Can't delete default vga driver - can't install new one

[desertjedi]

I just installed the Win 7 RTM. It installed a default Nvidia driver for my GTX 260. I can not install my own (latest) Nvidia driver. It always installs the default upon reboot. Driver Sweeper did not help.

In the RTM, I find no option to delete the prior driver like I used when I had the RC installed.

Can someone tell me how to "get rid" of the default driver so I can install the latest and greatest from Nvidia?

 

[zigzag3143]

I just installed the Win 7 RTM. It installed a default Nvidia driver for my GTX 260. I can not install my own (latest) Nvidia driver. It always installs the default upon reboot. Driver Sweeper did not help.

In the RTM, I find no option to delete the prior driver like I used when I had the RC installed.

Can someone tell me how to "get rid" of the default driver so I can install the latest and greatest from Nvidia?

No un-install driver in device manager? try booting into safe mode (F8) so the driver isnt loaded and kill it there. then install yours and re-boot.

Let us know how it turns out

Ken

 

[chev65]

I just installed the Win 7 RTM. It installed a default Nvidia driver for my GTX 260. I can not install my own (latest) Nvidia driver. It always installs the default upon reboot. Driver Sweeper did not help.

In the RTM, I find no option to delete the prior driver like I used when I had the RC installed.

Can someone tell me how to "get rid" of the default driver so I can install the latest and greatest from Nvidia?

I use add-remove programs for that which is in the control panel. I don't get the default driver installing anymore with the RTM. I also use driver sweeper after uninstalling the driver.

 

[desertjedi]

Wow, this is getting interesting.

When I boot into Safe Mode, the default driver actually reinstalls - right there in Safe Mode!!!

And - there is absolutely no entry in Add/Remove Programs that represents the Nvidia driver for me to uninstall!

I think I will have to do what ZigZag did. Boot into Safe Mode, uninstall the device, run Driver Sweeper and then install the new driver right then and there in Safe Mode.

A friend suggested installing the new Nvidia driver over the default one, then uninstalling and using Driver Sweeper to clean up that mess and then hopefully, Win 7 would not install its default driver.

I don't get it - why the obstinance on 7's part?

 

[lexxion]

Try my method on disabling default vga driver

Install 855GM Series Video Driver on Windows 7 - Tutorial

Follow instructions and instead of my driver use yours.

If for some reason after you install your driver and it does show exclamation mark '!' in device manager that driver is not acceptable by Windows 7. You will have to find another driver (prior revisions etc)

My method disables Default VGA Driver and you should be able to install any other video driver.

Tell me how it went.

Lexxion

 

[desertjedi]

Lexxion, I tried your method and it did not work. Even tho I put the 'X' in vgapnp.sys, Win 7 was still able to install the default vga driver - no problem.

The only time I get a checkbox that says "delete old driver" is when I'm uninstalling Nvidia's driver - not the M$ default one.

So far, the only way I can get an Nvidia driver installed is to simply install it over the default driver. I can't even go into Safe Mode, uninstall the default driver, run Driver Sweeper and then attempt to install the Nvidia driver - the Nvidia driver will not install in Safe Mode. It says its not the right driver for my hardware.

In normal mode, the Nvidia drivers installs just fine.

I googled this problem and all the answers are the same - the ones that don't work.

 

[lexxion]

Hmm... Did you follow each step? A lot of people here were able to disable vgapnp.sys. If it installed it back I would check that file again (after you said it installed it again) to see if your X still exists. You have to follow the steps carefully in order to disable that file.

Before I found a way to edit that file I tried things where I would be able to edit it but on the restart it would revert back to original.

Before you begin make sure you follow ALL of my steps exactly. You should start with only Standard VGA adapter (installed) as the default driver and and 'video controller' with exclamation mark.

Please edit vgapnp.sys file again with my method, and when you restart check that file again to see if X still exists.

Thanks

 

[desertjedi]

Yes, the 'X' is still in that file.

You said "standard VGA adapter". That's not what 7 installs for me. It installs an Nvidia driver and it calls my card the Nvidia GTX 260 which is exactly what it is.

Is there some way for me to get it to install it as a "standard VGA adapter"?

 

[lexxion]

oh I got it now I think....

Lets see.

