How to Fix “Nvidia Installer Cannot Continue” Error in Windows
We walk you thru step-by-step
Do you keep running into an “NVIDIA Installer cannot continue” error when attempting toinstall or update your PC’s NVIDIA drivers? It typically shows up when the NVIDIA installer detects incompatibilities with Windows, the graphics card, or both, even when it shouldn’t.
Several techniques can help you fix the “NVIDIA Installer cannot continue” error on Windows 10 and 11. This troubleshooting guide will walk you through each of them step by step.
Quit All NVIDIA Background Processes
It’s a good idea to begin by quitting all NVIDIA background processes on your Windows PC. That should clear random anomalies preventing the NVIDIA installer from completing an accurate compatibility check. To do that:
If the NVIDIA installation fails again, reboot your computer toclear out the hardware driver cachebefore moving on.
Temporarily Pause Anti-Malware Software
If you continue to have difficulty running the NVIDIA installer, it might be caused by third-party antivirus software interfering with how it works. In case you have one set up on your computer, temporarily pause it for the duration of the update and see if that resolves the issue.
Update to the Latest Version of Windows
If the “NVIDIA Installer cannot continue” error appears right after a fresh Windows installation, check if there are pending operating system updates you’ve yet to download and install. To do that:
Additionally, you must install all available hardware driver updates from Microsoft. To do that, go toAdvanced options>Optional updatesfrom the Windows Update screen, check the boxes next to each driver, and selectInstall.
Re-Download the NVIDIA Driver Software
Mistakenly downloading and attempting to install an incompatible NVIDIA graphics driver version is a common reason for the “NVIDIA Installer cannot continue” error. Revisit theNVIDIA Downloads page,specify the correct video card modeland operating system, re-download the NVIDIA driver installer, and try again.
If that doesn’t help, useNVIDIA GeForce Experienceor a third-party hardware driver update utility to auto-detect and fetch the appropriate drivers for your NVIDIA hardware.
Update Laptop Drivers Through Manufacturer
If you use a laptop device with an NVIDIA graphics card, such as an ASUS TUF Gaming F15, using graphics drivers directly from the manufacturer could help avoid compatibility issues.
Just search for your laptop model on the manufacturer’s website, download the relevant NVIDIA graphics driver for your Windows version, and check if the same error occurs during installation.
Install NVIDIA Drivers via Device Manager
If the “NVIDIA Installer cannot continue” error persists, try installing the NVIDIA drivers through the Device Manager. Install the7-Zip file archival and extraction utility, and then:
Fix NVIDIA Installer Incompatibilities
If the “Nvidia Installer cannot continue” error keeps popping up despite using the correct installer for your NVIDIA graphics adapter, you could try force-installing the drivers by adding the relevant hardware identifiers.
Warning: Installing a potential mismatching hardware driver could destabilize the system, so we recommend you create a Windows restore point before proceeding.
Rename the NVIDIA Folder
Next, rename the folder that houses the NVIDIA software on your PC—e.g., the NVIDIA Control Panel.
To do that, visitLocal Disk C>Program Filesvia File Explorer, right-click the folder labeledNVIDIA Corporation, and selectRename. Then, change the folder name toNVIDIA Corporation.old, pressEnter, and run the NVIDIA installer again.
Remove and Clean Install NVIDIA Drivers
Remove your existing NVIDIA drivers to rule out NVIDIA installation and update issues that stem from driver corruption. To do that:
Optionally, download and run the third-partyDevice Driver Uninstall utilityto completely remove all traces of your computer’s existing graphics card drivers before reinstalling them.
Run the SFC and DISM Tools
Use theSFC and DISM command-line utilities in Windowsto fix graphics card incompatibility issues caused by corrupted or missing system files.
To do that, right-click theStart menuand selectWindows PowerShell (Admin)orWindows Terminal (Admin). Then, typesfc /scannowand pressEnter.
Next, run the following command:
DISM.exe/Online /Cleanup-Image /Restorehealth
NVIDIA Installer Cannot Continue Error Fixed
The fixes above hopefully bypassed the “NVIDIA Installer cannot continue” error and got your NVIDIA drivers installed or updated to their latest version. If the problem didn’t go away, tryfactory resetting your Windows 10or11 PC. Or,contact NVIDIA Supportfor further troubleshooting advice.
Dilum Senevirathne is a freelance tech writer and blogger with three years of experience writing for online technology publications. He specializes in topics related to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Google web apps. When he isn’t hammering away at his Magic Keyboard, you can catch him binge-watching productivity hacks on YouTube.Read Dilum’s Full Bio
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