How to remove graphics card drivers - the most common ways

A video card is a must for any computer. Its tasks include the construction of images, their processing and transfer to the logic circuits of the monitor. For an explanation, you can use the analogy with conventional television: here the video card is represented by the station that transmits the signal, and the TV - by a computer monitor.

Video adapter, like any other component of the computer system, without installed control programs (drivers) is a useless high-tech textolite board. Thus, progress is in two directions: improving the hardware and software components. Therefore, in order to get a performance boost or any new features, it's completely useless to acquire a next-generation video adapter - sometimes it's enough to just update the drivers for the Ati, Intel, Nvidia graphics card.

Unclear necessity

In order to install the driver video card Radeon (or another company - the same principle), there is nothing complicated. It is enough to go to the site of the manufacturer of the component device, select the software download section, specify the type of operating system and video card installed, and download the driver. With this complexity does not arise. However, very few people know how to remove the graphics driver. And in vain!

One of the rules of working with a computer says: before installing a new control program, you must uninstall the old one. Although the installation module "learned" to rewrite old versions of files, sometimes the effectiveness of this mechanism is insufficient. Thus, if you do not know how to remove the graphics card drivers , and just put the updated one over the existing one in the system, then it's quite possible to encounter a situation where 3D applications work slower, hang, artifacts appear (distortions of the image). Moreover, in an unfavorable confluence of circumstances, you can get a spontaneously rebooting computer. It is necessary to understand that the question of how to remove the graphics driver is very important. It becomes especially urgent when the video adapter is replaced in the system.

Decision

There are several ways to remove the graphics driver. The result of their work is similar, but the use of this or that solution is different: some are simpler, others are more complicated. Each user chooses the one that is more convenient for him.

The simplest method is the standard removal. First you need to go to the "Start - Control Panel - Programs and Features". If the system was not individually configured, then you must select the "Programs - Remove" group. In the list that appears, click the cursor to specify the driver - it can be Nvidia, Catalyst or Intel (depending on the device) and click the "Delete" button. After the reboot, you can install the new version. However, this method is not optimal, since a complete deletion is not always possible - some files can be used by the system.

It is much more effective to perform the same actions in the mode of protection from failures. To do this, you need to reboot the system and (after the disappearance of BIOS messages) often press the F8 button - a selection menu will appear in which you should specify "Safe Mode".

To the same users who appreciate automation, you can recommend paying attention to specialized programs - Driver Cleaner or its relative "Sweeper".