This article provides information regarding the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 266.58 WHQL, a certified driver package specifically designed for 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7. This driver is part of the Release 265 family of drivers (versions 265.xx to 269.xx) from Nvidia, offering a range of performance enhancements, new features, and bug fixes for compatible graphics cards.
Driver Overview
The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 266.58 WHQL package is a comprehensive software suite that enables optimal performance and stability for Nvidia graphics cards on Windows Vista and Windows 7 64-bit operating systems. These drivers act as the communication bridge between the operating system, applications, and the graphics processing unit (GPU), ensuring seamless operation and access to the GPU’s full capabilities.
This particular release is significant as it encompasses a broad range of Nvidia GPUs, spanning from older GeForce 6 series cards to the then-newly released GeForce GTX 580 and GTX 570. This wide compatibility makes it a valuable update for users with diverse hardware configurations.
Key Features and Improvements
The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 266.58 WHQL package introduced several notable improvements and new features:
- GPU Support: As mentioned, this driver officially supports the GeForce GTX 580 and GTX 570, ensuring optimal performance for these high-end cards.
- Performance Enhancements: The drivers bring performance gains in various PC games, particularly for GeForce 400 and 500 series GPUs. The performance gains varied from game to game, depending on system configurations and settings. For example, the GeForce GTX 580 saw improvements of up to 7% in Battlefield Bad Company 2, up to 12% in Battleforge (SLI configuration), and up to 11% in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (SLI configuration). Improvements were also noted in Dirt 2, Far Cry 2, Just Cause 2, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, Stone Giant, and Unigine Heaven v2.1. Furthermore, it also improves performance in Final Fantasy XI on GeForce 400 Series and 500 Series GPUs.
- Visual Quality Improvements: The driver adds ambient occlusion support for Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty. Ambient occlusion is a rendering technique that enhances the realism of lighting and shadows, contributing to a more immersive visual experience.
- NVIDIA 3D Vision Enhancements: The driver package includes significant updates for NVIDIA 3D Vision technology, including:
- Support for 3DVisionLive.com Beta 2, enabling 3D photo sharing and viewing, as well as access to new 3D video clips.
- Improved scaling quality for video streaming content from 3DVisionLive.com.
- Added 3D Vision Window Mode support for a variety of games and applications, including Aion, Crazy Racing Kart Rider, Crossfire, Dragon Nest, EverQuest 2, Guild Wars 2, NED, PopKart, QQ Dance QQ, QQ Xian Xia, Tian Long Ba Bu, World of Warcraft (Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King), Xun Xian, Zhu Xian 2, and Google Earth.
- Support for new 3D Vision Desktop LCD monitors, projectors, and All-in-One PCs from various manufacturers.
- Added and updated 3D Vision game profiles for numerous titles, providing optimized 3D viewing experiences.
- NVIDIA Surround Updates: The driver includes performance improvements for 3-way and 4-way SLI configurations in NVIDIA Surround setups. The supported game list for 3D Vision Surround and NVIDIA Surround was also updated.
- NVIDIA SLI Profile Enhancements: SLI profiles were added for several PC games, including Alien vs. Triangles Demo, Endless City Demo, Lionheart: Kings Crusade, Moscow Racer: Legends of USSR, Rift: Planes of Telara, and Shaun White Skateboarding. Enhancements were also made to existing SLI profiles for Age of Conan, Arcania: Gothic 4, Civilization V (DX11), Lost Planet 2, and World Of Warcraft.
- Other Notable Updates:
- Installation of HD Audio driver version 1.1.13.1.
- Installation of PhysX System Software to version 9.10.0514.
- Support for Blu-ray 3D disc playback when connecting the GPU to an HDMI 1.4 3D TV.
- Support for lossless DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby TrueHD audio bitstreaming for compatible Blu-ray movies.
- Support for high-definition multi-channel audio sampling rates for compatible Blu-ray movies.
- Support for GPU-accelerated features in Adobe CS5 and smoother online HD videos with Adobe Flash 10.1.
- Support for the new version of MotionDSP’s vReveal video enhancement software.
- Support for DirectCompute with Windows 7 and GeForce 8-series and later GPUs.
- Support for OpenCL 1.0 and OpenGL 3.3 (GeForce 8-series and later) and OpenGL 4.1 (GeForce 400 series and later).
- Support for single GPU and NVIDIA SLI technology on DirectX 9, DirectX 10, DirectX 11, and OpenGL.
- Support for GPU overclocking and temperature monitoring via NVIDIA System Tools software.
Supported Products
The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 266.58 WHQL support a wide array of Nvidia GPUs, including:
- GeForce 500 Series: GTX 570, GTX 580
- GeForce 400 Series: GT 430, GTX 480, GTX 460 SE, GTX 460, GTX 470, GTX 465, GTS 450
- GeForce 200 Series: GT 240, GTX 260, GTX 285, G210, GTX 280, 205, GTS 250, GTS 240, GT 230, GTX 275, GT 220, GTX 295, 210
- GeForce 100 Series: GT 120, GT 130, G 100, GT 140
- GeForce 9 Series: 9300 GE, 9400, 9600 GT, 9800 GX2, 9500 GS, 9300, 9500 GT, 9800 GT, 9600 GSO, 9400 GT, 9200, 9800 GTX/GTX+, 9300 GS, 9600 GS, 9100
- GeForce 8 Series: 8800 GT, 8400, 8600 GT, 8300, 8500 GT, 8800 GTS 512, 8800 GTS, 8800 GS, 8200 / nForce 730a, 8600 GTS, 8100 / nForce 720a, 8800 Ultra, 8400 SE, 8200, 8600 GS, 8300 GS, 8800 GTX, 8400 GS
- GeForce 7 Series: (Numerous models, refer to the original article for a complete list)
- GeForce 6 Series: (Numerous models, refer to the original article for a complete list)
- ION Series: ION, ION LE
Download Links
You can download the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 266.58 WHQL from the following locations:
Alternative Download Links:
- Softpedia: (Note: Finding direct, permanent links for older drivers can be challenging. Search for "Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 266.58 WHQL" on Softpedia)
- Guru3D: (Note: Finding direct, permanent links for older drivers can be challenging. Search for "Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 266.58 WHQL" on Guru3D)
- DriverGuide: (Note: Finding direct, permanent links for older drivers can be challenging. Search for "Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 266.58 WHQL" on DriverGuide)
- Nvidia Legacy Drivers Archive (if available): Search the Nvidia website for legacy drivers.
- Third-Party Driver Download Sites: Be cautious when using third-party sites; always verify the file’s authenticity before installation.
Installation Notes
Before installing the Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 266.58 WHQL, it is recommended to uninstall any previous Nvidia drivers from your system. This can be done through the Windows Control Panel. After uninstalling the old drivers, reboot your computer and then proceed with the installation of the new driver package. It’s always a good practice to create a system restore point before installing new drivers, allowing you to revert to a previous configuration if any issues arise during the installation process.
Conclusion
The Nvidia GeForce Ion Graphics Drivers 266.58 WHQL for Windows Vista/7 64-bit represents a significant update for users of a wide range of Nvidia graphics cards. With performance enhancements, new features like ambient occlusion support, and improvements to NVIDIA 3D Vision and SLI configurations, this driver package provides a valuable upgrade for gamers and other users seeking to optimize their graphics performance. Remember to download from a reputable source and follow the installation guidelines for a smooth and successful update.