Error downloading http://downloads.arduino.cc/packages/package_index.json

[TheKlap]

Hi, recently I got an Arduino 101 and have been trying to install the packages for it from the boards manager. The problem is that whenever I open the boards manager, I get the message "Error downloading http://downloads.arduino.cc/packages/package_index.json" and can't download the packages.

I've been trying different versions of IDE and for some reason version 1.6.4 works while 1.8.1 doesn't.

Thanks in advance!

[pert]

I don't know what the cause of the issue is but you can use Arduino IDE 1.6.4 just to install the Intel Curie Boards hardware package and then switch to using Arduino IDE 1.8.1. If you're using Windows there will probably be an extra step you need to do to transfer it over but I can provide instructions for that if necessary.

[TheKlap]

Yeah I can do that. What is the extra step for it?

Thanks again for your help!

[pert]

Are you using Windows? The extra step is required because in Arduino IDE 1.6.6 and newer the location where the Boards Manager installations are stored on Windows was moved. So you need to do this:

• Install Intel Curie Boards via Boards Manager using Arduino IDE 1.6.4
• copy C:\Users\{your user name}\AppData\Roaming\Arduino15 to C:\Users\{your user name}\AppData\Local\
• Restart Arduino IDE 1.8.1 if it's running

You will need to repeat this process any time you want to update to a new version of Intel Curie Boards.

[TheKlap]

I was about to try this out but tried opening the boards manager one more time. It worked this time, so I just downloaded it from there, but thanks for the advice and I'll use it in case the problem pops up again. You know what would even cause this in the first place?

[pert]

Typically we blame this sort of thing on network security settings such as firewall or proxy but in this case I'm not sure. I did have the problem recently of not being able to download that same file via Boards Manager (even though I could open the URL in my browser no problem) for a few weeks, then it went away, but I didn't try to use old versions of the Arduino IDE so I don't know if it was the same issue.

[DonChulio]

Hi, i have the same problem when i want to install the packages for my adafruit feather...
I tried different versions of the Arduino IDE but nothing worked.

In my case i got the following error:

Error downloading http://downloads.arduino.cc/packages/package_index.json

Any suggestions?

[pert]

Hi, i have the same problem when i want to install the packages for my adafruit feather...
I tried different versions of the Arduino IDE but nothing worked.

In my case i got the following error:

Error downloading http://downloads.arduino.cc/packages/package_index.json

Any suggestions?

Try whitelisting the Arduino IDE in your firewall software. If all else fails I can probably help you to do a manual installation of the Adafruit SAMD Boards package.

[DonChulio]

Hi pert,

thanks for your advice.
After deinstalling/installing the Arduino IDE a couple of times it suddenly worked.
I simply deleted every folder and file concerning Arduino, downloaded and reinstalled it again, pasted the url and was able to install the packages.

Don't need any workaround, but thank you anyway!