Nvidia , Ati Driver Clean Update Thread

**Pirate Neilsouth** · Oct 15, 2009, 11:14 AM

Here is a good way to have a clean reinstall , update of a nvidia / ati driver with windows vista and or windows 7

Nvidia

Uninstall the driver
Boot to safemode
Use driver sweeper
Reboot back into normal windows
Run a reg cleaner ( CCleaner ) and install the new driver
Reboot

**Pirate Neilsouth** · Oct 15, 2009, 11:16 AM

Thanks to Hapatingjaky for the tip...

It's what i usually do aswell , but i thought it would be good for people who have just gone over to windows 7 / vista and want to know of a clean way to update/reinstall a driver.

Anyone got a tip for Ati users ? , ill add that to my first post

Sound_Card · Oct 15, 2009, 11:28 AM

If you have to use safe mode and use driver cleaner then something else is terribly wrong. Thats just going over board.

To uninstall a catalyst driver,

A) open the catalyst uninstall utility.
B) Uninstall what you are replacing.
C) restart.
D) Install w/e.
E) restart.
F) Done.

Option B.

A) Install the cat driver on top of the existing cat driver.
B) Restart.
C) Done.

Hapatingjaky · Oct 15, 2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sound_Card

If you have to use safe mode and use driver cleaner then something else is terribly wrong. Thats just going over board.

To uninstall a catalyst driver,

A) open the catalyst uninstall utility.
B) Uninstall what you are replacing.
C) restart.
D) Install w/e.
E) restart.
F) Done.

Option B.

A) Install the cat driver on top of the existing cat driver.
B) Restart.
C) Done.

I honestly do the exact same thing with ATI drivers as I do with Nvidia. Running driver sweepr and a regcleaner ala CCLeaner always comes up with trash left over with both companies.

The best way to really clean drivers? Format & a Reload

acroig · Oct 15, 2009, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sound_Card

Option B.

A) Install the cat driver on top of the existing cat driver.
B) Restart.
C) Done.

That's what I do and it always works.

Sound_Card · Oct 15, 2009, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acroig

That's what I do and it always works.

Yes, thats what I do too. Simple, easy, works.

I don't know... are installing drivers suppose to be trivial?

Exposed · Oct 15, 2009, 01:57 PM

If just updating vendor drivers, installing one on top of another is usually just good enough. That's what I've always done with Catalyst and Nvidia driver updates.

However, when going from ATI to Nvidia, or vice versa, then I recommend Driver Cleaner pro, to remove any remnants that might cause some potential issues. When I ran driver cleaner pro after switching from a 4870 to a GTX 275, it still found some ATI garbage hiding in the registry and leftover DLL's, not to mention Microsoft's own way of backing up last previously installed video drivers. No doubt I'll find similar GTX 275 wreckage after an upgrade to a 5870.

Kowan · Oct 15, 2009, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirate Neilsouth

Here is a good way to have a clean reinstall , update of a nvidia / ati driver with windows vista and or windows 7

Nvidia

Uninstall the driver
Boot to safemode
Use driver sweeper
Reboot back into normal windows
Run a reg cleaner ( CCleaner ) and install the new driver
Reboot

I've used that method and suggest that very same order.
It's what I've done since the old 8800 GTX days.

GanjaStar · Oct 15, 2009, 11:54 PM

i use driver cleaner.net instead of driver sweeper. 10 dolar lifetime sub. and i dont go into boot mode because the cleaning log is exactly the same, boot mode or not.

caveman-jim · Oct 16, 2009, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sound_Card

If you have to use safe mode and use driver cleaner then something else is terribly wrong. Thats just going over board.

To uninstall a catalyst driver,

A) open the catalyst uninstall utility.
B) Uninstall what you are replacing.
C) restart.
D) Install w/e.
E) restart.
F) Done.

Option B.

A) Install the cat driver on top of the existing cat driver.
B) Restart.
C) Done.

If you are not switching hardware vendors option b will work; however if you are using beta drivers or wanting to make a clean verifiable environment then you will want to remove lingering entries and files that get left behind (intentionally or not) by uninstallers.

BTW Neil, I've been posting that same method for a couple years now

Hapatingjaky · Oct 16, 2009, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GanjaStar

i use driver cleaner.net instead of driver sweeper. 10 dolar lifetime sub. and i dont go into boot mode because the cleaning log is exactly the same, boot mode or not.

