Remove old driver versions in Windows 10

[Batu69]

When a new version of a device driver is available in Windows 10, the operating system keeps the older version after installing the recent one. This behavior is implemented to allow the user to roll back the device driver in case something goes wrong with the updated driver version. Old driver versions fill your disk drive space. To reclaim free disk space, you might want to remove them. Here is how.

Before you continue, keep in mind that once you remove old versions of drivers in Windows 10, you won't be able to rollback a driver. First ensure that all your devices have no issues with installed drivers and everything works as expected.

 

To remove old driver versions in Windows 10, you need to do the following.

 

1. Press Win + R shortcut keys together on the keyboard to open the Run dialog.
Tip: See the ultimate list of all Windows keyboard shortcuts with Win keys.

 

2. Type the following in the Run box:

cleanmgr

 

3. Select your system drive:

 

 

4. Click the Clean up system files button to switch the Disk Cleanup tool to extended mode.

 

5. Find and check the Device driver packages item.

 

 

6. Click OK and you are done.

 

That's it. This will remove older versions of drivers from Windows 10. Once this is done, you won't be able to rollback drivers using Device Manager.

 

Source

[Pete 12]

" Once this is done, you won't be able to rollback drivers using Device Manager "

I still can, look !

 

Or this driver ;

[Pete 12]

And here another driver, which I can roll-back in the device-manager , just like almost every driver on this machine .

Just used cleanmgr ( cleaned system-files !)..............

[steven36]

That's why you test the new drivers  so long before you clean up, same as  if you was fortunate enough  to do a windows upgrade and it actually work you test it so long to remove windows old folder what do they give you 10 days now?   

[Pete 12]

Dont know ,mabe we can delete old drivers after some more time...........?

[hannubys]

The best way to do it is with this command line: rundll32.exe pnpclean.dll,RunDLL_PnpClean /DRIVERS /MAXCLEAN

cleanmgr doesn't use the /maxclean parameter

 

then check log "C:\Windows\INF\setupapi.dev.log"

[csmdew]

My device driver packages folder says nothing in it, but I just updated video and audio drivers yesterday, so evidently they are not being kept in that folder.

[A.lemane]

2 hours ago, hannubys said:

The best way to do it is with this command line: rundll32.exe pnpclean.dll,RunDLL_PnpClean /DRIVERS /MAXCLEAN

cleanmgr doesn't use the /maxclean parameter

 

then check log "C:\Windows\INF\setupapi.dev.log"

Spoiler

[Device Install Log]
     OS Version = 10.0.14393
     Service Pack = 0.0
     Suite = 0x0100
     ProductType = 1
     Architecture = amd64

[BeginLog]

[Boot Session: 2016/08/20 14:12:23.485]

>>>  [Device and Driver Disk Cleanup Handler]
>>>  Section start 2016/08/21 02:32:23.434
      cmd: "D:\C\PRG\Reg Organizer\Data\HelperFor64Bits.exe" CleanCache CleanCacheExecute-b-f-1cf18972
     set: Searching for unused drivers that may be removed from the system.
     set: Drivers will be removed during this pass.
     set: Recovery Timestamp: 08/10/2016 02:04:52:0357.
     set: Driver packages removed: 0
     set: Total size on disk: 0
<<<  Section end 2016/08/21 02:32:24.879
<<<  [Exit status: SUCCESS]

[Boot Session: 2016/08/22 08:40:59.485]

>>>  [RunDLL_PnpClean Device and Driver Cleanup Routine]
>>>  Section start 2016/08/22 16:24:04.978
      cmd: rundll32.exe  pnpclean.dll,RunDLL_PnpClean /DRIVERS /MAXCLEAN
     set: Searching for unused drivers that may be removed from the system.
     set: Drivers will be removed during this pass.
     set: Will only keep drivers that are installed on some device.
     set: Recovery Timestamp: 08/10/2016 02:04:52:0357.
     set: INF oem2.inf will be removed.
     set: INF oem2.inf was removed.
     set: INF oem10.inf will be removed.
     set: INF oem10.inf was removed.
     set: INF oem19.inf will be removed.
     set: INF oem19.inf was removed.
     set: Driver packages removed: 3
     set: Total size on disk: 3072000
<<<  Section end 2016/08/22 16:24:08.900
<<<  [Exit status: SUCCESS]

