am i doing things correctly to debloat my nvidia driver

Berton · 29 Dec 2022

As for C++ and other redistributables, it may seem as there's more than needed [such as .NET Framework] but a number of programs need and will install particular versions for support so removing some may or usually does require reinstalling of a program that won't work with that particular version. In other words, such things are not always all-encompassing so best to leave alone.

tomdsr · 29 Dec 2022

cns00 said:

i have an old graphics card. these days nvidia drivers have features for new graphics cards. those features are unused for old graphics cards so there is a performance penalty

newer drivers dont support the really older cards. havent for a while

Steve C · 30 Dec 2022

cns00 said:

i want to install nvidia driver version 527.56 on my alienware 17 r5 i9 laptop by using nvcleanstall to debloat the driver. i have never debloated the driver before so i want to make sure i am doing it correctly. i will use these options https://i.imgur.com/sdeVy7C.jpg

my comments are:-

* i wont be using geforce experience so i didn't tick anything under it

* normally when i install the nvidia driver then it installs the required files, hd audio and physx so those 3 are ticked

* my laptop already has all the c++ redistributables and i don't want the nvidia driver to install any c++ redistributables so i didn't tick it

* my laptop doesn't support optimus so no need to tick optimus (am i correct?)

* some nvidia graphics cards have usb c ports so they need the usb c driver of the nvidia driver. my graphics card is a chip and it doesn't have a usb c port so no need to tick usb c driver of the nvidia driver. (am i correct?)

* frameview is a monitoring api. i am using msi after burner to monitor graphics card usage and temp and it doesn't need frameview to run so no need for frameview. (am i correct?)

* quadroview is an app for managing multiple monitors. i am connecting my tv to the hdmi port of the laptop and i guess that doesn't need quadroview so the laptop detects the tv so no need for quadroview. (am i correct?)

* i am not using nvidia shield so no need for the shield controller so i didn't tick it

my laptop will continue to behave normally with those selections. am i correct?

also the last time i installed the nvidia driver i installed it normally so it installed the nvidia usb-c driver. i will clean install the nvidia driver so that will remove the nvidia usb-c driver. if i don't instead the nvidia usb-c driver then the usb-c port of the laptop will continue to work ok because it uses a different usb-c driver. am i correct?

also i read a commnet which said "for those that use usbc for a external monitor make sure to check mark USBC DRIVER everything else in screenshot is perfect". that means if you are connecting an external monitor to usb c port of the graphics card then you need the usb-c driver. am i correct?

Permalink

I use NVCleanstall and you have chosen the correct options. If you don't select the USB C driver but need it you will see a missing driver in Device Manager. If so, just install again with the USB C driver.

Steve C · 30 Dec 2022

eLPuSHeR said:

I am using nVSlimmer. Very simple and effective.

I've been using NVCleanstall. Is NVSlimmer better?

eLPuSHeR · 30 Dec 2022

I guess neither better nor worse. I think both do the same thing.

Malneb · 30 Dec 2022

There seems to be some contrast in here programs like nvclean have their place Its about stripping the process of installing GPU drivers down to its bare essentials all we need is the display driver for the GPU to do its job, all the other stuff doesn't matter although the only other thing that is good to have along side the display driver is the control panel imo.

The main reason people use this is that many of the systems are becoming obtrusive Geforce experience is somewhat of a pain and is just a visual front end that looks better than the default Control panel and offers some extra stuff that does not matter.

PhysX also useless as its a defunct niche system that no games really use anymore it was always a niche thing anyway not many game used it back then either.

USBC eh who cares even if you card does have the port on it.

all the other stuff self explanatory overall footprint savings. Much of which cannot be disabled via traditional means.

Maybe its changed now but i do recall that it needed an account to log in at one point and i made the decision then and there to ditch that POS then and there.
Nvidia Geforce '''experience''' now requires Log in : pcgaming
This confirms my thinking and that it was a thing at one time no idea if its still this way.

at the end of the day gamers don't really want all this extra, all they care about is fps and input time and not all this stuff on top of the display driver that is useless sure it does not produce any significant gains or benefits doing any of this but its about making the experience less obtrusive while minimizing the overall foot print.

Not to mention that most of these systems like Geforce experience are using system resources so there is that too when you cut them out of the running even if minimal gains are still gains.

cns00 · 30 Dec 2022

one guy told me this:-
"DO NOT DO THIS IS WILL BRICK YOUR LAPTOP. Saved you from yourself. You can thank me later. Mr debloat"

i think he is making it up. a lot of people are debloating the driver and nothing happened. what do you think?

NTN · 30 Dec 2022

Nooooau....give it a try. But take a backup first.

cns00 · 30 Dec 2022

ok. i am not using a usb c external monitor. i just want to confirm that not ticking usb c driver in the options wont mess up the usb c port of the laptop because it uses a different usb c driver

zebal · 30 Dec 2022

@cns00

Can't you simply extract NVIDIA package and then use device manager to pick up stuff on it's own?
Sometimes things are very simple and there is no need for any software.