All the new drivers provide for a CLEAN install (select custom) which deletes all remnants of the old driver. IMHO, one should run something like DDU if the have never run it. Then with the new drivers, just keep doing the clean install.

 

Never had a problem

All the new drivers provide for a CLEAN install (select custom) which deletes all remnants of the old driver. IMHO, one should run something like DDU if the have never run it. Then with the new drivers, just keep doing the clean install.

 

Never had a problem

Two things, are you saying that the driver you get from Nvidia allows for a clean install when you select custom? And did you mean to say one should "not" run DDU?

Two things, are you saying that the driver you get from Nvidia allows for a clean install when you select custom? And did you mean to say one should "not" run DDU?

I think he ment to say if you never ran a clean install that you should run DDU. Then when installing nvidia drivers from then on use nvidia clean install. No need to use DDU after that.

All the new drivers provide for a CLEAN install (select custom) which deletes all remnants of the old driver. IMHO, one should run something like DDU if the have never run it. Then with the new drivers, just keep doing the clean install.Never had a problem

I agree with Vic. Since completing this build last year (see specs below) I have used GeForce Experience to update these drivers and always choose the clean install option. This is, by far, the simplest way to accomplish a consistent and reliable installation and, like others, have never encountered any issues. I have never used DDU (although a copy is archived just in case) and my experience to date strongly suggests that this will likely continue to be my position. NVIDIA appear to have perfected their uninstaller routines prior to performing a fresh clean driver installation.

 

Not sure how thorough CCleaner is, but I run it periodically and never see any GPU driver related stuff.

 

Mike

The following are the steps that I follow and they work all the time, I hope they help you too:

 

1. Download the the driver from Nvidia web page for the OS installed on your box

2. Go to GURU 3D and download DDU Display Driver Uninstaller

3.  If you are using Nvidia control panel to handle your AA and Sync and other setting write them down

4. Run DDU and select Safe Boot and full uninstall to fully clean and remove old video drivers.

5. Login in safe mode and DDU will run automatically, reboot and login with normal windows.

6. Run the driver install from Nvidia and make sure you select clean and full install.

7. Reboot, login again and then go to nvidia control panel to enter the settings that work for you.

 

and that's it.

 

Borderline

 

And what happens with your method, if the new driver causes problems or isn't as good as the one you replaced, which has happened to simmers more than a few times? You can't roll back to your previous driver using your method. 

I'm not a fan of these "good driver - bad driver" discussions, as they're mostly related to (demanding AA + other) settings in Nvidia control center, which will be resetted when a new driver is being installed.

So forget about this, it's nearly always wasted time - but it can for sure help to improve peformance

 

So forget about this, it's nearly always wasted time - but it can for sure help to improve peformance

 

Do I detect a contradiction? As for reinstating settings, it's but a few minutes work if you keep a record.

 

Mike

DDU is very god , but Its ok to update drivers with nvidia installer or what ever.

DDU is most useful when you get problem with the driver or going to flash the gpu with a new bios.

Second if you have for ex 368.22 and a nvidia 970 and have a new 980ti no need to uminstall the driver if Its the driver you plan to use with the new card.

Wy do things more complicated then needed

And what happens with your method, if the new driver causes problems or isn't as good as the one you replaced, which has happened to simmers more than a few times? You can't roll back to your previous driver using your method. 

 

That's not true. I used it and I can always roll back in case is needed.

Cheers,

Ed

All the new drivers provide for a CLEAN install (select custom) which deletes all remnants of the old driver. IMHO, one should run something like DDU if the have never run it. Then with the new drivers, just keep doing the clean install.

 

Never had a problem

 

My experience shows that the custom install you mention is not as reliable as cleaning with an utility like DDU. DDU for example allows you to install the new driver like it was installed after a Windows reinstall, i.e., for the first time.

Cheers, Ed

The following are the steps that I follow and they work all the time, I hope they help you too:

 

1. Download the the driver from Nvidia web page for the OS installed on your box

2. Go to GURU 3D and download DDU Display Driver Uninstaller

3.  If you are using Nvidia control panel to handle your AA and Sync and other setting write them down

4. Run DDU and select Safe Boot and full uninstall to fully clean and remove old video drivers.

5. Login in safe mode and DDU will run automatically, reboot and login with normal windows.

6. Run the driver install from Nvidia and make sure you select clean and full install.

7. Reboot, login again and then go to nvidia control panel to enter the settings that work for you.

 

and that's it.

