If you are trying to troubleshoot some graphics issues on Windows 10 or 11 and have had to use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to all the old graphics data from your system you may now be getting stuck on a black screen after your system has restarted. If that sounds like your problem follow along as we show you how to solve the problem in a few simple steps.
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Windows operating systems are notorious for having problems that occur at the worst possible times so it’s no surprise that a good percentage of these problems occur just when you decide to sit down to play a game. If it isn’t Windows Updates causing problems, it’s bad game updates or driver issues. There’s always something just around the corner to deal with.
A classic example of this, at least from my experience are graphics drivers, which are required for good performance in a ton of games but traditionally seem to come preloaded with problems. As a result, you probably find yourself uninstalling and reinstalling graphics drivers semi-regularly for a range of different issues. I’ve personally bookmarked the Nvidia driver catalogue for quick access for this exact reason.
While using the traditional Windows tools to uninstall graphics drivers works well most of the time, there are instances where you will need to remove everything fully, which is when most people turn to DDU ‘aka’ Display Driver Uninstaller. This magical piece of software is quick and easy to use and removes all the graphics driver content from your system (AMD & NVIDIA). However, there are times when things don’t go according to plan which is usually Windows related, though more recently it could also be hardware/BIOS related linking back to CSM support options.
Essentially, after DDU finishes its tasks and restarts your computer will fail to boot leaving you stuck at a black screen that doesn’t go anyway. Thankfully this isn’t as bad as it sounds and can be solved using a couple of different methods.
How do you fix Windows won’t boot and gets stuck on a black screen after uninstalling graphics drivers using DDU?
To begin, the first and quickest solution for this problem is to unplug your display port cable from your computer to your monitor and use a HMDI cable. This is an instant fix and will allow your computer to boot straight to Windows normally and allow you to install the latest drivers. You’ll probably only have this issue if you have disabled your Internet connection prior to using DDU. Normally Windows will install new drivers automatically during this back screen phase but without an internet connection, it gets stuck and can’t register DP cables for some reason.
Once you have installed the latest drivers you can connect using your Display Port cable once again and start using your computer as you normally would. Just keep in mind that you will probably have to do this each and every time you use DDU with your Internet connection disabled. Seeing as you’re currently uninstalling graphics drivers there’s a good chance you are also trying to fix screen flickering when FreeSync or Gsync is enabled.
