Newbie Help - Geoforce 8800 GTS

The Wanderer · Jan 7, 2008, 11:03 AM

Hi, I have been an ATI user for many many years and have recently purchased a new system and this time broke with tradition and put in a Geoforce 8800 GTS ( 640 MB ). The system is 4 months old and I try to keep an eye on driver updates as in my previous ATI life they came out fast and furious. My platform is XP with SP2.
My current forceware is 163.71 and bios is 60.80.13.00.00.
Should I upgrade to the most recent forceware version and if so do I need to uninstall previous version ... how is that done, if I do need to uninstall. I hate to ask these stupid questions but having never worked with this video card I don't want to get myself into trouble I can't get out of. Is there a guide for a newbie like me on how to update the Geoforce forceware drivers ...
Any help would be appreciated ... thanks.

Dave

Chaos · Jan 7, 2008, 12:23 PM

you can remove the drivers through Add remove programs in Control Panel and if desired use a tool like Driver Cleaner to remove traces of the old drivers

CDsDontBurn · Jan 7, 2008, 08:12 PM

as said above, also perform those tasks in safe mode. that way, there is less of a likely hood that there will be any other background running program interfering with the driver uninstall process.

it's also recommended that you install the driver through safe mode as well.

the current latest official winXP driver is 169.21

The Wanderer · Jan 8, 2008, 05:47 AM

Thanks for the help ....I have read that you don't need to uninstall the old drivers if the update is of the same version... which I would guess is the 169.xx
Is it necessary to uninstall based on the information I provided ... I don't mind uninstalling but if it is not needed then why do it... Thanks.

CDsDontBurn · Jan 8, 2008, 10:14 PM

it's always recommended that you uninstall a driver before rolling back/updating to a different driver version. that's just to avoid any driver conflicts between the previous driver version and the new driver version.

Jan 7, 2008, 11:03 AM	#1
The Wanderer DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	Newbie Help - Geoforce 8800 GTS Hi, I have been an ATI user for many many years and have recently purchased a new system and this time broke with tradition and put in a Geoforce 8800 GTS ( 640 MB ). The system is 4 months old and I try to keep an eye on driver updates as in my previous ATI life they came out fast and furious. My platform is XP with SP2. My current forceware is 163.71 and bios is 60.80.13.00.00. Should I upgrade to the most recent forceware version and if so do I need to uninstall previous version ... how is that done, if I do need to uninstall. I hate to ask these stupid questions but having never worked with this video card I don't want to get myself into trouble I can't get out of. Is there a guide for a newbie like me on how to update the Geoforce forceware drivers ... Any help would be appreciated ... thanks. Dave

Jan 7, 2008, 08:12 PM	#3
CDsDontBurn Lurking DriverHeaven Join Date: May 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 22,794 Rep Power: 235 System Specs	as said above, also perform those tasks in safe mode. that way, there is less of a likely hood that there will be any other background running program interfering with the driver uninstall process. it's also recommended that you install the driver through safe mode as well. the current latest official winXP driver is 169.21 __________________ Her First Day \| A year later

Jan 8, 2008, 10:14 PM	#5
CDsDontBurn Lurking DriverHeaven Join Date: May 2003 Location: Southern California Posts: 22,794 Rep Power: 235 System Specs	it's always recommended that you uninstall a driver before rolling back/updating to a different driver version. that's just to avoid any driver conflicts between the previous driver version and the new driver version. __________________ Her First Day \| A year later

Jan 7, 2008, 12:23 PM	#2
Chaos Number Nine Join Date: May 2002 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 5,268 Rep Power: 167 System Specs	you can remove the drivers through Add remove programs in Control Panel and if desired use a tool like Driver Cleaner to remove traces of the old drivers

Jan 8, 2008, 05:47 AM	Thread Starter #4
The Wanderer DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2 Rep Power: 0	Thanks for the help ....I have read that you don't need to uninstall the old drivers if the update is of the same version... which I would guess is the 169.xx Is it necessary to uninstall based on the information I provided ... I don't mind uninstalling but if it is not needed then why do it... Thanks.