Failed to run pre_install

[Scoodood]

Checklist

• I added a descriptive title
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What happened?

I downloaded miniconda3 for Python3.9 and Python3.10 from here. First, I uninstalled and deleted all my previous anaconda or miniconda folders and rebooted my PC before installing the new miniconda.

During the installation, I got the "Failed to run pre_install" error, as shown in the screenshot below. Both Python3.9 and 3.10 installations gave me the same error. I also tried to "Run as Administrator" but still got the same error. Does anyone have a similar issue?

I had to click "Ignore" to finish the installation. Is this a bug?

Conda Info

active environment : base
    active env location : C:\Users\xxxx\miniconda3
            shell level : 1
       user config file : C:\Users\xxxx\.condarc
 populated config files : C:\Users\xxxx\.condarc
          conda version : 22.11.1
    conda-build version : not installed
         python version : 3.10.8.final.0
       virtual packages : __archspec=1=x86_64
                          __cuda=11.6=0
                          __win=0=0
       base environment : C:\Users\xxxx\miniconda3  (writable)
      conda av data dir : C:\Users\xxxx\miniconda3\etc\conda
  conda av metadata url : None
           channel URLs : https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main/win-64
                          https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main/noarch
                          https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r/win-64
                          https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r/noarch
                          https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/msys2/win-64
                          https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/msys2/noarch
          package cache : C:\Users\xxxx\miniconda3\pkgs
                          C:\Users\xxxx\.conda\pkgs
                          C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\conda\conda\pkgs
       envs directories : C:\Users\xxxx\miniconda3\envs
                          C:\Users\xxxx\.conda\envs
                          C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\conda\conda\envs
               platform : win-64
             user-agent : conda/22.11.1 requests/2.28.1 CPython/3.10.8 Windows/10 Windows/10.0.22621
          administrator : False
             netrc file : None
           offline mode : False

Conda Config

==> C:\Users\xxxx\.condarc <==
report_errors: True

Conda list

# Name                    Version                   Build  Channel
brotlipy                  0.7.0           py310h2bbff1b_1002    defaults
bzip2                     1.0.8                he774522_0    defaults
ca-certificates           2022.10.11           haa95532_0    defaults
certifi                   2022.12.7       py310haa95532_0    defaults
cffi                      1.15.1          py310h2bbff1b_3    defaults
charset-normalizer        2.0.4              pyhd3eb1b0_0    defaults
colorama                  0.4.6           py310haa95532_0    defaults
conda                     22.11.1         py310haa95532_4    defaults
conda-content-trust       0.1.3           py310haa95532_0    defaults
conda-package-handling    2.0.2           py310haa95532_0    defaults
conda-package-streaming   0.7.0           py310haa95532_0    defaults
console_shortcut_miniconda 0.1.1                haa95532_0    defaults
cryptography              38.0.1          py310h21b164f_0    defaults
idna                      3.4             py310haa95532_0    defaults
libffi                    3.4.2                hd77b12b_6    defaults
menuinst                  1.4.19          py310h59b6b97_0    defaults
openssl                   1.1.1s               h2bbff1b_0    defaults
pip                       22.3.1          py310haa95532_0    defaults
pluggy                    1.0.0           py310haa95532_1    defaults
powershell_shortcut_miniconda 0.0.1                haa95532_0    defaults
pycosat                   0.6.4           py310h2bbff1b_0    defaults
pycparser                 2.21               pyhd3eb1b0_0    defaults
pyopenssl                 22.0.0             pyhd3eb1b0_0    defaults
pysocks                   1.7.1           py310haa95532_0    defaults
python                    3.10.8               h966fe2a_1    defaults
requests                  2.28.1          py310haa95532_0    defaults
ruamel.yaml               0.17.21         py310h2bbff1b_0    defaults
ruamel.yaml.clib          0.2.6           py310h2bbff1b_1    defaults
setuptools                65.5.0          py310haa95532_0    defaults
six                       1.16.0             pyhd3eb1b0_1    defaults
sqlite                    3.40.0               h2bbff1b_0    defaults
tk                        8.6.12               h2bbff1b_0    defaults
toolz                     0.12.0          py310haa95532_0    defaults
tqdm                      4.64.1          py310haa95532_0    defaults
tzdata                    2022g                h04d1e81_0    defaults
urllib3                   1.26.13         py310haa95532_0    defaults
vc                        14.2                 h21ff451_1    defaults
vs2015_runtime            14.27.29016          h5e58377_2    defaults
wheel                     0.37.1             pyhd3eb1b0_0    defaults
win_inet_pton             1.1.0           py310haa95532_0    defaults
wincertstore              0.2             py310haa95532_2    defaults
xz                        5.2.8                h8cc25b3_0    defaults
zlib                      1.2.13               h8cc25b3_0    defaults
zstandard                 0.18.0          py310h2bbff1b_0    defaults

