Avogadro 1.99.0 does not run on Windows 10

[shoubhikraj]

• Avogadro release version 1.99.0

• OS: Windows 10 (Version 10.0.19045 Build 19045)

• (Using the executable installer)

Describe the bug
The program does not start. There is no error message, no warning, no output when started from command line. Nothing happens when executing the avogadro2.exe file.

Expected behavior
The program should run (or at the very least show an error message).

Additional context
Avogadro2 used to run in previous versions of Windows 10. After an update it stopped working completely. I have uninstalled and then reinstalled, tried installing in a different directory. But nothing helped. I wanted to test the nightly builds for windows, but the link on two.avogadro.cc for nightly build lead to a 404 not found page.

[welcome]

Thanks for opening your first issue here! Please try to include example files and screenshots if possible. If you're looking for support, please post on our forum: https://discuss.avogadro.cc/

[ghutchis]

I'll need to fixup the nightly build link, sorry. In the meantime, since you have a GitHub username, you can use, e.g.
https://github.com/OpenChemistry/avogadrolibs/actions/runs/12148409239/artifacts/2270291817

[ghutchis]

If that doesn't work, please look for the avogadro2.log file in your Documents directory.

Thanks!

[shoubhikraj]

@ghutchis

Many thanks. I have tried the nightly build, but even that gives the same error.

The log file in Documents is attached: avogadro2.log

Looking at the log it seems to be trying to look for python - but it can't find it. I have tried to run avogadro2 from a conda environment command prompt (which should have python in PATH) but it still does not run.

[ghutchis]

Thanks - if you're willing to help .. there definitely seem to be some users like yourself that have this crash-on-startup on Windows. This one is weird because it usually gets to loading force fields before crashing.

I'd normally offer to provide a debug build that would hopefully provide more detail, but all the Windows builds now seem to be failing for some reason.

If you're willing, I'll post back here once I have a new build...

[ghutchis]

Okay, there's a new build, both at:
https://two.avogadro.cc/install/
https://nightly.link/OpenChemistry/avogadrolibs/workflows/build_cmake/master/Win64.exe.zip

The new build should help provide some better debugging information (e.g., what code is crashing). Could you try it for me? Many thanks.

[shoubhikraj]

@ghutchis Thank you, it still has the same issue - it does not start. The logfile is attached: avogadro2.log.

[ghutchis]

Okay, thanks - would you please try this one - it has a bit more debugging information in the log (i.e., where it crashes)
https://github.com/OpenChemistry/avogadrolibs/actions/runs/12187429815/artifacts/2281842098

Many, many thanks!

[ghutchis]

I also had a discussion with someone else on the forum: https://discuss.avogadro.cc/t/does-not-show-up-under-win-10/6456/13

I have an idea. Can you try installing one of the older versions, e.g. 1.91? I think the problem is actually due to trying a 3D graphics view that's not supported, so it crashes.

https://github.com/OpenChemistry/avogadroapp/releases/download/1.91.0/Avogadro2-1.91.0-win64.exe

I'm also building a new nightly build with more debugging and the graphics calls turned off.

[avo-bot]

This issue has been mentioned on Avogadro Discussion. There might be relevant details there:

https://discuss.avogadro.cc/t/does-not-show-up-under-win-10/6456/14

[matterhorn103]

@ghutchis Looking at the last log file posted I am left wondering why Avogadro is constantly trying to run Python at C:/hostedtoolcache/windows/Python/3.11.9/x64/python3.exe. A google search for hostedtoolcache only really turns up results related to the setup-python GitHub Action. Can it be that the builds have residual configuration from the build process and there is some environment variable pointing to that path that remains set?

I don't know why or if that would necessarily lead to the program crashing/failing to launch but it did strike me as odd.

[ghutchis]

It's unlikely a crash. When looking for python Avogadro will check the PATH and then fall back to the compiled default (e.g., for Linux distributions).

We could conceivably disable this for the Mac / Windows binaries, but there's nothing obvious that would cause a crash. It won't load any Python scripts, but that's not a big deal.

I've been puzzling over this, but I think the OpenGL context is a possible cause.

[avo-bot]

This issue has been mentioned on Avogadro Discussion. There might be relevant details there:

https://discuss.avogadro.cc/t/does-not-show-up-under-win-10/6456/15

[matterhorn103]

It's unlikely a crash. When looking for python Avogadro will check the PATH and then fall back to the compiled default (e.g., for Linux distributions).

Sure sure but it still seems strange that that path specifically should be the default path.

[matterhorn103]

Avogadro2 used to run in previous versions of Windows 10. After an update it stopped working completely.

@shoubhikraj You're saying that version 1.99.0 in particular worked fine on Windows 10 until a recent update to Windows, right?

Can you tell us when you installed that Windows update or even which exact build the problem started with? (You said 22H2/19045 but which of the patch releases would be super useful to know if you can find that info somewhere.)

@ghutchis is it possible that this update (see known bugs) might have anything to do with it? Avogadro is installed to Program Files, if I remember rightly.

[ghutchis]

@ghutchis is it possible that this update (see known bugs) might have anything to do with it? Avogadro is installed to Program Files, if I remember rightly.

Maybe? I guess it's important to ask whether someone is running as a non-admin user. It shouldn't make a difference, but it's definitely a good tech support question.

[matterhorn103]

Fair.

OK, @shoubhikra, it'd be interesting to know if your user account has admin rights on the PC?

[shoubhikraj]

@ghutchis I tried Avogadro version 1.91.0, and it works! (there are some minor glitches though - as in the #1 numbers that appear when measuring distance as now invisible or hidden by the ball and stick in some cases). Thank you!

@matterhorn103 I have admin rights, and the change happened when I updated Windows. But it wasn't Avogadro 1.99.0, it was an older version - which I can't remember exactly now.

[ghutchis]

Great - can you try a recent nightly build? I changed up the OpenGL initialization code to better match the older versions on Windows.

https://two.avogadro.cc/install/