I would love to see some sort of review between DriverCleaner.net and Driversweeper, see if one is better then the other.

I know I used to use DriverCleaner.net in the past back before I went Nvidia and was still using CrossFire 1950's. I hated when they went for payment trying to cash in when they were helping the community for free for so long...

Kinda left a bad taste in my mouth.

**Pirate Neilsouth** · Oct 16, 2009, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caveman-jim

BTW Neil, I've been posting that same method for a couple years now

Maybe a sticky? , saves people asking or wanting to know

caveman-jim · Oct 16, 2009, 11:31 AM

Nah, helps me keep my postcount up

**Pirate Neilsouth** · Oct 16, 2009, 11:42 AM

Atleast something stays up

acroig · Oct 16, 2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pirate Neilsouth

Atleast something stays up

Oct 15, 2009, 11:14 AM	#1	Advertisement (Guests Only) Login or Register to remove this ad
Pirate Neilsouth Pissed Pirate Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Somewhere on mars! Posts: 21,003	Nvidia , Ati Driver Clean Update Thread Here is a good way to have a clean reinstall , update of a nvidia / ati driver with windows vista and or windows 7 Nvidia Uninstall the driver Boot to safemode Use driver sweeper Reboot back into normal windows Run a reg cleaner ( CCleaner ) and install the new driver Reboot

Pirate Neilsouth's System Specs
Motherboard	ASRock Penryn1600SLI-110d
CPU	Q6600 @ 3030MHZ
Graphics	Palit GTX260(overclocked)
Memory	8GB @ 338MHZ
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Hard-Drives	Hitachi 500GB
Power Supply	Winpower 750Watt
Case	Thermaltake Soprano
Input Devices	Microsoft intellimouse optical , Logitech keyboard
Operating System	Windows 7

Pirate Neilsouth's System Specs
Motherboard	ASRock Penryn1600SLI-110d
CPU	Q6600 @ 3030MHZ
Graphics	Palit GTX260(overclocked)
Memory	8GB @ 338MHZ
Cooling Solution	Oem Cooler
Display	SyncMaster T240
Soundcard & Speakers	Creative XFI-GAMER
Hard-Drives	Hitachi 500GB
Power Supply	Winpower 750Watt
Case	Thermaltake Soprano
Input Devices	Microsoft intellimouse optical , Logitech keyboard
Operating System	Windows 7

Sound_Card's System Specs
Motherboard	DFI LanParty DK-TR2 x38
CPU	Intel Core2 Q9300 @ 3.0ghz
Graphics	Sapphire Toxic HD 4850
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Cooling Solution	Zalman 9700LED
Display	Hanns G 21.6" HDMI
Soundcard & Speakers	AuzenTech X-Mystique & Sony audio control center 2.0
Hard-Drives	Seagate Barracuda 250gb 16mb SATA II
Optical Drives	Samsung DVD/CD-ROM
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Hapatingjaky's System Specs
Motherboard	EVGA X58 SLI
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Display	BenQ FP241VW
Soundcard & Speakers	Onboard POS
Hard-Drives	OCZ Vertex 120GB Raid 0
Optical Drives	Samsung True Direct External DVDRW
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Case	Thermaltake Spedo Advance
Input Devices	Logitech G9 & G15 Rev 2
Operating System	Windows 7 Ultimate X64

Oct 15, 2009, 11:16 AM	#2
Pirate Neilsouth Pissed Pirate Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Somewhere on mars! Posts: 21,003	Thanks to Hapatingjaky for the tip... It's what i usually do aswell , but i thought it would be good for people who have just gone over to windows 7 / vista and want to know of a clean way to update/reinstall a driver. Anyone got a tip for Ati users ? , ill add that to my first post

acroig's System Specs
Motherboard	Gigabyte EX58-UD3R
CPU	Intel i7 920 D0 @ 3.8 with Turbo
Graphics	EVGA 280 GTX @ 675-1350-2200
Memory	OCZ 6GB PC3-12800+ (DDR3-1600+) 8-8-8-24
Cooling Solution	Scythe Mugen 2
Display	Hannspree 25" HF-259HPB LCD 1920x1080
Soundcard & Speakers	Realtek HD with Logitech 5.1
Hard-Drives	Samsung 1TB SATA2
Optical Drives	LG DVD-RW
Power Supply	Antec TruePower Quattro 850
Case	Cooler Master 932 HAF
Input Devices	Logitech G15 & G5
Operating System	Win XP SP3 & Vista Ultimate 64 SP2

