I ran into some issues with MiKTeX 2.9 so I uninstalled and reinstalled it (using net installer), in the hopes that the issues would be resolved. Instead MiKTeX seems to be completely broken now; when I try to compile a document (which has compiled successfully just this morning), TeXworks is giving me this error message:
This is pdfTeX, Version 3.14159265-2.6-1.40.19 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
Sorry, but pdflatex did not succeed.
The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\2.9\miktex\log\pdflatex.log
Sorry, but "MiKTeX Compiler Driver" did not succeed.
The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\2.9\miktex\log\texify.log
I will paste the contents of the logs into the end of this post.
I have tried uninstalling again, deleting all folders related to MiKTeX in Program Files and AppData, restarting my laptop and reinstalling it again, but nothing seems to be working. Compiling it in the command line doesn't work either. I am relatively new to using LaTeX and out of ideas, I would be very thankful if someone can help me with this issue.
This is the content of pdflatex.log:
2018-10-05 02:19:48,194+0200 INFO pdflatex - starting with command line: pdflatex --synctex=1 C:/Users/user/Documents/university/presentation\slide1.tex
2018-10-05 02:19:48,206+0200 INFO pdflatex - allowing known shell commands
2018-10-05 02:19:48,208+0200 INFO pdflatex - enabling input (output) from (to) processes
2018-10-05 02:19:48,292+0200 INFO pdflatex - going to create file: pdflatex.fmt
2018-10-05 02:19:49,704+0200 ERROR pdflatex - C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex\bin\x64\initexmf.exe did not succeed; exitCode: 1
2018-10-05 02:19:49,704+0200 ERROR pdflatex - output:
2018-10-05 02:19:49,704+0200 ERROR pdflatex -
Sorry, but "MiKTeX Configuration Utility" did not succeed.
The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\2.9\miktex\log\initexmf.log
2018-10-05 02:19:49,706+0200 FATAL pdflatex - The memory dump file could not be found.
2018-10-05 02:19:49,707+0200 FATAL pdflatex - Info: fileName="pdflatex.fmt"
2018-10-05 02:19:49,707+0200 FATAL pdflatex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\TeXAndFriends\texmfapp.cpp
2018-10-05 02:19:49,707+0200 FATAL pdflatex - Line: 690
2018-10-05 02:19:49,708+0200 INFO pdflatex - finishing with exit code 1
The content of texify.log:
2018-10-05 02:19:12,237+0200 INFO texify - starting with command line: C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex\bin\x64\texify.exe --pdf --synctex=1 --clean slide1.tex
2018-10-05 02:19:12,255+0200 INFO texify - running 'initexmf' to refresh the file name database
2018-10-05 02:19:18,520+0200 INFO texify - running 'initexmf' to create font map files
2018-10-05 02:19:47,751+0200 INFO texify - starting with command line: C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex\bin\x64\texify.exe --pdf --synctex=1 --clean slide1.tex
2018-10-05 02:19:49,735+0200 FATAL texify - TeX engine failed for some reason.
2018-10-05 02:19:49,735+0200 FATAL texify - Info:
2018-10-05 02:19:49,735+0200 FATAL texify - Source: Programs\MiKTeX\texify\mcd.cpp
2018-10-05 02:19:49,735+0200 FATAL texify - Line: 1476
pdflatex.log refers to initexmf.log, which is:
2018-10-05 02:19:12,553+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 02:19:12,553+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the private (per-user) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 02:19:12,554+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --enable-installer --quiet --update-fndb
2018-10-05 02:19:12,576+0200 INFO initexmf - Creating fndb for user root directory (C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\MiKTeX\2.9)...
2018-10-05 02:19:12,625+0200 INFO initexmf - Creating fndb for user root directory (C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\2.9)...
2018-10-05 02:19:12,678+0200 INFO initexmf - Skipping common root directory (C:\ProgramData\MiKTeX\2.9)...
2018-10-05 02:19:12,679+0200 INFO initexmf - Skipping common root directory (C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9)...
