I am running MikTeX 2.9 on Windows 10 and updated my MikTeX packages today as an admin and afterwards as a normal user. During the last update, the MikTeX console and all other programs, that were running, stopped responding and nothing worked anymore so I had to push the power button. After restarting I could not compile any LaTeX document anymore. When I tried to open the MikTeX console (no matter if setting, update or package mode or if admin or user) I got the error Not a file name database file (wrong signature).
So I wanted to deinstall and reinstall the program but even on deinstalling (whether about the uninstall.exe or the control panel in Windows) I got the same error and could not even deinstall it anymore. So I deleted the MikTeX folder from the programs directory and cleaned my computer and registry with CCleaner.
Then I tried to newly install MikTeX. At the first glance this seemed to work but just at the end of the installation MikTeX again fails with this error:
Not a file name database file (wrong signature).
Info: path="C:\ProgramData\MiKTeX\2.9\miktex/data/le\1756f6ade37d5f870f23c05a7f81e257.fndb"
I tried to install for all users (admin mode) and for one user several times, but always get the same error. I turned off my antivirus program and firewall and selected "ask me first" when asked to install packages on the fly. That didn't help either, still the same error. I've been trying for hours but am clueless now. Windows made an update last night. Maybe it has something to do with that?
As far as I can see, the installation is almost finished. There are all folders and .exe-files there in the program directories as I had before deinstallation. I don't understand why it doesn't work and what the error means. This is the last .log-file:
initializing setup service...
starting installer...
Loading package database...
starting package maintenance...
installation directory: "C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.9"
package repository: C:\Users\FRAUSP~1\AppData\Local\Temp\mik75003
visiting repository C:\Users\FRAUSP~1\AppData\Local\Temp\mik75003...
repository type: local package repository
loading lightweight database...
lightweight database digest: 1e7eacdbd2c588b9dabb6b8f9cd115ab
going to install 10756 file(s) (216 package(s))
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updating package definition directory ("C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.9\tpm\packages")...
installed 3263 package definition files
visiting repository C:\Users\FRAUSP~1\AppData\Local\Temp\mik75003...
repository type: local package repository
loading lightweight database...
initexmf "--common-install=C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.9" --set-config-value=[Core]SharedSetup=1 --admin "--log-file=C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex/config\uninst.log" --disable-installer --verbose:
Not a file name database file (wrong signature).
Info: path="C:\ProgramData\MiKTeX\2.9\miktex/data/le\1756f6ade37d5f870f23c05a7f81e257.fndb"
Source: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\Fndb\FileNameDatabase.cpp
Line: 99
Sorry, but "MiKTeX Configuration Utility" did not succeed.
You may want to visit the MiKTeX project page, if you need help.
An error occurred:
source file: Libraries\MiKTeX\Core\Process\Process.cpp
source line: 166
message: The executed process did not succeed.
info: fileName="C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex/bin/x64\initexmf.exe", exitCode="1"
<<<Cancel? Yes!>>>
Please help me to get MikTeX to work again.
Best Answer
I managed to resolve the problem.
Solution 1: As pointed out by RobtAll in the comments above, MikTeX portable can be used as a workaround.
Solution 2: As recommended by Ulrike Fischer, I reported the problem on GitHub MikTeX issue tracker. Obviously, the error is caused by corrupted file name database files and I was adviced to delete them. I deleted and deinstalled MikTeX completely yesterday and could not find any files left. However, when I started a search for
fndbon my system, it in fact found five or six .fndb-files in directories that did not exist any more. Since I received error messages (file could not be found) when I tried to delete them, I ran CCleaner and cleaned my system including registry again. Even there, some MikTeX files and paths occurred which should not have been existent anymore. After that I restarted my computer, downloaded the basic MikTeX installer from the website and installed MikTeX (for single user) again. This time it worked without errors.I am still a little confused, since I cleaned my system several times with CCleaner yesterday. However basic MikTeX as well as updating packages and compiling my documents works again now. So I conclude it was due to these .fndb-files.