Windivert Driver Cannot Be Installed You Must Restart Your Computer !exclusive! «No Ads»
Fixing the “WinDivert Driver Cannot Be Installed” Error: A Quick Guide
If you’ve ever tried using network tools like Proxifier, Windscribe, NetBalancer, or certain VPNs/packet analyzers, you might have run into a frustrating popup:
are all in the same folder as your application's executable. Architecture Match : Ensure you are using the 64-bit driver ( WinDivert64.sys
Windows 10 and 11 have aggressive security features that can prevent specialized drivers like WinDivert from installing, even after a reboot. Fixing the “WinDivert Driver Cannot Be Installed” Error:
1. Functional Logic (The "Smart" Check)
Instead of immediately trying to load the driver, the application must check the Windows Registry for pending restart operations.
Solution 5: Update or Reinstall the Application
Sometimes the issue isn't Windows—it's the version of WinDivert bundled with your software. Older versions of WinDivert are notorious for getting stuck in pending install loops. Functional Logic (The "Smart" Check) Instead of immediately
4. Resolution Strategies
4.1 Immediate Safe Reboot (Recommended)
The simplest fix: save work, restart the system, and re-run the installer. This clears pending file operations, unloads any orphaned driver instances, and resets the SCM state.
Type the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each: sc stop windivert sc delete windivert Restart your computer and try running the app again. completes driver rollback/installation tasks
. While a restart often clears the driver from memory, it may not remove the service entry if it's stuck. Quick Fixes Run as Administrator
Step‑by‑step solutions
1. Restart your computer (as the message says)
This is the simplest and most effective first step. Restarting clears pending locks, completes driver rollback/installation tasks, and reinitializes the Windows driver stack.