How To Fix NSIS Error?

Nullsoft Scriptable Install System or NSIS is an open source tool that is used to develop Windows installers. The NSIS tool is small and flexible, which makes it quite popular for distribution over the Internet.

A user may receive one of the following error messages when trying to install a program that uses an installer that is built using NSIS:

Error Message: Installer integrity check has failed. Common causes include incomplete download and damaged media. Contact the installer's author to obtain a new copy.

Error Message: The installer you are trying to use is corrupted or incomplete. This could be the result of a damaged disk, a failed download or a virus. You may want to contact the author of this installer to obtain a new copy. It may be possible to skip this check using the /NCRC command line switch (NOT RECOMMENDED).

Note: The second error message is displayed when the NSIS version prior to 2.35 has been used to build the program uninstaller.

Cause of the Errors:

The NSIS errors listed above may occur under one of the following conditions:

Software files downloaded from the Internet are not complete.
Downloaded software files have been modified from the original version.
Your PC is infected with a virus.
Physical media being used to install the program is damaged.
Required hardware (For example, CD/DVD drive) is malfunctioning.

Resolution Methods:

Depending on the scenario, you may use one of the following methods to repair the error:

Scenario 1: You have downloaded the software installer from the Internet.

You may do the following tasks:

Note: Try to install your software after each task.
Delete the cache of your Web browser. To do this, in the Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 window, open Tools menu and then select Delete Browsing History….Next, click the Delete All button and also select the check box in the confirmation box that is displayed. Finally, click Yes to completely clear the browser cache.
If the name of the downloaded installer files comprises multiple words, rename it to have only one word, say, SoftwareNameInstaller.exe.
If available, download the software installer file from another approved source.
Update your antivirus program.
Disable your antivirus program and any download accelerator tool on your computer, before performing the download.
In case you have nVidia firewall installed on your computer, uninstall it and then try to download your software installer again. To completely remove the firewall, you may use a good third-party program uninstaller, such as Perfect Uninstaller. Also, you may follow up the removal process with a registry cleanup using a reliable tool, such as RegGenie. .
Use hard disk tools, such as Error Checker, chkdsk, or scan disk to scan and repair any problems with your hard disk.
Thoroughly scan your PC for possible virus or spyware infections.


Scenario 2: You are trying to install from a CD/DVD or some other physical storage media

If the NSIS error occurs when you are trying to install from a physical media, it is quite possible that there is some problem with the physical media, or the hardware that is being used to read data from this media. For example, if you are installing using a CD, check it for any scratches or other damage. If you find that the disk is damaged, you may need to get a replacement disk to perform the installation.

To check if your CD drive is working fine, you may try to access this CD on another CD drive. If the disk works fine on another drive, you may have to get your CD drive checked for problems.

Workaround Solution

Although it is not recommended, you may try to run the installer even if it is corrupt by bypassing the NSIS corruption test. To do this, perform the following steps:

Open Command Prompt window.
Drag your installer file into this window.
Press the space key once and type /NCRC and then press Enter.
If none of the above solution work, you may need to contact your software’s manufacturer for a possible solution.

Posted in: Tricks