Can't Launch Audacity 2.1.2 on Windows 10

[Gale_Andrews]

@deanl10

I am having trouble installing Audacity 2.1.2. on a Windows 10 Pro machine also . The Win 10 OS is an upgrade from Win 7, that was a restore from Win 8.1 which I hated. Audacity 2.1.2 was an upgrade from a previous version that worked fine at one time but started freezing up. I have used Audacity for years and like it.

I tried several times to install 2.1.2 using the exe installer file (audacity-win-2.1.2.exe). The install goes fine using default settings until the finish. “CreateProcess failed Code 740” See attached. Each time I would uninstall Audacity and manually delete the folder. I did not find any remains in the registry, but may not know where to look. Audacity would open, but would freeze when trying to open a mp3 file or Audacity project. Would have to use Task Manager to end unresponsive program.

The last time I right-clicked on audacity-win-2.1.2.exe > properties > Compatibility and checked “run this program as an administrator” and ran the audacity-win-2.1.2.exe again. This time I did not get the Code 740 error, but the program still freezes at the same point.

The reason I upgraded to version 2.1.2 was my previous version was locking up at various times during editing and I’d have to use Task Manager to shut it down. I was hoping the latest version for Win 10 would solve my problem.

Fairly obviously, you have to run the Audacity installer as an administrator.

Also Audacity will default to opening and saving files in its installation directory. If that is Program Files or Program Files (x86) you must change the directory to your own user space when saving files, unless you are already logged in as administrator.

To try to fix the launch problem I would open File Explorer, type:

%APPDATA%

hit ENTER on your computer keyboard, then delete the “Audacity” folder that you see.

Then run the Audacity installer again as administrator.

If Audacity does not launch, attach the audacity.cfg settings file that may have been partially created in the “Audacity” folder you deleted in the step above. Please see here for how to attach files: https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/how-to-attach-files-to-forum-posts/24026/1




Gale