IDE update or uninstall fails with "Arduino IDE cannot be closed" error

[FirebirdTA01]

Describe the problem

When attempting to update, install, or uninstall Arduino IDE, an unexpected "Arduino IDE is running. Click OK to close it." dialog appears:

When the user clicks the "OK" button, the process fails with an "Arduino IDE cannot be closed" dialog:

There is no easy way for the user to pass this point to complete the operation.

To reproduce

1. Install the arduino-ide_2.0.0-rc8_Windows_64bit.exe linked to by the arduino website
2. When prompted install for all users, not just your user.
3. Attempt an in place upgrade/install of a newer nightly build (I used arduino-ide_nightly-20220710_Windows_64bit).

🐛 When running the installer it will recognize that the IDE is already installed in whichever location it was installed to and say it will be upgraded or reinstalled. It then hangs for a bit on the next progress bar and gives the reported error:

Arduino IDE cannot be closed.
Please close it manually and click Retry to continue.

Expected behavior

No unfriendly dialogs about closing Arduino IDE during the update, install, uninstall operation. Operations complete successfully.

Arduino IDE version

2.0.0-rc8

Operating system

Windows

Operating system version

Windows 10 Pro 21H2 build 19044.1766

Additional context

My install was not done to my C drive but my data drive instead.

---

When attempting to run the uninstaller for the RC 8 version it too encounters the same error.

Issue checklist

• I searched for previous reports in the issue tracker
• I verified the problem still occurs when using the latest nightly build
• My report contains all necessary details

[kittaakos]

Thank you for taking the time and letting us know about the problem. I tried reproducing the defect on my Windows machine, but it worked. Could you please help us refine the exact steps you did? I did the followings:

• IDE2 was not installed on my Windows machine,
• Download the arduino-ide_2.0.0-rc8_Windows_64bit.exe from the 2.0.0-rc8 release page,
• Install it, and when prompted, install it for all users.
• I installed it to C:\\Program Files\\Arduino IDE; after the installer, I ran the app. It worked.
• I downloaded the latest nightly (arduino-ide-nightly_20220711_Windows_64bit.exe) and installed it,
• When prompted, I have chosen the same location (C:\\Promram Files\\Arduino IDE),
• The installation has been successfully completed, and the IDE2 started.

I had no problems uninstalling the IDE2 either. My account does not have any special Admin rights.

My install was not done to my C drive but my data drive instead. When running the installer it will recognize that the IDE is already installed in whichever location it was installed to and say it will be upgraded or reinstalled.

It's not yet evident to me what exactly you did. Could you please help us and write down where you installed the rc-8, then the nightly? Thank you!

[per1234]

Other reports:

• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ide-2-0-1installation-error/1054395
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ide-2-1-installieren/1054274
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/can-t-uninstall-the-adruino-ide-2-0-says-the-ide-is-still-open/1023412/1
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/can-t-uninstall-the-adruino-ide-2-0-says-the-ide-is-still-open/1023412/13
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/can-t-uninstall-the-adruino-ide-2-0-says-the-ide-is-still-open/1023412/18
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/can-t-uninstall-the-adruino-ide-2-0-says-the-ide-is-still-open/1023412/19
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/can-t-uninstall-the-adruino-ide-2-0-says-the-ide-is-still-open/1023412/20
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/can-t-uninstall-the-adruino-ide-2-0-says-the-ide-is-still-open/1023412/21
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/can-t-uninstall-the-adruino-ide-2-0-says-the-ide-is-still-open/1023412/22
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/can-t-uninstall-the-adruino-ide-2-0-says-the-ide-is-still-open/1023412/23
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/can-t-uninstall-the-adruino-ide-2-0-says-the-ide-is-still-open/1023412/25
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ide-update-or-uninstall-fails-with-arduino-ide-cannot-be-closed-error/1076824
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ide-update-or-uninstall-fails-with-arduino-ide-cannot-be-closed-error/1076824/5
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/arduino-ide-2-0-0-rc9-available-for-download/1014434/9
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ide-2-troubles/1008656
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/ide-2-troubles/1008656/10
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/difficulty-installing-2-0-4/1095647/8
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/uninstall-ide-issue-windows-7/1110947
• https://forum.arduino.cc/t/i-cant-install-ide-2/1121126
• Error, when try second compiling. Arduino#11835 (comment)

[FirebirdTA01]

I installed it to my data drive, but kept the default path other than the drive letter. In my case that was E:\Program Files\Arduino IDE. I attempted to install the nightly to the same location but ran into this error. Uninstalling or reinstalling both give the same error.

[per1234]

Problem still occurs with the update to 2.0.0-rc9.1:

https://forum.arduino.cc/t/arduino-ide-2-0-0-rc9-available-for-download/1014434/9

[BigMacBeickler]

Hey,
I posted the thread in the Arduino Forum, https://forum.arduino.cc/t/can-t-uninstall-the-adruino-ide-2-0-says-the-ide-is-still-open/1023412

I´m using a Windows 10 Pro system, version 21H2, build 19044.1889 on a coorporate PC.

In my case, i had no nightly build install on my windows machine, only the lates official release. I was logged in with my user account (now admin privileges) and downloaded the latest RC build Arduino IDE 2.0 RC(2.0.0-rc9.2). I started the installer with "Shift+right-click -> start as another user" and used an admin account to install it. I wrongly selected "install only for this user" and the installation succeeded and was installed at C:\Users"Adminaccount"\AppData\Local\Programs\Arduino IDE

Until now i´ve tried to run the uninstaller just by opening it, by opening it with admin privileges and opening it as another user trying the admin account, logging into the admin user account and there tried every above mentioned way to uninstall the IDE.
Everytime, right as the progress bar appers i get the same message that the IDE is still open and i can´t progress.

Greetings

[drizztguen77]

I have Arduino IDE 2.0.0-rc6-nightly-20220526 installed and am receiving this same error. I'm trying to uninstall it so I can install the new 2.0 stable build but cannot uninstall it. I have tried everything suggested and cannot find a way so it appears I'll just have to delete the files and clean it out of the registry manually. I don't know what else to do at this point.

[ukagit]

hi i have the "same" problem ... trying to uninstall Arduino IDE 2.0.0-rc9.2
is there a fix?
or was "delete the files and clean it out of the registry manually" successful ?
73 ulrich

[drizztguen77]

@ukagit I found this link and used the software to uninstall it and it worked. Then I just uninstalled advanced uninstaller.
https://www.advanceduninstaller.com/Arduino-IDE-2_0_0-beta_11-7d455f8a9f283d5d088f74a25fe09760-application.htm

[ukagit]

Hi, thank you very much. I have successfully uninstalled the old version and the new version 2.0 is running :-)

73 ulrich