Cannot install nRF SDK

[Will_20241202]

I have been trying without success to install either the v2.7.0 or v2.8.0 SDK onto my Windows 10 System.  Every time/method I've used results in an error equivalent to

[west]: PermissionError: [WinError 5] Access is denied: 'c:\\ncs\\v2.8.0\\.west\\manifest-tmp\\.git\\objects\\pack\\pack-3f06aca47015057e02d7a46ac30ae6f60657a822.idx'

I've tried going through the nRF Connect plugin for VS Code and through the nRF Connect for Desktop -> Toolchain Manager, trying each as both a normal user and as an administrator.

Nothing seems to make any difference.

A more complete log from the last attempt through VS Code is below:

[west]: === Initializing in c:\ncs\v2.8.0

[west]: --- Cloning manifest repository from github.com/.../sdk-nrf

[west]: Cloning into 'c:\ncs\v2.8.0\.west\manifest-tmp'...

[west]: Updating files:   3% (478/12179)

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Updating files: 100% (12179/12179), done.

[west]: Traceback (most recent call last):

[west]:   File "shutil.py", line 847, in move

[west]: PermissionError: [WinError 5] Access is denied: 'c:\\ncs\\v2.8.0\\.west\\manifest-tmp' -> 'c:\\ncs\\v2.8.0\\nrf'

[west]:

[west]: During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

[west]:

[west]: Traceback (most recent call last):

[west]:   File "<frozen runpy>", line 198, in _run_module_as_main

[west]:   File "<frozen runpy>", line 88, in _run_code

[west]:   File "C:\ncs\toolchains\2d382dcd92\opt\bin\Scripts\west.exe\__main__.py", line 7, in <module>

[west]:   File "C:\ncs\toolchains\2d382dcd92\opt\bin\Lib\site-packages\west\app\main.py", line 1085, in main

[west]:     app.run(argv or sys.argv[1:])

[west]:   File "C:\ncs\toolchains\2d382dcd92\opt\bin\Lib\site-packages\west\app\main.py", line 244, in run

[west]:     self.run_command(argv, early_args)

[west]:   File "C:\ncs\toolchains\2d382dcd92\opt\bin\Lib\site-packages\west\app\main.py", line 503, in run_command

[west]:     self.run_builtin(args, unknown)

[west]:   File "C:\ncs\toolchains\2d382dcd92\opt\bin\Lib\site-packages\west\app\main.py", line 611, in run_builtin

[west]:     self.cmd.run(args, unknown, self.topdir,

[west]:   File "C:\ncs\toolchains\2d382dcd92\opt\bin\Lib\site-packages\west\commands.py", line 194, in run

[west]:     self.do_run(args, unknown)

[west]:   File "C:\ncs\toolchains\2d382dcd92\opt\bin\Lib\site-packages\west\app\project.py", line 224, in do_run

[west]:     topdir = self.bootstrap(args)

[west]:              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[west]:   File "C:\ncs\toolchains\2d382dcd92\opt\bin\Lib\site-packages\west\app\project.py", line 339, in bootstrap

[west]:     shutil.move(os.fspath(tempdir), os.fspath(manifest_abspath))

[west]:   File "shutil.py", line 865, in move

[west]:   File "shutil.py", line 781, in rmtree

[west]:   File "shutil.py", line 635, in _rmtree_unsafe

[west]:   File "shutil.py", line 633, in _rmtree_unsafe

[west]: PermissionError: [WinError 5] Access is denied: 'c:\\ncs\\v2.8.0\\.west\\manifest-tmp\\.git\\objects\\pack\\pack-3d85338b272c4987d7ef205929575b53b7216654.idx'

[west]: exited with code 1.

[JONATHAN LL]

Hi, 

Can you share a system report and share with us?

In the about section of the toolchain manager.

Regards,
Jonathan

[Will_20241202]

# nRFConnect System Report - 2024-12-05T14-08-56.604Z

- System:     Dell Inc. XPS 8940
- BIOS:       Dell Inc. DELL   - 1072009
- CPU:        1 x Intel Gen Intel® Core i9-11900K 3.5 GHz 16 cores (8 physical)
- Memory:     31.2 GB free of 63.7 GB total
- Filesystem: C: (NTFS) 1.9 TB 24.1% used

- OS:         Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise (10.0.19045) Windows x64

- Versions
    - kernel: 10.0.19045
    - git: 2.37.1.windows.1
    - node: 20.18.0
    - python: 3.11.3
    - python3:
    - nrfutil-nrfutil-toolchain-manager: 0.15.0
- Connected devices:

[JONATHAN LL]

Thanks:

Chance antivirus or any other 3rd party software is in place that blocks this?

This issue can be related to antivirus or widows defender in some cases, so try to disable any antivirus or defender SW and try again. 

Regards,
Jonathan

[Will_20241202]

Thanks Jonathan.  Unfortunately this is a work computer that is managed by the IT department and getting permission for turning off security features is unlikely at best.  Is there any way to get more information about what the install script is trying to do - especially during the part that's failing - and find another way to accomplish it manually?

[JONATHAN LL]

We see similar issues when Widows defender blocks installs. So windows is blocking the python here for some reason, can be a write\read permission issue for python here that you have already tried to bypass. 

You will not be able to go around this step manually as running this manual is just running the same command by hand so you will get the same error, or that is what I suspect from seeing the other steps you have done here. 

Check with IT if you can disable windows security for this install to test. 

You can try to run on a different computer, ask to borrow from IT just to test if it is yours only, sometimes windows can behave strange. 

Regards,
Jonathan