Video drivers and Windows 7

Austin007 · 07-28-2009, 11:39 AM

Question about Windows 7: How do you guys install video drivers?
Please explain exactly: do you reboot after using the add/remove control panel?
Do you remove the device from Device manager, then reinstall drivers?
Does your machine auto-install drivers (I'm using nvidia) and how do you stop the autoinstall from happening?

I read somewhere that Win7 does not need a reboot for video drivers anymore? Or is Driver CLeaner all we need. My system always asks to reboot a few times after I uninstall the device, then goes and installs the default nvidia drivers but with no NV control panel, nor an item in Add/Remove progs.
Thanks.

lhwj · 07-28-2009, 11:41 AM

In my experience, there is no need to reboot after installing drivers. Simply download the latest ones from here (http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us) and run the installer.

Luke

UltimateTobi · 07-28-2009, 11:42 AM

If you start Windows 7 Update they will show you Optional Updates, which include GPU driver, you can install them, then you can go on www.nvidia.com and search the matching drivers for your GPU, download and install it, there's no need of restarting the PC. When new drivers will be released you don't have to uninstall the old drivers, just download the new one and install them, old files will be overwritten. It's like you would update something.

Tufelhunden · 07-28-2009, 12:10 PM

Stay away from the 190.XX drivers. Those things for me and several other people I know have been rubbish for Valve games. YMMV.

MADDOGGE · 07-28-2009, 01:52 PM

I run a Nvidia on my Vista/Win7 and I haven't been even deleting the old ones like I used to do with XP. I just install the new ones and go on. Of course If I had any problems I would do a clean install of the video drivers. It won't hurt to reboot though though I don't recall doing so myself.

f12dude · 07-28-2009, 02:27 PM

I would also like to know how to stop the auto install. It is so annoying

rotNdude · 07-28-2009, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f12dude

I would also like to know how to stop the auto install. It is so annoying

Read through this and select download them but don't install them:

http://www.techtalkz.com/windows-7/5...s-7-guide.html

Austin007 · 07-28-2009, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rotNdude

Read through this and select download them but don't install them:

http://www.techtalkz.com/windows-7/5...s-7-guide.html

This isn't what we had in mind, the operating system automatically detects an nvidia video card and installs some included drivers. I'm going to try Driver Cleaner/Sweeper when I get a chance, and report back.

µR¼ · 07-28-2009, 08:30 PM

Windows 7 will automatically attempt to install the proper drivers for you upon a restart of the computer. It's fully automatic no matter what Setting you set in W7...I've even disabled the Automatic installation of drivers in the options somewhere, but it wont save at all....

So...install the new ones by manually...If you want to uninstall it, select "UNINSTALL" in the Device manager of the right click menu of your GPU.

1. Extract the Nvidia drivers into a folder. It usually goes into C:\Nvidia or something like that, we'll be using an Inf from there.

1- Device manager (control panel, admin tools, Computer management), find your graphics card.
2- Right Click and select "update Driver".
3- When given the dialogue, select the "(ADVANCED)/Install from a list or specific Location" option. hit next.
4- Select the "Don't search. I will choose the driver to install." hit Next.
5- Press the "Have Disk" button, then browse to the Nvidia folder and locate the appropriate .inf file. Once you do that, you should have the drivers insatlled.

Reboot and confirm that it's been installed. I had to do this for my ATI, because Windows 7 kept installing it's own drivers before I had a chance to install the ATI ones.

f12dude · 07-29-2009, 12:12 AM

So, there is no way to turn it off. I would think a registry hack could do the trick.

µR¼ · 07-29-2009, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f12dude

So, there is no way to turn it off. I would think a registry hack could do the trick.

There is a radio button somewhere in control panel that says like disable/enable automatic driver installation or something similar to that. Or maybe it was Install safe Drivers...Anyways, it wouldn't save the selection. It just kept trying to protect me from user mistakes...

. I don't have windows 7 on my PC anymore, I uninstalled it because of the amount of time it took me to DL everything and an icon that never would go away...

This says what I just said...Looked it up on google.

http://chris123nt.com/2008/11/07/iss...tibility-mode/

PuddingWagon · 07-29-2009, 03:01 AM

I don't get any auto-install on my machine, with automatic updates turned off. I have an ATI card but it shouldn't make a difference.

Removing/installing drivers without rebooting hasn't caused any problems yet, and there generally isn't a prompt to do so. It was the same on Vista.

krameriffic · 07-29-2009, 09:25 AM

When it pops up the found new hardware wizard, simply click cancel, just like you've probably done for the past 8 years using XP. Then you double click the driver installation executable, follow the instructions, reboot etc, etc. It's no different in 7 than in XP.

µR¼ · 07-29-2009, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krameriffic

When it pops up the found new hardware wizard, simply click cancel, just like you've probably done for the past 8 years using XP. Then you double click the driver installation executable, follow the instructions, reboot etc, etc. It's no different in 7 than in XP.

erm...I don't think you've gone though the problem.

