[BREAKTHROUGH] NEW Nvidia drivers ported to Vista. Tutorial.

[D.Draker]

@Dave-H, sorry to disturb , do you have problems reading this topic (formatting , etc)? Thanks.

[SigmaTel71]

@D.Draker, have a look to what I understand as a properly formatted instructions. 

 

Many years passed and it seemed no one's going to port newer Nvidia drivers to Vista, I decided to do it myself. Also, I decided to do some contribution to MSFN and took some time to create this tutorial. As we know, the last officilaly supported driver was from the early May of 2016, while this one is from 2017! Some may say it's a miracle, you betcha! It took me several weeks to try and test everything and it works flawlessly! Had to emphasise a bit (due to some folks not seeing the main detalis).

Something to know before posting weird questions:

• these are Quadro drivers and it's not a mistake
• it's not allowed to share modded copyrighted software, but step-by-step modification instructions
• I tested it on GeForce 900 series Titan and I don't have information on GTX 10 series
• extended kernel installation is optional (I have tested on original Vista with updates prior to March 2019)

Prerequisites:

• NVIDIA Quadro Driver (376.84)
• CFF Explorer
• Universal Extractor
• any HEX editor of your choice
• How to modify .inf files in NVIDIA drivers guide, useful if you struggle editing these

How to prepare the driver for patching:

1. Extract the drivers with Universal Extractor
2. Go to the folder with extracted files and delete all folders but keep these ones
   • Display.Driver
   • HDAudio
   • NVI2
   • PhysX
3. Delete these NVIDIA Telemetry libraries located in NVI2 folder:
   • NVTelemetry.dll
   • NVI2SystemService32.sys
   • NVI2SystemService64.sys
   • NVNetworkService.exe
   • NVNetworkServiceAPI.dll
   • presentations.cfg
   • presentations.dll
   • progress.htm
4. Modify nv_dispwi.inf:
   • Replace NTamd64.6.1 with NTamd64.6.0
   • Replace [NVIDIA_Devices.NTamd64.6.0] with [NVIDIA_Devices.NTamd64.6.1]
5. Go to Display.Driver folder and extract these files with Universal Extractor to another folder:
   • nvlddmkm.sy_
   • nvd3dum.dl_
   • nvd3dumx.dl_
   • nvwgf2um.dl_
   • nvwgf2umx.dl_

Now over to patching:

1. Open nvlddmkm.sys in the HEX editor, go to offset D571F0
   • Find FF84C0740AB8BB0000C0
   • Replace with FFEB24740AB8BB0000C0
2. Save the file and open it in CFF Explorer
   1. Go to Import, look for kernel32
      • Find KeQueryLogicalProcessorRelationship
      • Replace with KeQueryMaximumProcessorCount
      • Find memcpy_s
      • Replace with memcpy
   2. Go to Rebuilder
      • Remove the checkmark from 'PE Header'
      • Select 'Update Checksum'
      • Click 'Rebuild' and save the file

For the rest four of the files, do the following in CFF Explorer:

• Replace K32EnumProcessModules with GetProcAddress
• Replace K32GetModuleFileNameExA with GetModuleFileNameA
• Remove the checkmark from 'PE Header'
• Select 'Update Checksum'
• Click 'Rebuild' and save the file

Putting patched files into the installer:

• Rename all five patched files to:
  • nvlddmkm.sy_
  • nvd3dum.dl_
  • nvd3dumx.dl_
  • nvwgf2um.dl_
  • nvwgf2umx.dl_
• Copy them (with replace) to Display.Driver

———————

DISCLAIMER
Some users might not like the use of additional software that might (not) be flagged by their KGB/FSB antivirus. It's impossible to permanently disable driver signature signature enforcement since Windows Vista, so look for Driver Signature Enforcement Overrider v1.3b, and if you are going for it, I'm not responsible for consequences in any way!

———————

Installing the modified driver:

• Run Command Prompt (cmd.exe) as an Administrator
• Execute the following commands

bcdedit.exe /set loadoptions DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS
bcdedit.exe /set TESTSIGNING ON
bcdedit.exe /set nointegritychecks on

• Reboot the system
• Install the driver, but do not restart now.
• Run Signature Enforcement Overrider
  • Choose 'Sign a system driver' and sign the following three files:

C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\nvlddmkm.sys
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\nvd3dum.dll
C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\nvd3dumx.dll

• Reboot the system, and you're all ready to play!

———————

Optionally, you may run RemoveWatermarkX64 to remove the 'Test Mode' watermark. Reboot after applying changes.

———————

Special thanks to the advisor @win32, who pointed out the location of the version checks in the previous driver (376.11 on the pic.), which I finally decided not to use since I found a much better and newer driver 376.84 from the year 2017.

If you share this topic, don't forget to tag @D.Draker. Final thoughts: Vista lives!

Edited June 26, 2022 by SigmaTel71

[Dave-H]

3 hours ago, D.Draker said:

@Dave-H, sorry to disturb , do you have problems reading this topic (formatting , etc)? Thanks.

There are rather large line spacings in quite a few places on my 360Chrome, and on Firefox 52.9.

I suspect it's the problem the forum software has always had, that it double spaces if you just hit ENTER.
You need to do SHIFT+ENTER to do a single line feed.

 

[D.Draker]

On 6/23/2022 at 9:41 PM, SigmaTel71 said:

NSA or other 'governmental antivirus'.

Obviously, it's not just "formatting" you wanted to "help" me with , besides the moderator wrote nothing's wrong with my original text , except the big spaces .

