Ageia Software - Just spyware?

[OmegaMerc]

It seems that people are asking what does Ageia/PhysX drivers are for, since no one owns a PPU, yet GRAW Demo requires you to install them regardless if you have a PPU or not. Users are reporting that the background wants to connect frequently to the internet, yet it doesn't update its software even though there are newer Ageia drivers available right off the website. Personally I have removed the drivers completely and im still able to play the demo perfectly fine. Anyone got any ideas?




Topic @ their forums

[mursaat]

Hmm I don't remember the demo (I assume you're talking about GRAW) asking to install any PhysX drivers And I can play it perfectly yes.

I can think it's another form of advertisement.

[nn_step]

Actually you can get around that.. but if it turns out to be Spyware.. Guess where my Next Windows patch is going to be..

[OmegaMerc]

Hmm I don't remember the demo (I assume you're talking about GRAW) asking to install any PhysX drivers And I can play it perfectly yes.

I can think it's another form of advertisement.

Yes, fixed.

[RaZz!]

i also found it pretty strange that i had to install the ageia physx drivers even without having the ppu.
at first i didn't think about it much, because for other games it's needed to install openal or something like that to use some kind of features in the game.
but after the installation finished i was angry about the nag tray icon. - i just HATE trash like that which places a trayicon in my taskbar.
the first thing i've done is to remove the ageia crap from autostart/systemstart.

after i've read that this driver doesn't affect GRAW i've uninstalled it completely.

things like that are getting my nerves - even if it's not spyware, it's still junk on a computer without a ppu. it would be ok if the setup would ask the user to install the drivers or not so that everybody can choose whether the drivers will be installed or not.

i totally agree with Biffa on the ghostrecon.net-forum and every other user who complains about these useless drivers. especially because the drivers want to connect to the internet it's kinda strange...

[Deadeye550]

The install probably installs registry keys that GRAW needs to look at to know if you have a PPU or not. Generally the uninstaller for any program will not remove registry keys for some unknown reasons. If you want to double check this for me, Find ageia in your registry, unfortunately I am at work so I don’t know the correct path to look.

[RaZz!]

The install probably installs registry keys that GRAW needs to look at to know if you have a PPU or not. Generally the uninstaller for any program will not remove registry keys for some unknown reasons. If you want to double check this for me, Find ageia in your registry, unfortunately I am at work so I don’t know the correct path to look.

but when you install a game it doesn't install nvidia AND ati drivers just because else it wouldn't know if you have a nvidia or ati graphicscard...
the game is able to recognize if you're using ati or nvidia so why wouldn't it be able to recognize the ageia hardware the same way?

i don't get it, really lol

[Deadeye550]

This is all speculation here unfortunitly. Maybe the PPU doesnt have the support as other things, like a VGA. Basically just thinking out loud