It is not rare for a Windows computer to stumble across troublesome errors while executing some tasks. Today, we’ll discuss a specific error often encountered by Windows users when they try to update/fresh install the Nvidia graphics drivers. This error shows up as Nvidia installer cannot continue; Nividia graphics driver is not compatible with this version of Windows; This graphics driver could not find compatible graphics hardware. In this post, we will figure out how to fix it.
Possible Causes Of the Nvidia Installer Cannot Continue Error
The Nvidia Installer cannot continue error can be because of many reasons, the primary of them being outdated drivers. The issue can also be due to incompatibility between legacy hardware components on your computer and the Nvidia Graphics. The Nvidia GPU itself being disabled can also be one of the causes.
Now that you know the possible causes for this error let’s look at ways to fix it.
Fix: Nvidia Installer Cannot Continue Error on Windows
The Problem with Nividia Installer Cannot Continue error is that if it’s caused due to outdated drivers, you can’t update them without a complete reinstall. So, before trying to update the drivers, try these fixes:
- Check if NVidia GPU Is Disabled
- Change the Driver for the PCI Express Root Port.
- Remove Legacy Hardware
- Run inbuilt Hardware & Device troubleshooter
Let’s now look at the detailed steps for all of these fixes.
1] Check If Nvidia GPU Is Disabled
The NVIDIA Installer Cannot Continue error may arise if the Nvidia GPU is disabled and the computer uses the integrated graphics or the CPU graphics in place of the GPU. If you believe the NVIDIA GPU is disabled, follow these steps to enable it:
- Open the NVIDIA Control Panel application and head to the 3D Settings > Manage Settings option from the left pane.
- Now, in the first option itself, you’ll see Preferred Graphics Processor, which will be on the Auto select mode in most cases. Select High Performance NVIDIA Processor option from the drop-down menu and click on apply.
It will enable NVIDIA GPU on your computer. Please note that this will also increase the power consumption on the device, so if you are on a battery-powered device like a Laptop, you may consider it accordingly.
Now, you should head to NVIDIA’s website to download the latest updated drivers for your Graphics card and update it manually using the Device Manager.
If the Graphics card is still not visible in the Device Manager, open the View menu from the top bar, and select the Show Hidden Devices option.
2] Change The Drivers For PCI Express Root Port
The PCI Express Root Port is responsible for maintaining the connection with all the PCI devices to your PC, and in case the driver does not function as intended, issues may arise. You can try changing the drivers for the respective port manually. Here’s how to do it.
- Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Windows icon and selecting Device Manager from the open menu.
- In the Device Manager, please scroll down to find System Devices and click on it to expand the list.
- In the System Devices, find the PCI Express Root Port device and right-click it, then click on Properties.
- In the PCI Express Root Port properties window, open the Driver tab, and click on the Update Driver option.
- In the New Window, select the Browse My Computer For Drivers option.
- In the next step, select the Let Me Pick From The List Of Available Drivers On My Computer option and select any driver other than the one currently in use.
Now, multiple drivers might be available for your device, and you should try the others if one doesn’t work.
3] Remove Legacy Hardware
Legacy or old hardware on your computer can cause the NVIDIA Graphics Card on your computer to not work correctly or at all. For a computer’s components to work in a symphony, they must belong to the same generation or few forth and back if you have components that relate to the graphics card and are too old. Replacing them with the fairly updated and latest ones can do the trick.
4] Run Hardware And Device Troubleshooter
Using Hardware and Device troubleshooter, an inbuilt utility in Windows PCs, can help you identify the root cause of the issue and even help solve it in some cases. Since Hardware Troubleshooter is not a part of Windows Troubleshooter anymore and is meant for System admins, you will not find it easy.
However, there is a way to run Hardware And Device TroubleShooter. Read the linked guide and follow it until the end.
Conclusion
Errors in Windows often end up being troublesome. Some of them resolve quickly; some don’t. In this article, we went over a bunch of ways using which you can fix the error Nvidia installer cannot continue; Nividia graphics driver is not compatible with this version of Windows; This graphics driver could not find compatible graphics hardware in Windows.
All of these methods are pretty easy to execute and are entirely safe. Display drivers are an essential component of our computers. We should always try to keep them up-to-date to avoid any such errors.
Is It Safe To Manually Update Graphic Card Drivers?
It is safe to update the graphic card drivers manually. However, Windows automatically keeps searching for driver updates for all the components and notifies you whenever one is available. To check this, head to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced Options > Optional Updates.
Does Upgrading Graphics Card Improve The Performance Of My PC?
Upgrading the Graphics Card on your PC will improve the performance. But the gain in the overall performance will primarily be visible in the graphic-intensive tasks like video rendering and gaming, not the memory or CPU-intensive tasks.
