[R] R doesn't want to update packages (Windows 7)

[Dimitri Liakhovitski]

Correct - only to update packages, not for regular use.
Thanks a lot for the references!
Dimitri

On Tue, Oct 5, 2010 at 12:29 PM, Henrik Bengtsson <hb at stat.berkeley.edu> wrote:
> Just to clarify to the OP (and please correct me if I'm wrong),
>
> having to run as admin should only be needed when you have to *update*
> (update.packages()) the so called recommend packages (comes with R)
> that sits under 'Program Files'.   If you don't run as admin and try
> to *install* (install.packages()) any other package from, say, CRAN, R
> will automatically offer to install new package in your user account
> where you do have write permission, e.g.
> C:/Users/foo/Documents/R/win64-library/2.12/.  This should also be
> covered by the aforementioned FAQ.
>
> Thus, unless you have to update recommended packages, you do not have
> to run R as admin everytime - it is safer not to.
>
> /Henrik
>
> On Tue, Oct 5, 2010 at 8:42 AM, Prof Brian Ripley <ripley at stats.ox.ac.uk> wrote:
>> See
>> http://cran.r-project.org/bin/windows/base/rw-FAQ.html#Does-R-run-under-Windows-Vista_003f
>>
>> which does cover this.  Most likely you need to 'Run as Administrator'.
>>
>> There's lot of other useful information in that FAQ that you would do to
>> familiarize yourself with.
>>
>> On Tue, 5 Oct 2010, Dimitri Liakhovitski wrote:
>>
>>> Hello!
>>>
>>> I've just installed R 2.11.1 on my new home PC. Just the base R. My PC
>>> has Windows 7.
>>> R was installed in C / Program Files (x86) / R - R-2.11.1
>>>
>>> Then - through the menue - I went to Update packages, chose the mirror
>>> and R detected the few packages that needed to be updated. After I
>>> clicked on OK I got the following error message:
>>>
>>>> update.packages(ask='graphics')
>>>
>>> --- Please select a CRAN mirror for use in this session ---
>>> Warning in install.packages(update[instlib == l, "Package"], l,
>>> contriburl = contriburl,  :
>>>  'lib = "C:/PROGRA~2/R/R-211~1.1/library"' is not writable
>>> Error in install.packages(update[instlib == l, "Package"], l,
>>> contriburl = contriburl,  :
>>>  unable to install packages
>>>
>>> I've tried several times, then uninstalled R and reinstalled it. Same
>>> problem.
>>> Can it be because R is installed in Program Files (x86) and not in
>>> Program Files (I have both folders)?
>>
>> Not at all, assuming you installed a 32-bit version of R (you didn't tell
>> us).  It *is* because you installed in a special Windows area.
>>
>>> Thank you!
>>>
>>> --
>>> Dimitri Liakhovitski
>>> Ninah Consulting
>>> www.ninah.com
>>>
>>> ______________________________________________
>>> R-help at r-project.org mailing list
>>> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
>>> PLEASE do read the posting guide
>>> http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
>>> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
>>>
>>
>> --
>> Brian D. Ripley,                  ripley at stats.ox.ac.uk
>> Professor of Applied Statistics,  http://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~ripley/
>> University of Oxford,             Tel:  +44 1865 272861 (self)
>> 1 South Parks Road,                     +44 1865 272866 (PA)
>> Oxford OX1 3TG, UK                Fax:  +44 1865 272595
>>
>> ______________________________________________
>> R-help at r-project.org mailing list
>> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
>> PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
>> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
>>
>



-- 
Dimitri Liakhovitski
Ninah Consulting
www.ninah.com