IDE on Windows can't verify or upload -- avr-g++ file does not exist

Development Tools IDE 1.x
1

Hello all,

I have been facing this problem on my Windows 10 PC, where I have installed Arduino 1.8.1 IDE, but I am unable to verify or upload any code, even the default blank sketch or blink.

I've scanned the forums and performed clean reinstalls (deleting user AppData & temp folders) to no luck in figuring it out. I have also tried installing different versions of AVR Boards from Board Manager.

I keep getting the following error:

exec: "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\tools\\avr/bin/avr-g++": file does not exist
Error compiling for board Arduino/Genuino Uno.

The full error log is:

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\BBBBB BBBBB\Documents\Arduino\libraries -fqbn=arduino:avr:uno -ide-version=10801 -build-path C:\Users\BBBBBB~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_655279 -warnings=none -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\BBBBBB~1\AppData\Local\Temp\untitled1261735251.tmp\sketch_feb25a\sketch_feb25a.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\BBBBB BBBB\Documents\Arduino\libraries -fqbn=arduino:avr:uno -ide-version=10801 -build-path C:\Users\BBBBBB~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_655279 -warnings=none -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\BBBBBB~1\AppData\Local\Temp\untitled1261735251.tmp\sketch_feb25a\sketch_feb25a.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=10801 -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\BBBBBB~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_655279\sketch\sketch_feb25a.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=10801 -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\BBBBBB~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_655279\sketch\sketch_feb25a.ino.cpp" -o "C:\Users\BBBBBB~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_655279\preproc\ctags_target_for_gcc_minus_e.cpp"
exec: "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Arduino\\hardware\\tools\\avr/bin/avr-g++": file does not exist
Error compiling for board Arduino/Genuino Uno.

I'm not sure if this is a Java issue or something. I have tried installing a previously saved version from another computer (1.6.12) and it gives me the same error. Perhaps the path in the back/forward-slashes are not being parsed properly?

I'm lost right now. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Edit: To add on to this, I added more Windows users and it appeared to work in those users. Tried with short and long username and both worked.

2

Figured it out. To answer my own question, the culprit was my own custom environment on the user profile ("PATHEXT" = ".PY") so that I can shorthand some of my own scripts on the command line. I removed this and the IDE now works properly!

3

you change arduino's home directory to the root directory, long folder names causes this error

4

Peabrain46:
Figured it out. To answer my own question, the culprit was my own custom environment on the user profile ("PATHEXT" = ".PY") so that I can shorthand some of my own scripts on the command line. I removed this and the IDE now works properly!

Dude, I don't know how you've figured this out but you are a savior.

I tried every suggested step with "delete AppData/Local/Arduino15 and reinstall", "delete AppData/Local/Temp and reinstall" and none did help.

Your advice worked like a charm!

The only difference is that my "PATHEXT" was set to ".BAT", which means ArduinoIDE somehow conflicts with it when set.

Thumbs up.