Swapping from an AMD to an NVIDIA card - Can I boot with the old AMD drivers?

NeilF · 1 Feb 2017 at 17:01

I think my AMD card is nearly dead. I dare not boot up into the PC to remove the drivers etc as its now so flakey (video lock ups).

If I fit in an NVidia 1070 and just boot up, can I then uninstall the AMD drivers and then run DDU to clean up... Then install the NVidia drivers?

Or are the AMD drivers going to prevent Windows 10 from even using the NVidia 1070?

Rroff · 1 Feb 2017 at 17:05

They shouldn't prevent the 1070 working, depending on software installed and configuration you might get some error messages. Windows should boot up with generic VGA drivers and let you install the nVidia drivers.

NeilF · 1 Feb 2017 at 17:07

Rroff said:
They shouldn't prevent the 1070 working, depending on software installed and configuration you might get some error messages. Windows should boot up with generic VGA drivers and let you install the nVidia drivers.

OK... 1070 it is then... AMD in the bin...

TheRealDeal · 1 Feb 2017 at 17:08

Even with a flaky card i would try to uninstall the amd drivers. Shut down and remove the 7870 and replace with 1070. Boot up and install the Nvidia drivers.

If you can do this put in the 1070, boot up and use DDU to get rid of the AMD drivers and then install the NV driver.

Any way you do this there should not be a problem. You can install an AMD and Nvidia card at the same time these days along with both there drivers.

NeilF · 1 Feb 2017 at 17:12

TheRealDeal said:
Even with a flaky card i would try to uninstall the amd drivers. Shut down and remove the 7870 and replace with 1070. Boot up and install the Nvidia drivers.

If you can do this put in the 1070, boot up and use DDU to get rid of the AMD drivers and then install the NV driver.

Any way you do this there should not be a problem. You can install an AMD and Nvidia card at the same time these days along with both there drivers.

It's even getting flakey at windows logon... And has frozen now while just in windows. I'd hate it to freeze up while uninstalling main drivers and doing registry etc!?

LoadsaMoney · 1 Feb 2017 at 17:26

Can have both drivers on fine, been able to since XP.

NeilF · 1 Feb 2017 at 17:44

LoadsaMoney said:
Can have both drivers on fine, been able to since XP.

Thanks... The AMD is borked and sometimes windows won't even boot/show now.

Note even at the BIOS I can get video corruption.

Disco_P · 1 Feb 2017 at 17:51

Use the iGPU on your 4790K to uninstall the drivers.

NeilF · 1 Feb 2017 at 18:04

Disco_P said:
Use the iGPU on your 4790K to uninstall the drivers.

How's that any different really? ie: Booting into an Intel chipset instead of an NVidia one?

I can use that as a fallback I guess?!

Zefan · 1 Feb 2017 at 18:07

Don't bother with special driver uninstalling apps. Just stick your new card in and install the new drivers. There's no point complicating things unless you have a specific issue.

joeyjojo · 1 Feb 2017 at 18:09

Disco_P said:
Use the iGPU on your 4790K to uninstall the drivers.

This is what I would do, but probably not necessary. Remove AMD card, uninstall AMD drivers, install Nvidia card, install Nvidia drivers.

And as Zefan says just use the normal uninstaller.

NeilF · 1 Feb 2017 at 18:30

Anyone ever had a graphics card get this flakey before? Where it would sizzle "corruptions" across the screen randomly, even when just booting up... Let alone full on screen lock ups/freezing!

Sometimes it won't even boot up now!

Disco_P · 1 Feb 2017 at 19:11

Yeah, plenty of people do. Normally a sign it's on its way out.

I suggested using the iGPU if you don't have the 1070 yet and wanted a way of using your PC.

Gregster · 1 Feb 2017 at 19:19

Swapped between both many times and no need to worry about leaving AMD drivers on whilst you install Nvidia drivers. I was swapping between AMD and Nvidia whilst keeping both sets of drivers on.

NeilF · 1 Feb 2017 at 19:22

Disco_P said:
Yeah, plenty of people do. Normally a sign it's on its way out.

I suggested using the iGPU if you don't have the 1070 yet and wanted a way of using your PC.

I'll just leave my "gaming machine" off until the new card arrives...

NeilF · 1 Feb 2017 at 19:22

Gregster said:
Swapped between both many times and no need to worry about leaving AMD drivers on whilst you install Nvidia drivers. I was swapping between AMD and Nvidia whilst keeping both sets of drivers on.

Wow! That's nice to know!

fs123 · 1 Feb 2017 at 19:27

Those red bars...are you sure it's not the monitor?

shankly1985 · 1 Feb 2017 at 19:33

fs123 said:
Those red bars...are you sure it's not the monitor?

Sign of failing vram seem this happen before with family PCs

NeilF · 1 Feb 2017 at 20:23

fs123 said:
Those red bars...are you sure it's not the monitor?

No... Going through a KVM so two machine both connected via DVIs to a single monitor/keyboard.

Even directly connected monitor to PC in question and got corruption. This time with the red bars scrolling red corrupted mess!

NeilF · 1 Feb 2017 at 20:23

shankly1985 said:
Sign of failing vram seem this happen before with family PCs

That's my take/hope... The red corruption even some times shows digital scrolling mess in it.