New Windows BROADCOM (300 mbit!) and NVIDIA drivers

[Timur]

There is some good news: Because of the Windows 7 Beta that will be published in the near future Microsoft has put up a new "Microsoft Update-Catalog" at: http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/Home.aspx

This includes many updated drivers for hundreds of hardware interfaces including Broadcom WLAN drivers and Nvidia 9600M GT drivers that are found on the current Macbook (Pro) models.

Especially the Broadcom driver is very interesting:

1. It finally enables full 300 mbit/s 802.11n support, whereas older drivers (including OS X) only connect upto 130 mbit/s with many routers. Whatever the driver does to switch 300 mbit on it even stays on when you reinstall the older drivers!

As a drawback you cannot use channels 12 and 13 anymore (in Germany) as this driver seems to be made for the USA only.

2. It dramatically improves DPC latencies

From this (Bootcamp Broadcom driver version 4.170.77.3/03-21-08):

To this (Broadcom driver version 5.10.38.26/10-22-08):

I would still advice to turn off WLAN when doing critical Audio work, but at least you only have to do it for special circumstances now.

The Nvidia 9600M GT drivers are version 177.48 and thus slightly newer than the Bootcamp ones. Unfortunately they shows about the same DPC Latency behavior as before. So for critical Audio work you still have to fall back to the "Standard VGA Drivers".

PS: Curiously the new driver version of the Broadcom drivers resembles what OS X reports as "Firmware Version: 5.10.38.24". Even more strange Windows 7 Beta comes with a driver version 4.176.75.11/10-23-08 that is one day younger, but less performing than the version 5 drivers.

 

[sanil]

thanks for the information and links. it help full. The Nvidia 9600M GT drivers are version 177.48 and thus slightly newer than the Bootcamp ones. Unfortunately they shows about the same DPC Latency behavior as before. So for critical Audio work you still have to fall back to the "Standard VGA Drivers".

 

[gumbyx84]

Anyone test these new drivers out? I am tempted to test them out, but I remember everyone telling me I should stick with the drivers supplied by Apple in order to keep WinXP stable.

 

[cathyy]

Do the Broadcom drivers work on the Early 08 MBPs?

 

[Timur]

Now Apple has to explain why the new Broadcom driver can connect at full 300 mbit/s on Windows while OS X still only connect at 130 mbit/s maximum (unless you change to the 5 GHz band and even then it's still too low).

 

[Stridder44]

Now Apple has to explain why the new Broadcom driver can connect at full 300 mbit/s on Windows while OS X still only connect at 130 mbit/s maximum (unless you change to the 5 GHz band and even then it's still too low).

That's because Apple couldn't write a good driver to save their lives. No other explanation needed.

 

[tubbymac]

Thanks for the tip! The new broadcom drivers from the link have much smaller worst case spikes than the default Windows 7 ones.

 

[Pickoff]

Thank you, I will be getting that for my early 2008 MBP.

Two things:

1. 185.20 drivers are available via laptopvideo2go, which actually support my 8600 natively, no modding needed. For slightly older MBPs I would go with that option.

2. Somewhat nooby question: wtf is latency and why does it seem to effect audio work?

 

[doctoree]

Nvidia only recently changed their politics about mobile drivers. From now on you will be able do download them right from their webpage. I just upgraded the ones in my 2008 Penryn MacBook Pro and the speed advantages were quite noticable in Gaming.

tada:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/notebook_drivers.html

ENJOY!
Doc

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

Do the Broadcom drivers work for older MacBooks, such as the polycarbonates?

EDIT: I'm not seeing anything for Broadcom that has 802.11 n support. I see 802.11 draft n wifi adapter, but that is a USB adapter not an internal wifi card.

 

[Timur]

Do the Broadcom drivers work for older MacBooks, such as the polycarbonates?

EDIT: I'm not seeing anything for Broadcom that has 802.11 n support. I see 802.11 draft n wifi adapter, but that is a USB adapter not an internal wifi card.

Search for "Broadcom 802" and have the list sorted by Date.

This is what you need for thr new Macbooks which use the 4322 chipset, no idea about old ones: "Broadcom - Network - Broadcom 4322AG 802.11a/b/g/draft-n Wi-Fi Adapter "

 

[Timur]

2. Somewhat nooby question: wtf is latency and why does it seem to effect audio work?

Think of it as a queue, and the old Broadcom driver and also the NVidia one to some extend occupy the queue too long so that other drivers (like audio) aren't serviced quick enough.

