nVidia SMBus

[.Maleficus.]

I got my new 680i SLI mobo in a few days ago, and the drivers have been nothing but headaches. I went through the PC Gamer steps to replace your mobo without re-installing Windows, and I think that's contributing to this crap, but seriously, these drivers are crap. Specifically, the driver for the nVidia SMBus.

First, what is the SMBus? My mobo manual is on a CD, and I haven't read it all, and I'd like to know what exactly it does. I imagine it's something to do with the internet, because I can't connect, even though I have the ethernet drivers installed.

Second, are there any driver updates for these nVidia products? I downloaded one from the eVGA website, and it turned out to be a "Display Driver" even though it was in the 680i section. WTF? I went to nVidias website, and I started downloading another, but it has the same exact name, so I'm not keeping my hopes up.

Every time I try to boot XP with the drivers freshly installed, it doesn't boot, restarts, and goes to the "Safe Mode... Safe Mode with Networking... " screen. I do "Last Know Good Configuration" and that's before the SMBus driver was installed. I flashed a new BIOS, hoping that might help, but it didn't.

Thanks in advance guys.

[Silenced_Coyote]

I'm running the EVGA 680i SLI mobo BIOS and it is alright. You should be getting BIOS P28 from EVGA. I wish I could link you directly to the page but it won't let me. Just go here:
http://www.evga.com/support/drivers/default.asp
Highlight:
Mainboards
BIOS Updates
NF68/NF63 680i SLI

I think you downloaded the chipset drivers instead.

[.Maleficus.]

I'm running the EVGA 680i SLI mobo BIOS and it is alright. You should be getting BIOS P28 from EVGA. I wish I could link you directly to the page but it won't let me. Just go here:
http://www.evga.com/support/drivers/default.asp
Highlight:
Mainboards
BIOS Updates
NF68/NF63 680i SLI

I think you downloaded the chipset drivers instead.
I did flash that BIOS. No improvement (though the BIOS is now more user friendly (I think at least)). Whenever I install the drivers from the eVGA CD for the SMBus, next time I restart the system crashes. I'm downloading an updated driver package (I hope... last time it was a Display Driver) from another website, so hopefully an updated driver set will help fix this.

[.Maleficus.]

Alright, so I did get my hands on some updated drivers, and they still cause XP to crash when I boot. My question now is:

Should I just wipe my hard drive and reinstall? It seems like it would be a lot easier than f*cking with this stuff more.

[Silenced_Coyote]

Did you download the other drivers like the chipset and raid ones?

[Greco101]

Do you have to stick with the evga drivers? or can you use the ones at Nvidia's site?

maybe the internet problem youre having is the same one I had? stupid as hell but reset the modem?

try deleting all the network adapters installed in the device manager and restart your computer, It will auto detect.

dont forget to backup your hd and your mail in outlook (if there's anything worth saving) I dunno about you guys but even when I think I have everything, or dont need it... I'm kicking myself the next day because I forgot something important :(

[.Maleficus.]

Did you download the other drivers like the chipset and raid ones?
Yep.

Do you have to stick with the evga drivers? or can you use the ones at Nvidia's site?

maybe the internet problem youre having is the same one I had? stupid as hell but reset the modem?

try deleting all the network adapters installed in the device manager and restart your computer, It will auto detect.

dont forget to backup your hd and your mail in outlook (if there's anything worth saving) I dunno about you guys but even when I think I have everything, or dont need it... I'm kicking myself the next day because I forgot something important :(
I couldn't find any on EVGAs website, it linked me to a Display Driver. I did get them on Nvidias site though.

I don't think it's the modem, but I'll reset it and see.

Unless I install the drivers with the CD, I let XP use the generic drivers, then 3 seconds later the "Found New Hardware" window comes up again and I do it all over.

I was backing up my hard drive yesterday. Getting all my important stuff. I think I may re-install XP even if I can fix this; my install is so bloated with crap I don't need, it's kind of ridiculous.

[Silenced_Coyote]

Have you tried not installing anything from the CD and just use the latest drivers/bios put on an external hard drive or floppy?

You keep mentioning this display driver. Where is it that you are finding it? What are you highlighting in the boxes on EVGA's driver page?

[.Maleficus.]

I went Mainboards > EVGA 680i Chipsets > Windows XP. I downloaded what they linked, and it was a "Display Driver". I got a message saying, "No display devices were found on the machine blah blah...". I did get drivers from the Nvidia website, but after installing the SM Bus driver XP failed.

And, I don't have an external hard drive or a floppy drive.