Fix MSFS CRC and Feature Transfer errors by identifying corrupt media or packages, checking storage and RAM, and avoiding a needless full reinstall.
A CRC or Feature Transfer Error means the installer cannot read, verify or write a file correctly. Restart once, then check the named file, installation source, free space and destination drive. Re-download damaged packages or replace unreadable media; if each attempt fails on a different file, test storage and memory before reinstalling Microsoft Flight Simulator.
What do CRC and Feature Transfer errors mean?
A CRC error is a checksum failure: the data read by the installer does not match the data it expected. The source file may be corrupt, the disc may be unreadable, or otherwise valid data may have been damaged while passing through memory or being written to storage.
Feature Transfer Error is a broader installer message. The useful clue is the final line beneath it, particularly the filename and whether the underlying error says cyclic redundancy check, file not found, access denied or insufficient disk space.
With Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024, CRC failures commonly involve downloaded or decompressed packages. Disc-based and older editions may identify a specific CAB file or a particular disc instead.
Fix the installation error in the safest order
- Record the complete error and filename. Note the package, CAB file, source path, destination path and approximate point at which setup stops. The filename tells you far more than the Feature Transfer heading.
- Restart Windows and retry once. This clears locked temporary files and interrupted installer processes. Repeating the installation many times will not repair genuinely corrupt data.
- Check the installation source.
- Disc: Clean it with straight strokes from the centre outwards. Test whether Windows can copy the named file to a temporary folder; if copying also produces a CRC error, the disc or optical drive cannot read that data reliably.
- ISO or local installer: Remove the existing image or archive and obtain a fresh copy through the original legitimate source. Do not download an individual missing CAB or DLL because it may belong to a different build.
- Digital package: Close and restart the launcher, use a stable connection and fetch the failed package again. Avoid combining partial package files from different installations or simulator builds.
- Check the destination and temporary drives. MSFS may stage and decompress files on the Windows system drive even when its main Packages folder is elsewhere, so both locations need free space. Use Windows drive error checking, avoid network or read-only destinations, and consult our guide to locating the MSFS application and Packages folders before removing anything.
- Resolve access and security blocks. If the detailed message says access denied, check folder permissions, security-software quarantine and Controlled Folder Access. Run a legacy standalone setup as administrator, but use the normal launcher workflow for app-managed editions. Error code 0x80070005 has a separate MSFS permissions and Gaming Services checklist.
- Repair only the affected digital content. Use the launcher's repair or file-verification function where available. If one clearly identified package remains incomplete, close the simulator and launcher, move only that damaged package out of the
Officialpackage area, then let the package manager download it again. Do not delete the entire Packages folder. Persistent download loops are covered in our package-download and launcher recovery steps. - Test the hardware if the failure moves. Return the CPU and memory to standard settings, including disabling memory overclocking profiles temporarily. Run Windows Memory Diagnostic and the destination drive's error check. For an external drive, connect it directly rather than through a hub and try another cable or port.
How can I tell whether the source, drive or RAM is faulty?
The pattern across repeated attempts usually identifies the failing component more reliably than the installer heading.
| Error pattern | Likely cause | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| Same file or package fails every time | Damaged source media or cached download | Copy-test the disc or download that package again |
| Different files or percentages fail | Unstable memory, storage errors or an external-drive connection | Use standard clock settings and test memory, drive and cable |
| Access denied or read-only message | Permissions or security software | Correct folder access and check quarantine |
| Failure occurs only on an external drive | Drive format, cable, port, power or the drive itself | Test a direct connection or supported internal drive |
| File not found during Feature Transfer | Incomplete media layout or a quarantined installer file | Restore the complete source and review security history |
A repeatable failure on one source file strongly implicates that file, but it is not absolute proof. A destination drive fault can also recur when the installer writes to the same damaged area.
Should I delete the Packages folder or reinstall MSFS?
No—not as the first fix. A complete reinstall discards valid content and may fail again if the real cause is damaged media, unstable RAM or a faulty drive.
Start with the single named package or installer file. Reinstall only after the source has been replaced, both drives have passed their checks, permissions are correct and repair or verification still fails. Back up custom content first, then use our clean-uninstall folder checklist to remove leftovers without guessing at application directories.
What if the Microsoft Flight Simulator disc will not copy?
If Windows cannot copy the named CAB or data file to a local drive, the installer will not be able to read it either. After cleaning the disc, try another known-good optical drive; a failure on the same file points to damaged media, while different failures suggest the drive or connection.
Do not merge several installation discs into one folder unless that edition's installer explicitly supports it. Different discs can contain identically named setup files, and overwriting them may create another Feature Transfer Error.