Tips: How To Remove And Re-install Video Card Drivers?

[FReakMaster]

Question:

I need to update or remove my video card drivers, but of course, they will need to be reinstalled. What are the steps for this?

Notes:

* These steps below may not be exact, depending on what video card you have. Becuase I use NVIDIA, I will be showing instructions for a NVIDIA card. Because I will be using Windows XP, I will be writing about Windows XP as well.

* By this time, I hope you have downloaded (but obviously not installed) the new drivers for your card from your card manufacturer's website. Do not continue with these steps until your new drivers are downloaded.

* When downloading/installing drivers, you MUST:

Turn off any download accelerators
While installing drivers, turn OFF ALL antivirus and Antispyware software


Answer:

-Download:

1) Go to your video card manufacturer's website (I will be using NVIDIA here)
2) Click on the Download Drivers button
3) You will see three boxes. In the first one, click on what you are looking for. We will select graphics drivers. In the second box, click on your card series. In the third box, click on your operating system. All you have to do now is click on the next button.

-Uninstall:

1) Go into the Control Panel
2) Click on the Add/Remove Programs icon
3) Depending on which driver version you are using, your graphics drivers may appear in differently in the list of programs installed. These drivers will appear as, "NVIDIA Windows Display Drivers", or as "NVIDIA Drivers".
4) Click on the Add/Remove button
5) You will now be asked to confirm the uninstall.

Note: You will probably be asked to restart your computer at this time.

-Install:

1) Once the computer has fully booted-up, double-click on the setup file you downloaded earlier
2) Follow the on-screen instructions from this point forward. The install file will tell you what to do from this point.

If you have something to add, don't be afraid to post it!

[Peach]

thats a great info common sense ,isn't it?

[Gonzo]

QUITE A HANDY TIP....THANKS FOR SHARING

[Russell]

Good Tips, Where Did U Get All This?

[jean]

where did u get all this stuffs, great post though

[Tanvir]

Thanks For Sharing This Tips Dude

[MattyBoy]

nice & quite a handy tip

[lord vader]

Freaky, all these steps that u have enumerated have been already put down in the download section of all leading board manufacturer's websites. Btw I also have these instructions in printed form,as a hardcopy or better known as graphic card installation manuals that were bundled with my graphic cards. My question to you is: I have gone through two driver upgrades for my pair of graphic cards and in both these cases I have not uninstalled the older drivers before installing the latest ones that I downloaded and still the driver version is properly detected by the forceware control panel. In other words I have managed a succesful upgrade without going through your proposed uninstallation. Plz justify. Finally, (sarcasm intended) a fantastic post dude!

[Mazen1989]

Hey, i have an ATI Radeon 9600 card, and when i try and install the software after rebooting, it tells me that i need directx 8, thing is, i already have directx installed and i don't know what to do.
I've checked the Add/Remove programs section, and DirectX isn't actually on the list, but any installation for directx says that i do have it installed..

Any help on this is greatly appreciated,
Thanks

[unidentified]

also see How to select a Video Card for your Computer