What should I do before installing my new RTX 2060?
Asked by
MellowCedar42
I ordered a PNY RTX 2060 12GB, and it should arrive on Monday. I'm currently using another graphics card and I'm not sure whether I need to remove the old drivers before swapping the cards. Should I uninstall them through Windows, use a dedicated tool such as Display Driver Uninstaller, or simply install the new card and update the drivers afterward? I'd appreciate a straightforward set of steps so everything goes smoothly.
Answers
For most upgrades, you can uninstall the existing graphics driver through Windows’ Apps or Programs and Features section, shut the PC down, replace the card, then install the latest NVIDIA driver for the RTX 2060. You usually don’t need to do anything more complicated.
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You can also just install the new card and let the NVIDIA installer replace the existing driver. Modern drivers generally handle this well, especially if the old card was already an NVIDIA model. Before opening the case, shut down the computer, switch off the power supply, unplug it, and make sure the RTX 2060’s power connector is attached after installation.
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Display Driver Uninstaller, commonly called DDU, is the thorough option if you want to remove every trace of the old driver or you’re switching between different GPU brands. Download the new NVIDIA driver first, disconnect from the internet temporarily, boot Windows into Safe Mode, run DDU to remove the old display driver, shut down, install the RTX 2060, and then install the NVIDIA driver normally.
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MellowCedar42: Thanks, that makes the process much clearer. I’ll probably use the normal Windows uninstall unless I run into problems.