Graphics drivers are essential for your computer to display images and videos. However, sometimes these drivers can become corrupted or outdated, which can lead to problems with your computer’s graphics performance. If you’re experiencing graphics problems, one of the first things you should try is resetting your graphics driver. Resetting your graphics driver will remove the current driver and install a fresh copy, which can often fix graphics problems.
There are two ways to reset your graphics driver: through the Device Manager or through the command prompt. The Device Manager is a Windows utility that allows you to manage your computer’s hardware and software. To reset your graphics driver through the Device Manager, follow these steps: Open the Device Manager. You can do this by pressing Windows Key + X and then clicking on “Device Manager.” Expand the “Display adapters” category. Right-click on your graphics card and select “Uninstall.” Restart your computer. Windows will automatically reinstall the graphics driver when your computer restarts.
You can also reset your graphics driver through the command prompt. To do this, follow these steps: Open the command prompt. You can do this by pressing Windows Key + R and then typing “cmd” into the Run box. Type the following command into the command prompt and then press Enter: “Dxdiag.” Click on the “Display” tab. Click on the “Save All Information…” button. Save the file to your desktop. Open the file that you saved in Notepad. Find the line that starts with “DriverVersion.” Copy the text that is after the equal sign. Open the Device Manager. Expand the “Display adapters” category. Right-click on your graphics card and select “Update driver.” Click on “Browse my computer for driver software.” Click on the “Browse” button. Navigate to the folder where you saved the file that you created in Step 5. Select the file and click on the “Open” button. Click on the “Next” button. Windows will now install the graphics driver. Restart your computer.
Accessing the Command Window
To access the Command Window, also known as the Command Prompt or CMD, you can use several methods.
Method 1: Run Dialog Box
- Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type “cmd” in the search box and press Enter.
Method 2: Start Menu
- Click on the Start Menu and type “Command Prompt” in the search bar.
- Select “Command Prompt” from the search results.
Method 3: Cortana
- If you have Cortana enabled on your Windows 10 system, you can say “Hey Cortana, open Command Prompt.”
- Cortana will launch the Command Window for you.
Method 4: File Explorer
- Open File Explorer (Windows + E).
- Navigate to the following location: C:\Windows\System32
- Find the file named “cmd.exe” and double-click on it to launch the Command Window.
Once you have opened the Command Window, you can type commands into the prompt and press Enter to execute them.
Displaying Installed Graphics Drivers
To view the currently installed graphics drivers, follow these steps:
1. Open the Device Manager by pressing Windows Key + X and selecting "Device Manager".
2. Expand the "Display adapters" section by clicking on the arrow next to it.
3. Right-click on the graphics card driver and select "Properties".
4. In the "Driver" tab, you will see the driver version and other information about the installed driver.
You can also use the following command in the Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell to display the installed graphics drivers:
“`
wmic path win32_VideoController get Caption, DriverVersion
“`
The output of the command will list the installed graphics drivers along with their version numbers.
You can also use a third-party tool such as DriverView to view the installed graphics drivers. DriverView provides detailed information about the installed drivers, including the driver version, date, and vendor.
| Method | How to Display Graphics Drivers |
|---|---|
| Device Manager | Open "Device Manager" > Expand "Display adapters" > Right-click on the graphics card driver > Select "Properties" > Go to the "Driver" tab |
| Command Prompt | Open "Command Prompt" > Type "wmic path win32_VideoController get Caption, DriverVersion" |
| Third-party Tool | Download and install a third-party tool like DriverView > Launch the tool > View the list of installed graphics drivers |
Identifying the Target Graphics Driver
Before proceeding with the reset process, it is essential to identify the target graphics driver. This is crucial because there may be multiple graphics drivers installed on your system, such as those for your dedicated graphics card or integrated graphics adapter. Mistakenly resetting the wrong driver can lead to potential issues with display performance.
Here are some ways to identify your target graphics driver:
1. **Device Manager**: Open the Device Manager (e.g., “devmgmt.msc” in the Run dialog) and expand the “Display adapters” category. This will list all the graphics drivers installed on your system.
2. **Display Settings**: In Windows 10 or later, go to Settings > System > Display > Advanced display. The adapter name under “Display information” indicates the currently active graphics driver.
