Nvidia INF driver modding (Guide)

Nvidia INF driver modding
how to mod the nvidia geforce inf file


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Modded drivers will NEVER transform your GPU to another one, and will
NEVER add features that you do not already have.

The only reasons you might want to install a driver that you need to modify
the INF for is because:

One, newer then what is currently available and you simply want to try it.
This is less common with Quadro, but iCafe and laptop OEM's often leak out
early builds.
It can be interesting to see if fixes or other announced features are included.
I remember we were able to try driver NVCP FXAA before it was officially
included in the driver. We also got to test the shader cache option a few
days before it was officially added.
And just pure fun/experimentation. Maybe NVIDIA did something really cool
in a new branch that we don't have yet.
Also, it can be used to force installation of newer drivers on OEM locked
GPU's. Thus the existence of laptopvideo2go.

And two, you need an older driver that is not officially supported for your
GPU because you have a specific application that is broken in newer ones
and you cannot wait for a fix. Number one covers 99% of the reasons, but
every so often some old game or deprecated program.

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The guide may look lengthy, but once you do it the first time, modding
future drivers should be simpler. CTRL+F is your friend.


1 - Opening the INF
Extract the drivers you want to modify using something like 7zip. (with 7zip installed, just rightclick
and press "Extract to "/File name here"") Picture 1
Inside the extracted driver folder open Display.Driver.
The "nv_dispi.inf" in that folder is what we need to modify. If you can't find nv_dispi.inf, look for
"nvts.inf", "nv_dispwi.inf", or "nv4_dispi.inf" instead.

2 - Your GPU string
Search (CTRL+F) for your GPU (for myself it's GTX 470) in the pastebin link below.

GPU Strings - 8/12/16
Picture 2
Copy the line your GPU is listed with (for myself it's NVIDIA_DEV.06CD = "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470")
and paste it in the [Strings] section located toward the bottom of the INF you are modifying.

3 - Adding support for your GPU to the OS
Take the device string for your GPU (for myself it's NVIDIA_DEV.06CD, aka the first part of your
GPU string) and search (CTRL+F) for it in the pastebin link below.

GPU Device ID's - 12/8/13

GPU Device ID's - WINDOWS 10 - 8/12/16
Picture 3
Copy the line you find it in.
(for myself it's %NVIDIA_DEV.06CD% = Section023, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_06CD)
Now, in the INF you are modding, paste that line in the section for your OS;
(CTRL+F for searching in notepad)
-Search "NTx86.5.1" for XP
-Search "NTamd64.6.0" for Vista
-Search "NTamd64.6.1" for 7
-Search "NTamd64.6.2" for 8
-Search "NTamd64.6.3" for 8.1
-Search "NTamd64.10.0" for 10

Save it and you're done. Launch the "setup.exe" from the driver folder and it should start perfectly.

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If you are using Windows 8 or 10, you need to disable Driver Signature Enforcement (you need to
do this for any unsigned driver -aka beta drivers- also.)

Spoiler

Windows 10
Click the Start Start menu and select Settings.
Go to Update and Security.
Go to Recovery.
OR
Hold down Left Shift while clicking Restart from the Startmenu
Under Advanced Startup,
Go to Troubleshoot.
Go to Advanced options.
Go to Startup Settings.
Restart.
On the Startup Settings screen press 7 or F7 to disable driver signature enforcement.
Once in Windows, continue with driver installer.

Now, for future drivers you need to modify, you already should know the string you need put in the
string section, and you already know what line to put where to add support for your GPU on your OS
(I suggest you keep that information in a txt file)

So to summarize:
(this is using myself as an example)
NVIDIA_DEV.06CD = "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470"
goes in the [Strings] section of new driver
%NVIDIA_DEV.06CD% = Section023, PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_06CD
goes in the Ntamd64.6.1 section of new driver
That's it. It's really only copy and pasting two things.

When people make modded INFs for drivers (aka leaked/quadro threads), they simply paste all
the strings in the strings section, and paste all the device ID's in all three OS's sections.
If you cannot find your GPU in the stings or device ID links above, you
can always grab your GPU's code from a drive that already supports your GPU.




If something needs clarifying or needs more work, let me know.-Pictures of
certain things, or really if
you tried the guide and it did not work tell me what part confused you.

Good luck!

 

Nice work! We previously had sticky on this subject, I wonder what happened to it?

 

I have no idea. It disappeared at some point. Can't even search to find it.
It was outdated anyway. And it was not really a guide, it didn't really teach you anything.

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BTW, when people make modded INFs for drivers (aka leaked/quadro threads), they simply paste all the strings in the strings section, and paste all the device ID's in all three OS's sections.

 

+1 for sticky. There are at least a few requests for modded .infs each time a new driver is released. This should help a lot of people out.

I should add that if you're using Windows 8 you must disable Driver Signature Enforcement if you want to install a Quadro driver. I see that question come up a lot along with the inf requests.

Move the mouse to the right hand side of the screen then:
Settings --> Change PC settings --> General --> Advanced Startup/Restart Now --> Troubleshoot --> Startup Settings --> Restart --> 7 on Keyboard

--OR--

Right click bottom left hand side of the screen and select "Command Prompt (Admin)" and enter "shutdown -o -r -t 0"
Then: Troubleshoot --> Startup Settings --> Restart --> 7 on Keyboard

 

Good idea. Thanks.

 

Make this for xp too

 

Yeah it didn't. Your guide not only is up to date, but easier to follow for those who don't know how to mod their own drivers. You should see if a mod will sticky it.

 

@Cyberdyne

Was the 1st (old) thread which is now gone¿ also from you?

 

Nice writeup.

Filename isnt always nv_dispi.inf. At least some of the older drivers have nvts.inf and I think some of the quadros have some other filename.

 

You can always change the file name once you mod the inf as everything else is the same.

 

I have never claimed otherwise. I wrote it to hopefully make the guide a little bit better.

 

@ShadowDuke; no it wasn't by me. It was by a member who seemed to have an old deactivated account (I think the named contained the word "Wolf"? idk)

@Prophet; Yeah, I'll mention that.

@yosef019; ok, I added relevant information for XP. I've never actually modded XP drivers, so if you do it (or have done it) let me know if I added the correct info.

 

I know, just commenting on the fact you can change it.

 

I did a similar guide for NBR, in my case it is for a GTX 680M.

It does contain helpful screenshots though!

You can find it in the lower section of the first post.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sag...i-gtx-680m-how-works-impressions-benches.html

 

yay, cyberdyne...Nice work...
Now people have a tutorial on how to edit them...
Next time someone asks, i can guide him here...

Thanks Cyber

 

Even though i recently found out how to do this myself this is a great guide which will be used alot, Well done Cyberdyne

 

I added some supplementary pictures.
Anything else I should add?

 

The only thing you can do is think of yourself as a complete noob reading the guide.

Would it be easy to do if you had hardly any knowledge?

All you can do is make that process as easy as possible.

 

Yeah, that is what motivated me to simply put the individual list's of strings and device ID's on pastebin, and tell you what to search, what to copy, and where to paste it while using myself as an example.

I've done pretty well at explaining things in layman's terms in the past.
But you never really know until someone gives the guide a go.