EVGA

Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2?

Author
Keirnoth
New Member
  • Total Posts : 31
  • Reward points : 0
  • Joined: 2008/07/20 11:17:20
  • Location: Honolulu, HI
  • Status: offline
  • Ribbons : 0
2012/07/17 23:58:25 (permalink)
Just wondering if it's safe to delete the contents of the C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2 folder.  This folder looks like a temporary storage place made for NVIDIA installers, but I don't think they're needed after I do a successful install.  I have several "sets" of them from several months ago.
 
They're on my limited space SSD and they're taking up room, so I'm wondering if it's save to delete these so I can save a little bit of space?

i7 965 @ 3.6 Ghz - Zalman CNPS9900 - 3 x 2 GB Corsair Dominator - OCZ 60 GB Vertex SSD - EVGA GTX 460 - EVGA X58 3x SLI - WD Caviar Black 1 TB - Corsair AX750
#1

14 Replies Related Threads

    revenantx02
    EGC Admin
    • Total Posts : 1457
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2010/06/01 10:49:31
    • Status: offline
    • Ribbons : 8
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2012/07/18 00:45:43 (permalink)
    I "think" you should be fine to delete the files in it.
    I use to delete the older C:\Nvidia folders
    The new way they install is in the program files section.
    According to this site
     http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/07/05/how-to-save-even-more-space-on-your-ssd/
     
    You should be fine to delete em

    Not only do the NVIDIA drivers not clean up after themselves, they actually create two copies of installation files in different directories on your C: drive. The first are easy to find: after upgrading an NVIDIA driver, old versions are left in a folder called C:\NVIDIA, helpfully marked up by version numbers. These are obvious and easy to delete; for each one that you blitz you get back about 150MB of space.
    The second copy is harder to spot. During installation or upgrade the compressed drivers unpack themselves into another directory at C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2 before copying themselves over to Windows’ system folder. Then they leave them there in a complex structure of files and folders that looks too intimidating to delete.
    In just a few months of updates, this folder had grown to almost 2GB in size for me, making 4GB total with the C:/NVIDIA folder. One click will purge the entire Installer2 file, with no adverse effects on performance

    #2
    MajestacaL
    FTW Member
    • Total Posts : 1313
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2006/06/22 19:55:11
    • Status: offline
    • Ribbons : 6
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2012/07/18 01:56:51 (permalink)
    Yes it is ok to delete the NVIDIA folder it only contains the install files, I delete mine everytime I install or update my drivers.

     
    EVGA Affiliate Code: QFVZM37BXK
    STEAM Profile http://steamcommunity.com/id/majestacal
    EA ORIGIN ID: MajestacaL
    #3
    daemondog
    New Member
    • Total Posts : 5
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2013/10/25 13:26:52
    • Status: offline
    • Ribbons : 0
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2015/01/23 11:54:23 (permalink)
    Hi,
    hope it's OK to post to a 1 & 1/2 year old thread, since I'm asking almost the same question :)
     
    Is it still OK to delete files in folders:
    C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2
    C:\ProgramData\NVIDIA Corporation\NetService
     
    these two folders are using 5GB.
     
    I use GeForce Experience to install new drivers & thought a Clean Install was supposed to delete the currently installed drivers in Installer2?
    Used to see CCleaner removing nVidia files, but no longer.  Even after a Clean install.
     
    Thank you
    #4
    NazcaC2
    EGC Admin
    • Total Posts : 7420
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2008/06/21 09:43:08
    • Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
    • Status: offline
    • Ribbons : 38
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2015/01/23 12:03:04 (permalink)
    daemondog
    Hi,
    hope it's OK to post to a 1 & 1/2 year old thread, since I'm asking almost the same question :)
     
    Is it still OK to delete files in folders:
    C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2
    C:\ProgramData\NVIDIA Corporation\NetService
     
    these two folders are using 5GB.
     
    I use GeForce Experience to install new drivers & thought a Clean Install was supposed to delete the currently installed drivers in Installer2?
    Used to see CCleaner removing nVidia files, but no longer.  Even after a Clean install.
     
    Thank you



    No, do not delete those folders or anything in those root folders for that matter (unless it's a program you removed and it left remnants - but in your case, don't).
    post edited by NazcaC2 - 2015/01/23 12:04:25

    Intel i9-12900K
    ASUS Prime Z690-A
    Corsair 850W RM850x
    Windows 11 Professional
    Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 A-RGB
    Corsair Dominator 32GB DDR5 5200MHz
    EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 ULTRA GAMING
    4x Samsung 2TB 980 Pro SSD + 1x ADATA 512GB SU800
    Corsair iCUE 5000X RGB SIGNATURE SERIES Mid-Tower - Neon Night
    #5
    daemondog
    New Member
    • Total Posts : 5
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2013/10/25 13:26:52
    • Status: offline
    • Ribbons : 0
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2015/01/23 12:19:01 (permalink)
    NazcaC2No, do not delete those folders or anything in those root folders for that matter (unless it's a program you removed and it left remnants - but in your case, don't).

