With Audacity 2.1.3 running on windows 10 the ffmpeg file was ‘not found’ even after selecting it using the browser under preferences-library. This was with “ffmpeg for audacity” loaded in the default location c:\program files(x86)
After some trial and error I found that the permissions on the folder created during install prevent Audacity opening the file. The most likely culprit was the entry for “Trusted Installer” which does not give permission on files only folders and subfolders. I removed this and all other possible conflicting user objects and simply gave full access to “everyone” on the FFmpeg for audacity folder and cascaded this to all child objects. Alternatively the folder can be moved to a different location which inherits more open security.
Thanks for your interest. Why then does this only happen on your computer? As far as I am aware, the user who downloads an arbitrary file is normally the owner.
Gale
I used the normal ffmpeg for audacity .exe installer although the particular audacity executable was installed by copying a version which I compiled myself. I really just posted this so that if anyone else has the same problem ( specific to windows 10 ) they will have an idea of how it might be fixed. Windows 10 has tightened up security and permissions in a number of areas in order reduce the risk from ‘apps’ which might compromise privacy etc. and its possible that restrictions are applied according to the most restrictive permission level where there are overlapping group and individual identities which are ascribed to the running program. This had me baffled for a while because the audacity log shows a file not found error ( 162 ) from windows only after the path to it and has been accepted and placed in the
immediate value of the path ( i.e. search path) variable. I should also add that I haven’t tested it on Vista or Windows 8 so the issue might not be a new one.