Nvidia Driver 531.18 has broken the Control Panel.

[Iggy Wolf]

Every time I shut down my PC, when I start it up again next time, the control panel won't open until I restart the Nvidia Container LS service. Nvidia needs to get their ♥♥♥♥ together with their drivers. The last one I had, 518.46, would cause random BSODs. Not even sure which driver is safe right now to use without problems. If I wanted constant driver issues, I'd have an AMD card.

[GOD RAYS ON ULTRA™]

You can avoid tiny strange bugs like that by restarting your PC. Sounds weird but I'm serious. I do this every time; start up my PC and then immediately restart it.

This is better than a standard startup because windows will start with clear ram as opposed to what's saved when you shutdown and then startup traditionally.

For reference I too would get the control panel bug on occasion, where it wouldn't open when I would start my computer. Haven't tried the leftclick because that always opens GeForce like you say. I guess that's changed now?

[Iggy Wolf]

Only problem is my CPU doesn't have an integrated iGPU. So if a driver is required at all just to send a video signal to the monitor, I won't be able to see anything without having SOME kind of GPU driver installed on Windows. Assuming I can DDU it in safe mode without losing signal, I probably wouldn't mind.

[GOD RAYS ON ULTRA™]

Well in that case you would still be able to navigate windows because if no driver installed then that means you're using the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter.

You would just install the Nvidia driver of your choice to get functionality. Uninstall the driver and windows will use the basic driver again until you install the Nvidia one.

[_I_]

if the control panel does not work, use ddu to wipe all the old drivers, sometimes windows and the driver installer do not clean up everything

[plat]

Well, and this is where it gets a little strange: Windows does in fact install the NVIDIA graphics driver for your gpu but it would be the last known stable. So it might be 6 months or more behind. And it defeats the purpose of a totally clean install b/c you'd be installing the new driver over Microsoft's chosen driver.

I looked it up and it seems when in safe mode, you select in the DDU interface "Clean and restart." Then, during the restart process Windows will install its last known stable driver for your gpu (might take a little while). Then you install your saved driver in your downloads. Although before you do that, you might check if the Control Panel is functioning properly.

https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/e9w76r/using_ddu_but_no_integrated_graphics/

Isn't there a "clean installation" option in the NV installer dialog? Has anyone done that with no igpu?

[_I_]

windows just installs the driver, with no control panel
which is a good reason never to use windows for driver updates

[Illusion of Progress]

There's an issue with increased CPU use following closing of applications (games) with the 531.18 driver version as well. Not everyone is experiencing it so YMMV but nVidia has confirmed it as an issue with it, so if you're not on it already and don't need it, might be best to stay off.

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/nvidia-latest-drivers-increase-cpu-usage-after-closing-games

[Illusion of Progress]

Hardʬare Hero eredeti hozzászólása:

You can avoid tiny strange bugs like that by restarting your PC. Sounds weird but I'm serious. I do this every time; start up my PC and then immediately restart it.

This is better than a standard startup because windows will start with clear ram as opposed to what's saved when you shutdown and then startup traditionally.

That's because "shutting down doesn't fully shut down" so to speak. It hibernates/retains some things. You can disable hibernate if you don't plan on using it, and it will result in shut down being a proper shut down (and equivalent to restart).

[Oz Gaming]

I'm using the Nvidia Driver 531.18 and it's working perfectly. Not one single problem with it so don't say it's broken

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Stop performing driver updates.
Do a clean install each and every time.
Wipe using the DDU app via Safe Mode.
Then reboot and run the driver packaged downloaded from nvidia.com

If you use GeForce Experience set it for: check for updates only so it does not auto update them.

[Iggy Wolf]

Bad 💀 Motha eredeti hozzászólása:

Stop performing driver updates.
Do a clean install each and every time.
Wipe using the DDU app via Safe Mode.
Then reboot and run the driver packaged downloaded from nvidia.com

If you use GeForce Experience set it for: check for updates only so it does not auto update them.

I barely ever do driver updates. And even when I do, I perform a clean driver installation. My philosophy is "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". The only reason I even did the update was because the previous driver WAS broken. And I don't use GeForce Experience. I have it, but it's set to only notify me of a new driver, not actually download it and install.

[ZeekAncient]

Bad 💀 Motha eredeti hozzászólása:

Stop performing driver updates.
Do a clean install each and every time.
Wipe using the DDU app via Safe Mode.
Then reboot and run the driver packaged downloaded from nvidia.com

If you use GeForce Experience set it for: check for updates only so it does not auto update them.

Isn't this excessive to use DDU every time? Even on DDU's download page they say the recommended usage is if you are having problems uninstalling/installing a driver or switching GPU brand. They even say that you shouldn't use it every time.

I will use it if I am getting a new GPU, or if I was buying from a new brand(nvidia or amd), that makes sense, but I don't use it every time I am updating graphics drivers. And I update driver's every time a new one is out. And I never have any issues.

Even Nvidia's latest, 531.18, that the OP is complaining about. I just installed it tonight, even after reading an article about unusually high CPU usage for some after exiting game, that Nvidia has acknowledged. and I went ahead and installed it anyway. Went to Nvidia's website, downloaded it, and did a custom install like I always do. Control Panel still works just fine and so far have not encountered the high CPU usage that some might get.

If I do, I will either roll back the driver, or wait for the hotfix. Restarting the PC will temporarily alleviate the problem apparently. But so far, no issues with the driver.

But anyways, my point about DDU is that, it is a great tool to have, but I don't believe you should have to use it, and go through the full process of going into Safe mode, disabling network connectivity to use it, every time you want to update your display drivers. Sure if you are running into issues, changing GPU, and especially changing GPU brand, it makes sense, but to do it every time? Even on the download page it says that it is not the recommended usage for it.

Like I said, I never run into any problems installing new display driver's directly from Nvidia's site, and I install the new driver's every time there is a new one out.

[_I_]

it doesnt hurt to use it every time
it cleans up all driver files and settings, and stops windows from trying to install new drivers on reboot

[ZeekAncient]

Iggy Wolf eredeti hozzászólása:

Bad 💀 Motha eredeti hozzászólása:

Stop performing driver updates.
Do a clean install each and every time.
Wipe using the DDU app via Safe Mode.
Then reboot and run the driver packaged downloaded from nvidia.com

If you use GeForce Experience set it for: check for updates only so it does not auto update them.

I barely ever do driver updates. And even when I do, I perform a clean driver installation. My philosophy is "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". The only reason I even did the update was because the previous driver WAS broken. And I don't use GeForce Experience. I have it, but it's set to only notify me of a new driver, not actually download it and install.

I don't have Geforce Experience whatsoever. I don't like it. Never have. I don't install it when I install a new driver. But if you are saying that this driver is broken, and the last driver was broken, do you think that maybe there is some other underlying issue that is causing a conflict?

At this point I would definitely try to use DDU to see if this solves the issue. I install new drivers every time there is a new one out, and I NEVER have any issue. Have not run into a broken driver yet. And this is well over a decade of doing this.

At this point, I would say it is not the driver, but something else causing a conflict. Use DDU and see if that solves your problem.

[ZeekAncient]

_I_ eredeti hozzászólása:

it doesnt hurt to use it every time
it cleans up all driver files and settings, and stops windows from trying to install new drivers on reboot

I am sure it doesn't hurt to use it every time, but doesn't it seem excessive to have to use it every time you install a new display driver?

Like I said, I install new Nvidia display drivers every time there is a new one out, and have never run into any issues. Why have I not run into any issues? And why don't I have the issue of Windows trying to install new drivers on reboot?