Oct 15, 2009, 01:57 PM	#7
Exposed Radeon HD 4870 X2 Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 566	If just updating vendor drivers, installing one on top of another is usually just good enough. That's what I've always done with Catalyst and Nvidia driver updates. However, when going from ATI to Nvidia, or vice versa, then I recommend Driver Cleaner pro, to remove any remnants that might cause some potential issues. When I ran driver cleaner pro after switching from a 4870 to a GTX 275, it still found some ATI garbage hiding in the registry and leftover DLL's, not to mention Microsoft's own way of backing up last previously installed video drivers. No doubt I'll find similar GTX 275 wreckage after an upgrade to a 5870. __________________ In the beginning... 3DFX Voodoo (4MB) --> Voodoo 2 (8MB) --> S3 Savage3D (32MB) --> Geforce256 DDR (32MB) --> Geforce2 Ultra (64MB) --> Geforce 3 (64MB) --> Radeon 9800 Pro (128MB) --> Geforce 6800 (128MB) --> BFG Geforce 6800GT OC (256MB) --> BFG Geforce 7800GT OC (256MB) --> Radeon X1900 XTX (512MB) --> eVGA Geforce 8800GT (512MB) --> VisionTek Radeon HD4870 (512MB) --> PNY GTX 275 (896MB) --> MSI Radeon HD5870 (1GB) In the now... Desktop - Core 2 Quad 9400 2.66Ghz, 4GB G.Skill DDR2 1000Mhz, MSI Radeon HD5870, Vista Ultimate 64-bit, IZ3D monitor Laptop 1 - Gateway M Series, 14", AMD Athlon X2 2.0Ghz, Integrated ATI X1270 graphics, 3GB memory, Windows 7 RC Laptop 2 - ASUS G51, 15.6", Core 2 Duo 2.0Ghz, 4GB Memory, 1GB GTX 260M (hell yeah!), Windows Vista 64-bit

Kowan's System Specs
Motherboard	EVGA X58 TRI-SLI
CPU	i7 920 D0 Batch 3849A914
Graphics	EVGA Tri-SLI'd GTX285s
Memory	Corsair DDR3 1600 6GB 3x2
Cooling Solution	ThermalRight Ultra-120 Extreme
Display	Dell 3008WFP/Dell 2407WFP
Soundcard & Speakers	8 Channel Audio/Logitech Z-5500 5.1
Hard-Drives	2 WD VelociRaptor 300GB \| WD Caviar Black 1TB
Optical Drives	Sony NEC Optiarc/ASUS Black 16X DVD-ROM both SATA
Power Supply	Thermaltake W0133 1200w
Case	Antec 1200
Input Devices	Logitech G15/G5
Operating System	Vista 64bit Ultimate
Extra Info	HP DV9750us Vista 32 bit laptop

Oct 15, 2009, 11:54 PM	#9
GanjaStar Only human Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Strawberry Fields Posts: 5,328	i use driver cleaner.net instead of driver sweeper. 10 dolar lifetime sub. and i dont go into boot mode because the cleaning log is exactly the same, boot mode or not. __________________ I bought MW 2. I'm a contard and I kill PC gaming.

GanjaStar's System Specs
Motherboard	GA-P35-DS3L
CPU	Q95550 4.0ghz, 1.312V, 9x475
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Cooling Solution	OCZ Vendetta 2
Display	ViewSonic VX2262wm 22" 1680x1050
Soundcard & Speakers	X-Fi gamer edition
Hard-Drives	2x150gb raptors 10000rpm,wd caviar 150
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Case	homemade
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caveman-jim's System Specs
Motherboard	ASUS® P5Q-E
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Optical Drives	None
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Operating System	Microsoft Windows® 7 x64
Extra Info	trying to downsize

Oct 16, 2009, 11:31 AM	#13
caveman-jim Rage3D Technical Writer Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 29,060	Nah, helps me keep my postcount up

Oct 16, 2009, 11:42 AM	#14
Pirate Neilsouth Pissed Pirate Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Somewhere on mars! Posts: 21,003	Atleast something stays up

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