What's the deal with "original_inf(s).zip". How to use those INFs?

[®®®]

[Question]

So...I guess I should rename the INF in the original_INFs.zip (archive) right away to be 'NV4_disp', and then extract it directly into the 174.74 folder, right?

[Answer]

No. That's not the way meant to be done.

We include all of the original manufacturer's INFs we've found for a driver inside the original_INFs.zip.

The default nv4_disp.inf or nv_disp.inf are always left untouched in the driver folder.

It makes more sense to proceed in this fashion: For search purposes extract all of the archived INFs directly into a temp folder on your desktop, and then do a search over them for your own DEVICE_ID or SUBSYS_ID or the cards cleartext name (like GeForce 8400M GS). After you find the INF which natively supports your GPU, do the next step. You can also check our Reference List of NVIDIA's ODM/OEM INF naming scheme to figure out which of the original INFs may be from your manufacturer and thus directly support your video card.

Since the the installation routine (Setup.exe) as well as Windows HaveDisk method analyses every INF file in a given directory for the right hardware IDs, there is no need to rename or tinker around with any of the chosen INFs. And most certainly don't put them all directly back into the unpacked driver folder, as this nullifies our reasoning to include all the known versions in the ZIP file. So....just copy back the appropiate INF resulting from the search into the unpacked driver folder, being sure to leave only that one (appropriate) INF in the folder. The default nv4_disp.INF should be deleted, so that only your chosen INF is left. Then install the driver either with Setup, or preferably the 'Have-Disk' method.

The reason for putting the INFs separately in the .ZIP file is to avoid any confusion for yourself, and mainly the installer (using the Have-Disk method) during the installation process, as we certainly don't want several INFs supporting your GPU in the driver folder at installation time.

Again the installer searches all present INF files in a given directory for the correct DEVICE_ID, so if multiple INF support your card, this will result in confusion for you (using Have-Disk method) or the installer (Setup.exe).

Edited May 18, 2008 by ®®®
added last sentence to make it even more clear

[el taco]

I feel really stupid because I keep asking all of these questions (I asked the one in that post) but I searched my computer for device_id and subsys_id but nothing came up in search results. Please guide me through what you do to find what INF my GPU natively supports. I have a Dell Vostro 1500 with a Geforce 8600m GT GPU.

Sorry, I am kinda new with this stuff, but I can understand most of it. I understand everything except how to find which INF to use.

[®®®]

You can either use the NERD tool (see link in my signature)

or

goto Device Manager (WIN+PAUSE/BREAK) -> Display Adapters -> Properties -> Details -> Hardware IDs

Mine is:

"PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_00C0&SUBSYS_033910DE". Your's is different, but what you need is bold.

So:

DEVICE_ID: 00C0

SUBSYS_ID: 033910DE

Have a search first for your SUBSYS_ID. If nothing is found in the INFs, it's not tragic. Continue with search for the DEVICE_ID. If still not found use Pieter's modded INF. If your DEVICE_ID is found but in combination with a different SUBSYS_ID than yours then driver will not install. Use Pieter's INF as well.

[el taco]

Okay, I found the driver that had both my device id and my subsys id, I put it into the driver folder, deleted the other INF, and tried to install via setup.exe, but it didn't work. I then tried have-disk, and it worked (as far as I can tell). I was just wondering if it's normal that setup.exe doesn't work

my device ID was 0407 and subsys id was 02281028, so I used the nvdm.inf. Was that the right choice?

[Darmdorf]

Okay, I found the driver that had both my device id and my subsys id, I put it into the driver folder, deleted the other INF, and tried to install via setup.exe, but it didn't work. I then tried have-disk, and it worked (as far as I can tell). I was just wondering if it's normal that setup.exe doesn't work

Good question. I personally don't have enough experience to say if that would be normal. But I would suspect we have our good reasons for recommending that our readers resort to the Have-disk method. If I remember correctly, it does allow you to directly chose the INF to be used.

my device ID was 0407 and subsys id was 02281028, so I used the nvdm.inf. Was that the right choice?

If that was basically the result of your search, and what YOU want, it was right. At least I believe that nvdm is the typical Dell INF naming convention.

Should you have problems finding your device or subsys id, I would ask you to take a look at this new thread for help: I wanted to register today...