3. **System Information**: Press Windows Key + R and type “msinfo32”. In the System Information window, look for the “Display” section and find the “Adapter Description” field. This provides detailed information about the active graphics driver.
Once you have identified the target graphics driver, proceed to the next steps to reset it.
Note: If you encounter difficulties in identifying the target graphics driver, you can consult your device manufacturer’s support documentation or consider using a third-party tool designed to manage graphics drivers.
| Identification Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Device Manager | Lists all installed graphics drivers |
| Display Settings | Shows the active graphics driver in Windows 10 or later |
| System Information | Provides detailed information about the active graphics driver |
Executing the Driver Reset Command
To reset your graphics driver using the command window, follow these steps:
- Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
- Type “dxdiag” into the Run dialog box and press Enter.
- Click on the “Display” tab.
- Click on the “Save All Information” button.
Saving Diagnostic Information
This will create a text file containing all the diagnostic information about your graphics driver. You can save this file to your desktop or any other convenient location.
Once the diagnostic information has been saved, you can close the DirectX Diagnostic Tool.
Resetting the Graphics Driver
To reset the graphics driver, follow these steps:
- Open the Start menu.
- Search for “Device Manager” and click on the result.
- Expand the “Display adapters” category.
- Right-click on your graphics card and select “Properties”.
| Graphics Card | Driver Version |
|---|---|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti | 431.86 |
| AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT | 20.4.2 |
Click on the “Driver” tab.
Click on the “Reset” button.
Click on the “Yes” button to confirm the reset.
Your graphics driver will now be reset to its default settings.
Completing the Driver Reset Process
After disabling the Windows display driver, the next step is to restart your computer to complete the reset process. You can do this by clicking on the “Start” menu, selecting “Power,” and then clicking on “Restart.” This will restart your computer and load the generic Microsoft Basic Display Adapter driver, replacing the display driver that was previously installed.
Once your computer has restarted, you can verify that the driver reset was successful by checking the Device Manager. Open the Device Manager by pressing “Windows key + X” and selecting “Device Manager.” In the Device Manager, expand the “Display adapters” section and check if the display driver has been updated to the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter. If the driver has been updated, the driver reset process was successful.
To reinstall the latest display driver, you can follow these steps:
- Open the Device Manager.
- Expand the “Display adapters” section.
- Right-click on the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter and select “Update driver.”
- Click on “Search automatically for updated driver software.”
- Windows will search for and install the latest display driver.
| Operating System | Command |
|---|---|
| Windows 10 | devmgmt.msc |
| Windows 8.1/8 | control.exe /name Microsoft.DeviceManager |
| Windows 7/Vista | devmgmt.msc |
| Windows XP | devmgmt.msc |
Addressing Potential Errors
Encountering issues while resetting your graphics driver through the command window is not uncommon. Here are some common problems you may face and their potential solutions:
Disabling Driver Signature Enforcement
If you encounter a “Code 52” error during installation, it may indicate that your device’s driver signature enforcement is enabled. Follow these steps to disable it temporarily:
- Press “Windows key + R” to open the Run dialog box.
- Enter “verifier” and press “Enter.”
- Click on “Create new settings” and select “Standard settings.”
- Uncheck the option “Automatically select all drivers installed on this computer” and click “Select driver files from a list.”
- Navigate to the folder where your graphics driver is located, select the “.inf” file, and click “Open.”
- Click “Finish” to create the new settings file.
- Restart your computer and try reinstalling the driver.
Using DDU to Uninstall Corrupted Drivers
In some cases, a corrupted graphics driver may prevent a clean reinstallation. DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) is a free utility that can thoroughly remove all traces of a graphics driver, including any corrupted files.
To use DDU:
- Download DDU from its official website.
- Boot into Safe Mode and launch DDU.
- Select your graphics card manufacturer and model.
- Check the “Clean and restart” option and click “Clean and Restart.”
Verifying the Reset Status
Once the reset process is complete, you should verify the status to ensure it was successful. Here are the steps to check the reset status:
1. Open Device Manager
Press the Windows key + X and select “Device Manager” from the list.
2. Expand the Display Adapters Section
In the Device Manager window, expand the “Display Adapters” section.
