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MiKTeX updating and package downloading

I have installed MiKTeX 2.9 on my laptop, but I can neither update it nor download new packages. Every time I try to update MiKTeX, it shows

Updating error message

When I try to download a new package, e.g. "abntex2", it shows

Package downloading error message

Solution

  • Your windows user lacks sufficient read and write permissions in the folder

    C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\

    You can remedy this problem in two manners:

    1. When updating MiKTeX, run the program as admin: right click and choose "Run as administrator". Example:

    Run as administrator

    1. Set the permissions specifically for the MiKTeX folder: select the MiKTeX 2.9 folder in C:\Program Files (x86)\, right click the folder, and choose Properties. In the Properties dialog box, click the Security tab. Now, depending on your Windows version, in this tab, you can set the permissions for the users w.r.t. to this folder. Select the user you are using and check in Full Control (or something likewise).

    Hopefully, making sure you can run and access MiKTeX folder with full permissions, you MiKTeX will update as intended.

    See https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727008.aspx for details regarding user permissions for files and folders in Windows.