Downloading New Drivers
I usually download the new display drivers before I start the uninstallation process.
- Nvidia
- Using this page: Nvidia Download Drivers. You can manually select your graphic card to download drivers for, or use the second option and have the site automatically find the correct drivers for your card.
- ATI:
- Using this page: ATI Drivers Download Center. You can manually select your graphic card to download drivers for.
Uninstallation:
The second step is to uninstall your current graphic drivers.
- Go to the list of installed programs in your Control Panel (Control Panel\Programs and Features).
- Nvidia
- Look for Nvidia Drivers in the program list.
- Right click it and go to "Uninstall/Change". On the new window, check the "Remove only the following" option, then check "NVIDIA Display Driver" in the driver list.
- Click Remove, the driver will uninstall.
- ATI
- Look for ATI Display Driver in the program list.
- Right click it and go to "Uninstall/Change". On the new window, check the devices you want the display driver to be uninstalled for. If there is a "Primary" and "Secondary", check both of them.
- Click OK. Follow any prompts, the driver will then uninstall.
- Nvidia
Using a Driver Cleaner/Sweeper **Optional**
This section will show you how to use a driver cleaner to delete all remaining parts of your display drivers that were not deleted when you unisntalled the drivers. This part is optional, but I would recommend it since it ensures all remnants of the old drivers are deleted.
- To do this you need a driver cleaning program, I suggest Guru 3D Driver Sweeper . Once it is download, install it.
- Reboot your system into safemode. (To boot into safe mode, restart your computer, right when it turns on, tap the F8 key once every second or so. The Windows Advanced Boot Options menu will appear, make sure Safe Mode is selected and press Enter. Your computer will now boot into safe mode.
- Once at your desktop, start up Driver Sweeper. Click Analyse, check Nvidia Display if you have a Nvidia card, and ATI Display if you have an ATI card. Click Clean, the program will delete all remaining files from the drivers.
Reboot into safe mode again.
Installing the New Drivers
Almost there, all that there is left is to install the new drivers.
- Once at your desktop in safe mode, find where you downloaded the installer for the new graphic drivers. All you have to do is start the installer and follow the prompts.
- Once they are installed, restart your computer normally.