2018-10-05 02:19:18,500+0200 INFO initexmf - finishing with exit code 0
2018-10-05 02:19:18,778+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 02:19:18,778+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the private (per-user) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 02:19:18,778+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --enable-installer --quiet --mkmaps
2018-10-05 02:19:18,798+0200 INFO initexmf - running: mkfntmap --enable-installer
2018-10-05 02:19:48,687+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 02:19:48,687+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the private (per-user) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 02:19:48,687+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --enable-installer --dump-by-name=pdflatex --engine=pdftex
2018-10-05 02:19:48,693+0200 INFO initexmf - running: miktex-makefmt.exe --engine=pdftex --dest-name=pdflatex --no-dump pdflatex.ini --engine-option=-tcx=cp227.tcx --enable-installer
2018-10-05 02:19:49,678+0200 ERROR initexmf - sub-process error output has been saved to 'C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\2.9\miktex\log\miktex-makefmt_2018-10-05-021949.out'
2018-10-05 02:19:49,679+0200 FATAL initexmf - The executed process did not succeed.
2018-10-05 02:19:49,679+0200 FATAL initexmf - Info: fileName="C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex\bin\x64\miktex-makefmt.exe", exitCode="1"
2018-10-05 02:19:49,679+0200 FATAL initexmf - Source:
2018-10-05 02:19:49,679+0200 FATAL initexmf - Line: 0
EDIT: This is miktex-makefmt_2018-10-05-021949.out
Running miktex-pdftex.exe...
This is pdfTeX, Version 3.14159265-2.6-1.40.19 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit) (INITEX)
Sorry, but miktex-pdftex.exe did not succeed.
The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\2.9\miktex\log\miktex-pdftex.log
Sorry, but miktex-makefmt did not succeed.
The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\2.9\miktex\log\miktex-makefmt.log
This is miktex-pdftex.log:
2018-10-05 02:33:07,207+0200 INFO miktex-pdftex - finishing with exit code 1
2018-10-05 02:34:14,811+0200 INFO miktex-pdftex - starting with command line: miktex-pdftex.exe --miktex-enable-installer --initialize --interaction=nonstopmode --halt-on-error --alias=pdflatex --job-name=pdflatex -tcx=cp227.tcx --enable-etex pdflatex.ini
2018-10-05 02:34:14,821+0200 INFO miktex-pdftex - allowing known shell commands
2018-10-05 02:34:14,822+0200 INFO miktex-pdftex - enabling input (output) from (to) processes
2018-10-05 02:34:14,871+0200 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Windows API error 5: Zugriff verweigert
2018-10-05 02:34:14,871+0200 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Info: path="C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\tex\latex\00miktex\pdflatex.ini"
2018-10-05 02:34:14,871+0200 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\PathName\PathName.cpp
2018-10-05 02:34:14,871+0200 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Line: 156
2018-10-05 02:34:14,871+0200 INFO miktex-pdftex - finishing with exit code 1
2018-10-05 02:36:59,571+0200 INFO miktex-pdftex - starting with command line: miktex-pdftex.exe --miktex-enable-installer --initialize --interaction=nonstopmode --halt-on-error --alias=pdflatex --job-name=pdflatex -tcx=cp227.tcx --enable-etex pdflatex.ini
2018-10-05 02:36:59,596+0200 INFO miktex-pdftex - allowing known shell commands
2018-10-05 02:36:59,597+0200 INFO miktex-pdftex - enabling input (output) from (to) processes
2018-10-05 02:36:59,665+0200 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Windows API error 5: Zugriff verweigert
2018-10-05 02:36:59,665+0200 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Info: path="C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\tex\latex\00miktex\pdflatex.ini"
2018-10-05 02:36:59,665+0200 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\PathName\PathName.cpp
2018-10-05 02:36:59,665+0200 FATAL miktex-pdftex - Line: 156
2018-10-05 02:36:59,666+0200 INFO miktex-pdftex - finishing with exit code 1
This is miktex-makefmt.log:
2018-10-05 02:19:49,033+0200 INFO miktex-makefmt - starting with command line: miktex-makefmt.exe --engine=pdftex --dest-name=pdflatex --no-dump pdflatex.ini --engine-option=-tcx=cp227.tcx --enable-installer
2018-10-05 02:19:49,047+0200 INFO makefmt - found input file: C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\tex\latex\00miktex\pdflatex.ini
2018-10-05 02:19:49,047+0200 INFO makefmt - Creating the pdflatex format file...