>>>  [SetupUninstallOEMInf - oem2.inf]
>>>  Section start 2016/08/22 16:24:07.808
      cmd: rundll32.exe  pnpclean.dll,RunDLL_PnpClean /DRIVERS /MAXCLEAN
     inf: Flags: 0x00000000
     inf: Driver Store Path: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\speed6.inf_amd64_38f4592ddce237f8\speed6.inf
     sto: {Setup Delete Driver Package: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\speed6.inf_amd64_38f4592ddce237f8\speed6.inf} 16:24:07.845
     pol:      {Driver package policy check} 16:24:07.972
     pol:      {Driver package policy check - exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:07.972
     sto:      {Unstage Driver Package: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\speed6.inf_amd64_38f4592ddce237f8\speed6.inf} 16:24:07.973
     sto:           {DRIVERSTORE DELETE BEGIN} 16:24:07.980
     sto:           {DRIVERSTORE DELETE BEGIN: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:07.983
     idb:           {Unpublish Driver Package: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\speed6.inf_amd64_38f4592ddce237f8\speed6.inf} 16:24:07.985
     idb:                Clearing active driver package 'speed6.inf_amd64_38f4592ddce237f8'.
     cpy:                Unpublished 'oem2.inf'.
     idb:                Deindexed 2 device IDs for 'speed6.inf_amd64_38f4592ddce237f8'.
     sto:                Flushed driver database node 'DRIVERS'. Time = 313 ms
     sto:                Flushed driver database node 'SYSTEM'. Time = 62 ms
     idb:           {Unpublish Driver Package: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.369
     idb:           {Unregister Driver Package: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\speed6.inf_amd64_38f4592ddce237f8\speed6.inf} 16:24:08.370
     idb:                Unregistered driver package 'speed6.inf_amd64_38f4592ddce237f8' from 'oem2.inf'.
     idb:                Deleted driver package object 'speed6.inf_amd64_38f4592ddce237f8' from DRIVERS database node.
     idb:                Deleted driver INF file object 'oem2.inf' from DRIVERS database node.
     idb:           {Unregister Driver Package: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.376
     cpy:           {Delete Directory: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\speed6.inf_amd64_38f4592ddce237f8} 16:24:08.378
     cpy:           {Delete Directory: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.390
     sto:           {DRIVERSTORE DELETE END} 16:24:08.391
     sto:           {DRIVERSTORE DELETE END: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.392
     sto:      {Unstage Driver Package: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.393
     sto: {Setup Delete Driver Package - exit (0x00000000)} 16:24:08.396
<<<  Section end 2016/08/22 16:24:08.397
<<<  [Exit status: SUCCESS]

