Put simply, if the GPUs you will be swapping are AMD to AMD or Nvidia to Nvidia, you will not need to uninstall the previous drivers prior to plugging in the new graphics card.
Graphics drivers of the same brand will hardly conflict with each other, as the driver package is similar whereas only an update may be needed. The main factor which will determine whether or not this will be necessary is the brand of the older GPU, compared to the newer graphics card. When Should You Uninstall Older Drivers Beforehand?įor those that are yet to plug in their GPU, you may be wondering whether or not to uninstall the older drivers prior to the installation. To alleviate this conflict, you will need to uninstall all current drivers (the process of which is detailed below) and proceed with a clean installation. If any potential issue is found, a yellow icon (with an exclamation point) will appear, giving you the option to “Troubleshoot”. Next, click the “Screen Adapter” drop-down arrow and right-click on your GPU to select: “Scan for Hardware Changes”. To reach this functionality, click on the magnifying glass (or use the Windows search function) and type “Device Manager”. Luckily, Windows will allow you to check for any recent software changes, and automatically examine whether or not a conflict exists. This is usually caused by either a corrupt file or residual components from an uninstalled driver that is interfering with the current ones. If installing the latest driver doesn’t fix the issue, then you may have a driver conflict.
This software will auto-detect your current drivers, and only install the software components your device currently needs. This is the same software used to enable other Nvidia features like RTX and Voice.ĪMD also offers similar functionality via their AMD Radeon Graphics driver installer. The very first step you want to do is check to see that you have the latest drivers installed.įor Nvidia drivers, you can simply open Nvidia’s GeForce Experience software, which will automatically check if your drivers are up to date. Here are some preliminary methods to help you locate the root cause of the error. The best way to alleviate any such issue is by checking to see that your drivers are up-to-date and that there are no conflicts present. If you’ve already installed your new GPU and are experiencing any of the aforementioned issues, it will – most likely – be caused by the drivers. What if You’ve Already Installed Your GPU? Not having the necessary GPU software for any PC unit can cause anything from crashes, to screen flickering, stuttering, frame drops, or even artifacts appearing on your monitor. In the case of GPUs, the driver is the mediator between the OS and your graphics card. In order to properly recognize and use any piece of hardware equipment, your operating system (OS) needs to have access to that component’s inherent drivers. If you’ve already gone ahead and plugged in your new GPU and are experiencing issues due to conflicting drivers, worry not as we will cover troubleshooting steps for that as well. In this article, we will answer all questions that relate to updating drivers – and getting rid of old ones – when switching to a new graphics card.
It is only then that your GPU (be it either pro or consumer-grade) can work to its full potential and provide you with the performance output you desire. When it comes to graphics cards, this means having the proper, up-to-date drivers installed. If you’re in the fortunate position of swapping your graphics card for a newer, more powerful unit, then you’ll want to make sure you have the appropriate software to support it. When Should You Uninstall Older Drivers Beforehand?.What if You’ve Already Installed Your GPU?.