Is NVCleanInstall 100% safe?!

[empleat]

I am just wondering: could this theoretically destroy a GPU? Even if there would be 0.1% chance - it could damage GPU permanently, I would rather not use it!!! This program has to be updated right, maybe there could be some issue in future - drivers are complex (even if it is only repacking). So can you tell me, if this is 100% safe to use!!! Or if using this could theoretically damage a GPU?!

NVCleanstall v1.16.0 Download

NVCleanstall lets you customize the NVIDIA GeForce Driver package by removing components that you don't need (or want). This not only keeps things ti

www.techpowerup.com

Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 205776]

It doesn't, lol. Completely safe.

If it wasn't, a ton of people would report damaged/dead GPUs on here from using this tool.

 

[jboydgolfer]

fwiw their driver installer lets you pick what you do or dont want to install.

 

[dorsetknob]

You have more chance of finding Rocking horse shit in your coco pops............. than w1z's Software Damaging your hardware

 

[looniam]

I am just wondering: could this theoretically destroy a GPU? Even if there would be 0.1% chance - it could damage GPU permanently, I would rather not use it!!! This program has to be updated right, maybe there could be some issue in future - drivers are complex (even if it is only repacking). So can you tell me, if this is 100% safe to use!!! Or if using this could theoretically damage a GPU?!

NVCleanstall v1.16.0 Download

NVCleanstall lets you customize the NVIDIA GeForce Driver package by removing components that you don't need (or want). This not only keeps things ti

www.techpowerup.com

Thanks.

it does nothing to your hardware - it removes the installation modules from the driver package; such of geforce (i.e.) and its "bells and whistles" or ray tracing thats not needed or . . (getting picky). . how nvidia drivers are looking to reinstall DX. pssst nvidia doesn't really honor the "don't install" option.

these are choices like when slimming down an OS installation because you don't need all the "features"

 

[AltCapwn]

I never had any issue, and I do recommend it to everyone I know.

 

[W1zzard]

It's impossible to damage your GPU. NVCleanstall only removes additional optional components from the driver

 

[mouacyk]

It's impossible to damage your GPU. NVCleanstall only removes additional optional components from the driver

Some people are not worthy of incredible software

 

[empleat]

Like last time Nvidia released drivers, which destroyed GPU? So yes software can destroy hardware.

It's impossible to damage your GPU. NVCleanstall only removes additional optional components from the driver

Yeah I got that. Maybe driver would not install, if something was wrong, dunno. I don't know how difficult is this to do.

I read it is safe. I just want to be 100% sure, you don't know my luck.

So even theoretically, there is no way it could destroy GPU? Including somewhere in the future?

Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 205776]

Just used it to install 461.72 on my 3070. My GPU hasn't exploded yet so I assume it's safe...

 

[P4-630]

Yeah, someday your GPU might

 

[mouacyk]

I would like to thank op for this great laugh on Friday!

 

[empleat]

I would like to thank op for this great laugh on Friday!

I Am not a driver programmer to know exactly: if incorrect packing of drivers could cause driver corruption, which could damage something. One time Nvidia released drivers, which destroyed GPU. So excuse me I dared to ask your lordship. I guess you know everything and you are perfect, so you never ask any questions...

 

[Caring1]

Turning your computer on could "cause" it to fail one day, you might be best of without one.

 

[Toothless]

I Am not a driver programmer to know exactly: if incorrect packing of drivers could cause driver corruption, which could damage something. One time Nvidia released drivers, which destroyed GPU. So excuse me I dared to ask your lordship. I guess you know everything and you are perfect, so you never ask any questions...

You're being paranoid for petty reasons. Either use the software or not.

 

[empleat]

You're being paranoid for petty reasons. Either use the software or not.

What? So simply asking question to be sure, because I don't want to destroy my expensive GPU is paranoid? If this is paranoid, then everything is. I simply asked question, to be safe. And didn't expected everyone will want to crucify me for it... Why Nvidia says you are supposed to wait before installing new drivers, if everything is so safe? Besides I had 5 faulty components in a row, from 2 shops. With my luck... Sorry I dared to ask a question...

 

[Toothless]

What? So simply asking question to be sure, because I don't want to destroy my expensive GPU is paranoid? If this is paranoid, then everything is. I simply asked question, to be safe. And didn't expected everyone will want to crucify me for it... Why Nvidia says you are supposed to wait before installing new drivers, if everything is so safe? Besides I had 5 faulty components in a row, from 2 shops. With my luck... Sorry I dared to ask a question...

