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How to cope with Error Code 0x80040c97 (OneDrive couldn’t be installed)?

If you’re using Windows 10, you must have come across OneDrive. It’s a cloud storage service from Microsoft that allows users to store, share, and synchronize files across multiple devices. OneDrive comes with many benefits, chief among them being 15GB of free storage space. It also enables users to easily organize files and collaborate using other Microsoft platforms, including Office.

Despite its good features, the tool is not immune to issues. For instance, some users have reported encountering the “OneDrive couldn’t be installed” error. The error notification is accompanied by the error code 0x80040c97, and it prevents the installation of OneDrive.

Here is how the error message reads in full:

“OneDrive couldn’t be installed

The file you downloaded might be damaged, or there might be a problem with certificates on your PC. Please download and install OneDrive again, or search the forums on Answers.microsoft.com for the following error code.

(Error code: 0x80040c97)”

If you rely on the OneDrive cloud service, the error can be quite frustrating. The good news is that it’s not permanent. Below, we share tips on how to fix the “OneDrive couldn’t be installed” error. But first, let’s take a look at some of the causes of this error.

What Is Error Code 0x80040c97 in Windows 10?

The OneDrive installation error code 0x80040c97 may be triggered by various issues that prevent you from successfully installing OneDrive. Here are some of the most likely culprits:

  • Windows Firewall blocking the installation. OneDrive requires an active internet connection to save and sync all your files. If Windows Firewall blocks some of the setup files or the internet connection during the installation process, you’re bound to run into the error.
  • Third-party antivirus software blocking the installation. If your antivirus program is blocking the setup files from being installed, you may get the OneDrive installation error.
  • Corrupt certificates. Misconfigured or corrupt network certificates or protocols can also trigger the error. This is because the internet fails to communicate with Microsoft servers.
  • Damaged setup files. If an app’s setup files are damaged, missing, or corrupted, the app won’t install properly. That might be the case with OneDrive.
  • Issues with the Windows Registry. Since the Windows Registry is technically a hub for the settings of your Windows OS and installed applications, any slight glitch that affects it may lead to various PC issues, such as the OneDrive installation error.

How to Fix ‘OneDrive Couldn’t Be Installed. Error Code: 0x80040c97’

Fix 1: Check Your System for File Corruption

There is a high chance that your system files have somehow been corrupted. This can happen in many ways, such as through malware infection or a sudden computer shutdown due to a power outage.

You should attempt to repair those files using the System File Checker (SFC) tool. It is a built-in Windows tool that detects damaged system files and replaces them with good copies. To proceed, follow these steps:

  1. Run the Command Prompt as an administrator. To do that, press the Windows logo key + R and type cmd. You should see the “Run Command Prompt an administrator” option.
  2. Click “Yes” to allow changes to be made to your device.
  3. In the Command Prompt window, just after the cursor, type the command sfc /scannow and hit the “Enter” key.

The process may take a while, depending on the number of files being scanned. Once it’s complete, reboot your PC and check if you can install OneDrive without problems.

Fix 2: Temporarily Disable Windows Defender Firewall

As discussed above, Windows Firewall may be blocking OneDrive’s setup files from installing, thereby triggering the error code 0x80040c97. To fix this, try temporarily disabling Windows Firewall. This way, you’ll be able to check if it’s responsible for the error.

To do that, follow these instructions:

  1. You’ll need to access the Control Panel. You can do this in multiple ways. One of the quicker methods is to press the Win + S shortcut, type Control Panel into the search box, and hit “Enter”.
  2. Next, open “System and Security” and select “Windows Defender Firewall”.
  3. On the left pane, look for the option that says “Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off” and select it.
  4. Select the radio buttons next to “Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended)” under both “Private” and “Public” network settings.

With Windows Firewall turned off, try reinstalling the OneDrive application, and hopefully, it should go through without issues. If it doesn’t, move on to the next solution. Remember to re-enable Windows Defender Firewall to protect your system.

Fix 3: Reset OneDrive

When faced with OneDrive problems, your best bet is to reset the application to its factory defaults. Resetting an app usually fixes glitches or bugs that might have caused it to malfunction.

To reset OneDrive, follow the procedure below:

  1. Use the Win + R keyboard shortcut to launch the “Run” dialog box.
  2. Paste the command below and press “Enter” to reset OneDrive: %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe /reset
  3. The OneDrive icon in the Notification area should disappear and reappear again after a minute or two. The reset process may take a while, but once it’s done, the OneDrive app will be reset to its default values. This should fix the OneDrive installation error.

If the OneDrive icon takes too long to reappear, open the “Run” box, paste the command %localappdata%\Microsoft\OneDrive\onedrive.exe and press the “Enter” key.

If resetting OneDrive doesn’t get rid of the installation error, you may have to consider reinstalling the OneDrive app. Please see the details below.

Fix 4: Terminate the OneDrive Process and Reinstall OneDrive

If the OneDrive process is already running in the background, it may lead to a corrupted or incomplete setup file and thereby cause the error in question. The right approach would be to force close the OneDrive process along with all related background processes.

