Windows Update keeps downloading drivers for a non-existant GPU

Some time ago my GPU (AMD Radeon HD 7870) stopped working correctly. Since i wasnt sure about it from the start, i tried some things and one of it was formatting my drive and reinstalling windows. After windows was installed, it detected my GPU and downloaded its AMD drivers automatically but when it tried to install them, i was having blue screens (it turned out that my GPU was damaged and could work only with generic windows drivers). So after that, i removed the GPU from my computer and i switched to my Intel onboard graphics. The problem that i am facing though is that windows update still finds AMD driver updates and tries to install them unsuccessfully. I used the AMD driver uninstaller to remove any remnants of the drivers to see if that solves it and it seems that it uninstalled some things successfully and asked for a restart. After the restart, Windows Update found and started downloading AMD drivers again! In a few words, Windows behaves as if my GPU is still connected to my computer and will always download and try to install its drivers. If i try to remove any, it will download them from the start. Is there anything i can do about it?

alphanumeric said:

Go into device manager and delete that GPU if it's listed under Display adapters. If you get an option to also delete the drivers for it do it.

Hello and thank you for the answer but unfortunately it is not listed in my display adapters. The only device that is listed is "Intel HD Graphics 4600", which is my onboard graphics that i am currently using.

alphanumeric said:

Does that PC have an AMD CPU, or AMD chip-set? If yes, Windows update will install chip-set drivers for it. System specs for that PC would help.

I am sorry i wasnt so detailed about it, although i did mention in my previous post that my onboard graphics card was Intel HD Graphics 4600 so it is obvious that my CPU is Intel and more specifically Intel Core i5 4690. The update which is detected all the time is described as "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. driver update for AMD Radeon HD 7800 Series." so it is 100% the removed GPU and not some other AMD chipset.

alphanumeric said:

It may be obvious to those that run Intel hardware, but everything I have here is AMD powered. Wasn't 100% what was what. Is it in fact Windows update doing it, or maybe a left over AMD utility doing it?
You may have to do another clean install, as your system is now, with that defective card removed.

I apologize then, i was not aware of it. Well it is Windows Update which finds them and then automatically tries to install them so i dont think its something else. By doing another clean install you mean windows? I am afraid that it will be an option if i dont find a solution to this as i worry that now that i m planning to buy an Nvidia GPU i may face problems because of this. Not to mention that there might be a possibility of windows trying to download and install the intergrated Intel graphics drivers as well once i change to my new Nvidia card, even if i disable it from BIOS.

alphanumeric said:

I have NVidia video cards in two older desktop PC's here, they also have onboard NVidia graphics and NVidia chip-sets. AMD CPU's though. I haven't had any issues with Windows updates installing incorrect drivers.
The onboard video is auto disabled when the add in cards are detected by the BIOS. I just use the driver Windows update installs.
My laptop is AMD APU, AMD chip-set, and AMD dedicated graphics. It has switchable graphics. I just use the driver Windows update installs.

I've never run into the issue your facing where a device I removed was still detected? Instead of doing a clean install you could try doing a Reset?
Reset Windows 10

Well i may be having this problem because windows unsuccesfully tried to install the AMD drivers from the beginning. It is pretty annoying that Windows does not cancel the update procedure for devices that are no longer installed in the computer. I suppose i will try to reset this computer but only after i buy and install my new graphics card.

I don't have a fix but maybe a workaround.

The first thing I would do is set my wifi connection to Metered so Windows does not automatically download the updates.. If your computer doesn't have wifi, there is a workaround for that too.

Here re is the guide if your computer has wifi
Wireless Network Metered Connection - Set in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

Here is the guide if your computer is using an Ethernet connection
Ethernet Connection - Set as Metered or Unmetered in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

Next download and install Windows Update MiniTool. You can use this program to hide the updates that you don't want. Here is a link for the download. If you do a Google search, you will many others.
Download Windows Update MiniTool - MajorGeeks

Here is a video on how to use the program. In the video he talks about a long delay when checking for updates, I did not experience that.
How to Use Windows Update MiniTool - YouTube

The only problem is you will have to remember to check for updates with the MiniTool before Windows downloads them. Even with your connection set to Metered, eventually Windows will download them. Using the Metered setting only delays the updates.