Removing Nvidia Driver

[adamkmiec]

What is the best tool or way of completely removing Nvidia drivers. I will be upgrading to a Radeon 8500 soon and want to make sure the nvidia drivers are gone.

 

[Yosh70]

Well really the best COMPLETE way of removing your old Nvidia drivers is a simple program u run in dos...its called
c:\format c: but if not go to add/remove programs and clik on the nvidia drivers u have installed;reboot and install
the standard PCI/VGA drivers;then get into registry and delete all nvidia bs...then check in ur windows/syst....hmm...
just reformat...it'll be better that way!!

 

[Killrose]

There is a program, but I don't know what it's called that cleans the registry of all Nvidia driver left-overs. I'm sure someone here can help out, just hang on.

Yosh70 welcome to the forums. And for god's sake, be carefull with that format thing.

 

[Scorp]

the program's called Detonator Destroyer...u can get it from www.guru3d.com

 

[Killrose]

Scorp, have you used this before and is it safe?

 

[BFG10K]

Add/remove programs will remove pretty much everything provided you restart after you finish the uninstall.

 

[Killrose]

One thing I don't trust about just relying on the drivers own removal tools, is the fact that after doing that if you type: "regedit" in the " Start/ Run" drop box, then go to "local Machine" then "software", you will usually find an Nvidia folder still there. Never checked to see what was still in the folder, but something was still there and I always have to delete it manually.

Also in the Windows/inf/other file you will still have an item show-up with the other loaded drivers listed.

Not really a guru here, but just some things i've noticed.

 

[videobruce]

I just loved the reply: c:\format c:

You can also use that to remove Logitech drivers. Especially their cameras and mouse drivers!!

And to the guy who wrote use 'add-remove programs'..........please read on!

There is a program called 'Registry Crawler' which I recomend extremely highly from this site:

http://www.4developers.com/regc/index.htm

It works in conjunction with Reg Editor (M$) and finds all the entries you ask it to search for. Unlike Reg Edit that only finds one at a time this will show all matches.
You do have to be careful, it will find matches within other words:
example, searching for the entry Opera (the browser I use), it will find the word 'operation'.
You then click on the link in the line and it will take you to that entry in Reg Edit (you don't have to open it before you use Reg Crawler) if you want to look at the entry.
Or just highlight all the entries you want to remove and delete them. As with all registry editing there is NO recycle bin, so when its gone IT IS GONE! (Backup up requested before hand)
It is amazing just how much crap is left over when something is supposely removed through 'add-remove programs'!
Try it..........remove something (assuming you have the program or driver as backup, do a search and see what is left over!
The worst I have found are Logitech camera drivers. If I remember correctly it left over 30 entries behing after I removed the camera using add-remove programs.
No wonder people have so much trouble adding or changing hardware! There are so many entries left behind especially those DLL's!

 

[IndyJaws]

I used Detonator Destroyer last night and it seemed to do the job. Unfortunately, it also deleted the profile for my monitor, so I just show a Plug and Play monitor, rather than Compaq P900, but that's easily enough fixed.

 

[BFG10K]

One thing I don't trust about just relying on the drivers own removal tools, is the fact that after doing that if you type: "regedit" in the " Start/ Run" drop box, then go to "local Machine" then "software", you will usually find an Nvidia folder still there.

That's why you should always restart to let the uninstaller finish the job. After you restart check the registry again and you'll probably find that everything has gone.