NVIDIA Installer Failed Error – Windows

NVIDIA Installer Failed issue is a common error in Windows 10. When trying to install drivers for an NVIDIA GPU, either for the first time or to update drivers that are already on the computer, if the installation of the drivers should fail, the user is met with the “NVIDIA Installer failed” screen that depicts which of the components included in the driver package failed to be installed and providers the option to close the installer.

After you upgrade the system to Windows 10, Windows Update will attempt to download and install GPU drivers in the background. This can sometimes take up to 5-10 minutes. If you attempt to install NVIDIA driver during this time, you would probably get the installation failed error. It does not matter if it’s a GTX 460, GTX 570 or the new GTX 980, GTX 1050 etc.. the damn installer just won’t install.

The error reads:

 NVIDIA Graphics Driver
 NVIDIA Installer failed

Fix NVIDIA Installer Failed Error

Fix Error #1: Update Nvidia graphics driver

After upgrading system, let Windows sit for at least 15 minutes to ensure the background download and installation is complete. After that, reboot your PC then install the driver again.

  1. Run the NVIDIA Installer.
  2. Go through the Installer until you get to the Installation options screen and are asked to choose between an Custom (Advanced) installation and a Express (Recommended).
  3. Select the Custom (Advanced) installation option and click on Next.
  4. On the next screen, make sure that all of the driver components on the list provided to you are selected, select the Perform a clean installation option by checking the checkbox beside it and then click on Next.
  5. Go through with the rest of the Installer, and it should successfully install the drivers for your NVIDIA GPU.

Fix Error #2: Turn Off Any Antivirus or Firewall (Temporarily)

Some antivirus software would block some files then the installation will not complete successfully and many computer users have reported it makes NVIDIA drivers update fail.

  1. Hold down Ctrl+Alt keys and press Delete on your keyboard. Then click Task Manager.
  2. In Task Manager, click Processes tab. Find all remaining processes of the antivirus
  3. Click on the process, then click End task to end the process.

For Firewall:

  1. Press Windows Key + I then select Control Panel.
  2. Next, click on System and Security.
  3. Then click on Windows Firewall.
  4. Now from the left window pane click on Turn Windows Firewall on or off.

Reboot your PC for the changes to take effect. After that, try installing the NVIDIA driver again in “Custom” mode“. (same Fix Error #1)

IMPORTANT: After installing the driver, remember to re-enable the antivirus software and firewall which could keep your PC safe.

Fix Error #3: Kill NVIDIA Processes

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and In the Processes tab find any running NVIDIA Software process
    NVIDIA Backend (32 bit)
    NVIDIA Network service (32 bit)
    NVIDIA Driver Helper Service
    NVIDIA User Experience Driver Component
    NVIDIA Settings
  2. Right-click on each of them one by one and select End Task.
  3. Now navigate to the following path:
    C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\
  4. Find the following files then right-click on them and select Delete:
    nvdsp.inf
    nv_lh
    nvoclock
  5. 5.Now navigate to the following directories:
    C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\
    C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\
  6. Delete any file under the above two folders and then reboot your PC to save changes.
  7. Again run the NVIDIA installer and this time select “Custom” and checkmark “perform clean installation.
  8. This time you would be able to complete the installation, so this should have Fix NVIDIA Installer Failed Error.

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