'NVIDIA App' not usable offline?

[Koozwad]

For the first time I thought I'd give the 'NVIDIA App' a try, just to see what it's about. Used DDU to completely uninstall old drivers and proceeded to install the latest drivers(576.88 I believe) after a restart, using the latest version of NVCleanstall(1.19 or something from memory). Checked and selected prerequisites for all features(did also notice a bug in NVCleanstall where one was referring to 'requiring' GeForce Experience, even though it wasn't listed anywhere). After installing drivers and restarting, I opened 'NVIDIA App' and was greeted with the following:
'There was a problem with NVIDIA App
Relaunch your app.
If that doesn't work, then try reinstalling NVIDIA App and reboot your PC.'

I assume this is because I block everything from accessing the internet by default, unless I allow it(which, IMHO everyone should be doing - taking back control).

Is it really the case that it's simply unusable offline? I can't think of any other reason that it's not working. Can anyone confirm(after a clean install and keeping it blocked from phoning home)?

 

[W1zzard]

I think it has to download some stuff on first launch to become functional, at which time it will send telemetry, no doubt.

 

[Koozwad]

I think it has to download some stuff on first launch to become functional, at which time it will send telemetry, no doubt.

Ah that would be a shame. Perhaps someone can or has tested it. However it's looking grim. Think I'll stick to the ol' classic NCP/Inspector..!

 

[Space Lynx]

Ah that would be a shame. Perhaps someone can or has tested it. However it's looking grim. Think I'll stick to the ol' classic NCP/Inspector..!

there is no need to test it, you just need to assume that all of the companies are harvesting your soul at this point.

 

[cinemaware]

Had the same problem, resulting discussion: https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/nvidia-app.328773/post-5547205

The bottom line is that while the App had some basic functionality after clean install and with all the outgoing connections blocked by simplewall, I couldn't change the individual game profiles no matter what. And that's the main point of this app for me, to use Overrides (otherwise might as well stick with NV Control Panel).

I eventually opened the door and let it scan my drives and build the profiles, which enabled me to tweak games. After that I sandboxed it again, and it still seemed to work, but now I checked it again and couldn't do anything regarding individual games.

I'd much prefer having this user-friendly native app but there’s no way I'm letting NV live in my computer, so I'm now investigating just using the DLSS Swapper or some other option regarding DLSS overrides.

 

[W1zzard]

investigating

The App must store the profiles info somewhere, so if the community figures out how to extract them, and copy them in through an alternative approach, we could "initialize" it without it ever talking to NV

 

[Waldorf]

@Koozwad
like W1zzard said, you need to be online at least once when the app starts (update/login etc).

@cinemaware
you are 99% of the time providing more info to companies by plain ownership of a mobile phone/device, Nv looking at your rig probably still less problematic than MS.
control panel will be dropped, so at some point, you will be forced to use the app (and connect at least once for update/game profiles), or be greatly limited when it comes to settings (short of using profile inspector, but that wont do much for settings related to gpu/screen etc).