Installation of MiKTex 2.8 Failed (Solved)
Just noticed that MikTeK 2.8 is now available for download. However, I had problem in installation of this latest version.
Error message in the installation log file (setup-2.8.3541.exe) said:
“C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.8\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe” –register-shell-file-types –admin –log-file=”C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.8\miktex\config\uninst.log” –verbose:
initexmf.exe: Windows API error 5: Access is denied. initexmf.exe: Data: Software\Classes\.pdf\OpenWithProgIdsAn error occurred:
source file: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\Process.cpp
source line: 296
message: The operation failed for some reason.
info: C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.8\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe
I tried to look for the solution over the net. Though several the installation problems have been reported (related to registry writing), I didn’t find any useful information about my installation problem.
I uninstalled 2.7 and thought it’d help (because of confliction or something like that). But it didn’t. I had to reinstalled 2.7 and added some packages manually. 
Probably you can finish the installation by running some command-line programs, but I don’t know how. So, I just removed the files of version 2.8 manually. Check later for the debugged setup program.
Possible Solution:
As in Peter’s comment below, it seems that there’s conflict between Adobe Reader and MiKTeX 2.8. I followed his suggestion: uninstall Adobe Reader and restart, and then install MiKTeX. Voilà, it worked!.
BTW I haven’t used Adobe Reader for a while. Foxit Reader is currently my default reader (but I am also interested in PDF-XChange Viewer Portable). Notice that Foxit Reader doesn’t conflict with the MiKTeX 2.8 installer.
Update on 03/10/2010:
MiKTex 2.8 is installed successfully in my new Windows 7 PC.
Update on 03/28/2010:
See the solution provided in the comment.
Update on 11/13/2010:
I installed MiKTeX 2.8 in MacBook Pro’s Bootcamp (with Win XP SP3) without any problem. Note that I don’t use Acrobat Reader. Upgrading from 2.8 to 2.9 was also smooth process.
I have got the exactly same error.
On the link you give, there is new installer “setup-2.8.3553.exe”.
I will try it and will write the results.
The new installer does not solve this issue.
The issue is with Adobe Reader. Uninstal Adobe Reader, install MiKTeX, install Adobe Reader.
This worked for me.
Thanks for the info, Peter.
I’ll give it a try later and report it back.
I have the same error but Adobe Reader is not installed on my computer. Any idea ?
Thanks !
Sorry. I don’t know what else conflicts with the installer. The above method isn’t a complete solution. I hope MikTex team will give us the problem-free installer soon.
PS: What kind of PDF reader you use? Would uninstall & reinstall it help?
I use FoxitReader but uninstalling it didn’t change anything.
Hm.. then I don’t know what the cause is. Hope you can solve this soon.
Installing MikTex 2.6 is the only solution I have found…
You can’t even install MikTex 2.7?
no, I have exactly the same error…
I’m sorry for your problem. Kind of frustrated, isn’t it? It’s difficult to tell what really went wrong. If you can access to another computer or laptop, you can try to install there and see what happen. How about MiKTeX Portable?
By the way, your system is not Win 98/Me, right?
Miktex Portable didn’t change anything. I have no problem on my other computer…
My system is Win XP SP3.
First let me thank Wildeny for the possible solution. I had exactly the same problem. I have been trying all sort of methods: registry cleaning, changing the folder as read/write.
But the problem was due to a conflict with Adobe reader. So I uninstalled Adobe Reader and then ran the MikteX 2.8 setup. Everything worked as a surprise. Thanks again.
That’s great.
In my new PC with Windows 7, I don’t have Acrobat reader installed at all.
I have got the real solution
Run regedt32.exe, then navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.pdf
Rightclick .pdf, click permissions, and grant the administrator full rights.
Thank you. It worked.
))
You’re welcome.
Excellent, Thank you!
SWEET! thanks…. have been trying to install miktex for 2 days now…finally installed no errors!
Glad that this did help.
Oh My God, Thanks so much for this information. I have been trying to install MiKTeX2.8 for a couple of days now and constantly getting this error. The Help forum of MiKTeX did not help me one bit. After I went into the registry and changed the permissions, it installed succesfully.
Thanks a lot!
Glad that you finally made it installed.
Awesome. This makes my day. Thanks wildeny
Hi everyone,
I am facing a problem when i try to install miktex 2.8
the problem is the place that i choose to store the programme always giving an error
can anyone help?
thanx
It’s not clear about your problem. Do you have administrator permission to install the software?
Alelujah a solution… I really need that miktex instaled so thx for the tip with the registry ^^
Still didn’t worked for me…
any other solutions?
im using XP,SP3. and trying to install MikTex 2.8.3553
the error messege:
An error occurred:
source file: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\Process.cpp
source line: 296
message: The operation failed for some reason.
info: C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.8\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe
Do you have Acrobat Reader installed?
This is usually the cause.
yea,
i tried with acrobat it and with it (i use Foxit usally), tried turning off the firewall, tried editing the registry,
but it still happens…
any ideas?
