The driver needs to start in safe mode for installation.
The driver needs to start in safe mode for installation.
I'm experiencing some unusual issues, as indicated by the title. The drivers for my Nvidia graphics card can only be installed in safe mode. During normal startup, the installation fails quickly. When drivers are set up in safe mode, everything functions properly (games, work, 3DMark stress test all work well). However, each time an update occurs, I must manually switch to safe mode and install the drivers myself, which is quite inconvenient. This situation started about a month ago, before it was stable. The only recent change was replacing the CPU cooler. Here are the details of my PC: Windows 11 Professional 64-bit 22H2, latest i9-13900K (default settings, no overclocking), GPU GIGABYTE AORUS GeForce RTX 4090 MASTER 24GB (BIOS_F2/FW_Def.Drivers_531.29), RAM 2x16GB at 4800Mhz DDR5 (no XMP, no overclocking), motherboard MSI MEG Z690 Godlike (BIOS_7D26v1B_Latest), PSU Cosair AX1600i (1600W), boot drive GIGABYTE AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD 1TB.
I've tried several solutions: creating a USB flash drive for OS reinstall, rechecking all connections, swapping RAM, using another PC as a boot source, replacing the motherboard, and more.
Try running the program as Administrator in the default Windows setup (not Safe Mode). Disable drivers using DDU in Safe Mode and reinstall the compatible Nvidia driver version for your graphics card and OS version. Another option: Fresh install Windows 10, locate the supported Nvidia driver version, and try again. It could be related to compatibility problems with Windows 11.
Begin by removing the outdated drivers and wait for the system to restart before attempting the installation. Try the install again after rebooting. Keep in mind that a newer version doesn’t always mean better performance—it simply indicates it’s the latest at release time. If everything functions smoothly without issues, updating isn’t necessary. As mentioned before, if something works fine, don’t change it unless there’s a specific problem like a new game needing a newer driver. Please let us know your experience; it might be another faulty driver update causing the issue.
One of the initial approaches used was DDU for cleanup, though it proved unsuccessful. I plan to switch to Windows10 if necessary. Appreciate your response!
The issue has been resolved. However, this might not be useful for others. The main reason behind this is that the heatsink applies excessive pressure on the CPU and its base. Loosening the bolts by half a turn resolves the problem temporarily, but tightening them again causes it to reappear. Since each radiator installation kit differs, this isn't a one-size-fits-all fix. Still, I'm pleased you found the solution. Thank you all for your assistance! (If anyone wants to try this, loosen the bolt halfway and leave it overnight to let the material relax.) (Don’t power on the computer without a radiator in place!)