Factorio Forums

For the last couple versions, I've been having trouble updating. I get the Error:
So, I just tried to replicate my issue by downloading a brand new fresh copy of factorio 0.16.49 (MS Windows (64 bit zip package)), extracting it, running it, logging in, enabling experimental updates, closing it, opening it, selecting update now, and then BAM, getting the same error with a brand new fresh copy. The green bar does fill up the whole way before giving me the error.

The location of the factorio executable listed in the error message is the exact spot where the factorio.exe file is (I double checked by pasting that address into my explorer window, which opens factorio).

One of the funny things is I run factorio on 2 computers, both of which only have user permissions (and not admin), but one computer updates fine and the other hasn't been able to update since at least 0.16.45, maybe much before. But even if that was the issue, shouldn't it just prompt me for admin access? Anyway, running it in admin mode doesn't help either, so I'm really not sure how to replicate this other then it occurs for brand new fresh copy of factorio, but only on one of my two computers.

As you can reproduce the issue, you could check if this is still the case if you deactivate your anti virus software.
And post your log after a session with the issue please.

Hi,

I turned off my virus scanner (which was just windows defender, so I turned off real-time protection) and still have the same error message.

I've attached my log file.

Thanks!

this has been reported (at least) twice before, the same error, but is moved to "won't fix" or "not a bug".

60761 and 60869

I've had this happen on each update for the last several as well. To fix, after getting the error, I've found copying the Factorio.exe from the factorio/temp directory, to factorio/bin/x64 and then executing it and running the update again - works.

Is it possible that Factorio's updater fails to wait long enough until game shutdowns?
That would explain significant amount of people encountering this issue.

orzelek wrote:Is it possible that Factorio's updater fails to wait long enough until game shutdowns?
That would explain significant amount of people encountering this issue.

The updater should wait until the process stops existing. Unfortunately there's nothing we can do without a way to reproduce the problem (which nobody seems to have).

Rseding91 wrote:The updater should wait until the process stops existing. Unfortunately there's nothing we can do without a way to reproduce the problem (which nobody seems to have).

Until I figured out that I could copy the Factorio.exe from the factorio/temp directory, I had to re-download & install from the website. I use the zip version, not the installer since I have multiple installs. Vanilla, mods, previous "stable" versions. I'm guessing, I could download any previous than the current version, install it then click 'about" then "check for updates" and then install the update, and I'd get the same problem.

testing my theory - Steps to reproduce

1) navigate to https://factorio.com/download/experimental
2) download alpha 16.49
3) 7-zip, unzip to desktop (i'm including my zip program, just in case that makes any difference). It's faster than the standard windows zip.
4) navigate to folder/bin/x64 - run, login to enable updates. Click About, Check Updates, and... none found (weird). I might need to restart factorio.
- restarted the game, and still no updates found. The website shows up through 16.51 available.

2) (again) downloading alpha 16.48
3) same
4) same, again no updates
Guess I can't reproduce either if the game doesn't admit there are updates available.

From memory, a clean install doesn't have experimental updates enabled. (And 0.16.5x is still experimental).

Zavian wrote:From memory, a clean install doesn't have experimental updates enabled. (And 0.16.5x is still experimental).

Okay, thanks. It's always been enabled for me, but then I've copied in any config files. So I wasn't prepared for that. Just modified the config file in factorio/config to enable experimental releases, and it asked to update when factorio was run. I'll report back after checking if the problem is duplicatable.

Okay, I tested this with version 16.48 & 16.49 (since I'd downloaded both earlier) with the same results.

Steps to reproduce

1) navigate to https://factorio.com/download/experimental
2) download alpha 16.48
3) 7-zip, unzip to desktop (i'm including my zip program, just in case that makes any difference). It's faster than the standard windows zip.
4) modify file factorio/config/config to enable experimental release
5) navigate to folder/bin/x64 - run, login to enable updates.
6) Click About, Check Updates, and Update

The following are screenshots of the failed update. If there's anywhere permissions should be okay, it'd be the desktop. So it's really weird that it doesn't work. Other than if you get the error "file in use" from within the program code.

It's pretty strange tbh.
You can try to troubleshoot a bit more using this app:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysint ... ds/procmon

With Process Monitor you should be able to filter by factorio.exe and see what applications/processes are accessing the file.
It might help locating the culprit (game itself or some other app etc).