I cannot get MiKTeX 2.9.6069 to install on Windows 10 Home 64-bit.
Here is the failure message from my last attempt, using the 32-bit installer with no option changes:
The operation could not be completed for the following reason:
The executed process did not succeed.
Details: fileName="C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex/bin\initexmf.exe",
arguments="–common-install="C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9"
–set-config-value=[Core]SharedSetup=1 –admin
–log-file="C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\miktex/config\uninst.log" –verbose", exitCode="1"
Here is the last bit of the installation log, from my first attempt this session with the 64-bit installer, and some option changes such as A4 –> Letter, Always auto-load packages, etc.:
installed 2989 package definition files
visiting repository C:\Users\x2\AppData\Local\Temp\mik10126…
repository type: local package repository
loading lightweight database…
Sorry, but "MiKTeX Configuration Utility" did not succeed for the following reason: –common-install=C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.9: unknown option The log file hopefully contains the information to get MiKTeX going again:
C:/Users/x2/AppData/Local/MiKTeX/2.9/miktex/log/initexmf.log You may want to visit the MiKTeX project page, if you need help.
Error: The executed process did not succeed.
Here's the contents of the .log-file the above references:
2016-08-29 20:15:32,192-0700 INFO initexmf – starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6050 (MiKTeX 2.9)
2016-08-29 20:15:32,207-0700 FATAL initexmf – –common-install=C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9: unknown option
2016-08-29 20:43:35,521-0700 INFO initexmf – starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6050 (MiKTeX 2.9)
2016-08-29 20:43:35,537-0700 FATAL initexmf – –common-install=C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9: unknown option
2016-08-29 20:58:24,381-0700 INFO initexmf – starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6050 (MiKTeX 2.9 64-bit)
2016-08-29 20:58:24,412-0700 FATAL initexmf – –common-install=C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.9: unknown option
2016-09-11 18:29:25,957-0700 INFO initexmf – starting: MiKTeX Configuration Utility 2.9.6050 (MiKTeX 2.9 64-bit)
2016-09-11 18:29:25,973-0700 FATAL initexmf – –common-install=C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.9: unknown option
I've tried numerous times in different sessions (i.e. span of time and numerous restarts between); various option combos; deleted Program Files folders, tried again; run as administrator and not.
I do find it rather disturbing that the slashes do not seem to be consistent in the URIs. That's a sure way to make things not work, from my limited programming experience. But I see that has been the case in most of the instances of failed installations since 2013, at least. If it were the problem, I would hope it would've gotten fixed by now. So not likely the problem?
Best Answer
A bit late to this, but finally managed to solve this "unknown option" issue after hours of tinkering with the setup options (even to the extent of reformatting Windows) but to no avail.
Apparently the initexmf.exe file does not like being renamed. According to a bug report with this issue: #2515 basic-miktex installer fails if the executable is renamed, it checks for the name of the invoker and only makes available certain options if the name matches.
Moral of the story: Don't rename the setup file.
Example: If it is "basic-miktex-2.9.6161-x64.exe", then leave it as it is. This should resolve the "unknown option" issue.