I did NOT include NSA in my tutorial. Why did you add your own sentences to my original text ?

[SigmaTel71]

2 minutes ago, D.Draker said:

I did NOT include NSA in my tutorial. Why did you add your own sentences to my original text ?

Okay, I reverted that. No pressure. I prefer stuff being neutral rather polarized.

Edited June 26, 2022 by SigmaTel71

[D.Draker]

3 hours ago, SigmaTel71 said:

Okay, I reverted that. No pressure. I prefer stuff being neutral rather polarized.

Good, the reason I added KGB virus to the text because there's one guy (yes, only one) who uses the Kaspersky KGB virus and constantly has crashes and other problems with it , yet still continues to use it . He asked me to add this DISCLAIMER.

[SigmaTel71]

1 minute ago, D.Draker said:

who uses the Kaspersky KGB virus and constantly has crashes and other problems with it

Oh, I got the point. I got that piece of nuisance at my job on my workspace and it causes performance dips on regular basis. I don't have permission to switch as the machine is in the domain.

Anyway, back on topic.

GeForce Game Ready 342.01 driver is not eligible for patching as it doesn't have the required HEX sequence in nvlddmkm.sys, so we can throw away all videocards released before GeForce 400 series.

[D.Draker]

3 hours ago, SigmaTel71 said:

Oh, I got the point. I got that piece of nuisance at my job on my workspace and it causes performance dips on regular basis. I don't have permission to switch as the machine is in the domain.

Anyway, back on topic.

GeForce Game Ready 342.01 driver is not eligible for patching as it doesn't have the required HEX sequence in nvlddmkm.sys, so we can throw away all videocards released before GeForce 400 series.

1 - We tried to explain it to him with no result at all, and he may even get somewhat aggressive about that subject (weird , right ? Maybe he is Russian or works for the KGB, I don't know). So just leave it be .

2 - 342.01 , why do you want to mod it ? There's no need , it's supported out of the box.

[SigmaTel71]

2 minutes ago, D.Draker said:

There's no need , it's supported out of the box.

Yes, 342.01 has native support both for Vista and 7, but there is a difference. In Windows 7 I can play modern World of Tanks versions while I can't in Windows Vista. The unmodified drivers package leads to this result. Let me grab my capture card, I'll show what happens in a while.

6 minutes ago, D.Draker said:

he may even get somewhat aggressive about that subject

Almost all Kaspersky users (especially the paid ones) are like that, so, yeah, better to leave it be. 

[D.Draker]

@win32, I welcome you here . Maybe it's a good idea to switch to my tutorial topic ? Because the modded 64-bit drivers work with or without the ex-kernel.

Inverting is used when looking for the spells in gamedata, for example. So I was just trying to make sense of these in human text . What are they ? Shouldn't it be smth like 6002 Vista build ?

Could the BSOD be due to the fake cores on the bloody Kaby-Lake ? See in my tutorial , I replaced the processor info string . 

KeQueryLogicalProcessorRelationship with KeQueryMaximumProcessorCount. On my 2010 board there's no fake cores and no "logical" CPUs , all are physical.

Well , in any case replacing this string with the several others just doesn't work ! It's the only one replacement that has no affect on performance during heavy DX11 gaming.

I think I'm gonna have to try the 32-bit on the 2010 board and get back to you with the results , though it may take quite some time, 'cause I think I'm gonna take my second tour in Ukraine .

In the meantime , any ideas what else to mod/add to the 32-bit, because adding the EB0A gave the same BSOD too. 

P.S.

Just noticed the 32-bit PC didn't have VC2015 on it , but guess it's not the problem.

[D.Draker]

ATTENTION. 

For those who started to read from here and just saw the word BSOD , don't be frightened , we started to discuss the 32-bit drivers now, and they have BSOD . It's not solved as of now.

The 64-bit drivers (which the tutorial is about) work flawlessly.

AGAIN . 

No probs with the 64 bit versions.

[D.Draker]

3 hours ago, SigmaTel71 said:

1 - Yes, 342.01 has native support both for Vista and 7, but there is a difference. In Windows 7 I can play modern World of Tanks versions while I can't in Windows Vista. The unmodified drivers package leads to this result. Let me grab my capture card, I'll show what happens in a while.

2 - Almost all Kaspersky users (especially the paid ones) are like that, so, yeah, better to leave it be. 

1 - I'm afraid the drivers aren't at fault and has nothing to do with it at all. Perhaps some soft-wrapper is being used in win-7 mode , but I don't have that (or a similar DX10 card) card to reproduce the issue .

My oldest card is GTX780 "Hall Of Fame" edition.

I read @win32 has a similar DX10 quadro card with the same drivers you mentioned . But he is a very busy member...

2 - Indeed they are ! lol

[SigmaTel71]

5 minutes ago, D.Draker said:

My oldest card is GTX780 "Hall Of Fame" edition.

GeForce 8600 GT here... but I'm afraid I won't be able to ship the GPU to you.

[D.Draker]

3 hours ago, SigmaTel71 said:

GeForce 8600 GT

I actually remember that card , I was silly enough to buy it new at the release (full price) and later hated myself for the money down the drain, 'cause it was too weak, even for the 2003 games.

It could barely play SpellForce, for example. A bit Later I had to buy 8800, but it was too weak too ,lol. The first somewhat useful cards for old games only start from GTX 780 or smth like that.

[D.Draker]

On 6/24/2022 at 12:10 AM, Dave-H said:

I suspect it's the problem the forum software has always had, that it double spaces if you just hit ENTER.

Thank you Dave, you're very helpful. The excessive spacing has been removed.