I just installed MikTex 2.9 and tried just making a simple table:
\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
\begin{table}[h!]
\begin{center}
\caption{Caption for the table.}
\label{tab:table1}
\begin{tabular}{l|c||r}
1 & 2 & 3\\
\hline
a & b & c\\
\end{tabular}
\end{center}
\end{table}
\end{document}
but got this message:
You may want to visit the MiKTeX project page (http://miktex.org), if you
need help.
Sorry, but C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\miktex-pdftex.exe did not succeed.
The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:
C:/Users/Solarmew/AppData/Local/MiKTeX/2.9/miktex/log/miktex-pdftex.log
You may want to visit the MiKTeX project page (http://miktex.org), if you
need help.
first I tried the solution here (Open the package manager (admin), use repositories -> synchronize) and it didn't give me the same error, but this time it said forest.sty not found, so I went here and followed the advise and changed package repository by checking "packages shall be installed from the internet". Now I have the first error back and it's not going away 🙁
here's the log:
2015-09-12 19:38:41,935-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - running 'initexmf --quiet --update-fndb' to refresh the file name database
2015-09-12 19:38:41,985-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - The operation failed for some reason.
2015-09-12 19:38:41,985-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Info: C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe
2015-09-12 19:38:41,985-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\Process.cpp
2015-09-12 19:38:41,985-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Line: 290
2015-09-12 19:39:28,578-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - running 'initexmf --quiet --update-fndb' to refresh the file name database
2015-09-12 19:39:28,630-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - The operation failed for some reason.
2015-09-12 19:39:28,630-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Info: C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe
2015-09-12 19:39:28,630-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\Process.cpp
2015-09-12 19:39:28,630-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Line: 290
2015-09-12 19:41:23,134-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - running 'initexmf --quiet --update-fndb' to refresh the file name database
2015-09-12 19:41:23,183-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - The operation failed for some reason.
2015-09-12 19:41:23,184-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Info: C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe
2015-09-12 19:41:23,184-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\Process.cpp
2015-09-12 19:41:23,184-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Line: 290
2015-09-12 19:47:23,559-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - running 'initexmf --quiet --update-fndb' to refresh the file name database
2015-09-12 19:47:23,612-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - The operation failed for some reason.
2015-09-12 19:47:23,612-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Info: C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe
2015-09-12 19:47:23,612-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\Process.cpp
2015-09-12 19:47:23,612-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Line: 290
2015-09-12 19:47:28,535-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - running 'initexmf --quiet --update-fndb' to refresh the file name database
2015-09-12 19:47:28,588-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - The operation failed for some reason.
2015-09-12 19:47:28,588-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Info: C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe
2015-09-12 19:47:28,588-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\Process.cpp
2015-09-12 19:47:28,588-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Line: 290
2015-09-12 19:55:27,809-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - installing package pgf triggered by tex\latex\pgf\frontendlayer\tikz.sty
2015-09-12 19:55:28,190-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: starting package maintenance...
2015-09-12 19:55:28,190-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: installation directory: "C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9"
2015-09-12 19:55:28,190-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: package repository: http://mirror.jmu.edu/pub/CTAN/systems/win32/miktex/tm/packages/
2015-09-12 19:55:28,433-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: lightweight database digest: fd7a40a42ed2f1e70be3b6bdb1baccf2
2015-09-12 19:55:28,434-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: going to download 9467103 bytes
2015-09-12 19:55:28,434-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: going to install 658 file(s) (1 package(s))
2015-09-12 19:55:28,435-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: downloading http://mirror.jmu.edu/pub/CTAN/systems/win32/miktex/tm/packages/pgf.tar.lzma...
2015-09-12 19:55:42,770-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: 10594095 bytes, 722.22 KB/Sec
2015-09-12 19:55:42,798-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: visiting repository http://mirror.jmu.edu/pub/CTAN/systems/win32/miktex/tm/packages/...
2015-09-12 19:55:42,798-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: repository type: remote package repository
2015-09-12 19:55:42,798-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: loading lightweight database...
2015-09-12 19:55:42,799-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: downloading http://mirror.jmu.edu/pub/CTAN/systems/win32/miktex/tm/packages/miktex-zzdb1-2.9.tar.lzma...
