Back Asking for Basic Computer Advice :P

[Nonsense667]

So, ps2 beta is being wonky and crashing my display driver whenever I'm at the map, so I figure it's time to update my evga 550ti's drivers. First time doing it with the nvidea stuff, and I'm a little weirded out. There are SIX things installed by the first (301.41) driver I downloaded when I got the card:

NVIDEA:

HD Audio Driver 1.3.16.0,

Update 1.8.15,

PhysX System Software 9.12.0213,

3D Vision Controller Driver 301.42,

Graphics Driver 301.42,

3D Vision Driver 301.42

So, do I uninstall all of these? Or just the graphics driver? Or will uninstalling the graphics driver automatically uninstall the rest? Or should I be doing this from somewhere other than the programs and features menu?

Thanks in advance for the help.

And yeah, so I already have the 306.97 driver downloaded from the evga site. Uninstall the stuff, restart, then install the new one right? Just wanna make damn sure I have the procedure correct.

[gregathit]

Personally, all I do is just run the new driver exe and then select the "clean" installation choice. You do loose any personal settings but few people actually set or use those. I have never had any issues doing this. I have an evga 560ti.

If that gives you any trouble at all then you can go the more thorough route of uninstalling and running a resgistry\driver cleaner and then installing the new driver.

[The DarkSlayer]

You can try using Driver Sweeper.

It fixed my drivers from crashing when I changed my Nvidia card with an ATI one.

Here's the DL link and instructions on how to use it:
/>http://www.guru3d.com/content_page/guru3d_driver_sweeper.html

[Nonsense667]

So my options are either go one way and do the whole sweep thing, or go the other way and not do a damn thing, and just install the new driver over the old, selecting "clean" installation. Humm, maybe it's different for the radeons which I used to have, was told to ALWAYS uninstall the old drivers or there would BE HELL TO PAY.

By the way Greg, have you been given the title of official tech guru of LL yet?

[gregathit]

So my options are either go one way and do the whole sweep thing' date=' or go the other way and not do a damn thing, and just install the new driver over the old, selecting "clean" installation. Humm, maybe it's different for the radeons which I used to have, was told to ALWAYS uninstall the old drivers or there would BE HELL TO PAY.

By the way Greg, have you been given the title of official tech guru of LL yet?

[/quote']

ATI, must be odd, as I have always just installed the new drivers for my geforce cards and used the built in clean installation (which does delete the previous drivers) and never had a single issue.

As I said previously, there is no harm trying it my way and if you experience any oddities then go the other route. I just updated my evga drivers recently and I have not had any issues so.....

As to me being a tech guru....not even close! I know a little about a lot, but not a lot about any one thing... There are tons of folks here that have far greater knowledge than I. That is one of the many reasons I like this site! I seem to pick some new tidbit of knowledge up almost every day.

[Sarnaath]

So' date=' ps2 beta is being wonky and crashing my display driver whenever I'm at the map, so I figure it's time to update my evga 550ti's drivers. First time doing it with the nvidea stuff, and I'm a little weirded out. There are SIX things installed by the first (301.41) driver I downloaded when I got the card:

NVIDEA:

HD Audio Driver 1.3.16.0,

Update 1.8.15,

PhysX System Software 9.12.0213,

3D Vision Controller Driver 301.42,

Graphics Driver 301.42,

3D Vision Driver 301.42

So, do I uninstall all of these? Or just the graphics driver? Or will uninstalling the graphics driver automatically uninstall the rest? Or should I be doing this from somewhere other than the programs and features menu?

Thanks in advance for the help.

And yeah, so I already have the 306.97 driver downloaded from the evga site. Uninstall the stuff, restart, then install the new one right? Just wanna make damn sure I have the procedure correct.

[/quote']

I have a 560Ti (and before that 2 x 8800GTXs in SLI), possibly from EVGA too, but I don't remember. I get driver updates directly from Nvidia. Pre-Win7 you had to uninstall everything via Program Features, reboot, the install new drivers, reboot again. But now that doesn't seem necessary anymore. I just run the new driver installer and let Nvidia do whatever it wants. Usually I have it do a clean install, but since getting back into Oblivion I save my settings. I usually don't even have to reboot after installing. I haven't had a Radeon in many years, so have no idea about them anymore.

I've read that the HD Audio Driver is only for piping audio out the HDMI cable. I do uninstall that via Program and Features since I use on board sound to speakers (at least with the new MB, used to use XFire) and don't use the HMDI connection. Also, you don't need the 3D Vision stuff unless you actually run 3D (monitor and whatever else is necessary). I also uninstall those. Finally, Update is what adds the extra user account some people dislike to check for driver updates . I uninstall that too. I only keep the Graphics Driver and the PhysX drivers. Haven't done any rigorous testing to tell if uninstalling this improves performance, but such claims are made if you look.

[gregathit]

Be very careful about getting driver updates from the Nvidia site! It is recommended to get them instead from your card manufacturer. There have been quite a few cases of folks grabbing the Nvidia updates and frying their cards. I am not talking about use the beta drivers either. EVGA does independent testing before pushing out their version of the update and with their versions you still maintain all warranty rights.

Now if your card does not have separate drivers and does send you to the Nvidia site then obviously ignore this.

[Sarnaath]

Really? I've had Nvidia cards for.....well, my current computer I built in Sept, and before that was the 2x8800GTX computer which I built in 2007, and before that...I honestly don't remember if I built that with Nivida or ATI. But I haven't relied on OEM drivers since the days of Nivida Riva TNT/2. (This is a desktop, laptops are a whole different story.)

As for warranty rights, you've got a point there. I've never worried about that and probably break the warranty by replacing the stock heatsink/fan with a quieter one or go with water cooling the card(s), which I've done for the past few computers I've built. Gave up on water cooling with the current build though, too much of a hassle.

[deathparade]

HD Audio Driver 1.3.16.0' date='

Update 1.8.15,

PhysX System Software 9.12.0213,

3D Vision Controller Driver 301.42,

Graphics Driver 301.42,

3D Vision Driver 301.42

[/quote']

Get the program "Driver Cleaner" (put that on your desktop)

Delete ALL NVIDIA Drivers

Boot in Safe mode (restart and press F8 or something before windows loading... should be easy to google)

Run Driver Cleaner to remove any remaining crap from NVIDIA

Reboot back to normal Windows and reinstall those drivers

Extra step:

Feel cool about yourself

Just one of those methods