2018-10-05 02:19:49,078+0200 INFO makefmt - Running miktex-pdftex.exe...
2018-10-05 02:19:49,079+0200 INFO makefmt - running: miktex-pdftex.exe --miktex-enable-installer --initialize --interaction=nonstopmode --halt-on-error --alias=pdflatex --job-name=pdflatex -tcx=cp227.tcx --enable-etex pdflatex.ini
2018-10-05 02:19:49,657+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - miktex-pdftex.exe failed on pdflatex.ini.
2018-10-05 02:19:49,657+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - miktex-pdftex.exe failed on pdflatex.ini.
2018-10-05 02:19:49,657+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - Info:
2018-10-05 02:19:49,657+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - Source:
2018-10-05 02:19:49,657+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - Line: 0
2018-10-05 02:33:06,845+0200 INFO miktex-makefmt - starting with command line: miktex-makefmt.exe --engine=pdftex --dest-name=pdflatex --no-dump pdflatex.ini --engine-option=-tcx=cp227.tcx --enable-installer
2018-10-05 02:33:06,846+0200 WARN miktex-makefmt - running with administrator privileges
2018-10-05 02:33:06,858+0200 INFO makefmt - found input file: C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\tex\latex\00miktex\pdflatex.ini
2018-10-05 02:33:06,860+0200 INFO makefmt - Creating the pdflatex format file...
2018-10-05 02:33:06,870+0200 INFO makefmt - Running miktex-pdftex.exe...
2018-10-05 02:33:06,871+0200 INFO makefmt - running: miktex-pdftex.exe --miktex-enable-installer --initialize --interaction=nonstopmode --halt-on-error --alias=pdflatex --job-name=pdflatex -tcx=cp227.tcx --enable-etex pdflatex.ini
2018-10-05 02:33:07,249+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - miktex-pdftex.exe failed on pdflatex.ini.
2018-10-05 02:33:07,249+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - miktex-pdftex.exe failed on pdflatex.ini.
2018-10-05 02:33:07,249+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - Info:
2018-10-05 02:33:07,249+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - Source:
2018-10-05 02:33:07,249+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - Line: 0
2018-10-05 02:34:14,497+0200 INFO miktex-makefmt - starting with command line: miktex-makefmt.exe --engine=pdftex --dest-name=pdflatex --no-dump pdflatex.ini --engine-option=-tcx=cp227.tcx --enable-installer
2018-10-05 02:34:14,497+0200 INFO makefmt - found input file: C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\tex\latex\00miktex\pdflatex.ini
2018-10-05 02:34:14,514+0200 INFO makefmt - Creating the pdflatex format file...
2018-10-05 02:34:14,525+0200 INFO makefmt - Running miktex-pdftex.exe...
2018-10-05 02:34:14,525+0200 INFO makefmt - running: miktex-pdftex.exe --miktex-enable-installer --initialize --interaction=nonstopmode --halt-on-error --alias=pdflatex --job-name=pdflatex -tcx=cp227.tcx --enable-etex pdflatex.ini
2018-10-05 02:34:14,920+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - miktex-pdftex.exe failed on pdflatex.ini.
2018-10-05 02:34:14,920+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - miktex-pdftex.exe failed on pdflatex.ini.
2018-10-05 02:34:14,920+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - Info:
2018-10-05 02:34:14,920+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - Source:
2018-10-05 02:34:14,920+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - Line: 0
2018-10-05 02:36:59,236+0200 INFO miktex-makefmt - starting with command line: miktex-makefmt.exe --engine=pdftex --dest-name=pdflatex --no-dump pdflatex.ini --engine-option=-tcx=cp227.tcx --enable-installer
2018-10-05 02:36:59,259+0200 INFO makefmt - found input file: C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\tex\latex\00miktex\pdflatex.ini
2018-10-05 02:36:59,260+0200 INFO makefmt - Creating the pdflatex format file...
