What are smartcrd.inf Error Messages?

smartcrd.inf Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Errors

There are a number of reasons why you could be encountering issues with smartcrd.inf. Most of the issues concerning inf files involve Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors. These types of smartcrd.inf errors can be cause by hardware problems, outdated firmware, corrupt drivers, or other software-related (eg. Windows update) issues. Some of these errors include:

• smartcrd.inf could not be found.
• smartcrd.inf failed to load.
• The file smartcrd.inf is missing or corrupt.
• Windows failed to start - smartcrd.inf.

How to Fix smartcrd.inf Errors in 3 Steps (Time to complete: ~5-15 minutes)

If you're encountering one of the error messages above, follow these troubleshooting steps to resolve your smartcrd.inf issue. These troubleshooting steps are listed in the recommended order of execution.

To begin System Restore (Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10):

1. Hit the Windows Start button
2. When you see the search box, type "System Restore" and press "ENTER".
3. In the search results, find and click System Restore.
4. Please enter the administrator password (if applicable / prompted).
5. Follow the steps in the System Restore Wizard to choose a relevant restore point.
6. Restore your computer to that backup image.

If the Step 1 fails to resolve the smartcrd.inf error, please proceed to the Step 2 below.

When the first two steps haven't solved your issue, it might be a good idea to run Windows Update. Many smartcrd.inf error messages that are encountered can be contributed to an outdated Windows Operating System. To run Windows Update, please follow these easy steps:

1. Hit the Windows Start button
2. In the search box, type "Update" and press "ENTER".
3. In the Windows Update dialog box, click "Check for Updates" (or similar button depending on your Windows version)
4. If updates are available for download, click "Install Updates".
5. After the update is completed, restart your PC.

If Windows Update failed to resolve the smartcrd.inf error message, please proceed to next step. Please note that this final step is recommended for advanced PC users only.

If Those Steps Fail: Download and Replace Your smartcrd.inf File (Caution: Advanced)

If none of the previous three troubleshooting steps have resolved your issue, you can try a more aggressive approach (Note: Not recommended for amateur PC users) by downloading and replacing your appropriate smartcrd.inf file version. We maintain a comprehensive database of 100% malware-free smartcrd.inf files for every applicable version of Windows. Please follow the steps below to download and properly replace you file:

1. Locate your Windows operating system version in the list of below "Download smartcrd.inf Files".
2. Click the appropriate "Download Now" button and download your Windows file version.
3. Copy the file into the appropriate directory for your Windows version:


Windows XP: C:\Windows\inf\
Windows Vista: C:\Windows\inf\
Windows Vista: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\_2023d8b5\
Windows Vista: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\_d456a6e4\
Windows 7: C:\Windows\inf\
Show 1 more directory +
Windows 7: C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\_amd64_neutral_6fb75ea318f84fe5\

4. Restart your computer.

If this final step has failed and you're still encountering the error, you're only remaining option is to do a clean installation of Windows 7.

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