video drivers --- 103mb????

**NightLinks** · #1 10-29-2008, 04:26 PM

I updated my evga 8800 nvidia card drivers to the latest 178.13 and the file size was 103mb

Since when did drivers started getting soo big? What's inside these drivers that they are soo big?

**Cloud** · #2 11-01-2008, 12:54 AM

I'm pretty sure they bundle almost all of the drivers for their cards together... (or at least a line of drivers). For example, when you download Intel Ethernet card drivers (35mb?) it's the same deal... you're getting an easy installation program for hundreds of different models (extra crap) so that they only have to update one program (which keeps getting bigger) instead of individual downloads for each.

edit: if that's not correct get Ryan to answer it ;P

**ryan** · #3 11-11-2008, 07:28 PM

You hit it on the head, Cloud. Also, a lot of drivers package a lot of extra apps along with the drivers. For instance a printer driver now magically comes with a demo of Pagemaker or somesuch crap. (And a photo editor, and rando other crap). A video driver now comes with a demo game or some smart overclocking software.

But to really hit it home check this one.
SetPoint is 50+ megs. A Mouse and keyboard driver.... I mean the mouse and keyboard already work without the extra driver! user input is generally interrupt driven, so you would think that the driver could fit in a 1mb file.