The worst DPC Latency cuprit is the Apple KBDMGR.EXE driver though. It's far worse than the other two combined. Kill that process if you experience audio dropouts or try to set its "CPU Affinity" to CPU1 (not 0!).

 

[limo79]

Think of it as a queue, and the old Broadcom driver and also the NVidia one to some extend occupy the queue too long so that other drivers (like audio) aren't serviced quick enough.

The worst DPC Latency cuprit is the Apple KBDMGR.EXE driver though. It's far worse than the other two combined. Kill that process if you experience audio dropouts or try to set its "CPU Affinity" to CPU1 (not 0!).

Exactly Timur

 

[Stridder44]

Do the Broadcom drivers work on the Early 08 MBPs?

x2. Also, links to get the new Broadcom driver?

 

[limo79]

x2. Also, links to get the new Broadcom driver?

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&os=2093&product=3786513

 

[Stridder44]

Hm that's strange. I installed the Broadcom driver and when looking under Device Manager it says the driver is still from 9/20/2007 (version 4.170.25.12). I don't think it updated.

 

[tubbymac]

You have to force install it. Basically after selecting the old driver in device manager, you right click and upgrade driver but then constantly click on the bottom buttons that pop up. The top buttons, even when you select "let me browse for my driver" will keep thinking your current drivers are more up to date.

 

[limo79]

Hm that's strange. I installed the Broadcom driver and when looking under Device Manager it says the driver is still from 9/20/2007 (version 4.170.25.12). I don't think it updated.

... because you must install it manually

 

[Timur]

Exactly Timur

I spent some time to get more convinient control over KBDMGR and the corresponding settings application (the one you configure the trackpad and F-keys behavior besides other stuff).

Right ALT-. will switch KBDMGR on and off now. Additionally the F-keys are automatically switched to their special Macbook functions (like controlling brightness) when KBDMGR is on and to normal F-keys function when KBDMGR is off.

Furthermore when Windows boots up and when enabling it via ALT-. then KBDMGR is set to "Idle" priority and CPU1 affinity. That helps for normal desktop audio output, but for professional audio work it still needs to be turned off.

Right ALT-, will open up the settings dialog now. It also works with KBDMGR being disabled including setting brightness via the slider.

PS: While I was at it I also remapped the key left to the backspace to act as DEL (it's the never used key `´ on german keyboards) and the right CMD key to act as CTRL (so I can use it like on the OS X).

 

[gussic]

Has anyone got a link to the xp version of these 'new' broadcom drivers? Or are they only being developed for Windows Vista/7
[i run xp on my mbp because the gaming performance is better....]
cheers

 

[outZider]

That's because Apple couldn't write a good driver to save their lives. No other explanation needed.

a) You're an idiot.
b) You can be pretty sure that Apple wasn't alone in writing the Broadcom drivers. Note that the older Windows drivers had the same problem, so it's likely that Broadcom never released the proper spec to open that up. You'll probably see a change in either Snow Leopard or a later point release.

 

[dt1607]

Has anyone got a link to the xp version of these 'new' broadcom drivers? Or are they only being developed for Windows Vista/7
[i run xp on my mbp because the gaming performance is better....]
cheers

+1

 

[Stridder44]

a) You're an idiot.
b) You can be pretty sure that Apple wasn't alone in writing the Broadcom drivers. Note that the older Windows drivers had the same problem, so it's likely that Broadcom never released the proper spec to open that up. You'll probably see a change in either Snow Leopard or a later point release.

a) Personal insults, very mature. I'd expect nothing less from you.

b) The Broadcom driver isn't the only driver I'm talking about here cool guy. A majority of the Boot Camp drivers never worked right, or are very old. And if they are old Apple could at least provide some updates. One can only hope Boot Camp 3.0 is offered with Snow Leopard, and significant updates (both to drivers and update methods) ensure.

 

[Timur]

Well, the current Broadcom driver for Windows works better (aka 300 mbit/s) than the one of OS X (only 130 mbit/s).

 

[MVApple]

Can someone explain how to install the broadcom drivers in Vista? I have no idea what Timur is talking about in his explaination, so I'm assuming he must be using Windows 7.

Everything I try in Vista doesn't work. I even uninstalled the drivers and I directed the computer to the broadcom folder and still nothing, it says no drivers could be installed. When I look in the folder there is no inf file, is that right?

Help?

*edit*
I just noticed that the only N drivers available are for the WiFi adapter. The information Timur posted is incorrect. So what drivers is Timur talking about?