2015-09-12 19:55:43,053-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: 157260 bytes, 604.62 KB/Sec
2015-09-12 19:55:43,249-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: lightweight database digest: effaaa46816771ed79be6c0905c3d630
2015-09-12 19:55:43,275-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: extracting files from pgf.tar.lzma...
2015-09-12 19:55:43,834-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Windows API error 87: The parameter is incorrect.
2015-09-12 19:55:43,834-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Info: C:\ProgramData\MiKTeX\2.9\miktex/data/le\b1cfc6be702f63eea92ca0fbc9559e5c.fndb
2015-09-12 19:55:43,834-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\win\winMemoryMappedFile.cpp
2015-09-12 19:55:43,834-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Line: 120
2015-09-12 19:56:33,540-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - installing package standalone triggered by tex\latex\standalone\standalone.cls
2015-09-12 19:56:33,903-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: starting package maintenance...
2015-09-12 19:56:33,904-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: installation directory: "C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9"
2015-09-12 19:56:33,904-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: package repository: http://mirror.jmu.edu/pub/CTAN/systems/win32/miktex/tm/packages/
2015-09-12 19:56:34,071-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: lightweight database digest: effaaa46816771ed79be6c0905c3d630
2015-09-12 19:56:34,071-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: going to download 314852 bytes
2015-09-12 19:56:34,071-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: going to install 8 file(s) (1 package(s))
2015-09-12 19:56:34,072-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: downloading http://mirror.jmu.edu/pub/CTAN/systems/win32/miktex/tm/packages/standalone.tar.lzma...
2015-09-12 19:56:34,856-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: 314852 bytes, 393.69 KB/Sec
2015-09-12 19:56:34,858-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - mpm: extracting files from standalone.tar.lzma...
2015-09-12 19:56:34,887-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Windows API error 87: The parameter is incorrect.
2015-09-12 19:56:34,887-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Info: C:\ProgramData\MiKTeX\2.9\miktex/data/le\b1cfc6be702f63eea92ca0fbc9559e5c.fndb
2015-09-12 19:56:34,887-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\win\winMemoryMappedFile.cpp
2015-09-12 19:56:34,887-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Line: 120
2015-09-12 20:02:10,783-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - running 'initexmf --quiet --update-fndb' to refresh the file name database
2015-09-12 20:02:11,019-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - The operation failed for some reason.
2015-09-12 20:02:11,020-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Info: C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe
2015-09-12 20:02:11,020-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\Process.cpp
2015-09-12 20:02:11,020-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Line: 290
2015-09-12 20:03:12,810-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - running 'initexmf --quiet --update-fndb' to refresh the file name database
2015-09-12 20:03:13,031-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - The operation failed for some reason.
2015-09-12 20:03:13,032-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Info: C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe
2015-09-12 20:03:13,032-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\Process.cpp
2015-09-12 20:03:13,032-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Line: 290
2015-09-12 20:06:53,271-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - running 'initexmf --quiet --update-fndb' to refresh the file name database
2015-09-12 20:06:53,497-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - The operation failed for some reason.
2015-09-12 20:06:53,498-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Info: C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe
2015-09-12 20:06:53,498-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\Process.cpp
2015-09-12 20:06:53,498-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Line: 290
2015-09-12 20:08:00,190-0400 INFO miktex-pdftex - running 'initexmf --quiet --update-fndb' to refresh the file name database
2015-09-12 20:08:00,412-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - The operation failed for some reason.
2015-09-12 20:08:00,412-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Info: C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex\bin\initexmf.exe
2015-09-12 20:08:00,412-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\Process.cpp
2015-09-12 20:08:00,413-0400 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Line: 290
Best Answer
The problem is with your installation, not updating packages. I had the same errors installing MiKTeX 2.9.5721 on windows 10 today.
After trying several fixes in this thread, this is what worked for me. I think first, there's a problem with the permissions in C:/Program Files (x86), which you can fix by creating a file on C:/ directly. Second (for me, maybe not you), I think there was an issue with another program trying to use one of the pdf map dl files (?) which was mentioned here. To solve this:
You may be able to get away with not messing with your PDF viewer install, but definitely try creating a folder other than the Program Files (x86).