Heres a cracker of a problem - Nvidia Drivers

[Guest]

Lets see how many others have this problem.

Yesterday I noticed my gaming was slow, and today I get fed up and checked
the device manager and lo and behold Vista was using the WDM drivers.

I thought hmmmm how strange is that.

So went to install the Nvidia drivers (158.24) and during install it hits me
with

"Age of Empires 2 update is not compatible for this system"

A few naughty words crossed my mind, so I tried with an older driver, same
thing. It only worked with Nvidia's own RTM driver from way back in January,
and thats just as bad as the WDM driver from MS.

So has anyone else came across this problem and managed to fix it?

And would hope at least MS techs read these also to throw out a solution
because as of now I cant do anything in terms of gaming. Very very bad so far
my Vista experience.

 

[Cal Bear '66]

I have read in here that the International version download has this problem,
but that the US version download does not.

 

[Guest]

Good idea Cal, I'll give it a go, usually I do use the US drivers, but I went
for the UK for a change.

Extremely bad that they managed to confuse Nvidia's UK drivers with Age of
Empires 2 update.

I'll post back with the results.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Cal, Mission Successful

Still very strange that after a while or from an update Vista chose itself
to remove the driver and place its WDM in its place.

But indeed the US works fine. Thanks again.

 

[Cal Bear '66]

The last nVidia drivers had it the opposite, the US driver had problems, the
International drivers were OK.

 

[Richard Urban]

Strange that you would think that it is automatically Microsoft's fault when
Nvidia drivers throw up crap!



--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

 

[Cal Bear '66]

You're welcome.

 

[Guest]

Cal:
What would last be for you?
158.24 or 158.45.
I am currently running 158.18's with my 8600GTS because the 158.24's int'l
brought me BSOD.
What would you recommend?
158.24 US
158.45 US
158.45 Intl
It is Sunday and I have time to spare.
Sorta boring down here (54° S latitude, 68° W longitude)
Carlos

 

[Cal Bear '66]

158.45 is beta (proceed at your own risk -- I haven't seen any reports here of
anyone's experience with them, US or International.)

I did read of one BSOD with the 158.24 drivers (I don't remember which card or
download he was using though.)

I have had no problems with 158.24 US download (7600GS).

I, personally, have given up on the betas since they are coming out so
frequently. I now just wait for the WHQL drivers.

The release notes might help you decide:

Release Highlights (158.45):

Improved performance for DirectX 10 version of Company of Heroes
Improved 3D performance for single GPU and NVIDIA SLI
Numerous game and application compatibility fixes
This driver supports the following 3D features:
Single GPU support
DirectX 9 support for GeForce 8 series GPUs
DirectX 10 support for GeForce 8 series GPUs
OpenGL support for GeForce 8 series GPUs
NVIDIA SLI support
DirectX 9 support for GeForce 8 series GPUs
DirectX 10 support for GeForce 8 series GPUs
OpenGL support for GeForce 8 series GPUs


If you want WHQL, then the 158.24 US drivers are worth a try. If you don't mind
beta, I really know nothing about them or anything about possible differences
between the US and the International versions.

Autumn for you down there, yes? Lucky you. Summer is just begining here. I
hate these long, hot, humid and dirty air summers here in NYC.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your comments, Cal!
Carlos

158.45 is beta (proceed at your own risk -- I haven't seen any reports here of
anyone's experience with them, US or International.)

I did read of one BSOD with the 158.24 drivers (I don't remember which card or
download he was using though.)

I have had no problems with 158.24 US download (7600GS).

I, personally, have given up on the betas since they are coming out so
frequently. I now just wait for the WHQL drivers.

The release notes might help you decide:

Release Highlights (158.45):

Improved performance for DirectX 10 version of Company of Heroes
Improved 3D performance for single GPU and NVIDIA SLI
Numerous game and application compatibility fixes
This driver supports the following 3D features:
Single GPU support
DirectX 9 support for GeForce 8 series GPUs
DirectX 10 support for GeForce 8 series GPUs
OpenGL support for GeForce 8 series GPUs
NVIDIA SLI support
DirectX 9 support for GeForce 8 series GPUs
DirectX 10 support for GeForce 8 series GPUs
OpenGL support for GeForce 8 series GPUs


If you want WHQL, then the 158.24 US drivers are worth a try. If you don't mind
beta, I really know nothing about them or anything about possible differences
between the US and the International versions.

Autumn for you down there, yes? Lucky you. Summer is just begining here. I
hate these long, hot, humid and dirty air summers here in NYC.

 

[Cal Bear '66]

If you do go for the 158.45 drivers, let us know how they perform and any
installation problems.

 

[Guest]

Well if you read the first post, you would see that it was Vista that gave an
error msg that I was trying to install AOE 2 patch.

That IS a vista problem.

 

[Richard Urban]

I got the same error message 2 weeks ago. I immediately suspected it was
because of the Nvidia driver. Why? Because I had not yet installed AOE on my
computer. If I had been installing sound drivers when the error message
appeared I would have known that the sound drivers were the cause of the
error message.

Vista just presents the message. It doesn't cause the message.

Vista is not the bad boy as many seem to think!

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

 

[JW]

If you are using the NVIDIA International drivers switching to the US
drivers or updating to the NVIDIA 158.45 beta drivers may solve your
problem.

 

[Guest]

For an MVP you are limited in your knowledge. I dont mean that in a bad way
of course.

