pip install -r requirements-win-base.txt

[bolak92]

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Scripts\pip-script.py", line 9, in
sys.exit(main())
^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Lib\site-packages\pip_internal\cli\main.py", line 65, in main
cmd_name, cmd_args = parse_command(args)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Lib\site-packages\pip_internal\cli\main_parser.py", line 79, in parse_command
general_options, args_else = parser.parse_args(args)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Lib\optparse.py", line 1371, in parse_args
values = self.get_default_values()
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Lib\site-packages\pip_internal\cli\parser.py", line 283, in get_default_values
self.config.load()
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Lib\site-packages\pip_internal\configuration.py", line 126, in load
self._load_config_files()
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Lib\site-packages\pip_internal\configuration.py", line 257, in _load_config_files
config_files = dict(self.iter_config_files())
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Lib\site-packages\pip_internal\configuration.py", line 352, in iter_config_files
config_files = get_configuration_files()
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Lib\site-packages\pip_internal\configuration.py", line 72, in get_configuration_files
os.path.join(path, CONFIG_BASENAME) for path in appdirs.site_config_dirs("pip")
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Lib\site-packages\pip_internal\utils\appdirs.py", line 47, in site_config_dirs
dirval = appdirs.site_config_dir(appname, appauthor=False, multipath=True)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Lib\site-packages\pip_vendor\platformdirs_init.py", line 146, in site_config_dir
).site_config_dir
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Lib\site-packages\pip_vendor\platformdirs\windows.py", line 67, in site_config_dir
return self.site_data_dir
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Lib\site-packages\pip_vendor\platformdirs\windows.py", line 56, in site_data_dir
path = os.path.normpath(get_win_folder("CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA"))
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
File "C:\Users\Admin\miniconda3\envs\paper2any\Lib\site-packages\pip_vendor\platformdirs\windows.py", line 209, in get_win_folder_from_registry
directory, _ = winreg.QueryValueEx(key, shell_folder_name)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
FileNotFoundError: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified

[bolak92]

Hi, I was trying to follow the installation steps on Win 11 pro and got the error message above. Can you please advise what to do here?

[asd765973346]

It appears that this error is not caused by Paper2Any itself. It happens because pip fails to read a required Windows system directory during startup.

From the stack trace, pip is trying to locate the Windows Common AppData folder (normally C:\ProgramData) via the registry, but the entry appears to be missing. This can happen if the registry was cleaned, the OS is a trimmed/custom build, or certain permissions/policies removed the key. I was able to find a few methods that typically resolve this issue — you may want to try the following:

1. Verify the directory exists

Check that this folder is present:

C:\ProgramData

(It is a hidden folder by default.)

---

2. Repair the registry entry (recommended)

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator and run:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders" /v "Common AppData" /t REG_SZ /d "C:\ProgramData" /f

Then reopen the terminal and try running pip again.

---

3. If you are using Conda

Since your environment is under Conda, you can reinstall pip via Conda instead of pip itself:

conda activate paper2any
conda install pip

---

If the issue persists, it may help to check:

• Whether you are using a customized/lightweight Windows build
• Whether any system cleanup/privacy tools were used
• Whether the terminal has administrator privileges
• Please provide more details about the command you are running

After fixing the registry entry, pip should work normally.