Hmm.. I have no idea what else conflicted the installation. If you have another machine (say, a laptop), you can experiment with it, e.g. installing MikTeX in a clean WinXP SP3. This way usually works for me but it’s time consuming.
Sorry that I can’t help.
I tried everything suggested, but still got the error:
message: The operation failed for some reason.
info: C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.8\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe
Miktex2.7 was installed, but now I could not get it back because this error, and I can only install Miktex2.6 at this moment.
Did you completely remove MiKTeX 2.8? , It’s been a long time since my first installation of 2.8, but I remember that I didn’t have that problem with the installed 2.7.
I had difficulties while installing MikTeX 2.8.
message: The operation failed for some reason.
info: C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.8\miktex\bin\mpm.exe
I had tried it many times, yet the same problem occurred. What should I do? I dont know the exact problem caused. I really appreciate if some help and guidance can be given. Thank you.
Hi, kj: It’s difficult for me to detect what went wrong in your installation. In my case, the problem was the conflict with Acrobat Reader, as the cases in many other users. If you have tried the method listed above and still cannot install MikTeX 2.8, try to see whether you can install MikTeX 2.7. 2.9 is coming soon now. I hope the new version won’t have installation problem as 2.8 does. Good luck!
MikTeX 2.9 has the same issue. I removed Adobe PDF – and it installed.
I have stopped using Adobe Reader so it’s all right for me. Though I still think it’s odd that MikTeX team didn’t fix the bug in 2.9.
I have problem like this (MikTeX 2.9 )
problem: c:\programfiles\miktex\miMiKTeX209-core-PS.dll does not exist
problem: c:\programfiles\miktex\MiKTeX209-core.dll does not exist
problem: c:\programfiles\miktex\MiKTeX209-packagemanager-PS.dll does not exist
problem: c:\programfiles\miktex\MiKTeX209-packagemanager.dll does not exist
Please help me, what can I do..
I don’t know.
I haven’t installed version 2.9 yet.Update: Just upgraded to 2.9. Didn’t have any problem. I would suggest to check your PDF reader first (see the above discussion).
In my computer, I did Run regedt32.exe, then navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.pdf
Rightclick .pdf, click permissions, but how can I grant the administrator full rights? In my case, my administrator is already allowed ‘full control’.
Thanks!
If that still doesn’t help, then I don’t know.
I simply don’t use Acrobat Reader (for a long time already).
Thanks.
That problem is still on.
Hi from Costa Rica. My english is not very good.
I downloaded setup-2.9.4250.exe
and had the same problem : Windows Api Error 21 . . .
Two ways
1) If you have a previous Miktex version:
Open “settings”, then “package”, and “change”.
Choose “packages shall be installed from the internet” and try several pages until get success
2)
I created the folder D:\MikTex 2.9
I moved the setup file in that folder
and setup run perfectly.
I don’t know if was good luck
————-*————–
I have the 2.9 version, has 1GB size (it’s an .iso file)
I can upload it in internet temporal folder.
when i tries to make “run” or “combile”
it shows an error says:”initexmf.exe: Windows API error 32: ������� ��� ������� ������ ��� ����� ���� ��� ��������� �� ��� ����� ����.
initexmf.exe: Data: C:\Users\win 7\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\2.9\miktex/data/le\99a0783621778779db47a3bdf19cd3f6.fndb
miktex-xetex.exe: The operation failed for some reason.
miktex-xetex.exe: Data: C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe
”
is removing PDF solution for my problem?
I’m not sure. If your system has Adobe Acrobat PDF reader, you can give it a try (i.e. uninstall PDF reader and reinstall again after MikTeX installation)
yay it works, thanx alot
If you are not logged in as Admin..change the .pdf rights for the account you’re logged in with of course !
I had to change the folder permission settings to get it to work correctly on my machine (x64, Vista, SP2). Right click the installation folder (/Program Files (x86)/MiKTeX2.8/) and select “Properties”, then select the “Security” tab, select the user(s) from the list you wish to give permission to update MiKTeX, and then give the proper permissions, and approve the change by clicking “OK” for each window from there.
Thanks for sharing the tip.
Thanks a lot!
I found a kind of solution, at least it worked for me with the basic distribution of Miktex 2.8. Install the basic(!) distribution by starting the setup file from within ProcessActivityView! It will take 6 or 8 hours, but this was the only way for me to succeed with the installation. http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/process_activity_view.html
Hi, I had the same problems as described above with 2.9. I finally found a solution for me. I moved the installation file to root c: and changed the installation path during setup to c:program filesmiktex. Ran installation as administrator. After that the setup process worked like a charm. Good luck!
installed miktex 2.9 but not able to access it(see the execution file)
I got the same problem. I’m running Windows XP SP3. After some trials, I installed MikTeX as All User, and it worked. You can check! Of course, it is not the good-enough solution, but i don’t know how to fit it