Unable to install NVIDIA drivers on Windows 8 (Boot Camp)

Question

I'm running Windows 8 on a secondary partition on my MacBook Pro (17-inch, 2009).
I have, in the past, been able to successfully install Windows 8 on a second partition on this mac and get everything working, including all of my device drivers. I had to erase that partition, though, so I no longer have that installation.
I've installed Windows 8 again, but I'm not able to get my NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT or 9400M graphics drivers to install!
First of all, I tried installing both 5.0.5033 and 5.1.5621 support software. After a lot of hassle, I got 5.1.5621 to install, but only through the BootCamp\Drivers\Apple\BootCamp.msi file, not through the BootCamp\setup.exe file (the setup.exe tells me that this version of Boot Camp is not intended for this computer model).
When I install the drivers that way, they don't install the NVIDIA drivers.
Next, I've gone directly to the NVIDIA drivers folder inside the support software, and tried to install them from there. i've also downloaded newer versions of the NVIDIA drivers from their website, and with all versions of the NVIDIA drivers, I've had to go through a huge hassle to get them to go to the setup wizard (instead of telling me there's no compatible hardware).
Then, I managed to get them to start installing, but - after Windows has me confirm that I really want to install the driver, despite it's signature - the screen invariably goes black, and my computer shuts down instantly, in what I can only assume is a kernel panic.
This is incredibly frustrating, and I don't know what to do about it. I can't seem to find anyone else with the same problem. Can anyone help me?

Answer 1

According to Boot Camp: System requirements for Microsoft Windows operating systems - Apple Support
MacBook Pro
(17-inch, Mid 2009)
4
4
DVD
DVD
DVD
There is no support for Windows 8 (64-bit) on this machine.
From Boot Camp Support Software 4.0.4033
System Requirements
MacBook (13-inch, Late 2006)
MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2007)
MacBook (13-inch, Late 2007)
MacBook (13-inch, Early 2008)
MacBook (13-inch, Late 2008)
MacBook (13-inch, Early 2009 & Mid 2009)
MacBook (13-inch, Late 2009) *
MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2010) *
MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2008)
MacBook Air (13-inch, Late 2008 & Mid 2009)
MacBook Air (11-inch & 13-inch, Late 2010) *
MacBook Pro (15-inch & 17-inch, Core 2 Duo)
MacBook Pro (15-inch & 17-inch, 2.2 & 2.4GHz)
MacBook Pro (15-inch & 17-inch, Early 2008) *
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) *
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009 & Mid 2009) *
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2009) *
MacBook Pro (13-inch and 15-inch, Mid 2009) *
MacBook Pro (13-inch,15-inch, and 17-inch, Mid 2010)
MacBook Pro (13-in, 15-inch, and 17-inch, Early 2011 & Late 2011)
Mac Pro (Mid 2006)
Mac Pro (Early 2008) *
Mac Pro (Early 2009)
Mac Pro (Early 2007)
Mac Pro (Mid 2010)
Mac Pro (15-inch and 17-inch, 2.2 & 2.4GHz)
Mac mini (Mid 2007)
Mac mini (Early 2009 & Late 2009)
Mac mini (Mid 2010) *
iMac (17-inch, Late 2006)
iMac (20-inch, Late 2006)
iMac (24-inch, Late 2006)
iMac (20-inch & 24-inch, Mid 2007)
iMac (20-inch & 24-inch, Early 2008)
iMac (20-inch, Early 2009 & Mid 2009)
iMac (21.5-inch & 27-inch, Late 2009) *
iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) *
iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2010) *
iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010)
iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011 & Late 2011)
iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011)
all these drivers support Windows 7, 32 bit
* drivers that support Windows 7, 32 and 64 bit
BC 5.x drivers will cause problems. Have you considered using 4.0.4033 version. If your previous W8 installation continued to use BC 4.0.4033 drivers, they would work. Do you have the exact versions of drivers that you had on your previous W8 installation?