Possible bug on installation

[tblower@…]

Dear ChimeraX team,

I am a structural biologist at NEB. We are excited that we now have a site license for ChimeraX.

I was trying to install it today, and I ran into an issue.

I went here:
Download UCSF ChimeraX<https://www.cgl.ucsf.edu/chimerax/download.html>

I downloaded "chimerax-candidate.exe<https://www.cgl.ucsf.edu/chimerax/cgi-bin/secure/chimerax-get.py?file=current/windows/chimerax-candidate.exe>" using our license.

When I ran the installer it came back with:

[https://attachment.freshservice.com/inline/attachment?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpZCI6MzEwMDY4MzY4MTIsImRvbWFpbiI6Im5ld2VuZ2xhbmRiaW9sYWJzaW5jLmZyZXNoc2VydmljZS5jb20iLCJ0eXBlIjoxfQ.2N20kbUvqV4JbbF0X9dDoELPN0v9B5zCd45ybYc1AsA]


I had Folks in my IT department take a look, and they didn't see a problem with our systems here

I wondered whether you have encountered this and have a workaround, please?

I can provide more info as needed.

Thank you!

Best wishes,
Tim










Prof Tim Blower, FRSB
Senior Scientist - Division of Molecular Genetics & Genomics
Research Department
Tel: +1-978-380-6631

[cid:95c907db-2496-45ef-9005-e3b35bae1c8a]

[tblower@…]

Added by email2trac

[pett]

PNG of the error from the installer

[pett]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for reporting this problem. The issue is that you don't have sufficient permissions to create a subfolder of C:\Program Files on the machine you're installing ChimeraX on. Your options are:

1) Change the permissions on C:\Program Files so that you can create subfolders
2) Run the installer as a user that does have permissions

-or, most likely-

3) During an earlier step of the installer, choose an installation location that you do have permissions for.

--Eric

Eric Pettersen
UCSF Computer Graphics Lab

[tblower@…]

Hi Eric,

Thanks for the pointer. I have got it installed, but it is misbehaving (see below). Any suggestions?

Due to lack of permissions as you said, I tried installing here:

Destination location:
      C:\Users\tblower\ChimeraX 1.10rc202505210000

It appeared to install fine

I double-clicked the icon to get started - nothing happened.

I deleted the folder and re-installed

I double-clicked the icon again. This time the software did open. Then, it crashed. Double-clicking on the icon now produces:

[https://attachment.freshservice.com/inline/attachment?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpZCI6MzEwMDY4NDkzMDQsImRvbWFpbiI6Im5ld2VuZ2xhbmRiaW9sYWJzaW5jLmZyZXNoc2VydmljZS5jb20iLCJ0eXBlIjoxfQ.iHAwXCDswILfUyh4v37RPpaRTOZA4QHmhe0CiliWhis]


So it seems to have cleansed itself out of existence?

I promise I am not being willfully ignorant, but I am at a loss.

All help appreciated - thank you!

Best wishes,
Tim







________________________________
From: ChimeraX <ChimeraX-bugs-admin@cgl.ucsf.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2025 12:10 PM
To: Blower, Tim <tblower@neb.com>; pett@cgl.ucsf.edu <pett@cgl.ucsf.edu>
Cc: gregc@cgl.ucsf.edu <gregc@cgl.ucsf.edu>
Subject: Re: [ChimeraX] #17755: Possible bug on installation

EXTERNAL SENDER


#17755: Possible bug on installation
--------------------------------+--------------------
          Reporter:  tblower@…  |      Owner:  pett
              Type:  defect     |     Status:  closed
          Priority:  normal     |  Milestone:
         Component:  Platform   |    Version:
        Resolution:  not a bug  |   Keywords:
        Blocked By:             |   Blocking:
Notify when closed:             |   Platform:  all
           Project:  ChimeraX   |
--------------------------------+--------------------
Changes (by pett):

 * resolution:   => not a bug
 * status:  accepted => closed

Comment:

 Hi Tim,
         Thanks for reporting this problem.  The issue is that you don't
 have sufficient permissions to create a subfolder of C:\Program Files on
 the machine you're installing ChimeraX on.  Your options are:

         1) Change the permissions on C:\Program Files so that you can
 create subfolders
         2) Run the installer as a user that does have permissions
 -or, most likely-
         3) During an earlier step of the installer, choose an installation
 location that you do have permissions for.

