What if downloaded the wrong nvidia driver

If you don’t see the NVIDIA graphics card listed under Device Manager,  you can tell the graphics card is incorrectly detected by Windows. The common error that you would encounter is fail to install NVIDIA Graphics driver. The problem can be caused by many reasons. Here you will learn the top methods to fix the problem. With these instructions, your problem should resolve.

Method 1: Show Hidden Devices and Reinstall Graphics Driver Manually 

This method is especially useful for fixing the problem caused by leftover drivers after replacing a video card . Follow these steps:

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.

If you are not sure how to open it, refer to the links below depending on the operating system that you are using:

How to Open Command Prompt as Administrator in Windows 7, XP & Vista
How to Open Command Prompt as Administrator in Windows 10, 8 & 8.1

2. In Command Prompt, type set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1, and then press Enter.

3. At the same Command Prompt, type start devmgmt.msc, and then press Enter. This is to open Device Manager window.

4. Once Device Manager windows opens, click the View menu and select Show hidden devices from the drop-down menu. After that, Any devices that are not connected to the computer will be shown, including the NVIDIA Graphics card.

5. Uninstall each instance of the NVIDIA card and unknown device (The unknown device will be listed under category Other devices. ).

To uninstall the device, right-click on the device name and select Uninstall from the context menu. Following screen shot is for your reference.

Note: NVIDIA graphics card may not be shown as its own device name. It could be unknown device, video controllers, etc. If you are not sure how to identify it, just uninstall the device that has a yellow mark on it.

6. After uninstall, restart your computer then Windows will reinstall the driver automatically.

Method 2: Update the Nvidia Graphics Driver

If Method 1 doesn’t resolve the problem, it’s suggested that you update the driver to the latest version.

You can go to Nvidia official website to download the latest driver for your Graphics card. But if you don’t have time, patience or computer skills to update drivers manually, you can do it automatically with Driver Easy.

Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to risk downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing.

You can update your drivers automatically with either the FREE or the Pro version of Driver Easy. But with the Pro version it takes just 2 clicks (and you get full support and a 30-day money back guarantee):

1) Download and install Driver Easy.

2) Run Driver Easy and click Scan Now. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.

3) Click the Update button next to a flagged Nvidia graphics driver to automatically download the correct version of this driver, then you can install it manually (you can do this with the FREE version).

Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system (this requires the Pro version – you’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All).

Method 3: Restore BIOS to Default

If you are advanced computer user, you may already know how to enter BIOS and restore it to default. If not, contact your PC manufacturer  or technician who you could ask for assistance to help with this, as modifying BIOS settings incorrectly can cause serious problem.

Method 3: Update BIOS

You can go to the motherboard manufacturer’s website or PC manufacturer’s website to check for and download the latest BIOS version that you can update to. Contact your PC manufacturer  or technician who you could ask for assistance to help with this, as updating BIOS incorrectly can cause serious problem.