nVidia Detonator driver?
 

I'm confused about the term Detonator regarding nVidia drivers.

Some earlier drivers did not use the term Detonator, at least the ones I've been upgrading, but the most recent for XP Home, for my GEForce FX 5600, is named NVIDIA Detonator XP Driver for Windows 2000/XP 61.77 Driver.

I presently have nVidia 56.72.

I've tried to get into games by testing the demos that come with Maximium PC's CD but it always reads "No 3d," that my machine doesn't have 3d turned on, but, I pass all the tests using Directx 9.0b.

I have two monitors, a 19" LCD and a 17" CRT. I'm able to use both quite satisfactorily.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks, Kerry
XP Pro

what games are you trying to run? what error does it give you? the term "detonator" driver has been around for a long time, since version 3x.xx and before even :)

nvidia was one of the first to introduce a unified driver for their videocards, a real step up from having to install a different driver for each videocard, I think it was in the time between the TNT and the first Geforce 1 SDR cards...

It's not that the Maximum PC CD demos don't run, it's that at the beginning of each CD it has a kind of test/evaluation to see if the computer will run the game. I always get a check in the box named "No 3d." I've done all the uninstall install driver tricks and still get the "No 3d" message.

I've had such bad luck with the demos, the majority of which seem to fail, or bog down, or not work as expected, that I've given up trying them any more.

I was just wondering why nVidia added the word Detonator to this last 61.77 upgrade. I have seen it used before but assumed that it was for cards other than mine.

I keep looking for some game that I'd like but haven't found one yet. I might just not be a gamer.

Thanks, Kerry

"Detonator" is just the name they used for their unified Videocard driver, just like ATI has their "Catalyst"

for pure fun try Max Payne/Call of Duty/Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 etc.. depends a lot of what genre you like though :)

Doom III will be one hell of a Single Player experience though but the vidcard might not be able to keep up;)

Thanks jmke, I'll go over my demo CDs and see if I have any of those.

Kerry

if you have a broadband connection you will be able to find demos online of almost any game.

Call of Duty is very nice if you like World War 2 First person shooters, even if you don't the experience is very cool.
in the same line you might want to check out MoHAA, short for "Medal of Honor: Allied Assault"
another more slowly, yet even more "realistic" game is Operation Flashpoint, there is a demo of this also.

Online multiplayer is very cool with Battlefield 1942, demo's available, or the new Joint Operations (also a demo available)
if you like other style of games, Command & Conquer: Generals is a top down strategy game with an "Iraqi" like background.
athere are too many genres to name them all, give some of your preferences :)