3. Right-click on the Graphics Card
Right-click on the graphics card listed under “Display Adapters” and select “Properties” from the context menu.
4. Navigate to the Driver Tab
In the “Properties” window, go to the “Driver” tab.
5. Check the Driver Date
Under the “Driver” tab, check the “Driver Date” field. If the date corresponds to the date when you performed the reset, it indicates that the reset was successful.
6. Verify the Driver Version
In addition to the date, also check the “Driver Version” field. If the version number is the same as the one you installed before the reset, it confirms that the reset did not affect the driver version.
7. Troubleshoot if Reset Status is Incomplete
If the reset status is incomplete or not as expected, perform the following troubleshooting steps:
| Troubleshooting Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Reboot the System | Restarting the computer can resolve any temporary issues that may have prevented the reset from completing successfully. |
| Reinstall the Graphics Driver | If rebooting does not resolve the issue, try reinstalling the graphics driver from the manufacturer’s website. |
| Update Windows | Installing the latest Windows updates can sometimes address driver-related issues. |
| Run a System File Checker Scan | The System File Checker (SFC) scans and repairs corrupted system files. Open Command Prompt as an administrator and type “sfc /scannow” to run the scan. |
| Contact the Graphics Card Manufacturer | If none of the above steps resolve the issue, contact the graphics card manufacturer for further assistance. |
Troubleshooting Reset Issues
If you’re having trouble resetting your graphics driver, try the following troubleshooting steps:
1. Check if your computer meets the minimum requirements for resetting the graphics driver.
To reset your graphics driver, your computer must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Windows 7 or later
- A graphics card that supports WDDM 1.2 or later
- The latest version of the graphics driver installed
2. Uninstall the graphics driver and then reinstall it.
To uninstall the graphics driver, follow these steps:
- Open the Device Manager.
- Expand the “Display adapters” section.
- Right-click on your graphics card and select “Uninstall.”
Once the graphics driver is uninstalled, restart your computer.
To reinstall the graphics driver, follow these steps:
- Go to the website of your graphics card manufacturer.
- Download the latest version of the graphics driver for your graphics card.
- Install the graphics driver.
3. Run the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) tool.
The DDU tool is a third-party tool that can help you to completely remove all traces of your graphics driver from your computer. To use the DDU tool, follow these steps:
- Download the DDU tool from the internet.
- Run the DDU tool.
- Select your graphics card manufacturer and model from the drop-down menus.
- Click the “Clean and restart” button.
4. Reset the BIOS settings to their default values.
Resetting the BIOS settings to their default values can sometimes fix problems with resetting the graphics driver. To reset the BIOS settings, follow these steps:
- Turn off your computer.
- Turn on your computer and press the “Del” key or the “F2” key to enter the BIOS setup menu.
- Use the arrow keys to navigate to the “Load Defaults” option.
- Press the “Enter” key to load the default BIOS settings.
- Save the changes and exit the BIOS setup menu.
5. Update your motherboard’s BIOS.
Updating your motherboard’s BIOS can sometimes fix problems with resetting the graphics driver. To update your motherboard’s BIOS, follow these steps:
- Go to the website of your motherboard manufacturer.
- Download the latest version of the BIOS for your motherboard.
- Update the BIOS according to the instructions provided by your motherboard manufacturer.
6. Contact your computer manufacturer or a qualified technician.
If you’re still having trouble resetting your graphics driver, you may need to contact your computer manufacturer or a qualified technician.
7. Additional troubleshooting tips
Here are some additional troubleshooting tips that may help you to reset your graphics driver:
- Make sure that your graphics card is properly seated in the PCI-Express slot.
- Try using a different PCI-Express slot.
- Try using a different graphics card.
8. Common error messages and their solutions
Here are some common error messages that you may encounter when trying to reset your graphics driver, along with their solutions:
| Error message | Solution |
|---|---|
| “The graphics driver could not be reset.” | This error message may indicate that your graphics card is not compatible with the reset feature. Try updating your graphics driver or contacting your computer manufacturer for more information. |
| “The graphics driver has been reset, but the display is still not working properly.” | This error message may indicate that there is a problem with your graphics card or your monitor. Try reseating your graphics card or connecting your monitor to a different port. |
Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU)
For a more thorough and aggressive graphics driver removal, you may consider using a third-party utility such as Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU). This tool is designed to completely remove all traces of previous graphics drivers, including temporary files and registry entries, ensuring a clean slate for the new driver installation.
