Error Code 5 - Problem moving tmplauncher.tmp to Minecraft.exe

Thank you for this suggestion Michael, renaming the temp file is the only thing that seemed to work for me as well, However, I believe Mojang still needs to address why the native launcher is continually firing. This is not appropriate behavior for a launch sequence.

Sorry about this guys!

The reason it keeps updating is because we keep releasing updates. We're improving the code that launches the launcher (we call this the bootstrap) & updater, and also pushing out the new launcher to more people.

This error should be fixed going forwards, but it's an issue with the current build already out there. Going from that build to the new one might give this error (in which case, try it again until it works or copy the file manually), but going from the newer build to any future build should be fine.

I'm looking into ways to make this more robust, and to make the size of the updates smaller.

Thanks for the heads-up Dinnerbone, deleting the tmpLauncher.tmp file seemed to fix the problem for me completely but I am glad you're on top of it.

Delete the file and problem is solved
(In my case)

Set run directory to C:\Program Files (x86)\Minecraft
Native Launcher Version: 1206
Operating System: Windows 10 Home
Application Hash: 9ae07834c0d05eeda35194c7ac6623525c9ea9ba
Application Data directory: C:\Users\Isabe\AppData\Roaming/.minecraft
Executable Path: MinecraftLauncher.exe
App Directory dir: C:\Program Files (x86)\Minecraft
Start dir: C:/Users/Isabe/AppData/Roaming/.minecraft
Launcher dir: C:/Program Files (x86)/Minecraft/game
TmpDir dir: C:/Program Files (x86)/Minecraft/tmp
(Optional) Java Launcher hash: d0603470df7a677540642656d065788d8d64bed2
Java Version: 1.8.0_25
x64: 1
LauncherConfiguration from: http://launchermeta.mojang.com/mc/launcher.json
Failed to download config file
Failed to download manifest
Found name of process 2884: \Device\HarddiskVolume3\Windows\explorer.exe
Found name of process 4320: \Device\HarddiskVolume3\Windows\System32\userinit.exe
Loaded upgrade id: 3069127339
Using old launcher as we're not in the rollout.
Launcher jar exists, but I don't know if it's up to date. It has a hash of d0603470df7a677540642656d065788d8d64bed2
Game launcher outdated!

Mine updated again. No longer getting error. Disregard my above post. Thank you

Does anyone still have this issue ?

@ Kumasasa My issue with this is gone. But I had to delete all exe in the Minecraft folders Win10 64bit.

I had this problem today, Feb 8, 2017 c. 6pm Eastern Time. I also had it a couple days ago.

Windows 7 SP1.

Maybe the updater isn't ignoring the read-only flag on folders? It should ignore that flag on folders, honor it only on files.

I'm getting the same message and when I go to my program files (x86) -> Minecraft -> tmp, there's nothing in there unless I'm actually launching the minecraft. But when I'm launching the minecraft I see the tmpLauncher.tmp but I can't delete it or move it because it'll say "The action can't be completed because the file is open in Minecraft launcher." I got the "Problem moving C:/Program Files (x86)/Minecraft/tmp/tmpLauncher.tmp to MinecraftLauncher.exe with error code 5" message the other week but it fixed and now it came back. Idk what to do.

I`m having the same problem. It was working fine today, than when I Restarted my PC some minuts later there was this message after the Minecraft updater launcher finish loading: "Problem moving C:/Program Files (x86)Minecraft/tmp/tmpLauncher.tmp to MinecraftLauncher.exe with with error code 5"

Happend several times to me over the last two weeks, even just now when it finally got upgraded to the new launcher (v2.0.806, running on Win7 64-bit). Usually fixes itself when restarting it several times, sometimes it helps to delete tmpLauncher.tmp before restarting. The fact that the launcher does a 39 MB download with every restart (no matter if it works or not) makes this bug a bit annoying ...

Thanks loads Michael, below loaded a NEW LOOK launcher. I have googled so much about this problem.
Glad Minecraft is looking into this also, Hope they find a solution for others who are not computer savy soon.
From Michael's comments.
Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Minecraft\tmp and rename the .tmp file to MinecraftLauncher.exe
Copy and overwrite the MinecraftLauncher.exe file in C:\Program Files (x86)\Minecraft\ with the renamed file. (If you are uncomfortable with this, backup the MinecraftLauncher.exe file in that folder first.)
Restart your game. (The game should start as normal and not download any additional files.)

my entire computer crashes after the lastest laucher update (this is the 6th time its updated in 24 hours)

@ [Mod] Kumasasa

Yes, This issue still occurs for me. I have renamed the .tmp file at least 3 times, and each new update causes the issue to recur and I must rename it again.

Copy the .tmp file to your desktop (while the launcher's updating, of course), then just set it so that all .tmp files open with 'MinecraftLauncher'. After that you just need to keep opening the .tmp after it fails to load.

IT WILL EVENTUALLY WORK, TRUST ME. xD

I ran into this issue too. At this point, my C:\programs (x86)\minecraft directory is gone - I deleted it to get the installer to recreate it. Except the MinecraftInstaller.msi file (Repair) says there already is an account and ignores the launcher's absence. At least I have the old Java launcher.

Please stop changing the summary; there's only a temporary fix; it is not a permanent fix and as such is neither resolved, nor should be stated that it is fixed.