You can always go back to 'My Controls' and fill in the missing information once you've been able to determine it. That way you'll never have to look it up again. :)

[el taco]

thanks, now I feel alot better about it!

[el taco]

Wow! I really like the INF here because it lets me turn off the screen on my Vostro 1500! Only Dell-created INFs do that. Thanks for including the original_inf's!!1

[world_goods]

Can someone clear this and help:

whenever I change even a single word in the inf file, the WHQ certification is gone. What is the 'trick' to keep the whq even after modifying the inf. Thanks

[Guest Noob]

Hi,

I have a question concerning WHQL certified drives that come with OEM INFs, for example, the 174.74.

I read this guide already and I know exactly which OEM INF file to use for my GPU.

The question is, let's say I need to use NVQU.INF, should I rename the NV4_DISP.CAT file in the driver folder to NVQU.CAT? Because if you open NVQU.INF with notepad, you will see the line "CatalogFile = NVQU.CAT".

Or should I just edit NVQU.INF and replace the line "CatalogFile = NVQU.CAT" with "CatalogFile = NV4_DISP.CAT"?

Is it necessary to do the above?

Thanks.

[Dox]

delete the .inf file that is in the folder and extract your oem one into there once its deleted.

so say the defualt .inf file in the folder is NV4Disp.inf, delete that and extract your NVQU.INF into the folder.

dont delete .CAT or rename it.

just do what i said and it should be fine.

[Guest Noob]

Cool cool, thanks a lot, I will try it now.

:)

[Guest Noob]

Dox,

Ok, I just tried, it works fine, but then the driver became non-WHQL certified. I was just wondering, if I rename NV4_DISP.CAT to NVQU.CAT, wouldn't that solve the WHQL problem? I mean, using the OEM INF is great, but it lost the purpose of WHQL.

Wondering if anyone else tried this?

I didn't try it yet, cause there is 2 more files with the same name, NV4_DISP.DLL and NV4_MINI.SYS. I don't know if those files are related to NV4_DISP.CAT though. All I know is that the .CAT file is for WHQL certification iirc.

What's your thought on this?

:)

[Guest Noob]

lol what da heck... I just tried renaming NV4_DISP.CAT to NVQU.CAT.

Result... it made absolutely no difference, I still got that popup asking if I want to continue anyway. :)

Oh well, I was just curious... cause when I checked the drivers CD that came with my laptop, inside the Nvidia driver folder, it has both NVQU.INF and NVQU.CAT, but it doesn't have NV4_DISP.CAT, so I thought it would make a difference by renaming the .CAT file, but it didn't...

:)

[®®®]

There's no trick. It is gone. That's the purpose of a driver verification file (.CAT). It contains the checksum of the all driver files (not only INF). ANY change to any file being certified by the WHQL.CAT will void the verification.

[®®®]

The question is, let's say I need to use NVQU.INF, should I rename the NV4_DISP.CAT file in the driver folder to NVQU.CAT? Because if you open NVQU.INF with notepad, you will see the line "CatalogFile = NVQU.CAT".

Don#t rename or edit anything. That's not the way it's meant to be. It will not work.

NV4_DISP.CAT holds the info that there should be a NV4_DISP.INF with a certain hash. If NV4_DISP.INF is renamed, missing or altered otherwise the WHQL is void. In this case the driver wouldn#t even install as you need an INF to install a driver.

NVQU.CAT is for NVQU.INF and the INF refers to it.

NV4_DISP.CAT is the certification file for NV4_DISP.INF and here as well the INF refers to this particular CAT.

Editing the INF will void the certification in all and any cases.

Or should I just edit NVQU.INF and replace the line "CatalogFile = NVQU.CAT" with "CatalogFile = NV4_DISP.CAT"?

If there's no CAT file to a corresponding INF, then there's nothing you or we can do about.

[tifftrip]

Hello, I´m new here, and if got a question: I´ve been looking for 5 hours now in the Net in order to find a way to use my old Geforce 6800 as an Physx accelerator with my Geforce 8800Gt as primary. Could you Guys do such as a mod? I even tried to change the nv4_disp.ini myself, but no idea. There are surely a lot of people with an old Geforce 5, 6 or 7 and 2 PCI-E Slots...

thanx