Windows 7, update.packages problem: "unable to move temporary installation"?

Question

I am using R 2.13.0 with windows 7, after giving my user full privileges to the R folder (as described here). This allows me to install new packages just fine.

However, when using update.packages(), to update existing packages, I keep getting the following error (for example, when updating the MASS package):

package 'MASS' successfully unpacked and MD5 sums checked

Warning: unable to move temporary installation 'C:\Program Files\R\R-2.13.0\library\file6cae3bcf\MASS' to 'C:\Program Files\R\R-2.13.0\library\MASS'

Any suggestions on how to fix this?

p.s: Running R as an administrator or shifting the library location out of Program Files is not a solution (it's a hack - but I am looking for a solution)

Answer 1

I found that the problem indeed is the antivirus "real time file system protection". I do the following to fix the problem:

trace(utils:::unpackPkgZip, edit=TRUE)

I edit line 140 (line 142 in R 3.4.4):

Sys.sleep(0.5)

to:

Sys.sleep(2)

I seems like the antivirus stalls the creation of the package tmp dir. After changing it to 2 seconds the error is gone.

EDIT: to do this programmatically execute

trace(utils:::unpackPkgZip, quote(Sys.sleep(2)), at = which(grepl("Sys.sleep", body(utils:::unpackPkgZip), fixed = TRUE)))

(credits @DavidArenburg)

Answer 2

Just to update everyone, I (think that I) found out the source of the problem: antivirus.

The "real time file system protection" was blocking R from copying the files between folders once they were downloaded. Upon adding the R directory to the exception list (coupled with adding user permission and installing R on D:\R), and the problem went away. With all of this work, I might as well switch to Linux (I should, really...)

(I updated my post with the above information: http://www.r-statistics.com/2011/04/how-to-upgrade-r-on-windows-7/)

I hope it will help someone in the future, Tal

Answer 3

If you cannot turn off your antivirus, due to corporate policy for example, here is a workaround that I found. Debugging the unzip package function and then stepping through it gives the antivirus enough time to do its job without interfering. Use this command:

debug(utils:::unpackPkgZip)
install.packages("packageName")

and then step through the code (by pressing enter many times) when R starts debugging during the installation.

I found this solution here.

Answer 4

If you can just download the binary straight from CRAN. On windows when downloaded it will be a zip file. Now manually unzip this into the ..library/ folder of your R (.libPaths()). It worked for me on some packages.

Answer 5

I had this problem installing both swirl and dplyr. I am working on Windows 64-bit.

Warning: unable to move temporary installation

What I did is I accessed my temporary files on the C: drive, and opened my file extractor program and I extracted the files from the temp file in the C: drive to my R program files in the C: drive, by manually copying them. THIS WORKED FOR BOTH dpylr and swirl. Stoked!

Cheers,

Peach

Answer 6

Can you not use the lib.loc parameter to only update packages in your personal library (in user)? There should be no way to enable a normal, non-augmented user to change files in the program files folder, so the only thing you can do (if you don't want to augment the user) is to have R not updating packages there.

A workaround is to avoid installing R in the program files folder (which may be more or less of a hack than just shifting the library location out of it, depending on your point of view).

Finally, if lib.loc doesn't cut it, you can look at the source code for update.packages and create your own customized version that will always avoid the common library location in program files.

Answer 7

I just met the same question, and the solution I found out was that you should install packages using the original R software (plus, you should choose the right mirror site, some of them are blocked). At first I used Rstudio to install packages and I got the same problem as you met. Hope this is helpful.

Answer 8

I have run into this error several times. In my own case, it is because our admins want us to use remote virtual disks (on Windows 7) for our files and everything is locked up tight as a drum. The only way I can use R packages is in a lib directory on that remote virtual disk. This wouldn't be a problem except that the network isn't always smooth and fast. Thus, when I need a package, especially one with several other packages in tow (e.g., MBESS), I either have to go through the get.packages() process multiple times until it finally finishes or make it IT's headache to do quick like the bunny for me. I can't always wait for IT.

Answer 9

I just went to the library folder (Windows XP) and deleted all fileXXXX folders. Reran the install an it is worked.

Answer 10

I had the same problem. Since the issue seems to be the antivirus blocking the transf of a downloaded file, I tried a different download method in the install.packages and it worked.

For example:

install.packages("stringr", method = "curl")

Answer 11

You must go into the properties of the R folder and change the security parameters. You can enable the option to write and modify for all users.

Answer 12

The error : "unable to move temporary installation" is basically arising due to any of the antivirus running on your system. Try unzipping the downloaded file from the Temp folder into the default library path (you can get it by running .libPaths() in R session).

Answer 13

I'm using a MRAN and I was having so many versioning issues. Trying to work with tidyverse and ggplot2 and by upgrading to the latest version from Microsoft it solved all of my R-Studio versioning issues.

Version info:

Microsoft R Open 3.5.1
The enhanced R distribution from Microsoft
Default CRAN mirror snapshot taken on 2018-08-01.

Download Microsoft R Open 3.5.1