2018-10-05 02:36:59,280+0200 INFO makefmt - Running miktex-pdftex.exe...
2018-10-05 02:36:59,280+0200 INFO makefmt - running: miktex-pdftex.exe --miktex-enable-installer --initialize --interaction=nonstopmode --halt-on-error --alias=pdflatex --job-name=pdflatex -tcx=cp227.tcx --enable-etex pdflatex.ini
2018-10-05 02:36:59,714+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - miktex-pdftex.exe failed on pdflatex.ini.
2018-10-05 02:36:59,714+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - miktex-pdftex.exe failed on pdflatex.ini.
2018-10-05 02:36:59,714+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - Info:
2018-10-05 02:36:59,714+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - Source:
2018-10-05 02:36:59,714+0200 FATAL miktex-makefmt - Line: 0
EDIT:
Well I hope you learned that "simply reinstall everything" is not the best strategy to solve problems. miktex can't create the format file, so you need to find out why. Go to the miktex console, settings -> tab format. Select pdflatex and click on build. If it fails you perhaps get the real log-file. – Ulrike Fischer
After doing this, the build failed, the error message refers to this log initexmf_admin.log:
2018-10-05 02:14:23,267+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 02:14:23,267+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the shared (system-wide) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 02:14:23,267+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --rmfndb --admin --log-file=C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex/config\uninst.log --disable-installer --verbose
2018-10-05 02:14:23,267+0200 INFO initexmf - finishing with exit code 0
2018-10-05 02:14:23,670+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 02:14:23,670+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the shared (system-wide) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 02:14:23,670+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --update-fndb --admin --log-file=C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex/config\uninst.log --disable-installer --verbose
2018-10-05 02:14:23,670+0200 INFO initexmf - Skipping user root directory (C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\MiKTeX\2.9)...
2018-10-05 02:14:23,670+0200 INFO initexmf - Skipping user root directory (C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\2.9)...
2018-10-05 02:14:23,670+0200 INFO initexmf - Creating fndb for common root directory (C:\ProgramData\MiKTeX\2.9)...
2018-10-05 02:14:23,717+0200 INFO initexmf - Creating fndb for common root directory (C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9)...
2018-10-05 02:14:38,025+0200 INFO initexmf - finishing with exit code 0
2018-10-05 02:14:38,344+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 02:14:38,344+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the shared (system-wide) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 02:14:38,344+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --force --mklinks --admin --log-file=C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex/config\uninst.log --disable-installer --verbose
2018-10-05 02:14:38,750+0200 INFO initexmf - finishing with exit code 0
2018-10-05 02:14:39,078+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 02:14:39,078+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the shared (system-wide) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 02:14:39,078+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --mkmaps --mklangs --admin --log-file=C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex/config\uninst.log --disable-installer --verbose
2018-10-05 02:14:39,078+0200 INFO initexmf - Creating language.dat, language.dat.lua and language.def...
2018-10-05 02:14:39,141+0200 INFO initexmf - running: mkfntmap --verbose --admin --disable-installer
2018-10-05 02:18:07,080+0200 INFO initexmf - finishing with exit code 0
2018-10-05 02:18:07,395+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 02:18:07,395+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the shared (system-wide) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 02:18:07,395+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --default-paper-size=A4 --admin --log-file=C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex/config\uninst.log --disable-installer --verbose
2018-10-05 02:18:07,442+0200 INFO initexmf - finishing with exit code 0
2018-10-05 02:18:07,754+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 02:18:07,754+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the shared (system-wide) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 02:18:07,754+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --set-config-value=[MPM]AutoInstall=1 --admin --log-file=C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex/config\uninst.log --disable-installer --verbose
2018-10-05 02:18:07,785+0200 INFO initexmf - finishing with exit code 0
2018-10-05 02:18:08,113+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 02:18:08,113+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the shared (system-wide) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 02:18:08,113+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --update-fndb --admin --log-file=C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex/config\uninst.log --disable-installer --verbose
2018-10-05 02:18:08,113+0200 INFO initexmf - Skipping user root directory (C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\MiKTeX\2.9)...
