Should I use DDU when upgrading from an old GPU to a new GPU?

Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) is a driver removal tool that can help you completely remove AMD (ATI), NVIDIA and Intel graphics drivers.
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olwenboniface
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Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2025 3:08 am
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Should I use DDU when upgrading from an old GPU to a new GPU?

Post by olwenboniface »

Hello everyone,

I am about to upgrade my PC, changing from a GTX card to a new RTX card. I see many conflicting opinions:
  • Some people recommend using DDU to completely remove the driver before installing a new GPU.
  • Some others say that just installing the new driver from NVIDIA/AMD is enough, no need for DDU.
What I am wondering is:
  • In reality, does having an old driver affect performance or stability?
  • Has anyone ever had problems not using DDU before changing the GPU?
  • Is DDU really necessary in this case, or is it only useful when the system has errors?
I want to consult the community to make the safest and most optimal choice.

Thank you, everyone, for sharing your experiences!
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Wagnard
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Re: Should I use DDU when upgrading from an old GPU to a new GPU?

Post by Wagnard »

olwenboniface wrote: Thu Sep 25, 2025 3:11 am Hello everyone,

I am about to upgrade my PC, changing from a GTX card to a new RTX card. I see many conflicting opinions:
  • Some people recommend using DDU to completely remove the driver before installing a new GPU.
  • Some others say that just installing the new driver from NVIDIA/AMD is enough, no need for DDU.
What I am wondering is:
  • In reality, does having an old driver affect performance or stability?
  • Has anyone ever had problems not using DDU before changing the GPU?
  • Is DDU really necessary in this case, or is it only useful when the system has errors?
I want to consult the community to make the safest and most optimal choice.

Thank you, everyone, for sharing your experiences!
You can try without DDU first, and if you encounter problem, it's not too late to use DDU even after the switch. The old card or driver does not need to be in use for DDU to do it's work
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