Nvidia User Tips

I experianced a bit around, with NVidia Drivers and found out that only one worked "perfectly".

This was the Version 163.53 (offical released one)

With Drivers under or aboove this one i had Problems like : No Water, Sky had "Black Holes", Chars looked ugly and so on, or even hardcrashs after 2-5mins.

Drivers i tested besides the official one :

(15x.xx, 161.xx,162.xx, 169.xx, 172.xx) These didnt worked well or they crashed instantly or after several minutes.

Maybe that helps some .


----
My System Configs

Dell XPS 710
Intel Core2Duo E6600 @ 2400mhz
Nvidia NForce 590I for Intel
2x 250 GB WD HDD
2 Gig Ram Samsung
Nvidia Geforce 8600 GTS - 256MB and for testing Geforce 8800GT - 512MB
C-Media Sound and Creative SB X-Fi

----

I have noticed that newer nvidia drivers tend to break SL. That driver you mentioned that works... I have searched all over the internet, even nvidia.com and still I fail to find any information that it even exists. With the latest November 6th foreware release I can play SL, but when I attempt to connect with the new WindLight browser it only says that it is scanning my hardware and then nothing else at all happens. Do you have any suggestions on where I can find this driver or what I can do to get WindLight to work?

Here are My spec…….

Second Life 1.18.5 (73655) (Second Life WindLight)
CPU: AMD (Unknown model) (3015 MHz) 6000+ AMD 125 Watt
Memory: 3327 MB or ( 4 giga DDR2)
OS Version: Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (Build 2600) Japanese
Graphics Card Vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
Graphics Card: GeForce 7900 GTX/PCI/SSE2/3DNOW! 512 MB Extreme 675 watt
OpenGL Version: 2.1.1

Fiber Optical 100MBPS Connection.

163.75_forceware_winxp_32bit_international_whql <-------these drivers are wonderful if you have not tried them do so.

These are my specs:
\/--overclocked 3200+
CPU: AMD (Unknown model) (2420 MHz)
Memory: 2048 MB
OS Version: Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
Graphics Card Vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
Graphics Card: GeForce 7800 GS/AGP/SSE2/3DNOW!
OpenGL Version: 2.1.1

I currently am using the drivers you are as well (released on Nov. 6th). So I'm not sure what it is that it doesn't like about my computer. My hardware looks to be fine unless theres a minute detail I am unaware of. Which happens a lot... I was really hoping to try out the WindLight verson too.

Edit: Some other details are that I have a cable connect and an Ageia physx card.

If i may requote............

After I installed these drivers i had 80%+ less problems. Atleast for me.

Good luck to you...


Usagi

I'll keep at it, thanks for your help!

I'm running the Nvidia driver 163.71 with only one problem: I have a huge memory leak if Client->Render->Object-object-occlusion is turned on. Once I turn that feature off, I have wonderful response time and fancy water and can run for hours. I don't know if that parameter setting is an Nvidia driver problem or a SL problem.

My other stats are:
CPU: Intel Core 2 Series Processor (2397 MHz)
Memory: 3326 MB
OS Version: Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
Graphics Card Vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
Graphics Card: GeForce 7600 GS/PCI/SSE2
OpenGL Version: 2.1.1

Just one more data point.

Is it possible to download that version now? I can't find it in the NVIDIA website...

Here is the link :

Windows XP:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_163.75.html

Windows Vista:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/winvista_x86_163.75.html


that are the offical latest drivers

newer ones are breaking SL (Windlight).

And i prefer Windows XP instead of Vista, because Vista itself is still buggy (even with SP1 RC)

WL running fine on Forceware 163.75 with a GeForce 7900GS 256MB on WinXP.

Also:

I have found this to be generally true for any SL client ever since OOC was added as a feature, but this time around the impact seems more significant. It might have something to do with the [I-have-no-idea-what-I'm-talking-about-here] way WL handles (not) drawing objects far away from the camera.[/...]

Hmmm I'm not sure of all the dirty details and I'm not in world to bring up my stats...but I have almsot zero problems with WL iteself, aside from the across the board texturing issues that some folks are having (cannot rez a skirt at all and I get the occasional weird blotch on my avitar that rebake will fix anyway)

but...I run on Windows XP - Dell XPS410 with NVidia7600.... the last driver update I did was maybe 2 months ago.....and I'm pretty happy with how SL runs over all. My computer is amped for gaming courtesy of my fiance who got it for me LOL We both love PC games and he was fed up with not beign able to run a lot of the newer 1st person shooter games. So as far as I know...we have a rockin system. Also using cable high speed internet which has been great for SL.

I just threw in a new 7600GT (running Win XP) and installed the latest drivers, as well as updated the chip drivers. I cannot get past the "detecting hardware" before getting the error:

"Second Life is unable to run because your video drivers are outdated or unsupported. Please make sure you have the latest drivers installed"

I have uninstalled, and reinstalled the vid card drivers, as well as tried several different versions of SL (even third party ones) ... all with the same result. I have even gone so far as to uninstall drivers, and used a driver cleaner, and started fresh, no luck.

