This is a repeat question, but the original answers did not help. Problem : Change a preference, open a pcap, exit the program, and : 'Can't create directory "C:\Users\JohnDoe\Application Data\Wireshark" for recent file: File exists.' 'Can't create directory "C:\Users\JohnDoe\Application Data\Wireshark" for preferences file: File exists.' 'Can't create directory "C:\Users\JohnDoe\Application Data\Wireshark" for language file: File exists.' Win7 Enterprise SP1 64, Wireshark 2.0.1 64-bit. There exists only one username, JohnDoe, on the machine (other than Administrator). As user JohnDoe : I can manually edit the preferences file in C:\Users\JohnDoe\AppData\Roaming\Wireshark without trouble. This is the only file in the directory - the files recent and language are not present in the directory, despite the "file exists" warning issued. All users/groups have all permissions for this directory. Wireshark is the only application on the machine that exhibits this behavior. Ideas, kind folk, to get Wireshark to regen the preferences, language and recent files? asked 06 Jan '16, 16:12  ZedCP showing 5 of 9 show 4 more comments |
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Try downloading this Wireshark installer and running it, and then try the same sequence. It probably won't fix the problem, as there's not enough evidence to determine why the problem exists, but it might generate more useful error messages.
(It's complaining that the directory in question exists; an attempt to determine whether it exists is probably failing, leading the code to assume it doesn't exist, so it tries to create it, and that fails because it does exist. The new version distinguishes between "it exists", "it doesn't exist", and "attempting to determine whether it exists failed", and should report the reason why that attempt failed if it did fail.)
Thanks for responding, Guy. The link to 2.0.2RC0-20 took me to "file not found", but I DID find the installer for the newer 2.0.2RC0-24 there, downloaded it and gave it a try. Installed, started Wireshark, did nothing at all, closed Wireshark, and received the error message " Can't create directory "C:\Users\username\Application Data\Wireshark" for recent file: File exists. " Very curious, this. I am invoking Wireshark as 'username' and 'username' has full read/write/etc for everything subordinate in \Application Data. My brain hurts a little... :)
are there special characters in your 'username' like 'national' characters?
I.e., are the "JohnDoe" in the paths in your question, and the "username" in the path in your comment, just placeholders for your real login name?
Yes, just placeholders for actual login name. No special characters in "username".
Is there a blank in the user name?
Assume the username = jdoe. No spaces or special characters.
Some further questions about your environment:
set %APPDATA%?cacls %APPDATA%?Maybe some security software (Endpoint Security) blocking the disk access. Did you check that?