How to fix CRC error when installing NVIDIA drivers?

NVIDIA driver installers (and the NVIDIA App installer) are self-extracting 7-Zip archives. Before setup starts, they unpack themselves, by default into C:\NVIDIA\DisplayDriver\<version>. If a file comes out different from how it was packed, the unpacking stops with a 7-Zip message such as CRC Failed or CRC Error, usually naming the file. The driver is not installed and the old one stays in place.

Why it happens

CRC (cyclic redundancy check) is a checksum stored for every file in the archive. A mismatch means the data changed somewhere between NVIDIA's server and your memory:

• Damaged or incomplete download. The most common cause. Running the same file again gives the same error every time.
• Problem with the extraction folder. Leftovers from an earlier failed run, too little free space on drive C:, or antivirus software scanning or locking files while they are written.
• Unstable RAM or CPU. If the error appears on a different file each time, or a freshly downloaded file also fails, data is being damaged in memory. Overclocking, memory XMP/EXPO profiles and failing RAM sticks cause this. Other large archives and game downloads then often fail the same way.

Fix 1: Delete the installer and download it again

1. Delete the installer file you already ran.
2. Download the driver again from NVIDIA's official driver page (https://www.nvidia.com/drivers) or through the NVIDIA App. Do not use a copy from a third-party site.
3. Pause any download manager or browser extension that splits downloads into parts. Save the file to a local drive, not to a USB stick or network folder.
4. Compare the file size in File Explorer with the size shown on NVIDIA's download page. If it is smaller, the download was cut off.
5. Run the new file.

Fix 2: Test the download with 7-Zip

This tells you if the file on disk is damaged, without running setup.

1. Install 7-Zip from https://www.7-zip.org if you do not have it.
2. Right-click the NVIDIA installer and select 7-Zip > Test archive (in Windows 11 it is under Show more options).
3. If the test reports errors, the file is damaged: download it again (Fix 1), preferably over a different connection or after restarting the router.
4. If the test passes but setup still shows a CRC error, the file is fine and the cause is the extraction folder or memory. Go to Fix 3.

Fix 3: Clean the extraction folder and free space

1. Delete the folder C:\NVIDIA (it only holds unpacked setup files; the installed driver is elsewhere).
2. Press Win + R, type %temp% and press Enter. Delete what you can; skip files that are in use.
3. Make sure drive C: has a few gigabytes free: Free up disk space and delete temporary files.
4. Restart the PC and run the installer again.

Fix 4: Unpack the driver manually to another folder

1. Create a short folder path, for example C:\NVDRV.
2. Right-click the installer and select 7-Zip > Extract files, choose C:\NVDRV and click OK.
3. If 7-Zip extracts everything without errors, open C:\NVDRV and run setup.exe.
4. If 7-Zip shows a CRC error here too, note the file name. A different file failing on each attempt points to memory (Fix 6).

Fix 5: Pause antivirus protection during the install

Real-time scanning can lock or quarantine driver files while they are unpacked. Only do this with a file downloaded from NVIDIA.

1. Pause real-time protection: Turn off Microsoft Defender protection for a moment. If you use another antivirus, pause it in its own settings.
2. Run the installer, then turn protection back on.

Fix 6: Rule out unstable memory or overclocking

1. If you overclocked the CPU, GPU or RAM, return to default settings. In BIOS/UEFI, turn off the XMP or EXPO memory profile for the test.
2. Run the installer again. If it now unpacks without errors, the overclock or memory profile was not stable.
3. To test the RAM, press Win + R, type mdsched.exe, press Enter and choose Restart now and check for problems. Any reported error means a memory problem that needs hardware attention.

Fix 7: Do a clean driver installation

When the package finally unpacks but the install fails or the old driver misbehaves, reinstall cleanly.

1. In NVIDIA setup choose Custom (Advanced) and tick Perform a clean installation.
2. If that also fails, remove the current driver and install again: Update, roll back or reinstall a driver.

Frequently asked questions

Is my graphics card broken?

Almost never. The CRC check happens while files are unpacked, before the driver talks to the card. The cause is the file, the disk folder or system memory.

Why does the error name a different file every time?

A damaged download fails on the same file each time. A different file each time means data is being changed while it is processed, which points to RAM or overclocking (Fix 6).

Can I install an older driver instead?

Yes. NVIDIA's driver page lists earlier versions. It is useful as a test: if every version fails with a CRC error, the problem is on your PC, not in one package.