2018-10-05 02:18:08,113+0200 INFO initexmf - Skipping user root directory (C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\MiKTeX\2.9)...
2018-10-05 02:18:08,145+0200 INFO initexmf - Creating fndb for common root directory (C:\ProgramData\MiKTeX\2.9)...
2018-10-05 02:18:08,207+0200 INFO initexmf - Creating fndb for common root directory (C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9)...
2018-10-05 02:18:22,365+0200 INFO initexmf - finishing with exit code 0
2018-10-05 02:18:22,677+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 02:18:22,677+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the shared (system-wide) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 02:18:22,677+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --register-shell-file-types --admin --log-file=C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex/config\uninst.log --disable-installer --verbose
2018-10-05 02:18:22,724+0200 INFO initexmf - finishing with exit code 0
2018-10-05 02:18:23,096+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 02:18:23,096+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the shared (system-wide) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 02:18:23,096+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --modify-path --admin --log-file=C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex/config\uninst.log --disable-installer --verbose
2018-10-05 02:18:23,269+0200 INFO initexmf - finishing with exit code 0
2018-10-05 02:18:23,597+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 02:18:23,597+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the shared (system-wide) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 02:18:23,597+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --report --admin --log-file=C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex/config\uninst.log --disable-installer --verbose
2018-10-05 02:18:31,263+0200 INFO initexmf - finishing with exit code 0
2018-10-05 09:03:58,226+0200 INFO initexmf - starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6811 (MiKTeX 2.9.6840 64-bit)
2018-10-05 09:03:58,226+0200 INFO initexmf - Operating on the shared (system-wide) MiKTeX setup
2018-10-05 09:03:58,226+0200 INFO initexmf - starting with command line: initexmf --admin --dump=pdflatex
2018-10-05 09:03:58,241+0200 INFO initexmf - running: miktex-makefmt.exe --engine=pdftex --dest-name=pdflatex --no-dump pdflatex.ini --engine-option=-tcx=cp227.tcx --admin --enable-installer
2018-10-05 09:03:59,101+0200 ERROR initexmf - sub-process error output has been saved to 'C:\ProgramData\MiKTeX\2.9\miktex\log\miktex-makefmt_2018-10-05-090359.out'
2018-10-05 09:03:59,101+0200 FATAL initexmf - The executed process did not succeed.
2018-10-05 09:03:59,101+0200 FATAL initexmf - Info: fileName="C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\miktex\bin\x64\miktex-makefmt.exe", exitCode="1"
2018-10-05 09:03:59,101+0200 FATAL initexmf - Source:
2018-10-05 09:03:59,101+0200 FATAL initexmf - Line: 0
EDIT:
Damn, looks like miktex no longer saves the pdftex log somewhere. Open a command line in some empty test folder and then run pdftex –ini –enable-etex pdflatex.ini this should hopefully write a pdflatex.log in this folder. Or you can at least see in the terminal where it stops. – Ulrike Fischer
The resulting pdflatex.log:
2018-10-05 09:45:12,618+0200 INFO pdftex - starting with command line: pdftex --ini --enable-etex pdflatex.ini
2018-10-05 09:45:12,618+0200 INFO pdftex - allowing known shell commands
2018-10-05 09:45:12,618+0200 INFO pdftex - enabling input (output) from (to) processes
2018-10-05 09:45:12,649+0200 FATAL pdftex - Windows API error 5: Zugriff verweigert
2018-10-05 09:45:12,649+0200 FATAL pdftex - Info: path="C:\Programme\MiKTeX_2.9\tex\latex\00miktex\pdflatex.ini"
2018-10-05 09:45:12,649+0200 FATAL pdftex - Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\PathName\PathName.cpp
2018-10-05 09:45:12,649+0200 FATAL pdftex - Line: 156
2018-10-05 09:45:12,665+0200 INFO pdftex - finishing with exit code 1
Best Answer
This issue has been resolved by Ulrike Fischer's last suggestion:
I uninstalled and reinstalled it again. I ran the installer as administrator (like several times before) but changed from the default setting "for all users" to "this user only" and put it into C:\MiKTeX2.9 just to be safe. Now it is back and running again! Thank you so much!