Can't Reinstal Nvidia Drivers after using Driver Cleaner

cwilson · Jul 28, 2007, 06:59 PM

After using DC to remove the Nvidia drivers for my 2x8800 GTX's running on vista 32-bit, I am not able to reinstall the drivers. I have tried both 162.22 and 163.11 (beta) versions, both run but say the system has not been modified and no drivers are installed. There are 2x "Video Controller (VGA Compatible)" entries listed under other devices in Device Manager. If I delete these and try to run the nvidia driver installaton I get a "The NVIDIA Setup program could not locate any drivers that are compatible with your current hardware. Setup will now exit" message.

Any idea what I can do to fix this?

cwilson · Jul 28, 2007, 07:04 PM

Also I get the following error message after rebooting now too - "Error loading C:\Windows\system32\NvCpl.dll The specified module could not be found."

mkk · Jul 28, 2007, 07:19 PM

Before running Driver Cleaner in secure mode, uninstall the driver using its own uninstallation routine as seen in the Programs and Features control panel section(old add/remove software). Have a look at the instructions and do it all over again.

cwilson · Jul 28, 2007, 08:37 PM

I have followed the instructions (See below) but when i run the nvidia installation program it still completes too quicky and says "The system has not been modified" when it completes

Below is exactly what I am doing

1 - Unplugged ethernet cable
2 - There is no entry for "Nvidia Drivers" in Programs and Features
3 - Rebooted into Safe Mode
4 - Vista decected "VGA Controller (VGA Compatible)" - clicked cancel button
5 - Opened Device Manager and deleted two "VGA Controller (VGA Compatible)" entries under "Other Devices". Note that there is no "Display adapters" section.
6 - No antivirus or spyware running in Safe Mode.
7 - Ran Driver Cleaner, selected the "Nvidia" fliter.
8 - Recycle Bin is already empty.
9 - Rebooted into normal windows and ran nvidia installation file

At this point the installation program runs, finishing within a minute, and says "InstallShield Wizard Complete. System has not been modified. To install this program at a later time, run the installation again. Click Finish to exit the wizard." It also gives me the reboot now or later radio buttons (restart later is the default choice. I tried selectiong reboot now hoping the installation would continue after the reboot. Now the two VGA Controller items are again listed in Device manager under "Other Devices".

I did at one point also select the Nvidia Control Panel filter while running DC.

So now im stuck in this state where i can not install the drivers and there is not a "Nvidia Drivers" item in Programs and Features.

mkk · Jul 28, 2007, 09:10 PM

Removing any identified VGA Compatible devices should not be necessary and I assume that the driver needs to have some display adapter detected in the device manager to be able to carry on. Is there any display adapter entry in the device manager after a reboot? If not, try a Scan for hardware changes action.

cwilson · Jul 28, 2007, 09:23 PM

the two VGA Controllers under Other Devices come back after a reboot. I tried doing it without deleting the VGA Controllers listed in Other Devices but I am getting the same behavior.

mkk · Jul 28, 2007, 09:37 PM

Good. Unfortunately I have no more ideas. The NvCpl.dll reference is something that should have been gone by now, but anyway it shouldn't have anything to do with why the new driver won't install. Perhaps Spike or someone else has a solution for you. I'm sure Spike will look at it as soon as he can.

**Spike** · Jul 29, 2007, 03:55 AM

I replied to your email.

have you also tried updating the drivers from the VGA Compatible devices manually in the device manager with update drivers and point it to the new drivers or let windows search for it.

cwilson · Jul 29, 2007, 11:01 AM

I was able to load the primary 8800 using a modded inf file, but i am still unable to load the driver on the 2nd 8800, windows is giving an error with the card and stopping it. Both were working before using DC, the only issue was when I enabled sli, NVLDDMKM.SYS would crash on boot up after that.

**Spike** · Jul 29, 2007, 11:15 AM

That NVLDDMKM.SYS is a known problem in vista. A lot of people have that.

did you also tried the things i suggested in the emails?

Have you tried updating both drivers through the device manager?

cwilson · Jul 29, 2007, 01:13 PM

I was able to install the driver for the primary 8800 using the device manager, update driver method. When i do the same for the 2nd 8800 it starts installing the driver then about a minute into it I get "Incompatible dispaly adapter has been disabled" msg popup and the update driver window comes back with "Windows dound the driver sodtware for your device but encountered an error while attempting to install it." "Windows has stopped this device because it reported problems (Code 43)"

If I run the look for solutions option, it comes back with "Windows was able to install the device driver software, but the driver software encountered a problem when it tried to run. The problem code its 43."

If i remove the 2nd 8800 that isnt working, it unistalls both cards drivers and I start over again. I can install the primary cards drivers using device manager with no issues, but the 2nd card will cause the same issue.

I tried installing the 158.18 drivers using the instructions linked in your email, the installations program completes quickly saying "The system has not been modified"

**Spike** · Jul 29, 2007, 01:38 PM

Have you also tried system restore from windows to go back a few days? and then install that driver and see if that will uninstall it so that you can run Driver Cleaner?

For the rest i am out of ideas.

As the program did not work for you, you can email me for a refund if you want that.

cwilson · Jul 29, 2007, 02:31 PM

No luck with system restore either.

patrickoltan · Sep 4, 2007, 12:09 AM

Has anyone found a fix for this? I just bought DriverCleaner and the same thing happend to me. I have an 8800 GTS and I am using Vista 32 bit. I ran the driver with all the directions, and then i restarted, installed the new drivers. The new drivers didnt load up and now I have no sound or video drivers. My desktop is on 800x600 resolution. Any help would be great, please email me or reply.

**Spike** · Sep 4, 2007, 01:09 AM

Hi,

i did a search on the internet and did not find anything so far. Really a lot of people have this problem and they did not use DC so it looks like this is a common nVidia driver problem.

What you can try is use system restore to go back before you uninstalled the driver and try it again.

Also try if you can install the driver by going into the device manager and then let windows search for the driver. So right mouse click on the card and select update driver.

patrickoltan · Sep 4, 2007, 04:09 PM

Yeah, the system restore worked for me fine.. But I want drivercleaner to work for me I'm getting horrible FPS in CS 1.6 and I have an 8800 GTS with lowest settings.

**Spike** · Sep 5, 2007, 03:35 AM

What you could try is in normal windows go to the device manager. And go to the display adapters. Then right mouse click on the videocard and select uninstall. If it asks if you want to remove the driver select yes. Then after that reboot to safe mode and run Driver Cleaner. Then reboot to normal windows and install the driver.

If your motherboard has an nforce chipset then only select nVidia. If it does not have that then select nVidia and nVidia Control Panel.