direct update of the running nForce IDE drivers, you may have to manually "downgrade" to the Vista in-box ones (Vista RTM: v8.22, Vista SP1: v8.30/8.33) as first step. The NVIDIA S-ATA and RAID devices with these drivers are shown as compatible, when you try to "update" the drivers as written above.
Once the "downgrade" is completed and you have rebooted, you probably will be able to get the new nForce IDE drivers installed (maybe even by running the installer of the package).
- Use of the optional registry cleaner (made by TwL):
Since NVIDIA has renamed their Vista nForce IDE drivers and due to the fact, that only nForce IDE drivers with exactly the same name will be overwritten by a driver update, it is possible, that previously installed nForce IDE drivers will remain within the system. These "old" drivers can drop the performance and even let the system crash.
That is why all my Vista nForce chipset driver packs now contain an "optional.reg" file, which is able to erase all registry entries regarding previously installed nForce IDE drivers. You will find this REG file and a text file how to use it within a new folder named "optional after IDE driver update".
- Driver update via Windows Update:
It is highly recommended to disable the automatic Windows Update option, because otherwise you risk, that you get nForce drivers installed, which are broken or worse than those you had previously installed yourself. If Windows Update is offering any new nForce chipset driver, you should only accept it, if you are sure, that the update is useful and safe.
Additional informations:- None of the above presented nForce chipset driver packages do contain any modified INF or OEM file. So all included nForce drivers (IDE, Ethernet and SMBus) are fully WHQL certified by Microsoft.
What I have done is just putting the newest and best WHQL certified Vista(32/64bit) nForce drivers, which are natively compatible with (almost) all nForce chipsets from nForce4 up, together into 1 single package.
- You won't find a NAM folder with NVIDIA's "Network Management Tools" within my packages, because they are useless (mostly broken). Big advantage: The download is much quicker due to the small package size.
- Although I am very confident, that these new nForce chipset drivers will work with the applied nForce chipsets, I recommend to use these drivers for a clean install of Vista (32/64bit). Especially the update of the nForce SataRaid drivers from within a running OS is always a risk and the success of an update depends on the version of the previously installed nForce IDE drivers.
- You won't be able to get any nForce IDE driver (not even the S-ATA one) installed by running the installer of any pack unless you have checked the "MediaShield" or "Storage Drivers" option!
- When you have run the installer of a Vista nForce chipset driver package, you should verify after the reboot, if all nForce chipset drivers really have been updated. It is a known issue of nearly all NVIDIA's Vista nForce chipset driver installers, that they will not automaticly update all previously installed nForce drivers. So you should compare the driver versions and - where necessary - do the driver update manually within the device manager.
- The new nForce SataRaid drivers require an up-to-date mainboard and nVRaid BIOS (MediaShield ROM) version.
- Don't be astonished or even afraid, if you get a "safely remove hardware" icon within the systray after having installed any of the new nForce IDE drivers. This is not a bug, but a feature of the new generation of nForce S-ATA drivers with AHCI support.
Have fun!
Fernando
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Annex: Modded NF4-7 chipset driver packs for Vista (32/64bit):
A lot of users are wanting the best suitable and fastest drivers for their nForce chipset and don't set a high value on their WHQL certification.
Although this thread was started by me with the strong intention not to present any Vista packages with modded drivers, I will add them, but outside the regular part of my thread starter.
Here are my actual "modded" Vista packs with the currently best nForce drivers for NF4-7 chipsets:
"Modded NF4-7 Performance Packs"
(with the currently fastest, but nevertheless rock stable Vista nForce S-ATA/RAID drivers)
Changelog:
- enhanced compatibility of the packs
- Removal of the separate packs with the IDE drivers v10.1.0.26
Here are the download links to my "Modded Vista Performance Packs":
32bit driverpack v2.0 for Vista x86:
Main download link (eSnips)
Mirror 1 (MediaFire)
Mirror 2 (RapidShare)
64bit driverpack v2.0 for Vista x64:
Main download link (eSnips)
Mirror 1 (MediaFire)
Mirror 2 (RapidShare)
These are the components:
| Code: |
Ethernet Driver (v67.80) WHQL
SataRAID Driver (v9.99.09) customized INF
SataIDE Driver (v9.99.09) customized INF
RAIDTOOL Application (v9.99.09) "Sedona"
SMU Driver (v1.45) WHQL
SMBus Driver (v4.64) WHQL
HD Audio Driver (v1.00.00.23) WHQL
optional IDE driver registry cleaner (made by TwL)
Installer (v5.84)) |
Informations:- Compatibility:
My "Modded Performance Packs" with the customized nForce IDE drivers v9.99.09 are supporting all nForce chipsets from NF4 up. Contrary to the officially offered nForce IDE drivers v10.3.0.21 they do support nForce4 RAID systems too , even with Vista x64, you won't get problems with the Driver Integrity Check! Due to the fact, that the INF files have been customized, these modded nForce IDE drivers should only be installed as a driver update and not from scratch (all these details have been detected and reported by Drago, big thanks to him!  ).
- Performance details:
The nForce IDE drivers v9.99.09 of my "Performance Packs" are as rock stable as the 10.3.0.21 ones, but have a better performance, if they are combined with Ethernet drivers, which do not drop the speed. The brandnew Ethernet drivers v67.80 obviously are the best choice as partner of the 9.99.09 IDE drivers (tested and reported by TwL, look here).
This is what TwL wrote about the IDE drivers, which are part of these 32/64bit driverpacks:
| TwL wrote: |
General Notes:
v9.99.09-[Modded by Fernando]: These are probably the best drivers you can add to your system. |
Regarding the update of the nForce Ethernet and IDE drivers please read the previous informations (chapter "Attention").