I finally got ahold of a gentleman from the Live chat outworld, (and on the phone a few times with concierge) and he suggested that my driver date in dxdiag was outdated, (oct 4, 07) however Im not sure why that would matter since SecondLife uses OpenGL. I have also tried running another virtual world program, that also uses OpenGL, and it ran fine, which leads me to believe it is SL that is screwy, and not my card.

If anyone has had any similiar occurances, or helpful advice, please share! Ive spent a week trying to sort this one.

I get fewer crashes with the 163.71 drivers than with 163.75.
Win XP, SP2
GeForce 8800GT/312
default WL settings, OOC is turned on (default)

This is interesting as I have 7300 LE and have never updated the driver still running on 82.68 version and have no problems in sl standard grid. But Windlight everything is fine pretty sky but no pretty water until I turn off atmospheric shader then I get pretty water but the standard sl sky and visa versa.

The update for my card is the 163.75 version but have never dowloaded or updated, can you download this 163.75 and keep the old driver for a backup.

Yes...IF you saved the installation file for your current driver version. Just uninstall the new driver, then reinstall the old one from its installer file.

if you deleted the installer file, then you will have to copy all the driver files to a secure location. There are about six...sorry, I don't recall the file names.

tanks i got one of those.... yeah it has it down fall but still good though, i think it might have something to do w/rams ans the motherboard too..

Anyone suggest the driver i should be using with a 7950 GX2 and windlight?

This is the one thats running now..
29/06/2007
6.14.11.6218

im only curious because scripted anims lag using windlight, and that is probablya DSL problem not a card problem.

its not a cpu problem.. its an intel extreme x6800

its not a memory problem i believe.. ive 2 gigs of corsair 800mhtz and a 10,000 rpm HD.

Often the only way to reduce lag is to zoom out with the camera..and choose a spot. then the lag decreases.. close up.. no.. far out maybe ok.

A good idea would be for LL to post something about the different cards there performances and what drivers are needed to use windlight..

I have issues with crashing when I go in and or out from first person to third person..

So anyone have any suggestions what sort of drivers I should be using for an Nvidia GeForce 7300 LE..

I also am suffering from framerate issues...Windlight runs much worse, for me then the current version of SL.

My system specs are ((to the best of my knowledge trying to figure it out as I go))

Intel Core(TM)2 CPU
6400 @ 2.13 GHz
1.60 GHz. 4 GB of RAM

Currently using Windows XP media Center

I'm using 6.14.11.6375, the most recent one and its really good. Also, disabling the Object Occlusion (Client/Render menu) has really helped as well.

I have 2 G RAM but SL will use 1.5 of it so I'm adding 2 G more soon as well as getting the 10000 rpm HD (SATA yay!)

I think I'll go ahead and get the second 7950 cause well, the slot is empty and why not!

Not sure how to update my nVidia chips though..I'm a fiddler not a geek..

I have 7300 le and have not yet updated to 163.75 does anyone know if this will help.

CPU: Intel Pentium 4 (Unknown model) (2660 MHz)
Memory: 1022 MB
OS Version: Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
Graphics Card Vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
Graphics Card: GeForce 7300 LE/PCI/SSE2
OpenGL Version: 2.0.1

Thanks.. i updated ther driver.. its made no difference in windlight. i use a scripted object, and using glow on it causes evident frame lag.. so does a lot of stuff on windlight.

i still think that even with the ability to get 80fps.. im not getting enough info quick enough..ie.. maybe only 20 of those frames are updated the rest are just as they were.. maybe 40 plus wasted frames..? either that is a server problem or something on DSL is restrictive.. if the info is available im not getting it fast enough.. LAG..

ive no use for windlight if it lags.. pretty water doesnt sway me.. and neither does glow if it wont work like it should.

I just did that and windlight works like a charm now my crashing issues stop and the framerate is great for me.

Just a warning for anyone who is considering buying an Nvidia 8800GT for use with SL.

The card is only supported using the Forceware 169.xx driver which seems to lack any support for the pixel shaders, so you get none of the new Windlight effects.

I bought one and I'm mighty ticked off right now because I thought it would be much better than the ATI X700 card I had, in reality the SL experience is much worse now!

I think you might be OK with the 8800GTS, or 8800GTX since they're supported by the older driver which from what I've read doesn't have this problem, I've not tried any of them though.

Hello Everyone,

When I first started to use the Windlight viewer, I did not have the pretty water when I had Atmosphere Shaders enabled. Doing research on my system I found that the Graphics Drivers supported OpenGL 2.0, not OpenGL 2.1. Once I updated my Graphics Driver to an OpenGL 2.1 version, I was able to have Atmosphere Shaders and, pretty water.

Thanks to all that helped bring us Windlight !! SL looks absolutely amazing now.


I am using a notebook so installing the lastest nVidia drivers take a little work.
Using the WHQL nVidia driver 163.75.

Second Life 1.18.5 (74061) Nov 19 2007 10:10:17 (Second Life WindLight)
CPU: AMD (FX-60) (2600 MHz)
Memory: 2047 MB
OS Version: Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
Graphics Card Vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
Graphics Card: GeForce Go 7950 GTX/PCI/SSE2/3DNOW!
OpenGL Version: 2.1.1
LLMozLib Version: 1.1.0 (Mozilla GRE:1.8.0.12_0000000000)
Packets Lost: 23/71999 (0.0%)

My 8800GTS works fine with the latest drivers.