`rustup update` stuck with `retrying renaming xxx to yyy`
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- Dominant language
- Rust
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Description
Problem
when trying to update the rust using rustup update if somehow some problem accrue, like:
- having low available space in drive (temp folder or rustup/cargo folder)
- not having right permission for reading and writing in some needed folder
rustup will enter to a infinite loop with same message (different based on on which step it failed on)

I waited for some time and seems like it never exit from the loop... it keep trying and trying but nothing change...
so the only way is using CTRL+C for force close it... but at this point the rust is unusable, and If I try to update again it give me some error message (also different based on on which step it failed on)


I tried so many things to fix this, but nothing worked, at the end the only solution was uninstalling rust using rustup self uninstall and reinstalling it again...
Steps
- Having low space available in drive
c(or any drive that rustup using fortemp diror cargo/rustup folders) or change permission of some files thatrustupwill try to change in update process - Try to update using
rustup updatecommand - when enter to infinite loop of error message, exit from it using
CTRL+C
Possible Solution(s)
- Check for needed size before starting update or any other operation that will write to disk.
- Check to make sure all folders that rustup will read and write to have right write/right permission
Notes
No response
Rustup version
rustup 1.24.3 (ce5817a94 2021-05-31)
Installed toolchains
stable-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start by reproducing rustup update with insufficient disk space or restricted permissions, focusing on the retrying renaming loop and the behavior after Ctrl+C. Done means the update stops or reports a useful error instead of retrying indefinitely, without requiring uninstall and reinstall to recover.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- rust
- Domain
- cli
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 42/100