Quadro & GeForce Mac OS X Driver Release 304.00.05 304.00.05f02

Version: 304.00.05f02
Release Date: 2012.10.02
Operating System: Mac OSX Mountain Lion 10.8.2
Language: English (U.S.)
File Size: 26.2 MB

Release Highlights

CUDA Application Support:
In order to run Mac OS X Applications that leverage the CUDA architecture of certain NVIDIA graphics cards, users will need to download and install the CUDA 5.x driver for Mac located here.

New in Release 304.00.05f02:

  • Contains performance improvements and bug fixes for a wide range of applications.

Release Notes Archive:

  • This driver update is for Mac Pro 5,1 (2010), Mac Pro 4,1 (2009) and Mac Pro 3,1 (2008) users only.
  • If you would like to be notified of upcoming drivers for Mac OS X, please subscribe to the newsletter.
  • Supported Language
    • Chinese(simplified)
    • Chinese (traditional)
    • English
    • French
    • German
    • Italian
    • Japanese
    • Korean
    • Russian
    • Spanish

Supported products

GeForce 200 series:
GTX 285 for Mac

GeForce 100 series:
GT 120

GeForce 8 series:
8800 GT

Quadro series:
4000 for Mac

Quadro FX series:
FX 5600, FX 4800 for Mac

Additional information

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS for Driver Release 304.00.05f02

  • Model identifier should be MacPro3,1 (2008), MacPro4,1 (2009), MacPro5,1 (2010) or later
  • Mac OS X v10.8.2

To download and install the drivers, follow the steps below:

STEP 1: Make sure your Mac OS X software version is v10.8.2. It is important that you check this first before you install the 304.00.05f02 Driver. Click on the Apple icon (upper left corner of the screen) and select About This Mac.

STEP 2: In the About This Mac window, click on the Software Update button

STEP 3: Continue to install software updates until your system OS is reported to be v10.8.2

STEP 4: Review the NVIDIA Software License. Check terms and conditions checkbox to allow driver download.

You will need to accept this license prior to downloading any files.

STEP 5: Download the Driver File

Download - Retail_304.00.05f02.dmg

STEP 6: Install
After downloading the disk image, it should automatically mount and launch the installer. If it does not, double-click on the disk image and again on the driver package within. It will guide you through the installation process. Click Continue after you read the License Agreement and then click Agree

STEP 7: Click Install on the Standard Installer screen. You will be required to enter an Administrator password to continue

STEP 8: Click Continue Installation on the Warning screen:The Warning screen lets you know that you will need to restart your system once the installation process is complete.

STEP 9: Click Restart on the Installation Completed Successfully screen.

To uninstall this driver and restore your original Mac OS X v10.8.2 driver, follow the steps below:

STEP 1: During the installation process, a backup archive of your current drivers will be created. If for any reason you need to uninstall the 304.00.05f02 driver, the “NVIDIA Driver Restore.mpkg” is located in /Library/Application Support/NVIDIA.

IMPORTANT: Do not move this package from its default location. Doing so will invalidate the uninstall/restore process. Also, this process is only valid with Mac OS X v10.8.2. Installing any newer version of the OS over this driver will also invalidate the uninstall/restore process.

STEP 2: After locating the NVIDIA Driver Restore.mpkg archive, double-click on the package. You will be guided through the driver restoration process. Click Continue after you read the Welcome screen.

STEP 3: Click Install on the Standard Installer screen. You will be required to enter an Administrator password to continue.

STEP 4: Click Continue Installation on the Warning screen: The Warning screen lets you know that you will need to restart your system once the installation process is complete.

STEP 5: Click Restart on the Installation Completed Successfully screen.

ALTERNATE METHOD – If for any reason you are unable to boot your system to the desktop and wish to restore your original Mac OS X v10.8.2 driver, you can also do so from “Single-User” mode:

STEP 1: Restart your Macintosh computer and hold down the “Command” (apple) key and the “s” key to boot into “Single User” mode.

STEP 2: When the system finishes loading to a command prompt, type the command “NVIDIARecovery” (no quotation marks), and hit the “Return” key.

STEP 3: The 304.00.05f02 driver will be uninstalled and your original Mac OS X v10.8.2 driver will be restored.  The computer will then reboot automatically.