 --Eric

         Eric Pettersen
         UCSF Computer Graphics Lab
--
Ticket URL: <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rbvi.ucsf.edu%2Ftrac%2FChimeraX%2Fticket%2F17755%23comment%3A2&data=05%7C02%7Ctblower%40neb.com%7C86cf9fbaa8f24d9d0ba108dd98827de6%7C77cefbc6b3d64d6a9f740664881c384b%7C0%7C0%7C638834408426711156%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=JNHxChG7n9%2Fi9nRKMqYNBcDQSs%2FWNu9s2mB%2BWfwRnV8%3D&reserved=0<https://www.rbvi.ucsf.edu/trac/ChimeraX/ticket/17755#comment:2>>
ChimeraX <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rbvi.ucsf.edu%2Fchimerax%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctblower%40neb.com%7C86cf9fbaa8f24d9d0ba108dd98827de6%7C77cefbc6b3d64d6a9f740664881c384b%7C0%7C0%7C638834408426742957%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=zynUrcsOULw%2FmRVACo3MtorxlHoPXbt2Wy2oYikmPv4%3D&reserved=0<https://www.rbvi.ucsf.edu/chimerax/>>
ChimeraX Issue Tracker

[Greg Couch]

Deleting the installed directory by hand confused your computer, so go ahead and remove that shortcut. Next time, go to the Settings, find ChimeraX in the list of installed applications, and then ask for for it be deleted.

[tblower@…]

Hi Greg,

I reinstalled at a new folder.

It opened, then closed again after ~2 min, and the shortcut is dead. ChimeraX does not appear in the list of add/remove programs.

So, still able to install, but it is unstable.

What other suggestions do you have, please?

Thanks

Best wishes,
Tim
________________________________
From: ChimeraX <ChimeraX-bugs-admin@cgl.ucsf.edu>
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2025 1:09 PM
To: pett@cgl.ucsf.edu <pett@cgl.ucsf.edu>; Blower, Tim <tblower@neb.com>; gregc@cgl.ucsf.edu <gregc@cgl.ucsf.edu>
Subject: Re: [ChimeraX] #17755: Possible bug on installation

EXTERNAL SENDER


#17755: Possible bug on installation
--------------------------------+--------------------
          Reporter:  tblower@…  |      Owner:  pett
              Type:  defect     |     Status:  closed
          Priority:  normal     |  Milestone:
         Component:  Platform   |    Version:
        Resolution:  not a bug  |   Keywords:
        Blocked By:             |   Blocking:
Notify when closed:             |   Platform:  all
           Project:  ChimeraX   |
--------------------------------+--------------------
Comment (by Greg Couch):

 Deleting the installed directory by hand confused your computer, so go
 ahead and remove that shortcut.  Next time, go to the Settings, find
 ChimeraX in the list of installed applications, and then ask for for it be
 deleted.
--
Ticket URL: <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rbvi.ucsf.edu%2Ftrac%2FChimeraX%2Fticket%2F17755%23comment%3A4&data=05%7C02%7Ctblower%40neb.com%7Cf0086baeb3b147b117e808dd995361a3%7C77cefbc6b3d64d6a9f740664881c384b%7C0%7C0%7C638835305602783400%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Ebt%2FmDqo1poMYxjyPVFwsmZ%2B5xNRW325nq8aN3h82As%3D&reserved=0<https://www.rbvi.ucsf.edu/trac/ChimeraX/ticket/17755#comment:4>>
ChimeraX <https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rbvi.ucsf.edu%2Fchimerax%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ctblower%40neb.com%7Cf0086baeb3b147b117e808dd995361a3%7C77cefbc6b3d64d6a9f740664881c384b%7C0%7C0%7C638835305602810273%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=vJQaNUx1Co0sy7nFUCzN9%2FlS42cKI5Wn5tglgR3zEDE%3D&reserved=0<https://www.rbvi.ucsf.edu/chimerax/>>
ChimeraX Issue Tracker

[pett]

From #17845:

Portal Link: ​https://helpdesk.neb.com/helpdesk/tickets/171399

Hi Timothy,

Could you download the most recent exe that was created 05/29 and give it a try?
I got mixed results where when I tried to install it to Program Files, it errored out.
I changed the directory to install to C:\ChimeraX 1.10rc202505290006 and it installed.

BTW, I did see the alert that the malware Cinjo was detected and blocked on your PC.
I'll keep an eye on that when you do the install.
My install went without any alerts, so I'm unsure why this is happening.

Standing by,

George

[pett]

Seems to be resolved:

Hi George, Hi Chimera Team,

I have downloaded and installed the build for 05/29, installing into C:\

The software has been open and behaving for the last 50 min, so it seems that somehow it worked this time.

Thanks for your help and suggestions!

Best wishes,
Tim

[pett]

Apparently an issue with Microsoft Defender, as per the attachments on ticket #17845