A guide for uninstalling drivers (Nvidia)

[Doughnutnator]

Hi! I want to share this guide that I found in overclock.net (original here: http://www.overclock.net/t/1150443/how-to-remove-your-nvidia-gpu-drivers) Because this is the only thing that worked for me.

 

I was having random stutters and inconsistent GPU Load in a lot of games. I installed 344.48, went back to 344.11 but nothing helped.

That guide helped.

 

If you're too lazy to click the link I will quote it here, but I will add some things that I consider important (anyways you're not forced to do what I suggest), the things I added are in italic and underlined, so you decide if you do that steps or not:

 

Remeber: READ EVERYTHING BEFORE DOING SOMETHING.

 

 

 

Remove Drivers:

1. Access Add/Remove Programs via the Windows Control Panel

2. Uninstall any GPU Monitoring/Overclocking Software (MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner Statistics Server, EVGA PrecisionX) And select "NO" when it asks you to keep your configuration (you want a clean system), reboot every time you uninstall a program (if you uninstall Afterburner, reboot, then uninstall RTSS and so, this is for safety)

3. Remove Any Nvidia Associated Software (like in step 2., reboot after you uninstalled a program, and uninstall one program at a time, I suggest you to be the Driver the last thing you uninstall).

4. Reboot after the uninstall process has completed

Remove left over files/folders:

1. Access Folder Options from Windows Control Panel

2. Click the view tab and select “Show hidden files/ folders and drives (Apply Settings)

3. Access Drive “C” (Or wherever your OS is installed)

4. Delete the folder named “NVIDIA”

5. Go to “Program Files” and delete all NVIDIA associated folders

6. Go to “Program Files (x86)” and delete all NVIDIA associated folders

7. Go to “ProgramData” and delete all NVIDIA associated folders

8. Go to “Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local” and delete all NVIDIA associated folders

9. Go to “Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming” and delete all NVIDIA associated folders

10. Just in case, reboot, it wont hurt.

Remove left over registry entries:

1. Access ‘Regedit’ (This can be found in Administrative Tools or by Windows Search)
Please Note: We will be using the left side panel within ‘regedit’ during this tutorial

2. Click “HKEY_CURRENT_USER” and extend the folder

3. Click “Software” and extend the folder

4. Delete NVIDIA associated folders

5. Click “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE” and extend the folder

6. Click “SOFTWARE” and extend the folder

7. Delete NVIDIA associated folders

8. Click “Wow6432Node” and extend the folder

9. Delete NVIDIA associated folders

10. Click “HKEY_USERS” and extend the folder

11. Click “.DEFAULT” and extend the folder

12. Click “Software” and extend the folder

13. Delete NVIDIA associated folders

14. Click “S-1-5-18” and extend the folder

15. Click “Software” and extend the folder

16. Delete NVIDIA associated folders

17. Feel free to check the remaining “S-1-5” / “Software” folders for NVIDIA folders (and remove them)

18. Close ‘regedit’ and empty your recycle bin, followed by a reboot


Installing the new Driver! (the next steps are suggestions by me, they're not taken from the original guide, so follow them if you want, it worked for me)

1. Download your drivers (don't install them yet).

2. Boot into safe mode, and install JUST THE DRIVER, uncheck 3D Vision, GeForce Experience, HD Audio, PhysX, everything, just leave the Driver. (You can install 3D Vision, PhysX, GF Experience and the HD Audio later). Also, check the "Clean Install" option, just in case, it's for safety, it won't hurt.

3. Boot normaly, check if everything is all right and then install all your stuff

Just as the guy in the guide, do this at your own risk. I'm not going to be responsible if you threw marshmallows to the GPU while installing the Driver and you ended up killing your loved card, or if you have bad luck and your computer ended up hating you. Like I said do this at your own risk.

 

You may say: "Wow, this guy is just plain stupid, it's better to use a Driver Sweeper".

 

I wouldn't use it, for safety, that kind of software (like CCleaner) can delete important system files (check this: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-performance/is-ccleaner-safe-to-useplz-be-brief/8c156909-d7f8-4605-af75-4cd60e46a2f5 ). With this guide you're only deleting Nvidia stuff in the registry, nothing else.

 

I hope it helps. If you don't trust me, check the original guide, he has a lot of positive feedback (including me).

 

As far as I know, it should also work if you want to change from Nvidia to AMD, this basically deletes any trace of the driver.

 

 

[NeCoNLive]

Format C takes 15min for me!!! Wins every time!!

[Jdogbf]

thanks for this! I will be doing this soon.

[Doughnutnator]

Format C takes 15min for me!!! Wins every time!!

Haha This is useful if you can't format or make a backup of everything.

Also installing updates again is a PITA

[meritmaster]

Haha This is useful if you can't format or make a backup of everything.

Also installing updates again is a PITA

2. Uninstall any GPU Monitoring/Overclocking Software (MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner Statistics Server, EVGA PrecisionX) And select "NO" when it asks you to keep your configuration (you want a clean system), reboot every time you uninstall a program (if you uninstall Afterburner, reboot, then uninstall RTSS and so, this is for safety)

Would this damage your computer?

[Doughnutnator]

2. Uninstall any GPU Monitoring/Overclocking Software (MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner Statistics Server, EVGA PrecisionX) And select "NO" when it asks you to keep your configuration (you want a clean system), reboot every time you uninstall a program (if you uninstall Afterburner, reboot, then uninstall RTSS and so, this is for safety)

Would this damage your computer?

I don't think it's possible, is an optional step, so you leave a clean system, that's it. If you don't want to uninstall your programs it's ok, I don't think that it can affect the driver cleaning process, I do it so I don't leave any traces of my GPU.