Error updating manually Stata 12

[Sebastian Vallejo]

Hi,

I am having trouble updating Stata 12 manually (using the downloaded file from the Stata web page). I ran the db update and when prompted I selected the folder. This is the message I got:

. db update

. update from "C:\Documents (Offline)\Stata_12\Stata 12\stata12update_win32\sta
> ta12update_win32"
(examining C:\Documents (Offline)\Stata_12\Stata 12\stata12update_win32\stata12
> update_win32)

Update status
Last check for updates: 13 Aug 2014
New update available: 23 Jan 2014 (what's new)
Current update level: 13 Oct 2011 (what's new)

Possible actions

Install available updates (or type -update all-)

. update all
(examining C:\Documents (Offline)\Stata_12\Stata 12\stata12update_win32\stata12
> update_win32)

downloading executable files ...
file C:\Documents (Offline)\Stata_12\Stata
12\stata12update_win32\stata12update_win32\.\win64 a_se\StataSE-64.bin not
found
r(601);

Please help with this issue...

[ben earnhart]

Seems like you have several versions of Stata installed. *64-bit *and* 32-bit?

Also, is this your own machine or something centrally managed? I have updated different versions (9, 10, 11, and 12) on the same machine without a problem, but I did a local deployment, with local admin rights.

[Sebastian Vallejo]

I have both installed and in my own machine. I tried updating it again entering as an Adm. and got the same message:


. db update

. update from "C:\Documents (Offline)\Stata_12\Stata 12\stata12update_win64\sta
> ta12update_win64"
(examining C:\Documents (Offline)\Stata_12\Stata 12\stata12update_win64\stata12
> update_win64)

Update status
Last check for updates: 14 Aug 2014
New update available: 23 Jan 2014 (what's new)
Current update level: 13 Oct 2011 (what's new)

Possible actions

Install available updates (or type -update all-)

. update all
(examining C:\Documents (Offline)\Stata_12\Stata 12\stata12update_win64\stata12
> update_win64)

downloading executable files ...
file C:\Documents (Offline)\Stata_12\Stata
12\stata12update_win64\stata12update_win64\.\win_s e\StataSE.bin not found
r(601);

I double checked to make sure I was updating the correct version (32 and 64). It did not work with any of them. Is as if it cannot create that file C:\Documents (Offline)\Stata_12\Stata
12\stata12update_win64\stata12update_win64\.\win_s e\StataSE.bin

[ben earnhart]

Hmm... "C:\Documents (Offline)\whatever" seems suspicious to me. XP used "c:\Documents and Settings\username" and anything later used "C:\users\username."

I ran update all, force just now, and it's dumping the temp files to "C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Temp."

Do you have something odd about your installation, like for example, installed it to a network drive you don't currently have access to? I suppose installing it to Dropbox might be possible and would just be asking for trouble.

Also, I paid attention to the update process this time. Your "update from" command should point to stata.com, not some weird directory.

Try "update all, from(http://www.stata.com)"

[Sebastian Vallejo]

My other folders used to be synced to Google Drive so I usually sent any heavy file to a Documents (offline) folder I created. I downloaded the update, hence I was trying to updated it from a directory (I don't think the command was the problem, since it prompted the update all). I will try downloading from the internet but either way should work.

[Sergiy Radyakin]

Just follow the plan:

0. For the purpose of these discussions there is no such thing as Stata 12. It is a collective name of a whole bunch of very different programs, which is a sufficient reference in most cases, but not for these types of questions. We need to know EXACTLY what you are talking about. Besides the version, there are at least four dimensions: platform, bitwidth, flavor, build number.
1. immediate advice: just copy the proper executable file manually.
2. where is Stata installed? directory name.
3. from the last message it seems Ben is confused about update location. Most users update from online. Some overprotected machines are updated offline by moving the downloads manually to some local folder. It is fine. But make it very clear if you are doing exactly this and write the directory name for us.
4.what is your temp directory? is it configured correctly, points to the writable directory etc.?
5. if you are working in a secure environment, do you have all the necessary permissions to do such operations? if yes, double-check: create any text file in Stata's installation folder. No need to do this step if you already done #1.
6. describe how you download the file and whether there was any possibility for transfer errors.
7. describe why you want to overwrite the 64-bit installed version with a 32-bit update;
8. It is not fun to write the above and it is not fun to guess from your output.
When looking at line like this: "C:\Documents (Offline)\Stata_12\Stata 12\stata12update_win32\stata12update_win32" I have no idea whether :
a) you created folders with identical names one inside the other;
b) saved update into a file without extension;
c) Stata has a bug and reports a folder name twice;
d) something else,

Tell us more than you think you need to tell, not less. Nobody asks for your password or serial number after all.

2StataCorp: this is obviously a detectable condition and a clear error message would immediately hint the user on what he is doing wrong and how to proceed.