Additional Context

No response

[AshutoshDongare]

I also encountered the same issue on clean installation of Miniconda latest version available as of today. I have Win 11 updated OS.

[davbeek]

Same here: Windows 10 Pro, version 21H2.

Wanted to upgrade from miniconda3 with an old Python interpreter to the new version. First, uninstalled conda via Uninstall-Miniconda3.exe and restarted windows, then downloaded and installed the new miniconda3 64 bit for Windows via Latest - Conda 22.11.1 Python 3.10.8 released December 22, 2022.

No problems installing this new version on my Mac.

[Scoodood]

I had tried out many combinations, such as uninstalling suspicious Apps, Windows Updates, ...etc. But none of them worked.

So I end up reinstalling Windows 11 Pro from ground up. Then it works. The miniconda, NodeJS (npm, node), Jupyter build...etc all installed and run without issue now. So I guess something must be corrupted somewhere before the resetting. I am glad that it works now.

[jaimergp]

I think in this case this is just an overly alarming error (that pre-install script should be a dummy one, empty), but let's see why it's failing to run. You can "ignore" it and it should just work ok. @dbast can you confirm there are no pre-install scripts in the latest Miniconda?

Now, if you can check this: Did you delete the pkgs directory inside your installation? If it's still there, do you have a pkgs\pre_install.bat script there? Could you share the contents? Thanks!

[jaimergp]

We might have been a bit too optimistic on this bit :D

constructor/constructor/nsis/main.nsi.tmpl

Lines 1036 to 1045 in d4be652

	IfFileExists "$INSTDIR\pkgs\pre_install.bat" 0 NoPreInstall
	DetailPrint "Running pre_install scripts..."
	# At this point we don't have Python available yet, so we can't use the cmd wrapper
	# _nsis.py as we do with post_install and pre_uninstall. We'll have to trust the
	# system is well configured (CMD in patch, COMSPEC defined, etc.)
	push '"$INSTDIR\pkgs\pre_install.bat"'
	push "Failed to run pre_install"
	push 'WithLog'
	call AbortRetryNSExecWait
	NoPreInstall:

[dbast]

yes, there are no pre_install scripts in the current miniconda.

[jaimergp]

Given that a full OS reinstall helps, we might be able to use CMD /D ... to avoid registry issues getting in the way, for better isolation.

What output do you get in a regular CMD when you type set? Redact as needed, I just want to check if there are weird env vars defined in your systems.

[jaimergp]

I don't think we need the except clause here at all:

constructor/constructor/winexe.py

Lines 378 to 383 in d4be652

	pre_dst = join(tmp_dir, 'pre_install.bat')
	try:
	shutil.copy(info['pre_install'], pre_dst)
	except KeyError:
	with open(pre_dst, 'w') as fo:
	fo.write(":: this is an empty pre install .bat script\n")

[mzeidhassan]

same is happening with Miniconda3-py39_22.11.1-1-Windows-x86_64.exe. Any solution yet?

OS: Windows 10

[jaimergp]

What happens if you create a plain text file with notepad, with these contents:

:: this is an empty pre install .bat script

Save it as preinstall.bat anywhere and double click on it. Ideally, nothing should happen.