Updating video card drivers HELP

I just downloaded the latest nvidia drivers....After uninstalling the old
ones from Vista....vista automatically installs the default drivers thus the
only way for me to update is to install the drivers on top of vista's default
drivers. is there a way to disable the auto update/install feature on vista
so i can update my video card drivers with the latest?

ty

This is by design after uninstalling the old driver, otherwise you'd be
looking at a blank moniter, and be unable to install your new driver.
Vista's default driver will upgrade/go away when you perform the new
installation.

"Agent" wrote:

> I just downloaded the latest nvidia drivers....After uninstalling the old
> ones from Vista....vista automatically installs the default drivers thus the
> only way for me to update is to install the drivers on top of vista's default
> drivers. is there a way to disable the auto update/install feature on vista
> so i can update my video card drivers with the latest?
>
> ty

Thanks

"Dean-Dean" wrote:

> This is by design after uninstalling the old driver, otherwise you'd be
> looking at a blank moniter, and be unable to install your new driver.
> Vista's default driver will upgrade/go away when you perform the new
> installation.
>
> "Agent" wrote:
>
> > I just downloaded the latest nvidia drivers....After uninstalling the old
> > ones from Vista....vista automatically installs the default drivers thus the
> > only way for me to update is to install the drivers on top of vista's default
> > drivers. is there a way to disable the auto update/install feature on vista
> > so i can update my video card drivers with the latest?
> >
> > ty

So, if I understand you correctly, the current drivers do not need to be
uninstalled before installing the new NVIDIA video drivers?

Thanks,

Ron

"Dean-Dean" wrote:

> This is by design after uninstalling the old driver, otherwise you'd be
> looking at a blank moniter, and be unable to install your new driver.
> Vista's default driver will upgrade/go away when you perform the new
> installation.
>
> "Agent" wrote:
>
> > I just downloaded the latest nvidia drivers....After uninstalling the old
> > ones from Vista....vista automatically installs the default drivers thus the
> > only way for me to update is to install the drivers on top of vista's default
> > drivers. is there a way to disable the auto update/install feature on vista
> > so i can update my video card drivers with the latest?
> >
> > ty

Quoted from NVIDIA's download page:


Driver Installation Hints:

1)"Download Accelerator" utilities should be disabled when downloading any
drivers.

2)Do not run virus protection software in the background while installing
the drivers. This prevents the driver from configuring itself properly.

3)Before installing new drivers make sure you uninstall all NVIDIA display
drivers from the Windows Control Panel. Browse to the Start Menu > Windows
Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs and search for "NVIDIA Windows Display
Drivers" or "NVIDIA Display Drivers" and select remove.


So, yes, I'd remove the old driver from NVIDIA, before installing the new
one. The default driver from Microsoft will kick in after you remove the one
from NVIDIA.


"neverforget" wrote:

> So, if I understand you correctly, the current drivers do not need to be
> uninstalled before installing the new NVIDIA video drivers?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ron
>
> "Dean-Dean" wrote:
>
> > This is by design after uninstalling the old driver, otherwise you'd be
> > looking at a blank moniter, and be unable to install your new driver.
> > Vista's default driver will upgrade/go away when you perform the new
> > installation.
> >
> > "Agent" wrote:
> >
> > > I just downloaded the latest nvidia drivers....After uninstalling the old
> > > ones from Vista....vista automatically installs the default drivers thus the
> > > only way for me to update is to install the drivers on top of vista's default
> > > drivers. is there a way to disable the auto update/install feature on vista
> > > so i can update my video card drivers with the latest?
> > >
> > > ty

Thanks. I don't think I was clear enough, however. I am presently only
running the default drivers from Microsoft for my 7900GT video cards. There
is no place to uninstall those drivers in Control Panel. Since these are
Beta drivers offered by NVIDIA and my computer is running well with the
default MS drivers, I am inclined to wait a little longer.