Thanks! It worked!

thanks Chase Horman, it worked for me! 😃

Affects 2.0.847 also.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVQuYYmBS6M shows how to fix in under 1 minute.

Since others may encounter it - my /tmp/ folder was located in the same folder as my minecraft.exe file... in my case my downloads folder because I am terrible at keeping my computer organized.

Still occurring in 2.0.895

so theres no files in my .minecraft file and I don't know why...any help please? so I don't know if this will help me at all

@unknown, as the launcher wasn't able to launch, it didn't install any files into that folder. The Temporary Solution (in the description) should help you anyway.

@SunCat I'm not getting the error anymore but the launcher isn't showing up now, what do I do about that?

I can confirm that this solves my issue.

How do you do that?

i cannot find the file that i need to rename and copy. i searched everywhere in my files and all i can find is the nativelog. is that the file you are referring to or is there some other place i should look. please let me know so i can start gathering dirt blocks.

Problem can be fixed by Running the launcher in administrative mode, probably because it doesn't have authority to do the actions it needs to update.

@Allen Nelson This fixes the issue. 😃

While it works, running laucher as administrator is pretty bad from the security point of view. The admin boundary is not there only against the user.

• The launcher embeds a browser window. While the content displayed is usually controlled by Mojang, it might be possible (through DNS spoofing or otherwise) to force the launcher to load and execute malicious code, potentially exploiting bugs in the embedded browser, leading to remote code execution with admin rights. This is usually not a problem with conventional browsers because they are updated silently and often. The embedded browser is updated only whenever the launcher itself updates.

• The game process inherits the elevated status from the launcher, so any RCE bug in the game client receives privilege escalation for free.

Updater should ask for admin rights only for the exe replacement, the launcher should be kept in user mode.

so even running my game as an admin doesn't work :/ and I tried doing the whole "repair" thing when downloading minecraft but it ended prematurely cuz it said my game or computer wasn't modified (I don't remember which it was).

The solution did something, but now I get the message 'Java(TM) Platform SE binary has stopped working'. Does anybody know how to fix this?

I was updating my Launcher and gave this error "Problem moving C:\Program Files (x86)\Minecraft\tmp\tmpLauncher.tmp to MinecraftLauncher.exe with error code 5".

After doing the temporary steps, everything went well and I got to play normally! Thank you 🙂

I've been having the same problem with the person above me. Whenever I try to open Minecraft, it downloads 39.00Mb of files and then I get this message.

"Problem moving C:\Program Files (x86)\Minecraft\tmp\tmpLauncher.tmp to MinecraftLauncher.exe with error code 5"

The temporary solution works but server texture packs won't load.

I would really like a way to fix this permanently so Minecraft can work normally.

Unlike what atomizer says, you should run the launcher as admin. The problem is that the launcher updater can't edit the files that it needs because it only has user privilege, and not admin. If you really want to be secure, you will only have to run it once to update the launcher.

Minecraft isn't in Program Files (x86)...

@Nate I tried that and it gave me the same error.

I would like to CONFIRM what @Nate said, if you run the launcher with ADMIN it will update and load everything correctly, this is beginning to be a big annoyance with windows 10 as everything is now requiring admin privileges even though the main user account is "SUPPOSED" to have those privileges.

I used to get this bug every once in a while, but it would only do it randomly. I'd still be able to start the game by just trying again. Today, the game wouldn't start at all due to this, but it works when you run it in administration mode. Sounds like Windows 10 not getting a right permission or something along those lines.

Hope that helps

Edit: Also the launcher runs as expected after only doing that once. I don't have to keep running it in administration mode.

Also the latest launcher has occasional issues on Windows 7 as well. (2.0.1049)

ive tried everything including a total removal and re install and nothing is working. leave it to microsoft to screw up a good thing

I also tried running this as admin and got the same error. This did not occur till the updated launcher.

i have no  MinecraftLauncher.exe to rename or delete, and no temp file to rename.

so i managed to at least play the game again by going to an alternate launcher/download. I also downloaded the latest java. the new launcher still dosent work, but i can now play the game. here the link. https://minecraft.net/en-us/download/alternative

I found out how to do it!! Just go into C:\Program Files (x86)\Minecraft\tmp and rename the .tmp file to MinecraftLauncher.exe. MAKE SURE YOU GET RID OF THE .tmp OUT OF THE NAME!! Then just open that "Application." It'll update and run. Have fun!!

@unknown, your workflow is exactly the same to that described in the ticket description, isn't it?

What I did was rename the file OLDminecraft.exe then when it finished update it was fine as there is a bug were if something is already named that it can’t change it so rename it to OLDminecraft.exe have the update happen and it will be fixed. 

None of the temporary solutions work here. Currently can't play Minecraft at all. Used to be able to fix this simply by running it as an administrator, but now nothing. Just start it up, let it reach the 39mb or whatever and then Error Code 5 alas once again.

There are changes for this in the current version.

Upgrade to the current version may still be bad, we'll see what happens with the next one. Fingers crossed!

I'd have to back with Reece Cooper's solution. I followed the filepath to the .tmp file it gave me in the error report box, and then I renamed that to "Minecraft_staging.exe" and the old one I renamed and later deleted.

Still an issues with 2.1.1216.

@Michael which version were you updating from? It cannot be 2.1.1216, because that is the latest.

Please attach the updateLog.txt and ideally a screenshot of any error dialog box that came up. 
You can normally find the update log in C:\Program Files (x86)\Minecraft