nVidia driver info--steps also apply to AMD/ATI
Jan 16, 2012 8:25:33 GMT
Post by CharlieChomper on Jan 16, 2012 8:25:33 GMT
***For any AMD/ATI card owners, the block of information does not apply to you--just the steps involving in removing/upgrading the driver to avoid any potential issues (and, obviously, substitute AMD for nVidia). For any nVidia card owners, please read on:
This actually involves something that isn't "new" per se, but I was just reminded of it while helping someone in my real life with a problem related to this and felt it was important enough to post it here for anyone with a nVidia card (please note that this does not include laptops with nVidia chipsets, as the drivers for them should be coming from the laptop manufacturer with the directions involved sometimes varying).
That said, as of the 28x-series drivers (released in 2009), nVidia underwent major changes in their handling of drivers--especially with respect to Windows.
To sum it up, some "old tricks" that used to be applicable to their drivers not only no longer apply, but can actually make matters worse.
For example, it used to be possible to "roll back" drivers through certain versions of Windows (as of XP). Doing so now, can actually result in corrupting the driver or serious issues with Windows (and any applications that require/make use of the driver). System restores involving drivers should also be avoided for the same reasons.
Related to that, it's never advisable now to try and uninstall/remove the driver other than doing so through add/remove panel as doing so can cause the same results as trying to "roll back" the driver or doing a system restore.
Also, another thing that can trigger this problem is actually having Windows do automatic updates to the display driver (video/graphics card). Instead, you may want to consider turning on the option to display any updates before you consider installing them to avoid it.
Also, in the past it used to be the case of where updating the driver meant the installer did all the work in removing the old driver (and was not recommended even before this driver set release)--this is also no longer the case and not only will still leave the older driver(s) in place and all the files, but both makes it very difficult to remove the old driver and can potentially cause problems (including with instability).
If anyone has or is using nVidia's PhysX technology, it also will not let you (nor should you) install any software specifically related to it in Safe Mode as it can potentially result in problems with the driver (this was done deliberately as the idea of installing a hardware driver in Safe Mode is supposed to be a "last resort" type of situation with the idea of keeping things as simple as possible in order to get things working correctly in "normal" mode or for troubleshooting purposes).
Microsoft actually had released a few notices and bulletins about this issue (acknowledging their role in it) in the past and has even advised what nVidia is now advising concerning their drivers.
If updating or removing an old driver (such as in the case of upgrading from one card to another):
1. Go into the control panel and click on the add/remove option and select nVidia's graphic/video card driver (if you're also using a nVidia motherboard chipset, leave the motherboard chipset alone--a motherboard chipset may typically appear as "nForce").
2. Reboot. This has actually been necessary going back to many, many years before this driver's release (and applicable to any hardware driver really regardless of what version of Windows has been involved--the first time I can remember seeing this was I think Windows 95 and it still applies even to the latest version of Windows)--yet a step that some out there sometimes won't go through. It's also a good habit to get into with just any software period. What it does is basically allow the registry to clear out any affected keys or avoid any potential registry-related issues when it comes time to install (or in some cases, reinstall) something.
3. Obviously, the next step should be (after disabling anti-virus and any unnecessary background tasks) to install the new driver.
*Edited to remove a possible step that may cause problems unless you know exactly what you're looking at and doing.
This actually involves something that isn't "new" per se, but I was just reminded of it while helping someone in my real life with a problem related to this and felt it was important enough to post it here for anyone with a nVidia card (please note that this does not include laptops with nVidia chipsets, as the drivers for them should be coming from the laptop manufacturer with the directions involved sometimes varying).
That said, as of the 28x-series drivers (released in 2009), nVidia underwent major changes in their handling of drivers--especially with respect to Windows.
To sum it up, some "old tricks" that used to be applicable to their drivers not only no longer apply, but can actually make matters worse.
For example, it used to be possible to "roll back" drivers through certain versions of Windows (as of XP). Doing so now, can actually result in corrupting the driver or serious issues with Windows (and any applications that require/make use of the driver). System restores involving drivers should also be avoided for the same reasons.
Related to that, it's never advisable now to try and uninstall/remove the driver other than doing so through add/remove panel as doing so can cause the same results as trying to "roll back" the driver or doing a system restore.
Also, another thing that can trigger this problem is actually having Windows do automatic updates to the display driver (video/graphics card). Instead, you may want to consider turning on the option to display any updates before you consider installing them to avoid it.
Also, in the past it used to be the case of where updating the driver meant the installer did all the work in removing the old driver (and was not recommended even before this driver set release)--this is also no longer the case and not only will still leave the older driver(s) in place and all the files, but both makes it very difficult to remove the old driver and can potentially cause problems (including with instability).
If anyone has or is using nVidia's PhysX technology, it also will not let you (nor should you) install any software specifically related to it in Safe Mode as it can potentially result in problems with the driver (this was done deliberately as the idea of installing a hardware driver in Safe Mode is supposed to be a "last resort" type of situation with the idea of keeping things as simple as possible in order to get things working correctly in "normal" mode or for troubleshooting purposes).
Microsoft actually had released a few notices and bulletins about this issue (acknowledging their role in it) in the past and has even advised what nVidia is now advising concerning their drivers.
If updating or removing an old driver (such as in the case of upgrading from one card to another):
1. Go into the control panel and click on the add/remove option and select nVidia's graphic/video card driver (if you're also using a nVidia motherboard chipset, leave the motherboard chipset alone--a motherboard chipset may typically appear as "nForce").
2. Reboot. This has actually been necessary going back to many, many years before this driver's release (and applicable to any hardware driver really regardless of what version of Windows has been involved--the first time I can remember seeing this was I think Windows 95 and it still applies even to the latest version of Windows)--yet a step that some out there sometimes won't go through. It's also a good habit to get into with just any software period. What it does is basically allow the registry to clear out any affected keys or avoid any potential registry-related issues when it comes time to install (or in some cases, reinstall) something.
3. Obviously, the next step should be (after disabling anti-virus and any unnecessary background tasks) to install the new driver.
*Edited to remove a possible step that may cause problems unless you know exactly what you're looking at and doing.
