How to completely remove and reinstall graphics drivers (AMD, NVIDIA & Intel)

spirit

Moderator
Staff member
How to completely remove and reinstall graphics drivers (AMD, NVIDIA & Intel)


1 - Download Display Driver Uninstaller (wait for a few seconds for the file to automatically download).


2 - Download display drivers for your card from the following links: AMD | NVIDIA | Intel


3 - Recommended for Windows 10 users (Windows 8.1 and prior users can stick this step and move onto 4): Download and install Windows 10 Update KB3073930 directly from Microsoft. This update allows you to hide select Windows Updates, thus preventing them from installing. Some updates (usually graphics drivers from Windows Update) can affect system stability so to prevent Windows Update automatically updating your graphics drivers install this update. You should always update your graphics drivers using the appropriate AMD, NVIDIA or Intel software, not Windows Update. You can read the Microsoft Knowledge Base article about this update here.


4 - Disconnect from the internet (remove your Ethernet cable, disconnect from your Wi-Fi network or temporarily disable your internet adapter).


5 - Once you have downloaded DDU and your drivers and you're offline, reboot your PC into Safe Mode.

Windows 7 and prior: Hit F8 when Windows is booting and select Safe Mode when prompted.

Windows 8, 8.1 and 10:

- Type advanced when you are on the Start Screen (Windows 8 and 8.1) or type advanced into the Search Bar on the taskbar (Windows 10) and then click Change Advanced Start-up Options.

- Select Restart Now under Advanced start-up.

- Press Troubleshoot.

- Press Advanced Options.

- Press Start-up settings and then press Restart.

- Upon Windows rebooting, press 4 to enter Safe Mode.


6 - Run Display Driver Uninstaller. This will proceed to completely remove your display drivers and all associated software.

If you are removing AMD or NVIDIA drivers, check Remove C:\AMD and or C:\NVIDIA folders.

If you are removing NVIDIA drivers, also check Remove 3DTV Play and Remove PhysX.


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- To completely REMOVE your drivers (for reinstallation) select Clean and Restart.

- To completely REMOVE your drivers (for installing new graphics drivers for another card) select Clean and Shutdown. Once the drivers have been removed and your computer has been shut down, you would remove the old graphics card, install the new one and then move onto step 7.


You don't need to boot back into Safe Mode once DDU has removed your drivers.


7 - Install your new drivers once you have rebooted. The reason I recommend disconnecting from the internet is so that Windows Update doesn't try and download new drivers for you.


8 - Reboot after installing drivers. Connect back to the internet.


Hopefully you are now good to go!
 
Last edited:

Okedokey

Well-Known Member
Hi mate, good review, I would suggest there is no need to use safe mode. Simply uninstall all nvidia/amd drivers via THEIR uninstallers, then restart, run DDU and restart.
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
Hi mate, good review, I would suggest there is no need to use safe mode. Simply uninstall all nvidia/amd drivers via THEIR uninstallers, then restart, run DDU and restart.

I was curious if safe mode was needed. Why do you suggest using the built in uninstallers? DDU has it built in and seems to work just fine in my experience.
 

Okedokey

Well-Known Member
I prefer to use the standard uninstaller and then run DDU to remove any garbage left over in safe mode. Some stuff will be active potentially - in safe mode this is not the case.
 

Shlouski

VIP Member
I updated to the latest drivers on my R9 270 and blue screens all over the place, thanks AMD, at least their consistent :D. I went back to the older drivers and still got blue screens, I then used DDU to remove all the drivers and re-install the older drivers that were working, but still got blue screens. I took the lazy route and just re-installed windows and the old drivers, now its working fine again, it seems not even DDU can find everything all of the time, but it usually works well.
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
It was probably something beyond drivers that was causing your problems if a fresh OS install fixed it.
 

Shlouski

VIP Member
It was probably something beyond drivers that was causing your problems if a fresh OS install fixed it.

I know for 100% sure the drivers caused the problem, why and how I don't know. The system has two OS's and the drivers effected both installations it the same way. The first time I re-installed windows on one of the drives, I tried installing the new drivers again from start instead of updating them, after restarting it blue screen and continued to every time within a minute of getting into windows. I again removed the new drivers with DDU and install the old ones, it continued to constantly blue screen. After re-installing windows again, I installed the old drivers and its working perfectly again, the same for the other drive.
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
why and how I don't know.
Try not using DDU and just use the standard uninstallers.

I've never had issues swapping between brands by just uninstalling the software suite, installing the new GPU and installing the new software suite.
 

Okedokey

Well-Known Member
you may not have had problems, but there is always remnants of drivers left over that DDU removes.
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
Try not using DDU and just use the standard uninstallers.

I've never had issues swapping between brands by just uninstalling the software suite, installing the new GPU and installing the new software suite.

Or you're me and replace an Nvidia GPU with an AMD GPU and don't even think about drivers until you've got it powered back up... :D DDU saved the day then.
 

spirit

Moderator
Staff member
I know for 100% sure the drivers caused the problem, why and how I don't know. The system has two OS's and the drivers effected both installations it the same way. The first time I re-installed windows on one of the drives, I tried installing the new drivers again from start instead of updating them, after restarting it blue screen and continued to every time within a minute of getting into windows. I again removed the new drivers with DDU and install the old ones, it continued to constantly blue screen. After re-installing windows again, I installed the old drivers and its working perfectly again, the same for the other drive.
May have been something on your Windows installation that was conflicting with your drivers.

Updated the guide to include a link to the Window Update for Windows 10 which prevents Windows from automatically downloading drivers from Windows Update - that caused real issues for both AMD and NVIDIA users back in July and August when Windows 10 was new. I remember it, it bricked my OS!
 

RujoKinJal

Member
I currently am running a GTX 560 Ti & have purchased a GTX 1070.
Will i have to completely uninstall my drivers and reinstall everything?
Or is it just a safety measure?
 

Intel_man

VIP Member
I currently am running a GTX 560 Ti & have purchased a GTX 1070.
Will i have to completely uninstall my drivers and reinstall everything?
Or is it just a safety measure?
I would uninstall drivers before powering down to swap cards.

I even had to reset my cmos to get it to boot the first time I changed the card in.
 
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