>>>  [SetupUninstallOEMInf - oem10.inf]
>>>  Section start 2016/08/22 16:24:08.400
      cmd: rundll32.exe  pnpclean.dll,RunDLL_PnpClean /DRIVERS /MAXCLEAN
     inf: Flags: 0x00000000
     inf: Driver Store Path: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\bcmsmbsp.inf_amd64_da88ad8cf9f1145b\bcmsmbsp.inf
     sto: {Setup Delete Driver Package: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\bcmsmbsp.inf_amd64_da88ad8cf9f1145b\bcmsmbsp.inf} 16:24:08.447
     pol:      {Driver package policy check} 16:24:08.457
     pol:      {Driver package policy check - exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.458
     sto:      {Unstage Driver Package: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\bcmsmbsp.inf_amd64_da88ad8cf9f1145b\bcmsmbsp.inf} 16:24:08.459
     sto:           {DRIVERSTORE DELETE BEGIN} 16:24:08.460
     sto:           {DRIVERSTORE DELETE BEGIN: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.463
     idb:           {Unpublish Driver Package: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\bcmsmbsp.inf_amd64_da88ad8cf9f1145b\bcmsmbsp.inf} 16:24:08.464
     idb:                Clearing active driver package 'bcmsmbsp.inf_amd64_da88ad8cf9f1145b'.
     cpy:                Unpublished 'oem10.inf'.
     idb:                Deindexed 15 device IDs for 'bcmsmbsp.inf_amd64_da88ad8cf9f1145b'.
     sto:                Flushed driver database node 'SYSTEM'. Time = 62 ms
     idb:           {Unpublish Driver Package: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.590
     idb:           {Unregister Driver Package: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\bcmsmbsp.inf_amd64_da88ad8cf9f1145b\bcmsmbsp.inf} 16:24:08.590
     idb:                Unregistered driver package 'bcmsmbsp.inf_amd64_da88ad8cf9f1145b' from 'oem10.inf'.
     idb:                Deleted driver package object 'bcmsmbsp.inf_amd64_da88ad8cf9f1145b' from SYSTEM database node.
     idb:                Deleted driver INF file object 'oem10.inf' from SYSTEM database node.
     idb:           {Unregister Driver Package: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.595
     cpy:           {Delete Directory: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\bcmsmbsp.inf_amd64_da88ad8cf9f1145b} 16:24:08.597
     cpy:           {Delete Directory: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.600
     sto:           {DRIVERSTORE DELETE END} 16:24:08.600
     sto:           {DRIVERSTORE DELETE END: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.601
     sto:      {Unstage Driver Package: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.602
     sto: {Setup Delete Driver Package - exit (0x00000000)} 16:24:08.606
<<<  Section end 2016/08/22 16:24:08.606
<<<  [Exit status: SUCCESS]

>>>  [SetupUninstallOEMInf - oem19.inf]
>>>  Section start 2016/08/22 16:24:08.612
      cmd: rundll32.exe  pnpclean.dll,RunDLL_PnpClean /DRIVERS /MAXCLEAN
     inf: Flags: 0x00000000
     inf: Driver Store Path: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vasdevice.inf_amd64_546a3f7e4476b785\vasdevice.inf
     sto: {Setup Delete Driver Package: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vasdevice.inf_amd64_546a3f7e4476b785\vasdevice.inf} 16:24:08.649
     pol:      {Driver package policy check} 16:24:08.659
     pol:      {Driver package policy check - exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.660
     sto:      {Unstage Driver Package: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vasdevice.inf_amd64_546a3f7e4476b785\vasdevice.inf} 16:24:08.661
     sto:           {DRIVERSTORE DELETE BEGIN} 16:24:08.662
     sto:           {DRIVERSTORE DELETE BEGIN: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.665
     idb:           {Unpublish Driver Package: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vasdevice.inf_amd64_546a3f7e4476b785\vasdevice.inf} 16:24:08.666
     idb:                Clearing active driver package 'vasdevice.inf_amd64_546a3f7e4476b785'.
     cpy:                Unpublished 'oem19.inf'.
     idb:                Deindexed 2 device IDs for 'vasdevice.inf_amd64_546a3f7e4476b785'.
     sto:                Flushed driver database node 'DRIVERS'. Time = 47 ms
     sto:                Flushed driver database node 'SYSTEM'. Time = 140 ms
     idb:           {Unpublish Driver Package: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.877
     idb:           {Unregister Driver Package: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vasdevice.inf_amd64_546a3f7e4476b785\vasdevice.inf} 16:24:08.878
     idb:                Unregistered driver package 'vasdevice.inf_amd64_546a3f7e4476b785' from 'oem19.inf'.
     idb:                Deleted driver package object 'vasdevice.inf_amd64_546a3f7e4476b785' from DRIVERS database node.
     idb:                Deleted driver INF file object 'oem19.inf' from DRIVERS database node.
     idb:           {Unregister Driver Package: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.883
     cpy:           {Delete Directory: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\vasdevice.inf_amd64_546a3f7e4476b785} 16:24:08.885
     cpy:           {Delete Directory: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.889
     sto:           {DRIVERSTORE DELETE END} 16:24:08.891
     sto:           {DRIVERSTORE DELETE END: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.892
     sto:      {Unstage Driver Package: exit(0x00000000)} 16:24:08.893
     sto: {Setup Delete Driver Package - exit (0x00000000)} 16:24:08.896
<<<  Section end 2016/08/22 16:24:08.897
<<<  [Exit status: SUCCESS]