Cant install drivers after using DDU

Hi

I have used DDU a few times before this incident occured. Using DDU, has caused uninstalled my Nvidia Drivers. However, this time I am unable to install ANY Nvidia driver now. With the 'the graphic driver could not find compatible hardware' error turning up.

My graphic card also does not appear under device manager anymore.

I am using an alienware x51, with gtx555.

Hoping for help!

 

Stop using ****ty DDU and install driver in safe mode. DDU just makes problems with your Windows!

 

Did you try to install the 377.88 driver? From what I saw on the Geforce Forum, some users did get problem like yours after trying to install 377.88. (not necessarily related to a DDU CleanUP as some of them didn't used it before and seem to have the same problems after an attempt to upgrade to 337.88)

Also just in case, what is the version of DDU you used just before the problems happened and on what driver version you were?
If you have the same problem I saw on their forums, they fixed it by using the latest DDU in safe mode and then installing the driver in safe mode too.

Also since you state your card is not appearing in device manager, check if you have another device with an exclamation mark under the system devices.
Or simply post a screenshot of you device manager so we can help you further.

Any particular reason you think its ****ty? Did you had a bad experience yourself with it?
As I generally see satisfied users who thanks me and so I was a little surprised by your post.

 

Thank you for your “constructive criticism”...
I've been using Wagnard's DDU for few months on many different rigs, different GPU drivers, different Win OS's and not a single problem...

OP, what was the main reason for using DDU i.e. reinstalling GeForce drivers? Problems with games, currently used GPU drivers or something else?
Graphic card not appearing in Device Manager is odd for sure, but I don't think it has to do anything with using DDU....

 

I have never used any driver cleaner program ever. If it aint broke don`t fix it.

 

It may sounds weird coming from me but I agree completely.
From my point of view, DDU should be used only when needed (for the common casual users).
Pro users / geeky is another story.

 

Sorry, i confused it with an other prog.

 

Here is my story...

I'm using DDU approximately from late November 2013. Before DDU for complete driver removal I was using by this order:
1). regular driver uninstall method via Control Panel
2). Phyxion Driver Sweeper 3.0.0 (later 3.2.0)
3). manualy driver files removal from HDD/SSD (Driver Sweeper hasn't cleaned all driver files)
4). manualy removal of driver registry keys leftovers (also Driver Sweeper hasn't cleaned all registry keys for newer Radeon/GeForce drivers)
...and anyone who like me is using similar complete driver removal method knows how this can be a pain in the ass if you are testing few drivers a day for benching or to compare few drivers on same rig when I bought some new game. And I have more than one gaming rig at my home: my rig + my older son + my younger son + my daughter... All in all complete driver removal can be a huge time consuming process in my case and I don't have so much free time in past year or so.

Reason for 1+2+3+4: I like things to be perfect and that includes OS in perfect shape, drivers, programs...etc. I don't like needless stuff and leftovers from earlier drivers in Windows registry or on SSD/HDD. I know lot of you guys are thinking something like this right now: "...this dude is some sick perfectionist..." and I'm aware of that fact, I'm what I'm, but after few years of (ab)use all my rigs are working same like day one: OS is booting fast (like first day it was installed), stabile, I've NEVER had any single reason to reinstall OS on ANY of my rigs, I only install install newer OS when I think i'ts worth it and last time that was back in 2009/2010 when I transfered all of my gamning rigs from WinXP to Win7 x64.

DDU is saving my time a LOT, above 1+2+3+4 method consumed from 15 to 20 minutes of my life for perfect driver removal and with DDU whole process of booting into Windows Safe Mode + driver removal (driver files, registry keys...) by DDU lasts for about .... guess what: 2 to 3 minutes!

I like the way DDU is going right now and I hope it won't end up like Phyxion Driver Sweeper.

Thanks Wagnard!
my two cents...

 

RoodyPoo

I'm going to make some massive assumptions here and see if it helps:

I'm thinking the nvidia gpu is discreet as I've never seen one for sale so power off your base unit disconnect the power cable and hit the on button to discharge it.

Leave it a few mins then boot up and go in to safe mode.

open an administrative command prompt and type:

set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1

press enter

then type

start devmgmt.msc

when the device manager comes up select view on the tool bar and tick show hidden devices.

You should now see ghosted devices like USB hardware phones etc etc etc


find display adapters and right click and uninstall (ticking the box for delete drivers to)

Once they're all gone (if any) reboot.

Get in to windows and see if it gets detected now, you might want to scan for hardware changes in devmgmt.msc as well just in case.

if it does install the latest drivers and go from there.


If not then report back.

 

And I has a easy way.
Use GhostBuster.
http://ghostbuster.codeplex.com/
---
And also, start from Windows 8, you no longer need to set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1, it is enabled as default, but the price is the Non-Plug and Play Drivers would not showing anymore.

 

If you ever get to a point where DDU is the only way to get a driver to install you need to reinstall Windows so you don't eventually run into worse problems. Generally unless there is a verified bug in a driverset there should be no problems installing on top of the previous set. I have done this on all of my Nvidia boxes for years and have only ran into a handful of problems. Once you cannot successfully install new drivers on top of the old ones you need to start checking elsewhere for hardware/software malfunctions on your PC.

 

Just system restore to before the last DDU removal

 

This is totally true, I'm exactly like this too.

Who wants a computer with alot of junk from the previous drivers?

In my opinion I find that if you are playing a game you should of been happy that you are playing on a clean computer instead of a computer with another driver whilst you have a newer driver then the old driver.

If you are just going to overwrite it, you LIKELY could run into some problems.

And I did that before I ever knew that you had to clean ur drivers thoroughly first and then install them.

- -

Now for the OP:

I'd say try the latest DDU version again and let's see if that fixes anything..

Link: http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=379506

Display Driver Uninstaller 12.9.4.0 (06-12-2014)



@OP

[Credits to Wagnard and the DDU-team)

 

DDU works just fine, but i personally would recommend to uninstall the Drivers via the Uninstaller from NVIDIA and run DDU afterwards in Safe Mode.

Better is to disable System Restore and use something like Norton Ghost 15 on a weekly schedule. And manully make a backup before using DDU.

That's what i do atleast

 

DDU also saving me a lot of time when uninstalling driver. Haven't had any trouble with it.
Thanks Wagnard !

 

When this happened to me many many years ago, the only way I could re-install any drivers was to reboot in VGA mode, uninstall any nVidia references in control panel (regarding VGA) and clean any crap up with Driver cleaner. Then reboot and install new drivers..

Now I uninstall in CP, reboot in safe mode, run Driver Cleaner.net, CCleaner and reboot and install. I'm one of the weird people that likes a clean OS.

 

<words>

 

Try to use DDU? (Driver Display Uninstaller)

If you ever want to try it out, here's the link:

http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=379506

Goodluck!

- -

[Credits to Wagnard and the DDU-Team]

 

Eh, I have no need if you read what I typed. I was telling the OP what I USED to do when the same problem happened to me. I was just making a suggestion to him to maybe give that one a whirl.

Incidentally, this was because of incorrect use of a similar program. I cant for the life of me remember what it was called though...saying that though, incorrect use of any of the driver cleaning tools will bugger ya up.

 

This happened to me too, but I used Von Dach's optimization kit, and it screwed something up. After uninstalling the nvidia driver, I couldn't reinstall them anymore and I got the same error.

If you used Von Dach's kit, only way I fixed it was by reinstalling windows.