Discontinued (check OP link for future drivers) - Clean Version

- First post updated with Clean 417.75 HotFix - Desktop/Notebook Versions

417.71 - r417_68-4
417.75 - r417_68-5

 

First of all, I'd like to thank @cryohellinc for providing the clean drivers.

If I may suggest an improvement to an already excellent thread, I'd like to see links to previous drivers on the main post, and not just to the most recent version, as that may not be the best option to all users.

Case in point, as a 1080 Ti owner, I was looking for the 399.24 drivers (still considered the best for Pascal cards, in terms of gaming performance). I found cryohellinc's post about it (dated of September 10, 2018), but not the link to the download of the drivers themselves, so I had to "clean" them myself.

I realize it's not viable to keep all driver versions uploaded (and maintain a long list in the OP), but maybe keep links to at least the last five, aside from well regarded choices, like 399.24, 417.22, etc.

Finally, I'm a fan of Nvidia Share (formerly ShadowPlay), so I still later installed Geforce Experience. I tried following the instructions provided in the link for removing mandatory login and telemetry, but I'm not sure if I've followed the steps correctly.

I downloaded the latest version of GFE and installed it normally. I then replaced the app.js file with the pre-modded one in the GitHub page. I also edited the Windows hosts file, adding the full block list of domains to the end of the text (without "#" before each line, I assume).

My question is related to the "auto-install easy fix". There's no option to "Run as Administrator" when right-clicking the Install-Fix.ps1 file, only "Run with PowerShell". I tried that and the blue PowerShell window quickly flashed and closed itself.

I then tried running the suggested PowerShell call ("Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned") by opening PowerShell itself as Administrator. After I typed "A" and hit Enter to change all, no other information was displayed on the screen, and I was still in the same command prompt.

After doing that, I ran Install-Fix.ps1 one more time (with PowerShell, since the Administrator option still wasn't showing up) and the same thing as before occurred: quick flash of the blue PowerShell window and that was it. Not sure if that's the intended behavior or if I've done something wrong.

Opening GFE shows me the "The page could not be loaded. Check your internet connectivity and try again." error window, but I can close it and proceed to change settings and use Nvidia Share. So I guess the tweaks worked? I'm still curious if I did everything correct in the PowerShell step, though.

 

Hi @EeK
Thank you for some feedback. Glad you find this useful.

-Regarding archives: I have stated it multiple times, that I don't have the storage capacity to sustain previous driver versions. Drives in the OP will be only from latest WHQL / Hotfix versions. If you have cloud storage and willing to share it, we can talk it through and arrange a solution.
Otherwise, that won't happen.

The first post has a "clean yourself guide", it can be applied to any previous driver version and takes only a couple of minutes to do so.

-Regarding BaiGfe: Please re-check the steps, I haven't used it for some time, but last time I tried it both auto and manual modes worked for me.
I would advise using Manual method as it assures that everything will Work.

 

I can help with storage check pm

 

Did, thank you.

 

Your welcome check again

 

Thanks for replying, @cryohellinc.

I didn't read through the whole thread, my apologies if you had already addressed the archive idea. I'm not entirely familiar with free cloud storage alternatives, if the links expire after some time or not. But I see that another used has already offered help, so I hope you can work out something.

In my previous post, I mentioned maintaining at least five driver versions at all times, but I now realize that's not necessary. My suggestion would be to have 399.24 up for the time being (as it's still considered the best pre-20 series driver for Pascal cards), as well as 417.22 (the best recent version, performance-wise). Aside from the most recent one and whatever hotfixes may be released, of course.

As for BaiGFE, there aren't really any actual steps mentioned in the ReadMe, just bullet points (and not numbered), hence my confusion regarding what's necessary and what's just an alternative way of doing things. They are, in order:

• Easy copy/paste fix
  
• Auto-install easy fix
  
• Manual way
  
• How to Block Data Collection / Telemetry

Are the first three simply different methods of applying the same tweaks?

The "manual way" is pretty clearly the same as the "easy copy/paste fix", the latter being what I did (replace the app.js file with the pre-modded one).

I also tried the "auto-install easy fix" after completing the "easy copy/paste fix", without knowing if it was a necessary or redundant step. That's the one I'm not sure was completed or not.

Regarding the block telemetry "step", this is what my edited hosts file looks like. Does that seem right to you?

 

@EeK
Sorry for late reply.

And seems correct to me.
I will have some free time this weekend, will give it a go and test this approach on my laptop, however, from the other topic you wrote in (ddu) it seems that it's working for you as intended?

 

Hey! No worries, thanks for getting back to me.

I mentioned in my previous post on this thread that GFE was apparently working:

Opening GFE shows me the "The page could not be loaded. Check your internet connectivity and try again." error window, but I can close it and proceed to change settings and use Nvidia Share. So I guess the tweaks worked? I'm still curious if I did everything correct in the PowerShell step, though.

I didn't have to login to use the program, but I'm still not sure if the "auto-install fix" is a redundant step or if I did it right, as I have no way to tell what's the intended behavior of the "fix".

And speaking of DDU, it really breaks GFE even after unticking the "remove GFE" checkmark, right?

 

@EeK
It does, as it cleans A LOT of things. And as @Wagnard suggested, down the road, he plans to fully remove it. I can see why.

Personally, I DDU clean before any driver installation. This assures me that no traces are left from anything related to a specific driver I had before.

In your place, I would prepare GFE with tweaks in a separate folder somewhere, and after each new driver installation simply copy it over.

 

@cryohellinc

I understand. I also run DDU before all new driver installations, and had honestly given up on GFE until I found your thread. However, since Nvidia Share is the overlay that least affects performance, in my experience, I was planning on going back to using it.

As for keeping a tweaked GFE elsewhere, if the only method required to tweak it is, in fact, the "easy copy/paste fix", without the need for the PowerShell script or the manual tweaks, it's not really a hassle to just copy/paste a single file (app.js).

Can you confirm that, aside from editing the hosts file to block telemetry, copying/pasting the pre-modded app.js file is the only necessary step to tweak GFE? Are the auto-install and manual ways simply alternative methods of performing the same task?

 

@EeK
Just to let know that I'm working on what you asked and so far the result are promising.

 

I have an unreleased version of DDU that seems to fix the issue when unticking "remove GFE" at least it work as expected on my end and all settings seems to be intact.(restarting GFe and / or the computer after the driver is installed *may* be required for things to show up in GFe)
I installed the driver via GFe when testing and I have taken the "Express" option. A custom and ticking the box for clean install will probably remove everything.
Here is the link for you guys want to give me feedback. DDU_GFE_FIX

 

Small tweak to Remove GFE Mandatory Login/Telemetry
My PowerShell is also immediately crashing when running the Install-Fix. Just before running the Fix, I installed GFE 3.16.0.140 (latest) and had rebooted. I was able to record it in slow mo and capture a screenshot of the error. Wonder if this is the same thing other people are getting or something different? https://imgur.com/a/KlCLut5

 

- First post updated with Clean 418.81 WHQL - Desktop/Notebook Versions

417.75 - r417_68-5
418.81 - r418_77-2

Edit:

New Archive section added. All previous driver version from now on will be stored there.
Kudos @endbase for sharing his storage.

 

I think you missed a space in between " file C:\ "

 

I didn't type anything though :/ I just ran the script. When I edit the Script in Notepad++ I don't even see that filec anywhere.

 

Thank you for these slimmed down drivers!!!!!

 

-Due to popular demand - Clean versions of 399.24 added to the Archive section.

 

@vbetts Did you consider pinning this thread? Man's doing a God's work here.