Safe Mode
If you encounter any issues during the driver reset process, you can try resetting the drivers in Safe Mode. Safe Mode is a diagnostic mode in Windows that loads only essential drivers and services, allowing you to troubleshoot problems that may be caused by conflicting software or drivers.
Manual Driver Installation
In some cases, you may need to manually install the graphics driver if the automatic installation through Device Manager or Windows Update fails. To do this, download the latest driver package from the manufacturer’s website and follow the manual installation instructions provided.
Driver Rollback
If you experience issues with the newly installed graphics driver, you can try rolling back to the previous version. This is especially useful if the problems arose after updating to a newer driver version.
Windows Restore
In extreme cases, if all else fails, you may need to consider using Windows Restore to recover your system to a point before the graphics driver issues began. This will revert your computer’s settings, including installed drivers, to an earlier date.
2. Additional Considerations for Advanced Users
Troubleshooting Common Errors
If you encounter any errors during the graphics driver reset process, check the following common causes and troubleshooting steps:
| Error | Description | Troubleshooting Steps |
|---|---|---|
| Code 43 | Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems. | – Reinstall the graphics driver. – Check for hardware issues. |
| Code 10 | This device cannot start. | – Reinstall the graphics driver. – Check for hardware conflicts. |
| Code 31 | This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. | – Reinstall the graphics driver. – Verify that the graphics card is properly seated in the PCIe slot. |
Resetting Graphics Driver Command Windows
Resetting the graphics driver command window can resolve issues related to graphics performance and stability. Follow these steps to reset the command window:
- Press “Windows Key + R” to open the Run dialog box
- Type “devmgmt.msc” and press Enter to open Device Manager
- Expand the “Display Adapters” section
- Right-click on your graphics card and select “Uninstall Device”
- Restart your computer
- After restarting, the graphics driver will be automatically reinstalled
- Open the Run dialog box again and type “cmd”
- In the Command Prompt window, type “cd C:\NVIDIA” (or “cd C:\AMD” for AMD graphics cards)
- Type “nvlddmkm.exe -reinstall” (or “radeon -reinstall” for AMD graphics cards)
- Press Enter and restart your computer
Optimizing Graphics Performance after Reset
Update Graphics Driver
Ensure that your graphics driver is up-to-date for optimal performance. You can download the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website.
Adjust Display Settings
Optimize display settings by adjusting the resolution, refresh rate, and color calibration to suit your preferences.
Disable Graphics Overlays
Disable any active graphics overlays, such as in-game performance monitoring or screen recording software, as they can interfere with performance.
Close Unnecessary Programs
Closing unnecessary programs and background processes can allocate more resources to gaming or other graphics-intensive applications.
Free Up Disk Space
Ensure that your hard drive has sufficient free space to avoid potential performance bottlenecks.
Manage Background Services
Identify and disable unnecessary background services that consume system resources and can impact graphics performance.
Overclocking (Optional)
Overclocking graphics cards can enhance performance but requires caution and proper knowledge of system limitations.
Monitor System Temperatures
Keep an eye on system temperatures using monitoring tools to prevent overheating, which can degrade graphics performance.
Clean Your System
Regularly clean your computer, including removing dust and debris from fan blades and heatsinks, to maintain optimal cooling and prevent performance issues.
Seek Professional Assistance
If all else fails, consider consulting a computer technician or the graphics card manufacturer for professional diagnostics and troubleshooting.
How To Reset Graphics Driver Command Windows
To reset your graphics driver in Command Windows, follow these steps:
- Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
- Type the following command and press Enter:
Dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
- Wait for the command to complete. It may take some time.
- Once the command is complete, restart your computer.
- Open Device Manager.
- Expand the Display adapters category.
- Right-click on your graphics card and select Properties.
- Click on the Driver tab.
- Click on the Roll Back Driver button.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to roll back your graphics driver.
- Your computer is experiencing graphical glitches, such as flickering or distorted images.
- Your computer is crashing or freezing.
- You are experiencing poor performance in games or other graphics-intensive applications.
