Is it safe to delete those Nvidia install files after an install?

Discussion in 'Videocards - NVIDIA GeForce Drivers Section' started by Im_Special, Dec 18, 2012.

  1. Im_Special

    Im_Special Member Guru

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    I'm referring to both the folders located at C:\NVIDIA\DisplayDriver and C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2

    Once the drivers have been installed do these serve any purpose and can be safely removed?
     
  2. Cyberdyne

    Cyberdyne Guest

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    No purpose, go ahead and delete em.
     
  3. ---TK---

    ---TK--- Guest

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    I always delete them after a driver install, not needed
     
  4. T_R_V

    T_R_V Active Member

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    You can even delete old backup folders "nv_disp*" from "C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository", if you have the rights to do so (or use the tool "Unlocker"). Windows keeps always copies of all installed drivers there and wastes space. Just keep the most recent whql and maybe the last driver you are testing. Thats it. Since drivers size growth fast, keeping about five not needed driver backup can for example already waste ~1GB of your HDD.
     

  5. HeavyHemi

    HeavyHemi Guest

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    You could, but it is completely an unnecessary risk. I can't count how many folks I've had to walk through repairing the driverstore. My ENTIRE file repository size is 1.75GB.
     
  6. ---TK---

    ---TK--- Guest

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    I just checked mine 8.12gb. ouch
     
  7. Cyberdyne

    Cyberdyne Guest

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    I would just apply NTFS directory compression attrib to the DriverStore folder. Saved a few gigs for me, speed aint really necessary.
     
  8. HeavyHemi

    HeavyHemi Guest

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    Seems pretty wild when an entire OS used to fit on a couple of floppy disks.
    Now a single image can easily be more than that. Not sure why yours is so large. My entire System32 folder is just over 4GB.
     
    Last edited: Dec 19, 2012
  9. HeavyHemi

    HeavyHemi Guest

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    Double post
     
  10. T_R_V

    T_R_V Active Member

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    You right, its a risk for those, who don't know what they are doing. :)
     

  11. NeoandGeo

    NeoandGeo Guest

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    My driverstore folder is 1.7GB, this is on a 128GB SSD. Wonder if it allows itself to get bigger on a larger disk?
     
  12. alanm

    alanm Ancient Guru

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    Nvidia drivers only get backed up in DriverStore when you install new drivers over the old. If you uninstall the driver before installing the new, they wont get backed up.
     
  13. xaudiox

    xaudiox Member Guru

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    If you choose a "Clean Install", only the current driver is kept.
     
  14. mysteriously

    mysteriously Guest

    If you delete files from C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2 you won't be able to uninstall current driver via control panel.
     
  15. ---TK---

    ---TK--- Guest

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    I install over the. Top. 2 years worth of drivers. I compressed it to 5.5 gb lol
     

  16. Mineria

    Mineria Ancient Guru

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    Nopes, only grows when you install on top without uninstalling first and without choosing the clean install option either.

    1.08GB on my system, which even is a Windows 7 to Windows 8 upgrade that has been up running since Windows 7 RTM was released on MSDN, which is around 3½ years.

    I did remove some old leaveovers after installing some new drivers though, like Intel chipset etc.
    I wouldn't recommend that to people who aren't to familiar with the DriverStore folder name structure, Windows can easy get unbootable if you delete the wrong folders.
     
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2012
  17. Im_Special

    Im_Special Member Guru

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    Crap I've already deleted them, so in the future when new drivers come out and I want to install those, how do I uninstall everything properly and do a clean install again?
     
  18. revv

    revv Guest

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  19. ---TK---

    ---TK--- Guest

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    thanks for that. deleted many old nvidia drivers. have my windows drive backed up just in case
    this worked well just deleted old nvidia display drivers and nothing else.
     
    Last edited: Dec 23, 2012

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