Important:
The included drivers, which have been modified by customizing the associated INF file, automaticly have lost their WHQL stamp. As a consequence you probably have to enforce the manual driver update by choosing the options "Browse my computer ....", "Let me pick ...." and "Have Disk". Otherwise Vista will give a message, that it has already installed the best driver software.
You may use the offered drivers at own risk.
Any feedback is much appreciated - wether you succeed with the driver installation or not.
Please add a short information about the OS, the used package and your nForce chipset.
Last edited by Fernando 1 on Sat Jul 05, 2008 12:36 pm; edited 198 times in total |
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jrmpls
nLightened
Joined: 15 Nov 2003
Posts: 57
Location: St. Louis Park, MN
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| Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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| clean install of Vista Ultimate x64, ran your "updated" 9.46 package and everything installed flawlessly. Thanks a ton for your efforts! Now instead of having to dig thru 4 different installation packages to get the good stuff, it's all in one convenient place... again ... thanks a ton! |
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Fernando 1
=|| Easy RAIDer ||=
Guru
Joined: 05 Sep 2004
Posts: 1579
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 7:37 pm Post subject: |
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| jrmpls wrote: |
| clean install of Vista Ultimate x64, ran your "updated" 9.46 package and everything installed flawlessly. Thanks a ton for your efforts! Now instead of having to dig thru 4 different installation packages to get the good stuff, it's all in one convenient place... again ... thanks a ton! |
Thanks for your report.
This may encourage other users to do the same. |
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whitedragon
nForce Padawan
Joined: 03 Jan 2004
Posts: 877
Location: Abilene, Texas
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| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 4:38 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks! |
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TwL
=| ~TwL~ |=
nForce Padawan
Joined: 18 Jul 2007
Posts: 530
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| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:05 am Post subject: |
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What did you change on these? Don't see any change on compatible chipsets on IDE section all what is on these are the same which are on WHQL.. Hmm, well maybe I am wrong and didn't check those close enough but I know that there was already 6 HardwareIDs supported on WHQL and there still is 6 HardwareIDs on your modified.
Anyhow, It's still working rocksolid as you said v9.98 IDE/RAID are the best there is for nForce 4/7. I'd go with v10.x modded for 5/6 series since those seems as rocksolid as these on 590 and 630i boards and yet faster by some amount.
Last edited by TwL on Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:06 am; edited 1 time in total |
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bruce_wein
nFHQ Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Posts: 28
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| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 8:33 am Post subject: |
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Hey Fernnando1
Will those driver be compatible with Windows Server 2008 ?
Also will the RAID drivers be recognized while installing vista/server2008 with F6 and floppy ?
10x |
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Fernando 1
=|| Easy RAIDer ||=
Guru
Joined: 05 Sep 2004
Posts: 1579
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 8:43 am Post subject: |
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| TwL wrote: |
| What did you change on these? Don't see any change on compatible chipsets on IDE section all what is on these are the same which are on WHQL.. Hmm, well maybe I am wrong and didn't check those close enough but I know that there was already 6 HardwareIDs supported on WHQL and there still is 6 HardwareIDs on your modified. |
Why do you think, that I have modified something?
Please note:
These packages do not contain any modified INF file, otherwise the driver would have lost its WHQL stamp.
What I have done is just putting the newest and best WHQL certified Vista nForce drivers, which are natively compatible with (almost) all nForce chipsets from nForce4 up, together into 1 single package. |
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TwL
=| ~TwL~ |=
nForce Padawan
Joined: 18 Jul 2007
Posts: 530
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| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:26 am Post subject: |
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| Fernando 1 wrote: |
| TwL wrote: |
| What did you change on these? Don't see any change on compatible chipsets on IDE section all what is on these are the same which are on WHQL.. Hmm, well maybe I am wrong and didn't check those close enough but I know that there was already 6 HardwareIDs supported on WHQL and there still is 6 HardwareIDs on your modified. |
Why do you think, that I have modified something?
Please note:
These packages do not contain any modified INF file, otherwise the driver would have lost its WHQL stamp.
What I have done is just putting the newest and best WHQL certified Vista nForce drivers, which are natively compatible with (almost) all nForce chipsets from nForce4 up, together into 1 single package. |
O.. that explains quite a bit.. hehe.. My bad.. though the WHQL was broken guess not then.. |
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Fernando 1
=|| Easy RAIDer ||=
Guru
Joined: 05 Sep 2004
Posts: 1579
Location: Germany
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| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:17 am Post subject: |
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| TwL wrote: |
| O.. that explains quite a bit.. hehe.. My bad.. though the WHQL was broken guess not then.. |
Each modification of an INF file breaks the WHQL certification of the associated driver. |
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kageon1
nFHQ Member
Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 25
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| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:07 am Post subject: |
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| Fernando 1 wrote: |
| TwL wrote: |
| O.. that explains quite a bit.. hehe.. My bad.. though the WHQL was broken guess not then.. |
Each modification of an INF file breaks the WHQL certification of the associated driver. |
Hey Fernando 1, thanks for these drivers, working fine on my nForce 4 SLi (Vista x86) system. However two questions:
1) It seems these packages are missing the SMU Driver or is this not necessary?
So far these are the revisions for the last two releases:
SMU Driver (v1.31) WHQL 15.08 for Vista 32/64
- nForce 680i SLI/680i LT SLI
- nForce 680a SLI
- nForce 650i SLI
- nForce 590 SLI Intel
SMU Driver (v1.34) WHQL 16.08 for Vista 32/64
- nForce 630i
- nForce 610i
2) Would you consider packaging up one for XP32/64 with updated WHQL drivers? (I have a dual boot system.) All these remixed drivers for XP break WHQL certification that's why I'm asking.
Thanks again.
Last edited by kageon1 on Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:28 am; edited 6 times in total |
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