Remove the X in the vgapnp.sys to bring it back to working state.

Whatever NVidia driver it is using do this:

1. Go to Device Manager -> Dislpay Adapters
2. Right-click on the nvidia card driver that Windows 7 installed -> Properties->Driver->Driver Details
3. Look for the file with extension '.sys'. It should point to c:\windows\system32\drivers' path
4. Follow the steps and edit THAT file with the same method as in my tutorial.

Your step 1 will be to start with default Windows 7 nvidia drivers installed. Then you will edit the file, unistall those drivers and on the restart it should not install it so you should be able to install your own drivers.


Tell me the results.

Thanks

 

[desertjedi]

That did not work either. I did the edit as you said. After uninstalling M$' driver, I rebooted. It hung in the "Welcome" screen a long time and then said "you need to reboot for these changes to take effect"...before the desktop even came up. Upon reboot, the M$ default driver was there, installed.

 

[lexxion]

Hmm... I don't think I can help.

I would have to experience that problem myself and play with it.

I would also try to search for that default Windows 7 nvidia '.sys' driver file in your c:\windows directory. Windows 7 might have some other depositories with drivers and edit them all. Worse case you can edit them back to normal.

 

[desertjedi]

I think you're getting warm - a friend wrote and said he found a post about how to do a "fresh" install of ATI drivers on Win 7. It involved pulling stuff out of C:\Windows\INF.

He will give me full details tomorrow.

 

[desertjedi]

Lexxion, why would you be trying to prevent the OS from installing your video card as a Standard VGA Adapter? Isn't that what we should expect? From which point, we can simply load our vendor's driver, correct?

My friend gave me this long procedure to get Win 7 to load the card as a Standard VGA Adapter. He then simply states, "go ahead and install your desired Nvidia driver".

Also wouldn't it be easier to make a copy of VGAPNP.SYS before changing its security? I tried restoring its security to what it was before and there's too many levels of detail there for me.

Here is my friend's procedure. Pretty nutty what you have to do to get Win 7 to load a Standard VGA Adapter:

#1. Go to Device Manager and Uninstall the (Physx, Stereoscopic, if you have those) and Nvidia driver.
#2. Do not restart.
#3. Run newest version of Driver Sweeper Downloaded from 3dguru, click analyze, click clean, click, analyze again, click clean.
#4. Reboot.
#5. You should see a command prompt window from Driver Sweeper asking you Y/N on a line that says C:\Nvidia*, type Y, enter (but actually doesn't matter whether you type Y/N because it doesn't clear that folder anyway, still a bug I think from Driver Sweeper).
#6. At this point, your desktop resolution should be at like 640x480. Go to Device Manager and you will see your card but it will have a little yellow triangle and it will show the default WDM driver there.
#7. Run Driver Sweeper again as described above, but do NOT reboot.
#8. Go to C:\Windows\inf, make a new folder called Nv and move nv_lh and nv_lhPNF to that folder. After that clear the Prefetch folder leaving the one folder inside Prefetch, but just delete all the files, located in C:\Windows\Prefetch.
#9. Go to Device Manager and uninstall your card by right clicking, properties, driver tab, uninstall. (you wont have the checkbox to delete, don't worry bout it).
#10. Right click My Computer>>Properties>>Advanced System Settings>>Hardware Tab>>Device Installation Settings. Tick radio button that says No, let me choose what to do. Tick radio button that says Never install a driver from Windows Update.
#11. Restart and you should see the same command prompt window from Driver Sweeper asking you Y/N on a line that says C:\Nvidia*, type Y, enter.
#12. Then at desktop you should see an error popup that says device was NOT installed, if you click the error you will see it searching for preconfigured drivers to install, but it will find none. Close that and go to Device Manager, you should see Standard VGA Adapter.
#13. Install the newest version of Nv driver.

 

[lexxion]

What happens with Intel's 855GM Video driver is whenever you try to install the CORRECT driver on the restart it reverts back to Standard VGA Adapter.

In order for Windows 7 to keep Intel's driver people have to follow that procedure.

It does not matter if you just rename the file and then try the procedure. If that file does not exist Windows 7 will copy it over from repository. So by just modifying that file, you will be able to point to the correct driver and that driver will be remembered from that point on.