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New Card do you reformat?

thedoc46

thedoc46

thedoc46

Soldato
Joined
18 Jan 2003
Posts
5,995
Location
Expat in the USA
Do you guys bother to reformat when going from ATI to ATI?

Obviously from nVidia to ATI or vice versa then i know you need too.

But from ATI to ATI do you bother?

I'm about to pull the trigger on a new 5770 Vapor-X to upgrade my existing 4850 and I'm wondering should I go through all the bother of a re-format.. Especially as I only rebuilt it with a clean install of Windows 7 a month or two ago.
 
I do not - even fron nvidia to ati.

Simply clear existing card drivers using add/remove programs.

Then re-start but boot into safe mode before making sure that everything I want to be cleared out is cleared out by running driver sweeper.

(Obviously in both stages above being wary ref. removal of anything still needed e.g chipset drivers etc)

Re-start to install new drivers.

Would do same for a change of card model e.g 4850 to 5770 - wether needed or not. You can be sure that you have a clean install!!

Have never had to re-format/repair windows etc despite having moved from nvidia 9800gtx to an Ati 4870 to a nvidia 260 to a Ati 5870 :D
 
Never had to reformat; nor would I, even when swapping brands (and never had a problem) just make sure you remove all traces of the old drivers using Driver Sweeper or the like :)
 
Driver Sweeper isn't really necessary anymore, just uninstalling in the add/remove programs section of the control panel does the job.

Though I had to use it when my computer refused to believe my 5870 was capable of DX11 features... oddly enough.

Just use the drivers own uninstall program (as has been said), turn the comp off, swap cards and switch it back on. Should be fine nowadays.
 
I tend to reformat every 6 months anyway, so if i know i'm going to do a major hardware upgrade then I'll try and sync it with that.... if it was going from a 4870 to a 4890 or something like that I wouldn't bother..
 
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