If the software was dangerous, and it's being updated currently by one or few people, why would so many people continue to use it and recommend it? Why not just run NVIDIA's normal driver installer and pick what you want out? You have options to do whatever with. I'd like to see when drivers were killing cards.

 

[Gmr_Chick]

This thread reminds me of that one a couple days ago where the OP (of that thread) was claiming GPU-Z had malware in it...

 

[Mussels]

The file you download from Nvidia is a package containing drivers, and a lot of extras - geforce experience, support for all their optional hardware (the old 3D glasses, nvidia shield streaming support, etc)
All this does is lets you avoid installing some of those... the actual *DRIVER* does not get modified in any way.

 

[W1zzard]

Theoretically one could craft a software that would try to overheat the GPU, so basically run something like Furmark. But you'd also have to slow down the fans, which can be done via NVIDIA's API. But once the card reaches 92°C, the card will thermally throttle to not overheat, I'm not aware of anyone who managed to disable this mechanism. Even if you managed that, there's another thermal trip point that forces the fans to 100%, and another trip point beyond that that turns off the card.

Maybe it is possible to craft a special render load that puts certain stresses on the VRMs, but these have several layers of protection, too.

Last but not least, maybe setting the voltage too high could be an option. Outside of NVIDIA nobody knows how to control the GPU voltage (beyond the tiny increase that the NVIDIA API offers on some cards), if someone knew we'd see this as a tweak for mining where it can actually turn into positive $$, not negative $$ like breaking someone else's hardware

Academia has written a lot about software breaking hardware, do some research, but it's not something that happens in real-life, or we'd hear about this all the time because there's so many devices out there

 

[TheUn4seen]

Well, NVCleanstall surely sends data to the Chinese overlords and organized crime. I thought it was common knowledge that crime syndicates break into people's houses just to steal their GPUs, such is the scale of current shortage, and that's the main source of TPU funding. It also makes your wife and/or sister pregnant with a baby which goes on to become a spy for a randomly selected foreign government.

Poor jokes aside, breaking hardware with software is not as easy as some think. Actually, breaking hardware with hardware is not as trivial as you'd think, crowbars and hammers aside. Take off the cooler, the card will promptly throttle to a crawl and soon after trip the thermal cutout. I did exactly that out of childish curiosity with an old GTX275 and, short of taking a soldering iron to it, I really couldn't force it into a catastrophic failure mode.
Repacking a driver won't do any harm, and getting rid of all the nVidia crapware can only help.

 

[empleat]

This thread reminds me of that one a couple days ago where the OP (of that thread) was claiming GPU-Z had malware in it...

Expect I wasn't claiming anything. I asked. Better safe than sorry. Why would I want to risk destroy my RTX 3070? Is that so wrong to ask LOL. Apparently these forums are one of these...

 

[Chrispy_]

Theoretically one could craft a software that would try to overheat the GPU, so basically run something like Furmark. But you'd also have to slow down the fans, which can be done via NVIDIA's API. But once the card reaches 92°C, the card will thermally throttle to not overheat, I'm not aware of anyone who managed to disable this mechanism. Even if you managed that, there's another thermal trip point that forces the fans to 100%, and another trip point beyond that that turns off the card.

Maybe it is possible to craft a special render load that puts certain stresses on the VRMs, but these have several layers of protection, too.

Last but not least, maybe setting the voltage too high could be an option. Outside of NVIDIA nobody knows how to control the GPU voltage (beyond the tiny increase that the NVIDIA API offers on some cards), if someone knew we'd see this as a tweak for mining where it can actually turn into positive $$, not negative $$ like breaking someone else's hardware

Academia has written a lot about software breaking hardware, do some research, but it's not something that happens in real-life, or we'd hear about this all the time because there's so many devices out there

This. I use Furmark to check that cards installed to cases with less-than-ideal airflow will not cause problems.

In Furmark's entire history I have never killed a card with Furmark that wasn't already showing signs of defect. Furmark may push a faulty card over the edge but a working card will definitely go through multiple stages of self-protection long before anything goes pop.

 

[W1zzard]

In Furmark's entire history I have never killed a card with Furmark

This. I have reviewed over 500 graphics cards, including disassembly, Furmark and other abuse, and never killed a card unless I was in a hurry, rushing things.

 

[Mussels]

This. I have reviewed over 500 graphics cards, including disassembly, Furmark and other abuse, and never killed a card unless I was in a hurry, rushing things.

I dropped my GTX 1080 and it hit so hard it ripped the AIO from the top of the case, bent the IO shield so its an issue getting it into cases and it still works fine too

Unless you physically snap a board component off, modern electronics are hard to kill