NVIDIA GeForce Release 180.42 Beta

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

• Beta driver for GeForce 200-series, 9-series, and 8800-series desktop GPUs (refer to the products supported tab for more detail).
  
• Recommended for the best experience on Far Cry 2:

  
  ?Since we first began working on Far Cry 2 in early 2005, we have used GeForce GPU?s to develop the game and worked closely with NVIDIA?s excellent engineers. While Far Cry 2 represents an outstanding PC gaming experience for a wide range of systems, GeForce users can expect to enjoy the game quite literally ?The Way It Was Meant To Be Played?.? - Louis-Pierre Pharand, Ubisoft, Far Cry 2 Producer

• Enables NVIDIA SLI technology on SLI-certified Intel X58-based motherboards with the following GPUs: GeForce GTX 280, GeForce GTX 260, GeForce 9800 GX2, GeForce 9800 GTX+, and GeForce 9800 GTX.
  Download and informationormation
  
  • for Windows Vista x86
    
  • for Windows Vista x64
    
  • for Windows XP x86
    
  • for Windows XP x64
    

[Unimatrix Xero]

Beta driver for GeForce 200-series, 9-series, and 8800-series desktop GPUs (refer to the products supported tab for more detail).

Recommended for the best experience on Far Cry 2:

?Since we first began working on Far Cry 2 in early 2005, we have used GeForce GPU?s to develop the game and worked closely with NVIDIA?s excellent engineers. While Far Cry 2 represents an outstanding PC gaming experience for a wide range of systems, GeForce users can expect to enjoy the game quite literally ?The Way It Was Meant To Be Played?.? - Louis-Pierre Pharand, Ubisoft, Far Cry 2 Producer

Enables NVIDIA SLI technology on SLI-certified Intel X58-based motherboards with the following GPUs: GeForce GTX 280, GeForce GTX 260, GeForce 9800 GX2, GeForce 9800 GTX+, and GeForce 9800 GTX.

Vista: http://www.nvidia.com/object/winvista_x86_180.42_beta.html

[RAID 0]

Good thing I'm buying a 260 next week, otherwise I'd be kinda mad that there's nothing for the 9800 GTX users and below. :(

[Si Veteran]

Merged

Thanks! :D

[ViperAFK]

installed cause I am getting fc2 today. can't wait.

[Ci7]

Good thing I'm buying a 260 next week, otherwise I'd be kinda mad that there's nothing for the 9800 GTX users and below. :(

Beta driver for GeForce 200-series, 9-series, and 8800-series desktop GPUs

Enables NVIDIA SLI technology on SLI-certified Intel X58-based motherboards with the following GPUs: GeForce GTX 280, GeForce GTX 260, GeForce 9800 GX2, GeForce 9800 GTX+, and GeForce 9800 GTX.

what the first post says

hint : supported

[Mannlich]

Ironically, there are a lot of reports out there of these drivers causing an issue in FC2 where the game just gives a black screen on loading. Sounds seem to play fine -- but no visuals appear. People have reported that rolling back to 178 driver seems to fix issue. I'll test myself in about an hour when I pickup my game.

[Ci7]

Ironically, there are a lot of reports out there of these drivers causing an issue in FC2 where the game just gives a black screen on loading. Sounds seem to play fine -- but no visuals appear. People have reported that rolling back to 178 driver seems to fix issue. I'll test myself in about an hour when I pickup my game.

it is a beta for a reasons , to test it up and get feedback

[Mannlich]

it is a beta for a reasons , to test it up and get feedback

It is a beta that they market specifically for improved performance in Far Cry 2. For the game to not work properly seems like someone didn't do their homework before releasing the driver. Apparently, the issue lies in the game launching in DX9 mode. With these new drivers, it doesn't launch correctly. You must force the game to launch in DX10 mode with these new drivers to avoid the black screen.

[Blackhearted]

So does this beta driver have any use/fixes/new features aside from being "recommended" for FC2? Or should i just stick with my current 178.13?

[RAID 0]

what the first post says

hint : supported

I should have said 8xxx and 9xxx or what ever is NOT listed. OK? Is that better?

[LOC Veteran]

Anyone see any custom .inf's floating around anywhere yet? I'd like to give these a go on my 6600 :p

[rajputwarrior]

vista 32 | http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/infs/180seri...sta/nv_disp.inf

vista 64 | http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/infs/180seri...a64/nv_disp.inf

xp 32 | http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/infs/180seri...42/nv4_disp.inf

xp 64 | http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/infs/180seri...64/nv4_disp.inf

and these drivers may cause a just a small black windows to pop up in far cry 2, here is the fix

"Ok guys that are getting the black window with no picture this is what you have to do. Right click on FarCry2.exe then click on properties, then click the compatability tab and tick the "Disable desktop composition" It works fine. Has trouble working with windows Aero.."

[Kronir]

Might as well give these a go and see if they have any benefit over the 178.24s. Not that they were bad, but they didn't seem to do much new for me either. ^_^

Edit: Nevermind, I'm skipping these: manual fan control at the driver level seems to be disabled; it won't work in Evga Precision. Low-level control in Rivatuner works, but I'm not re-installing it for one driver :p I'll at least wait for an update to Precision. :D

Edited October 22, 2008 by 2Cold Scorpio

[Malskazz]

Been playing with FC2 for a while now.. No issues, actually it seems to have fixed some issues for me :) Which probably was the idea of the driver, but i havent experienced any black screens or so.

[:: Lyon ::]

So it's optimized/better for Far Cry 2, but does it mean performance will be worse for other games? :D

[Malskazz]

Not certain but i doubt it :p

[MidnightDevil]

My 8600 gts isnt listed :s

[Ci7]

what an odd

NVIDIA took the the driver down from there site

mybe it have to do with stinky bugs reported eariler with the driver in FC2

[Denis W. Veteran]

Links still work for me.

[Ci7]

nevermind , it look like the url in the search that doesnt work

[Unimatrix Xero]

well when i used these drivers FC2 wouldnt load, all i got was a black screen, so i rolled back the drivers and volla it works

[Denholm]

Keeping away from these drivers. Too much mixed feedback.

[+Tantawi Subscriber²]

Keeping away from these drivers. Too much mixed feedback.

Happens with every NVIDIA driver release :D so just ignore and test them yourself!

It's working great on my desktop and laptop, I don't have Far Cry 2 though.