     
    OK, thanks
     
    #6
    Sajin
    EVGA Forum Moderator
    • Total Posts : 49166
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2010/06/07 21:11:51
    • Location: Texas, USA.
    • Status: online
    • Ribbons : 199
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2015/01/23 12:29:38 (permalink)
    It's perfectly safe to delete those files & folders after you have completely uninstalled all nvidia software from your system.
    #7
    rjohnson11
    EVGA Forum Moderator
    • Total Posts : 102262
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2004/10/05 12:44:35
    • Location: Netherlands
    • Status: offline
    • Ribbons : 84
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2015/01/23 12:32:37 (permalink)
    For what it's worth the info in the NVIDIA folder takes up not so much space.

    AMD Ryzen 9 7950X,  Corsair Mp700 Pro M.2, 64GB Corsair Dominator Titanium DDR5  X670E Steel Legend, MSI RTX 4090 Associate Code: H5U80QBH6BH0AXF. I am NOT an employee of EVGA

    #8
    daemondog
    New Member
    • Total Posts : 5
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2013/10/25 13:26:52
    • Status: offline
    • Ribbons : 0
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2015/01/23 12:38:33 (permalink)
    Sajin
    It's perfectly safe to delete those files & folders after you have completely uninstalled all nvidia software from your system.




    Well I should have posted my real question to begin with.
    I don't play games & really have no need for driver updates every month.  In fact allowing Microsoft Update to install the driver for me would probably be adequate.  So yes I am thinking uninstall all of GeForce Experience & nVidia drivers, delete all NVIDIA everything & allow MS update to install a drvier.  No more GeForce Experience or monthly updates.
     
    This is my first nVidia GPU, like it very much, but AMD had a uninstall tool & then I ran Driver Sweeper to clean things up.  
    Any such beast for EVGA/nVidia?
     
    p.s.  I keep running across articles, one mentioned above, that indicate it is alright to delete the files in the two folders:
    C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2
    C:\ProgramData\NVIDIA Corporation\NetService
    they do use quite a bit of space.  Aren't these just backups?
     
    thank you
    post edited by daemondog - 2015/01/23 12:39:45
    #9
    daemondog
    New Member
    • Total Posts : 5
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2013/10/25 13:26:52
    • Status: offline
    • Ribbons : 0
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2015/01/23 12:43:59 (permalink)
    Sorry in C:\ProgramData\NVIDIA Corporation\NetService
    would only be deleting all .exe files with the Nvidia logo.
    #10
    djcypher1
    Superclocked Member
    • Total Posts : 186
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2009/04/06 08:06:58
    • Location: Florida
    • Status: offline
    • Ribbons : 2
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2015/01/23 12:49:08 (permalink)
    Sajin
    It's perfectly safe to delete those files & folders after you have completely uninstalled all nvidia software from your system.


     
    +1  
     
    If you're uninstalling all the nVidia software then you don't need anything in those folders.  However, as rjohnson said, they really don't take up much space.... Mine are only a few hundred MB's.  
     
    And kudos for finding this thread.  Nice use of the search feature to find the topic you were looking for.  I would have been lazy and started and new thread....LOL
    post edited by djcypher1 - 2015/01/23 12:54:05

    System Specs:
    Metal box with an X99 system, a bunch of EVGA parts, and some wires inside of it.
     


     

     
    #11
    djcypher1
    Superclocked Member
    • Total Posts : 186
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2009/04/06 08:06:58
    • Location: Florida
    • Status: offline
    • Ribbons : 2
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2015/01/23 12:53:35 (permalink)
    Also, even if you deleted the files and the driver was corrupted somehow, you could always just reinstall the drivers manually.  It's not going to make your GPU explode or anything.  If you need the space or just don't want any remnants of nVidia stuff on your computer for some reason just delete them.

    System Specs:
    Metal box with an X99 system, a bunch of EVGA parts, and some wires inside of it.
     


     

     
    #12
    daemondog
    New Member
    • Total Posts : 5
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2013/10/25 13:26:52
    • Status: offline
    • Ribbons : 0
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2015/01/23 12:58:04 (permalink)
    djcypher1 It's not going to make your GPU explode or anything.  

    HAHA - that was my main concern.
    Like your system specs :0)
     
    #13
    Sajin
    EVGA Forum Moderator
    • Total Posts : 49166
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2010/06/07 21:11:51
    • Location: Texas, USA.
    • Status: online
    • Ribbons : 199
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2015/01/23 13:00:24 (permalink)
    daemondog
    Sorry in C:\ProgramData\NVIDIA Corporation\NetService
    would only be deleting all .exe files with the Nvidia logo.
     
    It's safe to delete C:\ProgramData\NVIDIA Corporation after you uninstall everything.
    #14
    XrayMan
    Insert Custom Title Here
    • Total Posts : 73000
    • Reward points : 0
    • Joined: 2006/12/14 22:10:06
    • Location: Santa Clarita, Ca.
    • Status: offline
    • Ribbons : 115
    Re:Safe to delete the contents of C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Installer2? 2015/01/23 19:32:47 (permalink)
     
    Moving to General Software.

                My Affiliate Code: 8WEQVXMCJL
     
            Associate Code: VHKH33QN4W77V6A
     
                 
     
     
                      
     
     
     
              
     
       
     
               
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



     
     
     
     
     
     &nbsp
    #15
    Jump to:
  • Back to Mobile