The Basics of Graphics Drivers
A "driver" in the sense of PC hardware is a layer of software that enables your hardware to work correctly with your operating system.
Due to the fact that many drivers are OS- and device-specific, complicated equipment like discrete graphics cards frequently undergo performance and bug updates.
It is always preferable to obtain a device-specific driver from the manufacturer of your hardware, if one is offered, even when generic input, sound, and display drivers are also available.
You may anticipate regular driver updates until a specific generation has reached end-of-life, which is typically 6+ years after release, due to the complexity of graphics cards and graphics drivers (usually).
Why You Might Need To Reset Your Graphics Drivers
GPU Upgrade (New GPU from the Same Manufacturer)
You might actually discover that your previously installed drivers…work if you're updating your GPU to a newer card from the same manufacturer!
If this is the case and there are no problems, feel free to move forward.
However, installing fresh GPU drivers whenever you receive a new GPU is a good idea because neglecting to do so could lead to the following issue.
Clearing the Cache or Faulty GPU Settings
You might need to reset your graphics drivers if, for any reason, you end up with faulty GPU settings or a corrupted GPU cache.
This issue once occurred after my computer was forced to restart while I was playing Mortal Kombat.
The GPU's power management was messed up as a result of the forced restart during that period of high GPU utilization, and crashes continued to occur until I performed a complete, fresh driver installation.
Resetting your graphics drivers is a smart place to start, especially if you routinely crash.
GPU Upgrade (Different Manufacturer)
If you're switching from one of those suppliers to Intel, AMD, Nvidia, or AMD to AMD… Delete any outdated drivers.
Two incompatible graphics drivers shouldn't exist in the same operating system. It won't likely result in catastrophic harm or something terrifying, but it will certainly cause problems, especially after you start pushing your GPU utilization.
You really don't want to deal with Blue Screens (BSOD) and forced restarts as a result of conflicting drivers if you don't have to.
General Graphics Troubleshooting
Last but not least… Sometimes you simply have strange graphics problems and believe that performing a complete driver reinstall will solve them.
And it should, provided that the problem is with software rather than hardware. Reinstalling your GPU drivers is a pretty good technique to troubleshoot and identify the possible cause if something that should be working isn't.
How To Reset Your Graphics Drivers
1. Before You Start, Download The Latest or Newest Drivers.
Make sure you have downloaded the most recent stable drivers for your preferred graphics card to your desktop before continuing.
Where to find the most recent graphics drivers:
Place the setup files anywhere you can find them easily later; your desktop will suffice. After choosing the necessary device driver and installing your drivers.
2. Download Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU)
Visit Guru3D.com to get the most recent DDU download. A specific utility for uninstalling your graphics drivers, Display Driver Uninstaller does exactly what it says on the tin.
DDU will completely delete all of your old files and settings, in contrast to built-in uninstall options, guaranteeing that your new driver install will be as fresh and clean as possible.
Extract the DDU zip file into a convenient location after you've downloaded it. Here, too, your desktop computer will do.
DDU Installer Extraction
Once the DDU zip has been extracted, you can open the folder to find the Guru3D.com folder and the DDU.exe.
By default, this directory is where the files will be extracted when you open the executable, which is a 7Zip Self-Extracting Archive.
Guru3D.com-DDU folder
You can launch Display Driver Uninstaller.exe from inside this new DDU folder to uninstall your GPU drivers.
3. Launch DDU
DDU Launch folder
You'll get the following screen when you first run DDU. According to the GPU you have, check out the vendor-specific choices.
DDU first launch
4. Optional: Run In Safe Mode
You'll also be urged to restart in Safe Mode after getting through this dialog.
The only thing that happens if you don't is a few black screen flickers while you're conducting the removal, but in all the years I've used this software, I've never felt the need to really use it in Safe Mode.
When you uninstall your original display drivers, Windows will switch to its default generic display drivers.
You are welcome to perform this procedure in Safe Mode if you want to be absolutely certain that it will work.
To do this, open your Start Menu and type "Advanced Startup Options"; then select "Restart now" under Advanced startup.
Windows Advanced Startup Option
You can then select your preferred Safe Mode configuration—I suggest With Networking for most functionality enabled, or at the very least With Command Prompt—and proceed with the rest of this instruction without any problems.
Restart the computer, then launch Display Driver Uninstaller.exe once more and follow the instructions below.
5. Uninstall Your Old Drivers
DDU status window
A status window showing your current GPU and GPU driver will be displayed in DDU.
However, unless you manually choose the driver you want to remove, the clean options up top will be grayed out. To do this, use the two dropdown menus in the upper right.
DDU Clean Options
When you choose "GPU" and your GPU brand, the window's theme will change to reflect your selection, and you can then carry out the clean operation of your choice.
The "black screen" issue referred to by the second option is merely a flicker during the uninstall; performing the clean procedure without a restart won't have any adverse effects, especially if you're doing it in Safe Mode.
Whatever choice you select, DDU will take care of the rest. All that's left to do is close it after your PC may have restarted.
6. Restart Your Computer After Running the Fresh Install (Again, If You Have Already)
Run the fresh install
All you have to do from here is launch the executable using your driver program and let it take care of the rest.
But after that, you'll probably be asked to restart your computer once more. Do this, then congratulate yourself on having new drivers.
Your GPU should be functioning normally at this point if there were any software problems.
If your problems continue, you can have other problems, such as GPU overheating or even GPU death.
If this is the case, locate the most recent stable driver that you can recall operating correctly and use that in conjunction with this tutorial rather than the most recent download. You might also be experiencing a problem that is unique to that specific driver.
FAQs
How hot is too much for a GPU?
Not every GPU issue has to do with software. How can you determine if your graphics card is overheating? Sometimes, you can just be dealing with some typical GPU overheating.
As a general starting point, I wouldn't be alarmed until your GPU temperatures hit 95 degrees Celsius.
This may differ, though, depending on the GPU brand and model you're using, as certain GPUs are built with heat tolerances that can go past the 100 C threshold, which is generally considered to be the point at which most PC hardware fails.
If you require software to track GPU temperatures, start by utilizing Windows Task Manager (CTRL+SHIFT+ESC).
GPU temperature check from Windows Task Manager
Dedicated software can also be quite helpful for reading temperatures and performance in greater detail. As a starting point, I advise using the control software provided by your GPU vendor (EVGA, MSI, etc.).
What's the expected lifespan of a GPU?
A graphics card should be able to last five or more years with little trouble if you take good care of it.
Final Thought
I hope you learned something from this article that will help you reset your GPU driver or at the very least understand why and how you might need to in the future.
If you have any queries or experiences of your own, feel free to post them in the comments section below or on the forums, especially if you're experiencing GPU issues and need some professional advice to get you back on track.
Have a good one until then or until the next time!