Driver sweeper has been known to remove important chipset files which will result in errors such as instability. Some users have reported that the sweeper software removes “False positives” and may cause the user issues when trying to install software such as drivers. The error usually reports that an .ini file is damaged. Over long term use of driver sweeper, it could cause several underlying issues which will do more harm than good.
This guide is an alternative, which removes all the files and registry entries that need to be removed for a successful uninstall. This is useful for upgrading/downgrading drivers or switching to another brand of card.
Guide (Nvidia)
1. Go to Add/Remove Programs
2. Uninstall all Nvidia associated software (May require several reboots)
3. Reboot the computer and log back into windows as normal
4. Go to folder options and select “show hidden files and folders”
The next part of the guide will remove all Nvidia files and folders from the computer.
5. Go to your C drive and remove any “Nvidia” folders if there is any
6. Double click the “Program Data” folder (Normally hidden) and remove all Nvidia folders
7. Go back to C and double click “Program Files” and remove all Nvidia folders
8. Go back to C and double click “Program Files (x86)” and remove all Nvidia folders
9. Go back to C and double click “Users”
10. Access the name of your windows profile and double click “AppData” (Normally hidden)
11. Check the “Local”, “LocalLow” and “Roaming” folders for any Nvidia folders and remove them.
12. Go back to “Users” and check the “Default” folder (Normally hidden)
13. Double click “AppData” (Normally hidden)
14. Check the “Local” and “Roaming” folders for any Nvidia folders and remove them.
The next part of the guide will remove registry entries left by the Nvidia drivers.
15. Close everything down and go back to your desktop
16. Click start, then type “regedit”.
17. Click “HKEY_CURRENT_USER” and extend the folder
18. Click “Software” and extend the folder
19. Remove all Nvidia Folders
20. Click “Wow6432Node” and extend the folder (Within the software folder)
21. Remove any Nvidia folders
22. Click “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE” and extend the folder
23. Click “SOFTWARE” and extend the folder
24. Remove all Nvidia Folders
25. Click “Wow6432Node” and extend the folder
26. Remove all Nvidia Folders
27. Click “HKEY_USERS” and extend the folder
28. Click “.DEFAULT” and extend the folder
29. Click “Software” and extend the folder
30. Remove all Nvidia folders
31. Click “S-1-5-18” and extend the folder
32. Click “Software” and extend the folder
33. Remove all Nvidia folders
34. Click “S-1-5-21-1632250243-966907716-928185508-1000” and extend the folder
35. Click “Software” and extend the folder
36. Remove all Nvidia Folders
37. Close down regedit and empty your recycle bin
38. Undo the folder options change to hide the hidden folders
39. Reboot
40. Install your AMD/Nvidia drivers and reboot
(Remember, if you look in some of the folders mentioned in this guide but don’t have any Nvidia folders, just move to the next appropriate step. This means the uninstall option has removed such files for you. But as we know, the uninstaller still leaves a lot of things behind)
Edited by BradleyW - 7/19/12 at 7:54am
This guide is an alternative, which removes all the files and registry entries that need to be removed for a successful uninstall. This is useful for upgrading/downgrading drivers or switching to another brand of card.
Guide (Nvidia)
1. Go to Add/Remove Programs
2. Uninstall all Nvidia associated software (May require several reboots)
3. Reboot the computer and log back into windows as normal
4. Go to folder options and select “show hidden files and folders”
The next part of the guide will remove all Nvidia files and folders from the computer.
5. Go to your C drive and remove any “Nvidia” folders if there is any
6. Double click the “Program Data” folder (Normally hidden) and remove all Nvidia folders
7. Go back to C and double click “Program Files” and remove all Nvidia folders
8. Go back to C and double click “Program Files (x86)” and remove all Nvidia folders
9. Go back to C and double click “Users”
10. Access the name of your windows profile and double click “AppData” (Normally hidden)
11. Check the “Local”, “LocalLow” and “Roaming” folders for any Nvidia folders and remove them.
12. Go back to “Users” and check the “Default” folder (Normally hidden)
13. Double click “AppData” (Normally hidden)
14. Check the “Local” and “Roaming” folders for any Nvidia folders and remove them.
The next part of the guide will remove registry entries left by the Nvidia drivers.
15. Close everything down and go back to your desktop
16. Click start, then type “regedit”.
17. Click “HKEY_CURRENT_USER” and extend the folder
18. Click “Software” and extend the folder
19. Remove all Nvidia Folders
20. Click “Wow6432Node” and extend the folder (Within the software folder)
21. Remove any Nvidia folders
22. Click “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE” and extend the folder
23. Click “SOFTWARE” and extend the folder
24. Remove all Nvidia Folders
25. Click “Wow6432Node” and extend the folder
26. Remove all Nvidia Folders
27. Click “HKEY_USERS” and extend the folder
28. Click “.DEFAULT” and extend the folder
29. Click “Software” and extend the folder
30. Remove all Nvidia folders
31. Click “S-1-5-18” and extend the folder
32. Click “Software” and extend the folder
33. Remove all Nvidia folders
34. Click “S-1-5-21-1632250243-966907716-928185508-1000” and extend the folder
35. Click “Software” and extend the folder
36. Remove all Nvidia Folders
37. Close down regedit and empty your recycle bin
38. Undo the folder options change to hide the hidden folders
39. Reboot
40. Install your AMD/Nvidia drivers and reboot
(Remember, if you look in some of the folders mentioned in this guide but don’t have any Nvidia folders, just move to the next appropriate step. This means the uninstall option has removed such files for you. But as we know, the uninstaller still leaves a lot of things behind)
Edited by BradleyW - 7/19/12 at 7:54am