Ron

"Dean-Dean" wrote:

> Quoted from NVIDIA's download page:
>
>
> Driver Installation Hints:
>
> 1)"Download Accelerator" utilities should be disabled when downloading any
> drivers.
>
> 2)Do not run virus protection software in the background while installing
> the drivers. This prevents the driver from configuring itself properly.
>
> 3)Before installing new drivers make sure you uninstall all NVIDIA display
> drivers from the Windows Control Panel. Browse to the Start Menu > Windows
> Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs and search for "NVIDIA Windows Display
> Drivers" or "NVIDIA Display Drivers" and select remove.
>
>
> So, yes, I'd remove the old driver from NVIDIA, before installing the new
> one. The default driver from Microsoft will kick in after you remove the one
> from NVIDIA.
>
>
> "neverforget" wrote:
>
> > So, if I understand you correctly, the current drivers do not need to be
> > uninstalled before installing the new NVIDIA video drivers?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Ron
> >
> > "Dean-Dean" wrote:
> >
> > > This is by design after uninstalling the old driver, otherwise you'd be
> > > looking at a blank moniter, and be unable to install your new driver.
> > > Vista's default driver will upgrade/go away when you perform the new
> > > installation.
> > >
> > > "Agent" wrote:
> > >
> > > > I just downloaded the latest nvidia drivers....After uninstalling the old
> > > > ones from Vista....vista automatically installs the default drivers thus the
> > > > only way for me to update is to install the drivers on top of vista's default
> > > > drivers. is there a way to disable the auto update/install feature on vista
> > > > so i can update my video card drivers with the latest?
> > > >
> > > > ty

Yes, if your current driver is the default driver from Microsoft, then it
doesn't need to be uninstalled. If you ever do install the new driver from
NVIDIA, though, and they come out with a yet newer one down the road, then
you should uninstall the older one from the Control Panel first, before
installing the latest one.

"neverforget" wrote:

> Thanks. I don't think I was clear enough, however. I am presently only
> running the default drivers from Microsoft for my 7900GT video cards. There
> is no place to uninstall those drivers in Control Panel. Since these are
> Beta drivers offered by NVIDIA and my computer is running well with the
> default MS drivers, I am inclined to wait a little longer.
>
> Ron
>
> "Dean-Dean" wrote:
>
> > Quoted from NVIDIA's download page:
> >
> >
> > Driver Installation Hints:
> >
> > 1)"Download Accelerator" utilities should be disabled when downloading any
> > drivers.
> >
> > 2)Do not run virus protection software in the background while installing
> > the drivers. This prevents the driver from configuring itself properly.
> >
> > 3)Before installing new drivers make sure you uninstall all NVIDIA display
> > drivers from the Windows Control Panel. Browse to the Start Menu > Windows
> > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs and search for "NVIDIA Windows Display
> > Drivers" or "NVIDIA Display Drivers" and select remove.
> >
> >
> > So, yes, I'd remove the old driver from NVIDIA, before installing the new
> > one. The default driver from Microsoft will kick in after you remove the one
> > from NVIDIA.
> >
> >
> > "neverforget" wrote:
> >
> > > So, if I understand you correctly, the current drivers do not need to be
> > > uninstalled before installing the new NVIDIA video drivers?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Ron
> > >
> > > "Dean-Dean" wrote:
> > >
> > > > This is by design after uninstalling the old driver, otherwise you'd be
> > > > looking at a blank moniter, and be unable to install your new driver.
> > > > Vista's default driver will upgrade/go away when you perform the new
> > > > installation.
> > > >
> > > > "Agent" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > I just downloaded the latest nvidia drivers....After uninstalling the old
> > > > > ones from Vista....vista automatically installs the default drivers thus the
> > > > > only way for me to update is to install the drivers on top of vista's default
> > > > > drivers. is there a way to disable the auto update/install feature on vista
> > > > > so i can update my video card drivers with the latest?
> > > > >
> > > > > ty

Thank you for your responses.

