f13.net

So here's the issue..

Trying to uninstall my nVidia drivers for the 8800GTS.

I have tried:
Uninstalling the driver via the system manager.
Removing the driver using guru3d driver wipe.
Removing the driver via the Programs Uninstall option.

Every single time I try and update the driver, it goes through some sort of uninstall process, then stops because it says the uninstaller I'm using is a 32 bit, and I'm using a 64 bit OS.

Short of reformatting the HDD, I don't know what else to do.

Vista Prem 64, 2 x 8800GTS G92

Any help?

What happens when you open up Device Manager (right click My Computer, select "Manage", then last item under systm tools), right click on 'display adapter' and select uninstall, and then reboot? It -should- theoretically uninstall without accessing any '3rd party' uninstaller and boot you into VGA mode.

Upon reboot, after WinVista has installed what I guess is a basic vga driver, one card says 'installed, finished', the other card says 'Failed', restart now or later.  If I then try and install the driver I downloaded directly from nVidia, it gives me the '32 bit in a 64 bit OS uninstaller blah blah blah' message.

I'm this close to formatting my HDD....

Are you trying to move from nvidia to ATI? My experience was it was impossible to get rid of all the nvidia stuff. I even went through the windows/system/system32 directories and the registry by hand. The ATI card ran, but until I reinstalled from a wipe the framerates were dismal -- worse than the card I upgraded from.

Have you tried installing newer/different nvidia drivers, then trying to uninstall?

Try uninstalling your OS first  :oh_i_see:

Have you tried either the uninstall program or from device manager while in safe mode?  (Vista has safe mode, yes?)

Newp.  Staying nVidia.


Yes.  When installing new nVidia drivers (even if they are the same version), it gives the same error.


Heh.  Almost to that point!


No, but will give it a shot.

So let me get this straight; You are installing a new driver package on the -same card- you've had in there, just to update the drivers? Also, you say that while doing that, it runs an UNinstaller first, and it is in that stage of the process that it flukes out, saying you are trying to do something with 32 content in a 64 environment?

Just to be double certain, you're sure you downloaded the 64 bit version of the drivers, yes? Because the installer package may be giving you the 32 bit error message -just- after uninstalling, but really refering to the fact that you are trying to install 32 bit drivers.

Yes on all counts.

After a good bit of searching, it turns out that this is a problem going back a fairly good while for some people.

I read something that said when you get to that error all it has done is unzipped the new driver files so you can go into that folder and manually run the exe to install.

Tried that.  No joy.

I'm 3/4 of the way on a reinstall of the OS anyway, so I guess it's a bit of a dead topic.

Thanks for the insight, all.

I can drive up to Microsoft and kick a random employee in the junk for a nominal fee.

How much?

Is that the spot you don't love anymore?

Coke in my nostrils. Thanks!

I'm going to a dinner with the tech support manager for Microsoft's Vice Presidents' suite tomorrow night. I will inform him of our wishes to impress our foot upon his man-bits.

I don't think it's a MS issue.  Seems to be an nVidia issue.  A nVidia issue.  An nVidia issue.  Whatever.