Is Nvidia's driver coding staff on crack?

~~Leroy77~~ · 11-03-2005, 09:32 PM

Yesterday Nvidia released a new chipset driver package for NForce 3 motherboards. Seeing as how I own one of these boards I decided to update. After reading and heeding the installation instructions on the site, uninstalling my current drivers and rebooting, I clicked on the executable to install the new ones. The screen went black, my system rebooted, and I got the boot menu telling me Windows failed to load. It wouldn't start normally, and Safe Mode and Last Known Good Configuration were also useless. I ended up doing a repair install so I could get in and backup some data and the progress of my games. I then formatted and reinstalled XP with my previous chipset drivers. So as I type this with my brand spanking new XP installation (Minus a few things I haven't reinstalled yet), I ask your personal opinion: Why the hell did Nvidia release that piece of garbage? Do they hate us? Isn't the point of the new driver to make things BETTER? It's not like they make money off them, so why was this one rushed out the door? :4-punch:

**40sondacurb** · 11-03-2005, 10:00 PM

wow, what a freekin nightmare. they're on something alright.

ebackhus · 11-03-2005, 11:39 PM

That's why you only update if there's a fix. I'd figure they'd have the nFoce3 bugs all fixed by now so I avoid updates.

~~Leroy77~~ · 11-04-2005, 09:56 AM

It says "General Compatibility Fixes" on the site so I just assumed. But that's not really the point, is it? There has to be a certain level of trust that a new driver will work as advertised. Bugs I can live with, but when a new driver Fubars a perfectly healthy O.S. installation then there is something very wrong. Why bother releasing something like that? I don't care how long it takes until it's relased, just so it works properly. I'd rather see no driver update at all than have something like that.

ebackhus · 11-04-2005, 10:09 AM

According to the archive they have it's been about a YEAR since the last update. If they managed to screw up that badly then I think I'll go back to VIA chipsets with my next rig.

~~Leroy77~~ · 11-04-2005, 10:32 AM

That's what I mean. Nothing for a frickin' year and now THIS??? Gee, thanks. If I was in charge I would FIRE whoever let that pass testing. Somebody once told me: "Never buy anything that was made on a Friday.....or a Monday".

Must have been finished on a Friday....or a Monday.

dai · 11-04-2005, 05:33 PM

http://www.fileconnect.net/comments....=11091&catid=3

~~Leroy77~~ · 11-04-2005, 10:13 PM

I don't see what we're supposed to be looking at Dai.

dai · 11-05-2005, 02:05 AM

what they are supposed to do and fix and any comments on them

~~Leroy77~~ · 11-05-2005, 02:56 PM

Hmm.... no comments. Either I'm the only one who tried to install them, or I'm the only one that had problems. Aren't I special.

~~Leroy77~~ · 11-09-2005, 08:37 PM

Finally now looking on the Nzone forum I see disgruntled users that had the exact same experience I had and are wondering what the hell it was all for. It's just pathetic.

11-03-2005, 09:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
~~Leroy77~~ Permanently Banned Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 236 OS: Windows XP Pro/2000 Pro	Is Nvidia's driver coding staff on crack? Yesterday Nvidia released a new chipset driver package for NForce 3 motherboards. Seeing as how I own one of these boards I decided to update. After reading and heeding the installation instructions on the site, uninstalling my current drivers and rebooting, I clicked on the executable to install the new ones. The screen went black, my system rebooted, and I got the boot menu telling me Windows failed to load. It wouldn't start normally, and Safe Mode and Last Known Good Configuration were also useless. I ended up doing a repair install so I could get in and backup some data and the progress of my games. I then formatted and reinstalled XP with my previous chipset drivers. So as I type this with my brand spanking new XP installation (Minus a few things I haven't reinstalled yet), I ask your personal opinion: Why the hell did Nvidia release that piece of garbage? Do they hate us? Isn't the point of the new driver to make things BETTER? It's not like they make money off them, so why was this one rushed out the door? :4-punch:

11-03-2005, 10:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
40sondacurb #64 & #36 BACKBONE Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,804 OS: xp	wow, what a freekin nightmare. they're on something alright. __________________ Donate to keep the forum running "I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully" -George W. Bush

11-03-2005, 11:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 12,762 OS: WinXP Pro SP3 My System Blog Entries: 25	That's why you only update if there's a fix. I'd figure they'd have the nFoce3 bugs all fixed by now so I avoid updates. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

11-04-2005, 10:09 AM	#5 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 12,762 OS: WinXP Pro SP3 My System Blog Entries: 25	According to the archive they have it's been about a YEAR since the last update. If they managed to screw up that badly then I think I'll go back to VIA chipsets with my next rig. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

11-04-2005, 05:33 PM	#7 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 44,373 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	http://www.fileconnect.net/comments....=11091&catid=3 __________________

11-04-2005, 09:56 AM	#4 (permalink)
~~Leroy77~~ Permanently Banned Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 236 OS: Windows XP Pro/2000 Pro	It says "General Compatibility Fixes" on the site so I just assumed. But that's not really the point, is it? There has to be a certain level of trust that a new driver will work as advertised. Bugs I can live with, but when a new driver Fubars a perfectly healthy O.S. installation then there is something very wrong. Why bother releasing something like that? I don't care how long it takes until it's relased, just so it works properly. I'd rather see no driver update at all than have something like that.

11-04-2005, 10:32 AM	#6 (permalink)
~~Leroy77~~ Permanently Banned Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 236 OS: Windows XP Pro/2000 Pro	That's what I mean. Nothing for a frickin' year and now THIS??? Gee, thanks. If I was in charge I would FIRE whoever let that pass testing. Somebody once told me: "Never buy anything that was made on a Friday.....or a Monday". Must have been finished on a Friday....or a Monday.

11-04-2005, 10:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
~~Leroy77~~ Permanently Banned Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 236 OS: Windows XP Pro/2000 Pro	I don't see what we're supposed to be looking at Dai.

11-05-2005, 02:05 AM	#9 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 44,373 OS: vista 32x ultimate retail	what they are supposed to do and fix and any comments on them __________________

11-05-2005, 02:56 PM	#10 (permalink)
~~Leroy77~~ Permanently Banned Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 236 OS: Windows XP Pro/2000 Pro	Hmm.... no comments. Either I'm the only one who tried to install them, or I'm the only one that had problems. Aren't I special.

11-09-2005, 08:37 PM	#11 (permalink)
~~Leroy77~~ Permanently Banned Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 236 OS: Windows XP Pro/2000 Pro	Finally now looking on the Nzone forum I see disgruntled users that had the exact same experience I had and are wondering what the hell it was all for. It's just pathetic.