"Dean-Dean" wrote:

> Yes, if your current driver is the default driver from Microsoft, then it
> doesn't need to be uninstalled. If you ever do install the new driver from
> NVIDIA, though, and they come out with a yet newer one down the road, then
> you should uninstall the older one from the Control Panel first, before
> installing the latest one.
>
> "neverforget" wrote:
>
> > Thanks. I don't think I was clear enough, however. I am presently only
> > running the default drivers from Microsoft for my 7900GT video cards. There
> > is no place to uninstall those drivers in Control Panel. Since these are
> > Beta drivers offered by NVIDIA and my computer is running well with the
> > default MS drivers, I am inclined to wait a little longer.
> >
> > Ron
> >
> > "Dean-Dean" wrote:
> >
> > > Quoted from NVIDIA's download page:
> > >
> > >
> > > Driver Installation Hints:
> > >
> > > 1)"Download Accelerator" utilities should be disabled when downloading any
> > > drivers.
> > >
> > > 2)Do not run virus protection software in the background while installing
> > > the drivers. This prevents the driver from configuring itself properly.
> > >
> > > 3)Before installing new drivers make sure you uninstall all NVIDIA display
> > > drivers from the Windows Control Panel. Browse to the Start Menu > Windows
> > > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs and search for "NVIDIA Windows Display
> > > Drivers" or "NVIDIA Display Drivers" and select remove.
> > >
> > >
> > > So, yes, I'd remove the old driver from NVIDIA, before installing the new
> > > one. The default driver from Microsoft will kick in after you remove the one
> > > from NVIDIA.
> > >
> > >
> > > "neverforget" wrote:
> > >
> > > > So, if I understand you correctly, the current drivers do not need to be
> > > > uninstalled before installing the new NVIDIA video drivers?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > >
> > > > Ron
> > > >
> > > > "Dean-Dean" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > This is by design after uninstalling the old driver, otherwise you'd be
> > > > > looking at a blank moniter, and be unable to install your new driver.
> > > > > Vista's default driver will upgrade/go away when you perform the new
> > > > > installation.
> > > > >
> > > > > "Agent" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > I just downloaded the latest nvidia drivers....After uninstalling the old
> > > > > > ones from Vista....vista automatically installs the default drivers thus the
> > > > > > only way for me to update is to install the drivers on top of vista's default
> > > > > > drivers. is there a way to disable the auto update/install feature on vista
> > > > > > so i can update my video card drivers with the latest?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > ty

Just found this series of messages, and I'm having more or less the same
problem.

4-5 daily crashes and lock-ups since I purchased this new computer (on
3.14), but I believe the problem is my NVIDIA graphics card. I have found the
beta driver update at their site, but, as has been mentioned here, I'm to
uninstall the old one first. However, I can't find it listed among my
"uninstall programs" list. Also, a search for "NVIDIA" lists nothing.

According to the packaging on my system, I should have a GeForce 6150SE
installed, but a deeper look in Vista states a GeForce 6100 nForce 430.

Odd? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

drheywoodfloyd wrote:
> ... I have found the
> beta driver update at their site, but, as has been mentioned here, I'm to
> uninstall the old one first. However, I can't find it listed among my
> "uninstall programs" list...

A device driver is not considered 'a program' because it is part of the
operating system. (That's why a device driver can crash the operating
system while a lowly 'program' cannot.)

To change/update/delete a device driver you need to go to the Device
Manager. (In your Start Menu search widget type 'devm' and Vista will
show it to you.)

Then find your Display Adapter and double-click it. Then go to the tab
for 'Driver' and it should be easy from there.

Caution: deleting anything to do with your video display can cause some
very confusing problems. You may find that you need to reboot into Safe
Mode before you can finish installing a new video driver. Be prepared
for frustration before you begin and leave plenty of time!