Could not install packages due to an EnvironmentError: [WinError 5] Access is denied:

Question

I have windows 10. I have completed installing Tensorflow. It works. It says "Hello Tensorflow!". But it has all of this before it:

2018-08-18 18:16:01.500579: I T:\src\github\tensorflow\tensorflow\core\platform\cpu_feature_guard.cc:141] Your CPU supports instructions that this TensorFlow binary was not compiled to use: AVX2 
2018-08-18 18:16:01.769002: I T:\src\github\tensorflow\tensorflow\core\common_runtime\gpu\gpu_device.cc:1405] Found device 0 with properties: name: GeForce GTX 950 major: 5 minor: 2 memoryClockRate(GHz): 1.3545 pciBusID: 0000:01:00.0 totalMemory: 2.00GiB freeMemory: 1.64GiB 
2018-08-18 18:16:01.774030: I T:\src\github\tensorflow\tensorflow\core\common_runtime\gpu\gpu_device.cc:1484] Adding visible gpu devices: 0 
2018-08-18 18:16:02.095489: I T:\src\github\tensorflow\tensorflow\core\common_runtime\gpu\gpu_device.cc:965] Device interconnect StreamExecutor with strength 1 edge matrix: 
2018-08-18 18:16:02.099093: I T:\src\github\tensorflow\tensorflow\core\common_runtime\gpu\gpu_device.cc:971] 0 
2018-08-18 18:16:02.100631: I T:\src\github\tensorflow\tensorflow\core\common_runtime\gpu\gpu_device.cc:984] 0: N 
2018-08-18 18:16:02.102156: I T:\src\github\tensorflow\tensorflow\core\common_runtime\gpu\gpu_device.cc:1097] Created TensorFlow device (/job:localhost/replica:0/task:0/device:GPU:0 with 1401 MB memory) -> physical GPU (device: 0, name: GeForce GTX 950, pci bus id: 0000:01:00.0, compute capability: 5.2) Hello Tensorflow!
Process returned 0 (0x0) execution time : 2.327 s Press any key to continue

When I type pip3 install --upgrade tensorflow-gpu in cmb, both administrative and normal I get this:

Could not install packages due to an EnvironmentError: [WinError 5] Access is denied: 'c:\\users\\dylan\\appdata\\local\\programs\\python\\python35\\Lib\\site-packages\\numpy\\.libs\\libopenblas.BNVRK7633HSX7YVO2TADGR4A5KEKXJAW.gfortran-win_amd64.dll'
Consider using the `--user` option or check the permissions.

Please help me out. Not a computer Scientist or an Engineer. But I code for fun.

Solution 1

Just type the command you want execute with the user permission, if you don't want to change the permission:

pip3 install --upgrade tensorflow-gpu --user

Solution 2

Run the same command using --user.

Solution 3

just change the access permission, where the particular package is going to install.

In my case windows10:

• go to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Python37"
• right click on Python37 folder and click on properties
• go to Security tab and allow full control by clicking edit button.
• again open new cmd terminal and try to install the package again.

Solution 4

I found that if I run CMD as Administrator and run the command, I can install it without a problem. Try it and give me some feedback.

Solution 5

I was upgrading tensorflow to 1.4.0 & was hitting my head on wall as this error was not solving, but finally solved it. Guess what?

One of my python script was running, and it was using tensorflow 😂😂. Package installed successfully after closing it. 👍

View more solutions

Comments

[Zain Patel]

Add --user to the pip3 install command.

[not2qubit]

I don't understand why we now have to use --user? Because that supposedly installs into the user directory, which may not be what you want. Install to the Python user install directory for your platform. Typically ~/.local/, or %APPDATA%\Python on Windows. (See the Python documentation for site.USER_BASE for full details.)

[Michael Szczepaniak]

I really don't want to install into the user directory and running CMD as Administrator gives me the same errors.

[thanos.a]

The error message suggest this "Consider using the --user option or check the permissions". I have added the --user and it has been solved

[Florin Marcus]

Same problem here.

[mKay]

I guess I had the same problem. Although I killed all python instances via task manager, I was able to install it after a restart of my computer.

[Ryan_S]

This and rebooting after installing Python worked for me.

[howdoicode]

This worked for me. Strange that even Windows Terminal as Administrator didn't work.

[Juliano Costa]

this is not an answer nor solution for the issue.

[mins]

So there is no difference whether you use the command without or with '--user'? because that what you seem to assume...

[Shlomi A]

Works for me. Interestingly, only opening CMD as administrator worked, while opening Git Bash as admin didn't.

[Joris]

Indeed this works, strangely Windows PowerShell as admin shows the access denied message and says install failed, but it actually did do the job too

[Admin]

Yes there is a difference: The package will be installed in %userprofile% instead.

[Touten]

The question if for a windows system, there is no sudo in windows powershell or cmd.

[not2qubit]

interesting solution. Generally I would never go messing into Windows properties, especially for sharing, as it may trigger all sorts of services if not careful.

[dan]

@Chayan Whyy does this work and normal pip install does not?

[GrayLiterature]

This is likely obvious to those that understand, but can someone elaborate on what the --user command is doing in the execution of the code?

[mlhDev]

Specifically, the lib subfolder

[Osama Buzdar]

@Miguel Silva can you please share the output

[Miguel Tomás]

already solved it. you can find my answer below.

[MJimitater]

Installing into the user directory let all my environments take that package instead of their own one..!

[Palash Mondal]

I got an error: ERROR: Could not install packages due to an EnvironmentError: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified: 'c:\\python39\\Scripts\\tqdm.exe' -> 'c:\\python39\\Scripts\\tqdm.exe.deleteme' But, after adding --user it solves.

[alelom]

This answer is useless if you are trying to install under a virtual environment, which you always should.

[alelom]

Useless if you are trying to install under a virtual environment, which you always should.

[Hao S]

does not work for me possibly because I'm unable to give cmd full priviledges

[SJGD]

In my case CMD with Administrator rights did not work but Powershell with Administrator rights did. So it might be helpful to try both.

[Joerg]

Nothing here seems to work for me on Windows 10. When I run pip install pip --upgrade pip in a CMD with administrator rights in order to install in a virtualenv, I get the error message ERROR: Could not install packages due to an OSError: [WinError 5] Access is denied: 'C:\\Users\\FOO\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\pip-uninstall-c3m4ipq‌​f\\pip.exe' Check the permissions. I also deleted all subfolders pip-* in said Temp folder. Didn't help. Any thoughts on this?

[Prithvi Boinpally]

There's plenty of usecases for non-heavy programmers to have a simple, system wide installation of python without creating a venv for every single python project they decide to start. It would really be helpful if people could answer the question being asked with various solutions and explain the differences in each approach after providing that info.