Vista obviously is checking for signatures, crc's etc when a binary is
running.

Now the International drivers WERE working when I first got it, but lately
after an update they were removed as the active driver. When reinstalling
Vista (NOT the driver) thought this was an AOE2 patch which is wrong, so
Vista must have been checking for a signature, crc etc to recognise it as an
AOE2 patch when it wasnt.

Now I understand as an MVP you will defend MS, but at the end of the day the
problem lies within Vista and NOT the drivers.

And before you say im wrong, consider this why would Vista say it was an
AOE2 patch? Something has gone wrong on the Vista side of things for this to
happen, im sure Nvidia did NOT intentionally send out 3 different drivers
that would cause Vista to say it was an AOE2 Patch.

Obviously since the last patch Vista's digital signature database has been
broken if you will, and the entry for AOE2 patch is wrong and is now confused
with Nvidia's digital signature.

 

[JW]

AFAIK the problem was not in the original NVIDIA Vista drivers. In showed
up only in the international versions of release 158.24 and apparently is
the result of NVIDIA not completely testing the International versions
which were looking for a AOE2 patch.

 

[Richard Urban]

It is an Nvidia error, not a Vista error.

I have been using Nvidia cards for about 8 years now (since they came out -
whatever year that was). They DO make mistakes - to the point of trashing
the operating system. You are just not thinking back far enough.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)

 

[Guest]

Yes people make mistakes. As does MS.

Listen if looked into it more, it is a vista problem.

Ive tried 3 different latest Nvidia drivers, 158.24 and the 2 before, all 3
come up with the same error.

Makes you wonder doesnt it?

Again what you fail to read is this, the 158.24 international drivers WERE
working when released, its only recently they dont, I installed the drivers
when I first got them, they installed fine not one problem.

So how can it be Nvidia's problem if the drivers were functioning properly
in the first place?

What has changed since then, an update from MS is what has changed. What a
coincedence huh?

So again no use defending MS this time, it is a Vista problem, no ifs or
buts about it.

Again I re-itterate, the drivers when released at start of month were fine
and installed correctly, as did the previous as did the previous before that.

Now they dont after working for something like close to 8/9 days. But now it
comes up with a windows error popup saying its an AoE2 patch.

Now why did it not say this in the first instance I installed the driver?
Why did the 158.24 international continue to work for so many days? Why did
the previous driver versions install and work correctly, but they to now also
have the same problem?

Now if what you say is that its Nvidia's fault, that would mean the 3rd last
drivers that show this fault would have been reported to them as being
faulty, so they continued to release two more driver versions with the same
problem? Sounds rather stupid doesnt it.

Now I got the answer to fix it thanks to Cal Bear, but I ask you what is the
difference between the US and International version of the driver? Different
file sizes? yep. Different CRC value? yep. Different signature? yep. Extra
files to cover other languages? yep.

But do those differences cause a driver not to be installed, and force Vista
to show a window saying its something else? No.

Richard since you are adamant that its Nvidia's fault, do please post the
reason why the driver files are doing this. I would like to see the reasoning
behind your decision about this matter.

I await your answer, but in all fairness I shant hold my breath.

 

[Mike Hall - MVP]

They may install ok, as they did for me, but they have made games
performance worse for me.. not much but enough that I noticed..

Yes people make mistakes. As does MS.

Listen if looked into it more, it is a vista problem.

Ive tried 3 different latest Nvidia drivers, 158.24 and the 2 before, all
3
come up with the same error.

Makes you wonder doesnt it?

Again what you fail to read is this, the 158.24 international drivers WERE
working when released, its only recently they dont, I installed the
drivers
when I first got them, they installed fine not one problem.

So how can it be Nvidia's problem if the drivers were functioning properly
in the first place?

What has changed since then, an update from MS is what has changed. What a
coincedence huh?

So again no use defending MS this time, it is a Vista problem, no ifs or
buts about it.

Again I re-itterate, the drivers when released at start of month were fine
and installed correctly, as did the previous as did the previous before
that.

Now they dont after working for something like close to 8/9 days. But now
it
comes up with a windows error popup saying its an AoE2 patch.

Now why did it not say this in the first instance I installed the driver?
Why did the 158.24 international continue to work for so many days? Why
did
the previous driver versions install and work correctly, but they to now
also
have the same problem?

Now if what you say is that its Nvidia's fault, that would mean the 3rd
last
drivers that show this fault would have been reported to them as being
faulty, so they continued to release two more driver versions with the
same
problem? Sounds rather stupid doesnt it.

Now I got the answer to fix it thanks to Cal Bear, but I ask you what is
the
difference between the US and International version of the driver?
Different
file sizes? yep. Different CRC value? yep. Different signature? yep. Extra
files to cover other languages? yep.

But do those differences cause a driver not to be installed, and force
Vista
to show a window saying its something else? No.

Richard since you are adamant that its Nvidia's fault, do please post the
reason why the driver files are doing this. I would like to see the
reasoning
behind your decision about this matter.

I await your answer, but in all fairness I shant hold my breath.

--


Mike Hall
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

 

[Guest]

Disappointed you didnt reply with your findings Richard.

Perhaps in future, just because you have an MVP near your name doesnt mean
you can pull out stuff out of a hat. And next time you try to say its
something that it isnt do have evidence to back it up.

Its now obvious you had no clue what you were talking about, 8 years of
using one brand of GPU isnt expert material.

Infact at this moment your MVP is making my MSCE look like a waste of time
and money.