I've seen this question asked but never seen an understandable solution. First time Arduino installation of the elegoo kit. I'm using Windows Vista ultimate. Everything seemed to load correctly and is behaving until I try to upload the Blink file to the board. Then I get the above message. I have no such environmental variable set. I've uninstalled and reinstalled v 1.8.5 twice and get the same results. Any guidance will be much appreciated.
Grant
When you encounter an error you'll see a button on the right side of the orange bar "Copy error messages". Click that button. Paste the error in a message here USING CODE TAGS (</> button on the toolbar).
I seem to remember some problems specific to Vista. Maybe try doing some searching for that keyword to see if you find any useful information.
Here's the result of using that button. I saw a message about turning on 'verbose' and did so.
Arduino: 1.8.5 (Windows Vista), Board: "Arduino/Genuino Uno"
C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-builder -dump-prefs -logger=machine -hardware C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\tools-builder -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -built-in-libraries C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\libraries -libraries C:\Users\Grant\Documents\Arduino\libraries -fqbn=arduino:avr:uno -vid-pid=0X2341_0X0043 -ide-version=10805 -build-path C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_258986 -warnings=none -build-cache C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_364654 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.arduinoOTA.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -verbose C:\Users\Grant\Documents\Arduino\MyBlink\MyBlink.ino
C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-builder -compile -logger=machine -hardware C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\tools-builder -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -built-in-libraries C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\libraries -libraries C:\Users\Grant\Documents\Arduino\libraries -fqbn=arduino:avr:uno -vid-pid=0X2341_0X0043 -ide-version=10805 -build-path C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_258986 -warnings=none -build-cache C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_364654 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.arduinoOTA.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -verbose C:\Users\Grant\Documents\Arduino\MyBlink\MyBlink.ino
Using board 'uno' from platform in folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr
Using core 'arduino' from platform in folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr
Detecting libraries used...
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10805 -DARDUINO_AVR_UNO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\cores\arduino" "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\variants\standard" "C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_258986\sketch\MyBlink.ino.cpp" -o "nul"
Generating function prototypes...
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10805 -DARDUINO_AVR_UNO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\cores\arduino" "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\variants\standard" "C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_258986\sketch\MyBlink.ino.cpp" -o "C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_258986\preproc\ctags_target_for_gcc_minus_e.cpp"
avr-g++: error: CreateProcess: No such file or directory
exit status 1
Error compiling for board Arduino/Genuino Uno.
This might help. When I go looking for the avr-g++ file on my computer I find it. But the path is not exactly the same as the file being referenced in the error message. The file path in the error message shows backslashes between folders down to the 'avr' folder. Then, it has a forward slash between 'avr' and 'bin'. On my computer this is a backslash between those two folders. As literal as computers are this is probably why it can't find the file? Thoughts?
That's unlikely to be the problem. Windows can use either path separator. The reason why the forward slashes are used is because the compilation recipes must also run on Linux, which requires the forward slash.
Thinking this might be some form of permissions issue I went onto the avr-g++ file and opened up the permissions to all users. The error changed to the below.
Arduino: 1.8.5 (Windows Vista), Board: "Arduino/Genuino Uno"
C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-builder -dump-prefs -logger=machine -hardware C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\tools-builder -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -built-in-libraries C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\libraries -libraries C:\Users\Grant\Documents\Arduino\libraries -fqbn=arduino:avr:uno -vid-pid=0X2341_0X0043 -ide-version=10805 -build-path C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_712796 -warnings=none -build-cache C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_887594 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.arduinoOTA.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -verbose C:\Users\Grant\Documents\Arduino\MyBlink\MyBlink.ino
C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-builder -compile -logger=machine -hardware C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\tools-builder -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -built-in-libraries C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\libraries -libraries C:\Users\Grant\Documents\Arduino\libraries -fqbn=arduino:avr:uno -vid-pid=0X2341_0X0043 -ide-version=10805 -build-path C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_712796 -warnings=none -build-cache C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_887594 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.arduinoOTA.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude.path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -verbose C:\Users\Grant\Documents\Arduino\MyBlink\MyBlink.ino
Using board 'uno' from platform in folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr
Using core 'arduino' from platform in folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr
Detecting libraries used...
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10805 -DARDUINO_AVR_UNO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\cores\arduino" "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\variants\standard" "C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_712796\sketch\MyBlink.ino.cpp" -o "nul"
Generating function prototypes...
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10805 -DARDUINO_AVR_UNO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\cores\arduino" "-IC:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\variants\standard" "C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_712796\sketch\MyBlink.ino.cpp" -o "C:\Users\Grant\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_712796\preproc\ctags_target_for_gcc_minus_e.cpp"
fork/exec C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr/bin/avr-g++.exe: The requested operation requires elevation.
Error compiling for board Arduino/Genuino Uno.