 

Borderline

 

This is exactly the method I use and I'm always getting excellent results.

Cheers, Ed

Hi Ed,

 

http://www.nvidia.co.uk/object/driver_rollback.html

 

Fortunately, to date I haven't felt the need to roll back to a previous driver set. Perhaps I have been lucky - I tend not to update until the consensus view seems favourable. We should all be grateful for early adopters.

 

And, for the sake of some balance in this conversation, my earlier post stated that I have always installed using the GeForce Experience front-end and I too am always getting excellent results :wink:

 

I do believe Vic's earlier declared wisdom is the one we should all consider following. If you've been in the habit of updating over earlier drivers, and have survived unscathed thus far, then simply continue or perhaps now is the time to consider using DDU at least once to restore that virgin environment before installing CLEAN thereafter using the NVIDIA driver installer. Employing DDU each and every time is just overkill and unnecessary IMHO, but please feel free to ignore me.

 

Regards,

Mike 

Hi Ed,

 

http://www.nvidia.co.uk/object/driver_rollback.html

 

And, for the sake of some balance in this conversation, my earlier post stated that I have always installed using the GeForce Experience front-end and I too am always getting excellent results :wink:

 

I do believe Vic's earlier declared wisdom is the one we should all consider following. If you've been in the habit of updating over earlier drivers and have survived unscathed thus far then perhaps now is the time to consider using DDU at least once to restore that virgin environment before installing CLEAN using the NVIDIA driver installer thereafter. Employing DDU each and every time is just overkill and unnecessary IMHO, but please feel free to ignore me.

 

Regards,

Mike 

 

Welcome, Mike.

When I was referring to rolling back I was -mistakenly, in some way- thinking about the importance of not deleting the NVidia folder into your C: drive, which contains all the previous NVidia driver versions installed on your computer, thus allowing you to go back if something goes wrong.

I personally (and this is my preference only) does not like using those "rollback automated procedures", that I think long term produces bad results, but as I said, is a matter of personal preference. I agree with you that probably DDU is not needed at each driver update, but who can tell how frequent it is good to be used?.

Cheers, Ed

 

 

When I was referring to rolling back I was -mistakenly, in some way- thinking about the importance of not deleting the NVidia folder into your C: drive, which contains all the previous NVidia driver versions installed on your computer, thus allowing you to go back if something goes wrong.

 

Hi Ed,

 

Good point, I hadn't considered that, but I do tend to delete redundant stuff as I go along. Routine disk imaged backups take care of any possible rash moves on my part, at least in theory - haven't had to test that as yet! However, it's always reassuring to have an escape route.. LOL!

 

This is a bit of an eye opener:

http://www.gameplayinside.com/optimize/cleaning-up-old-nvidia-driver-files-to-save-disk-space/

 

Regards,

Mike

Hi Ed,

 

Good point, I hadn't considered that, but I do tend to delete redundant stuff as I go along. Routine disk imaged backups take care of any possible rash moves on my part, at least in theory - haven't had to test that as yet! However, it's always reassuring to have an escape route.. LOL!

 

This is a bit of an eye opener:

http://www.gameplayinside.com/optimize/cleaning-up-old-nvidia-driver-files-to-save-disk-space/

 

Regards,

Mike

 

Hi Mike:

You're right, thanks for submitting the article. I have a SSD too and the article said, each MB counts!!!. I had almost a dozen driver files in my C: drive (under NVidia folder) and was about to delete at least half of them, but read a post I don't remember where (think it was at AirDailyX), and went back a year ago and re-installed the old 353.30 (which was the oldest one in that folder), mainly because they stated that driver produced an excellent in-cloud fly behavior.

Very interesting article indeed, and again thank you so much!. Didn't know such capability of the NVidia GeForce Experience!.

Cheers, Ed

 

 

That's not true. I used it and I can always roll back in case is needed.
Cheers,
Ed

 

How can you roll it back when you use driver cleaner which totally wipes every bit of your current driver off your harddrive? 

I would imagine a System Restore would do the trick.

 

Cheers!
 

Luke