There is no "found new hardware wizard" that comes up. It's just Windows 7 saying, "we've finished Installing our own drivers". There is no warning or message that tells us it's installing the GFX drivers ON ITS OWN. While windows 7 might do this for less important hardware, this is not the case...

to be able to tell whether your graphics driver really did update, you have to check with the driver's version number...though CCC or Device manager
http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownloa...eonaiw_xp.aspx
and (somewhere for nvidia).

Austin007 · 10-28-2009, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krameriffic

When it pops up the found new hardware wizard, simply click cancel, just like you've probably done for the past 8 years using XP. Then you double click the driver installation executable, follow the instructions, reboot etc, etc. It's no different in 7 than in XP.

There's clearly a difference in either our win7 versions or something hardware related then, because I've tried everything I know to stop the autoinstall, nothing has worked.

07-28-2009, 11:39 AM	#1
Austin007 Join Date: Sep 2007 Reputation: 103 Posts: 1,470	Video drivers and Windows 7 Question about Windows 7: How do you guys install video drivers? Please explain exactly: do you reboot after using the add/remove control panel? Do you remove the device from Device manager, then reinstall drivers? Does your machine auto-install drivers (I'm using nvidia) and how do you stop the autoinstall from happening? I read somewhere that Win7 does not need a reboot for video drivers anymore? Or is Driver CLeaner all we need. My system always asks to reboot a few times after I uninstall the device, then goes and installs the default nvidia drivers but with no NV control panel, nor an item in Add/Remove progs. Thanks.

07-28-2009, 08:30 PM	#9
µR¼ Join Date: Sep 2005 Reputation: 624 Posts: 6,574	Windows 7 will automatically attempt to install the proper drivers for you upon a restart of the computer. It's fully automatic no matter what Setting you set in W7...I've even disabled the Automatic installation of drivers in the options somewhere, but it wont save at all.... So...install the new ones by manually...If you want to uninstall it, select "UNINSTALL" in the Device manager of the right click menu of your GPU. 1. Extract the Nvidia drivers into a folder. It usually goes into C:\Nvidia or something like that, we'll be using an Inf from there. 1- Device manager (control panel, admin tools, Computer management), find your graphics card. 2- Right Click and select "update Driver". 3- When given the dialogue, select the "(ADVANCED)/Install from a list or specific Location" option. hit next. 4- Select the "Don't search. I will choose the driver to install." hit Next. 5- Press the "Have Disk" button, then browse to the Nvidia folder and locate the appropriate .inf file. Once you do that, you should have the drivers insatlled. Reboot and confirm that it's been installed. I had to do this for my ATI, because Windows 7 kept installing it's own drivers before I had a chance to install the ATI ones. Last edited by µR¼: 07-28-2009 at 08:36 PM.

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07-28-2009, 11:41 AM	#2
lhwj Join Date: Nov 2007 Reputation: 829 Posts: 4,950	In my experience, there is no need to reboot after installing drivers. Simply download the latest ones from here (http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us) and run the installer. Luke

07-28-2009, 11:42 AM	#3
UltimateTobi Join Date: Jan 2009 Reputation: 105 Posts: 1,408	If you start Windows 7 Update they will show you Optional Updates, which include GPU driver, you can install them, then you can go on www.nvidia.com and search the matching drivers for your GPU, download and install it, there's no need of restarting the PC. When new drivers will be released you don't have to uninstall the old drivers, just download the new one and install them, old files will be overwritten. It's like you would update something.

07-28-2009, 12:10 PM	#4
Tufelhunden Join Date: May 2009 Reputation: 60 Posts: 1,096	Stay away from the 190.XX drivers. Those things for me and several other people I know have been rubbish for Valve games. YMMV.

07-28-2009, 01:52 PM	#5
MADDOGGE Join Date: Jan 2008 Reputation: 8157 Posts: 25,030	I run a Nvidia on my Vista/Win7 and I haven't been even deleting the old ones like I used to do with XP. I just install the new ones and go on. Of course If I had any problems I would do a clean install of the video drivers. It won't hurt to reboot though though I don't recall doing so myself.

07-28-2009, 02:27 PM	#6
f12dude Join Date: Jul 2009 Reputation: 24 Posts: 149	I would also like to know how to stop the auto install. It is so annoying

07-29-2009, 12:12 AM	#10
f12dude Join Date: Jul 2009 Reputation: 24 Posts: 149	So, there is no way to turn it off. I would think a registry hack could do the trick.

07-29-2009, 03:01 AM	#12
PuddingWagon Join Date: Dec 2004 Reputation: 144 Posts: 986	I don't get any auto-install on my machine, with automatic updates turned off. I have an ATI card but it shouldn't make a difference. Removing/installing drivers without rebooting hasn't caused any problems yet, and there generally isn't a prompt to do so. It was the same on Vista.

07-29-2009, 09:25 AM	#13
krameriffic Banned Join Date: Aug 2004 Reputation: 474 Posts: 3,840	When it pops up the found new hardware wizard, simply click cancel, just like you've probably done for the past 8 years using XP. Then you double click the driver installation executable, follow the instructions, reboot etc, etc. It's no different in 7 than in XP.