Drivers - Clean Left over Files after Uninstalling

How to Clean Left Over Driver Files with DDU or Driver Sweeper​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to clean driver files left over after uninstalling hardware such as: Graphic Card, Sound, Microsoft mouse and even PhysX using the free Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) or Driver Sweeper. Not cleaning left over files from uninstalling drivers can result in problems when utilizing the hardware.

   Note

Driver Sweeper is very easy to use. You only have to select the drivers you want to clean up.
The best way to clean drivers is to first uninstall the drivers using the official uninstallers, reboot in Safe Mode and run Driver Sweeper. However, rebooting and not going into Safe Mode also works, but can cause some files not to be cleaned.

What can it be used for ?
The current supported drivers are NVIDIA (Display and Chipset), ATI (Display), Creative (Sound), Ageia (PhysX), MMouse, Realtek (Sound), NEC (USB), Fresco Logic (USB), Marvell (Storage), JMicron (Storage), HP (Printer).

All the settings are saved in an ini file. Nothing is created in the registry, so it's possible to use it as a portable program. Log files can be saved to the hard disk and viewed as well. You can find the logs under the Tools menu.

System requirements:
Operating Systems - Any Windows version (32-bit and 64 bit) with Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 from Official Microsoft Download Center or higher installed.
Disk Space (Downloaded) - 5MB
Disk Space (Installed) - 20MB

1. Click on Download below to download the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) file to your desktop.

Download



OR


Download

   Note

If you wanted the older Drive Sweeper 2.1.0, then:


Download

2. Extract (drag and drop) the contents of the .zip folder into a "New Folder" on your desktop, and run the DDU or Driver Sweeper.exe.

3. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

4. Uninstall the driver from Programs and Features within the Control Panel as your usually would, restart the computer if needed.

5. Run DDU or Driver Sweeper, check the driver(s) you wish to clean, then click either the Analyse button to see what is left over or click Clean to clean the left over files and registry entries straight away.




6. When finished, you will be prompted to Restart the computer.

7. When the computer has finished restarting, you can now install the new drivers if you like.

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Uninstall a Device and Device Driver in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Roll Back a Device Driver in Device Manager

 

[kurahk7]

Great guide, but there's a spelling error: "3. After clicking the drivers you with to clean you can do one of two things you can click the "Analyse" button to see what is left over or you can click "Clean" to clean the left over files and registry entries strait away."
Straight is spelled wrong. ^ But other than that, excellent guide .

 

[Crispy]

Fixed thanks for the heads up.

 

[Crispy]

First post updated, new version 2.50.

 

[Crispy]

NEW version 2.60 first post updated.

 

[Lomai]

Thanks Crispy.
Never had any issues (as yet) with driver uninstalls.
Will have a go at driver sweeper for future uninstalls.

Regards

 

[NoN]

Broken link...v2.6.0

New version 2.8.5:
http://phyxion.net/Downloads/Driver-Sweeper/2-8-5/

 

[Crispy]

Ya i know about that, I was just updating it, all updated now 2.8.5 latest version.

9/2/2011: Download Link updated.

 

[oreo27]

So this just removes the old files left over after the uninstallation of the said drivers? It doesn't clean the extracted or temporary files that the installers create? For example, when installing an Nvidia driver, it will be extracted first (as far as i know). After installation, we don't need those files anymore right? It doesn't clean these right?

I've downloaded the application but will wait for a response before I start using it. Cheers!

 

[Crispy]

That "NVIDIA" folder you just delete manually, this program is designed to delete the left over files once you have uninstalled the driver through "Programs and Features", there can be problems caused if you just uninstall then install the new drivers, the old and new drivers may conflict with each-other and cause errors.

 

[oreo27]

That "NVIDIA" folder you just delete manually, this program is designed to delete the left over files once you have uninstalled the driver through "Programs and Features", there can be problems caused if you just uninstall then install the new drivers, the old and new drivers may conflict with each-other and cause errors.

Thanks for the confirmation. This will prove to be useful since I recently switched from an Nvidia graphics driver to an ATI based one. Thanks for the tutorial. Rep added!

 

[Crispy]

Thank you.

 

[Crispy]

NEW version 2.9.0 first post updated.

 

[Airbot]

3.0.0 Released

   Information

Version 3.0.0 - 22-04-11

New:

- Added NEC - USB cleaning.
Thanks to wiak.
- Added Fresco Logic - USB cleaning.
Thanks to wiak.
- Added theme support. There are four additional themes to choose from besides the default theme.

Updated:

- Improved AMD - Display cleaning.
- Improved Intel - Chipset cleaning.
- Improved NVIDIA - Display cleaning.
- Improved NVIDIA - Chipset cleaning.
- Improved NVIDIA - PhysX cleaning.
- External executables are now executed in Windows Temp folder to prevent antivirus warnings.
- Initial work done for a major improvement to both cleaning and restore methods.
- Removed unused external executable.
- Improved Traditional Chinese translation.
Thanks to 呆呆烈.
- Internal libraries.
- Improved update check.

Phyxion.net - Driver Sweeper

 

[Crispy]

New version 3.0.0 first post updated.

 

[Hamakiotis]

I have replaced my nvidia graphics card long with a new ati (AGP system) Asus 4650 1Gb. Never checked for leftover files after uninstalling the old card. But, as many other owners of the same card, I have some problems with its drivers and i wonder it has to do with those files.
After running Driver Sweeper 3.0.0 I see the following in the starting window:
Nvidia-chipset
Nvidia-display
Nvidia-PhysX
What exactly are all these files? I suppose i have to get rid of the second one, what about the others?
Thank you in advance

 

[Crispy]

These left over files can cause conflicts with the new driver files, that's why its a good idea to use Driver Sweeper to remove all these files.
If you are only removing graphic card drivers you only need to remove display and physx the chipset is to with your motherboard.

 

[Airbot]

New version.

Version 3.1.0 - 05-06-11

New:

- Added Marvell - Storage cleaning.
Thanks to agent47.
- Added JMicron - Storage cleaning.
Thanks to agent47.
- Added HP - Printer cleaning.
Thanks to agent47.
- Exceptions will now be reported automatically to phyxion.net.

Updated:

- Improved NVIDIA - Chipset cleaning.
- Improved AMD - Display cleaning.
- Improved NVIDIA - Display cleaning.
- Desktop Icon 'Save' button now automatically selects the new item.
- Changed the location of the update files.

Fixed:

- Rare crash when scanning for a file when the directory does not exists.
- Exception after clicking on the 'Update' button.
- NVIDIA - Chipset problems.

 

[Crispy]

Version 3.1.0 - 05-06-11

New:

- Added Marvell - Storage cleaning.
Thanks to agent47.
- Added JMicron - Storage cleaning.
Thanks to agent47.
- Added HP - Printer cleaning.
Thanks to agent47.
- Exceptions will now be reported automatically to phyxion.net.

Updated:

- Improved NVIDIA - Chipset cleaning.
- Improved AMD - Display cleaning.
- Improved NVIDIA - Display cleaning.
- Desktop Icon 'Save' button now automatically selects the new item.
- Changed the location of the update files.

Fixed:

- Rare crash when scanning for a file when the directory does not exists.
- Exception after clicking on the 'Update' button.
- NVIDIA - Chipset problems.

Thanks Airbot I'll update it now.

 

[Tyenot]

New version out 3.2.0