IDNetters Forums

Technical News & Discussion => Windows News & Discussion => Topic started by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 17:00:46

Title: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 17:00:46
You may remember that I asked some months ago about an NVidia folder on my D drive. As I have an ATI card, I'm not sure how it came to be there (installed with some software, I guess).  :dunno:

Today, the icon has appeared in the task bar, with no option to kill it. I've done virus and malware scans, just in case, but the machine appears clean.

Anyone got any thoughts on what's happening?
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 17:04:47
Nvidia are talking over, first your PC, then........... the world
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 17:05:37
What chipset is in the PC?
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Steve on Jan 25, 2010, 17:06:21
How is getting there? Anything in msconfig
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 17:09:07
Quote from: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 17:05:37
What chipset is in the PC?


Intel.
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 17:09:24
Quote from: Steve on Jan 25, 2010, 17:06:21
How is getting there? Anything in msconfig

Not that I can see, Steve.
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 17:12:02
What make and model is the PC Rik?
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 17:13:32
It's a Scan 3XS, Glenn, custom build. How much detail do you want?
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 17:14:44
If you have got it, the motherboard model
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Steve on Jan 25, 2010, 17:16:43
I wonder did they install the OS with a 'generic" image.

http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=15885
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 17:20:24
I wondered that, Steve, but the OS was installed to C, this was installed to D, so it would have been installed explicitly, or with some other software. That said, I can't remember what, if any, bundled software there was, but the folder date suggests it was installed at the same time as the OS.
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 17:22:47
Oh, and it doesn't appear in the run list your link pointed to.  :dunno:
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 17:29:57
Do you have the board number?
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 17:33:28
Asus P5W64 WS Pro, Rev 1.xx. Is that enough?

That's from SIW, Belarc gives:

Board: ASUSTeK Computer INC. P5W64 WS Pro Rev 1.xx
Bus Clock: 266 megahertz
BIOS: American Megatrends Inc. 0701 03/15/2007
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 17:42:03
No Nvidia chips there http://hothardware.com/articles/Asus-P5W64WS-Professional-Motherboard/
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 17:45:18
That's what I thought. The nVidia folder seems mainly to contain codecs.
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 17:47:44
Do you have anything to do with nVIDIA PureVideo Decoder?
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 17:48:51
How would I find out?
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Steve on Jan 25, 2010, 17:52:06
I used to use that as plug in for WMP
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 17:54:15
It's a software package, Rik, so take a look in add or remove programs.
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 18:02:16
It's there, but I don't have a shortcut to the software anywhere. Launching it from the folder, it's never been set up.
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 18:04:16
 :think:
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 18:07:10
I'm half inclined to ZIP the folder and wait to see what complains...
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Steve on Jan 25, 2010, 18:07:41
Is it the purevideo decoder you've found?
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 18:11:55
The software appears to be a multi-media player, Steve, ie music, photos, videos, the sub folder it's in is \Forceware\nstant media.
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 18:19:56
E-Mail from nVidia Customer Care:

"The nStantMedia application is not officially part of the decoder pack. It's free trialware until the official launch of nStantMedia in the future."

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=48110
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 18:21:02
Stranger and stranger. What do you reckon, ZIP and wait for a complaint?
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 18:23:21
It can't do any harm
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 18:24:40
That was my feeling. I just wish I knew how it came to be there.
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Steve on Jan 25, 2010, 18:26:06
I wonder if drive sweeper would find it? I always used to use that when upgrading NVidia drivers
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 18:26:13
It may have been packaged with a different program, just like toolbars are these days. :mad:
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 18:26:47
Quote from: Steve on Jan 25, 2010, 18:26:06
I wonder if drive sweeper would find it? I always used to use that when upgrading NVidia drivers

Tell me more, Steve.
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 18:27:09
Quote from: Glenn on Jan 25, 2010, 18:26:13
It may have been packaged with a different program, just like toolbars are these days. :mad:

That's my thought, maybe Nero or Power DVD.
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Supanova on Jan 25, 2010, 18:33:44
Whenever you download nvidia drivers it will create that folder to store the non-extracted files in. Some graphics programs that are specifically designed to run with nVidia cards also use this folder as a kind of dumping ground while they are installing.

If you are worried about installed drivers then you can use a driver sweeper, just google around and download a free one. I have used them before and they find all sorts of cr*p a driver uninstall doesn't remove.

As this folder is supposed to hold unextracted folders for use during an install you should be able to rename the folder/delete it without any problem or complaints.

If anything different happens do let us know because I would be curious about anything odd happening.
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 18:34:38
Thanks, will do...
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Steve on Jan 25, 2010, 18:37:27
Quote from: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 18:26:47
Tell me more, Steve.

Guru3d Drivesweeper I used to use when Nvidia did not have a proper uninstaller for their drivers, so any upgrade would often fail due to the remnants left behind . It was also useful for ATI & Creative soundcards. I think in your case you got decoder software nStantmedia.exe so probably doesn't apply.
Title: Re: NVidia
Post by: Rik on Jan 25, 2010, 18:41:45
I did, Steve.