Missing precompile_helper file and failed compile

[tspringer]

I just updated my Arduino IDE to version 2.0.4 and configured it to use my new teensy 4.1 board. I set the board manager to look for https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/package_teensy_index.json, and confirmed that the IDE had identified the port that the Teensy was plugged into. I was able to compile and download several sketches. The teensy loader popped up as expected when downloading sketches. All was working well. Then a message popped up asking if i wanted to download a new version of the Teensy software. Unfortunately I clicked on yes without noting the exact wording of the message describing the update. After the update, whenever I try to compile, i receive the error message

"C:\\Users\\Michael\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\pa ckages\\teensy\\tools\\teensy-tools\\1.57.2/precompile_helper": file does not exist

and compile fails. And indeed a search of files on the PC reveals that the file cannot be found anywhere on the computer.

Any ideas on how to fix this would be appreciated.

I have tried deleting the Arduino IDE 2.04 and reinstalling it several times in case the installation was corrupted, but using the Windows "Apps and Features" deletion method leaves a lot untouched, and in particular I am not sure that the Teensy stuff is deleted. So after a reinstall of the Arduino IDE, it picks up all the old Teensy related settings, and I have not seen the 'update' message again. My system is a Windows 10 64 bit installation, running on an Intel I7 CPU. Perhaps it will be relevant that there have been a number of previous versions of the Arduino IDE and Teensy board support installed and deleted from this machine.

Thanks

[defragster]

With IDE 2 what 'version #' of Teensy was used initially with board manager?

Current is 1.57.2 but there is a Beta for 1.58.3 that is noted as 0.58.3 in board manager.

The Beta is started with '0.' to prevent it being pushed on all 1.57.2 users during development.

Then the inverse problem happens IDE will offer 'new' version 1.57.2 each time on starting when the beta '0.' version is the current version.
So the version change will download and install new versions based on that.


The problem might be 'Anti Virus' or other 'protection' software seeing the "precompile_helper" binary file removed on execution as it was detected as a problematic (from a digital signature match) or untrusted binary.

That file may be in quarantine and be able to be recovered, but will need to be given an exception to allow it to be used.
Somehow the version before 1.57.2 apparently didn't trigger the 'delete to protect you' since it was working.

[tspringer]

Thanks for responding defragster. I checked the things you suggested as the source of the problem, but they were not the cause. As I looked more closely at where Arduino IDE components were being stored, I began to suspect that the IDE installer had made an installation in the user directory and another one elsewhere, and either the IDE or Teensy installer had then gotten confused about where to put things. I finally resorted to deleting everything in C:\Users\Michael\AppData\Local\Arduino15 and C:\Users\Michael\AppData\Local\arduino-ide-updater and reinstalling the IDE in the same location. After configuring for the teensy board again, everything seems to be working again.

I really appreciated your response as I was in a bit of a quandry as to where to start.

[defragster]

Glad it is now working - with some added hassle.

When the IDE offers 'Update' it uses the installer for sure. In early Beta I was doing 'UnZip' to run and the first Update abandonded the UnZip folder and went to "user" - but it hasn't gotten confused even with IDE 1.8.x also installed.

It does ask 'all users' or 'only this user'? maybe that can lead to confusion?

[tspringer]

I believe that the 'all users' vs 'only this user' dichotomy was indeed the root cause of the problem. Live and learn I suppose. But learning sure can be annoying sometimes.

[defragster]

I believe that the 'all users' vs 'only this user' dichotomy was indeed the root cause of the problem. Live and learn I suppose. But learning sure can be annoying sometimes.

Good to know - never did ALL since there is only ONE user here. But easy enough to answer differently and not surprising it might get confused then.