Here’s how:

  1. Open the Task Manager using the Ctrl + Shift + Esc shortcut.
  2. Look for any running OneDrive tasks. If found, select them and click on “End task” to close the processes one by one. Move to the next step whether you’ve found OneDrive processes in the Task Manager or not.
  3. Run the Windows PowerShell. Click on the “Start” menu, type “Powershell” (without quotes), and choose to run Windows PowerShell as an administrator. Click “Yes”.
  4. Type the command taskkill /f /im OneDrive.exe and hit the “Enter” key to execute it. This command will terminate all hidden background OneDrive processes, such as those related to the app’s installation, execution, and so on.
  5. The next step involves making sure that all components belonging to OneDrive are completely removed from your PC. Although the installation has failed, some files may have found their way into the system. To continue, you need to open the Control Panel via the “Start” menu or through Windows Search.
  6. Find the “Program” section and click on the “Uninstall a program” link.
  7. Locate the OneDrive application, click or right-click on it and select “Uninstall”. Follow any prompts to complete the uninstallation process. Once it’s done, be sure to delete all temporary files before reinstalling OneDrive.
  8. Restart your computer to apply these changes and reset the memory cache.
  9. Next, you need to download a fresh copy of the OneDrive application from the official Microsoft OneDrive download page.
  10. Once the application has been downloaded, try installing it. The process should be seamless, and OneDrive should function as expected.

If reinstalling OneDrive fails, it’s probably due to compatibility issues – that is, your current OneDrive version may not be compatible with your Windows build. To fix this, try the next solution below.

Fix 5: Downgrade to an Older OneDrive Version

It’s common for fresh software releases to have some bugs, and your OneDrive version may be yet to receive fixes for the issues it is affected by. Additionally, if the OneDrive version you are running is not compatible with your Windows build, it will not function as required.

According to several users, downgrading to one of the older versions of OneDrive, like version 19.152.0801.0008, may help resolve the problem.

Fix 6: Update Windows

Needless to say, an outdated Windows OS can cause various PC issues and prevent applications, like OneDrive, from installing properly. To enjoy new and improved features and keep your Windows OS stable, it’s advisable to regularly update it.

Here is how to do that:

  1. Press the Windows logo + S shortcut on your keyboard, start typing “Windows Update” (without quotes) and select the option that says “Check for updates”. This action will open the “Settings” app with the “Windows Update” tab selected by default.
  2. If updates are available, you’ll be given the option to download them. Otherwise, click on the “Check for updates” button and let Windows take care of the rest. Windows usually automatically downloads and installs all available updates.

Once all the updates have been installed, try installing OneDrive to check if it still throws up the error code 0x80040c97.

Fix 7: Edit the Registry

Another method to fix the OneDrive installation error is changing a registry value associated with the installation of the OneDrive application. Remember to take extra precautions when dealing with the registry since one wrong value is all it takes to make your PC unusable.

Therefore, it’s highly advisable to back up your registry first before attempting this process. Creating a registry backup is simple:

  1. Open your Search bar (Windows logo key + S), type regedit, and hit the “Enter” key.
  2. Click “Yes” to grant the app permission to make changes to your device.
  3. Once the “Registry Editor” window opens, select File > Export.
  4. Choose the location where you want to save the backup and click on “Save”. Be sure to set “Save as type:” to “Registration Files (*reg).
  5. After backing up your registry, navigate the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\OneDrive
  6. Look for DisableFileSyncNGSC, double-click on it, and change its value to “0” (zero).
  7. Restart your Windows machine to apply these changes.
  8. Now try reinstalling OneDrive and check if the installation error persists.

Fix 8: Optimize Your PC

We’ve mentioned earlier that after uninstalling OneDrive, you should delete temporary files as well. Temp (temporary) files are created by your operating system and third-party applications whenever they are running. While these files may not cause any issues, when they accumulate, they end up taking valuable disk space and reducing the overall performance of your system.

When you delete temp files, not only do you create more storage space, but you also ensure that your computer operates at its peak performance. Temp files are part of PC junk that accumulates over time and starts causing PC issues. To prevent this, we recommend using an advanced PC optimization tool like Auslogics BoostSpeed.

The program comes with more than a dozen features, all designed to help your PC perform at its optimal efficiency. One such feature is the Clean Up tab, which gives you the options to clean up your disk, remove empty folders and duplicate files, clean up the registry, and remove unused programs.

You’ll find Disk Explorer especially helpful. It lists all folders by size, specifying the percentage of disk space each folder occupies. This helps you to know which folders contain large files and delete those that you no longer need.

With Auslogics BoostSpeed, you’ll be surprised how much space you can actually save by deleting PC junk like temp files, Microsoft Office cache, and files left behind by Windows updates.

That’s not all. BoostSpeed also restores your system’s stability by removing corrupt keys and invalid entries from the Windows Registry. Usually, it’s hard to tell if issues are affecting the registry until your system and applications start to freeze and crash unexpectedly. But by then it will be too late. Luckily, with the Auslogics BoostSpeed PC optimization tool, you’ll be at peace knowing that everything is being taken care of.

To ensure that your PC’s performance is always at its best, we recommend scheduling automatic maintenance and have the system auto-cleaned and auto-tuned continuously.

We hope this guide helps you to find a fix for the “OneDrive couldn’t be installed” error. If you have queries, suggestions, or additional info, don’t hesitate to comment below.