I'm trying to install cygwin on a windows 2008 server. I managed to get a hold of the cygwin setup.exe version 2.721.
Since cygwin.com is down at the moment, i tried several mirrors found through the google cache of the cygwin mirrors. I ran into the same problem like this guy: Help needed installing cygwin: may be ini file problem
Like they suggested, I tried http://mirrors.kernel.org as mirror. It downloads some setup.bz files fine. Then I get the error "Unable to get setup.ini from http://mirrors.kernel.org/".
Any suggestions how to install cygwin now?
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2Even after an year with totally 22216(views) people have faced same problem so far. Issue still there :p – nehem Aug 25 '14 at 03:51
8 Answers
I got this error when I tried to use http://cygwin.com/setup.exe
and not http://cygwin.com/setup-x86.exe
or http://cygwin.com/setup-x86_64.exe
. It seems the mirrors have just recently removed support for setup.exe
. The setup.exe
is still available to download but none of the mirrors work.
The solution is to use either the setup-x86.exe or the setup-x86_64.exe.

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1@mitchus - Would have been great if they just 404'd the `setup.exe` since it's completely broken. – TheCloudlessSky Aug 08 '13 at 11:59
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I agree -- I ended up on this thread after googling for the same problem as the OP. – mitchus Aug 08 '13 at 13:56
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Worked for me using setup-x86_64.exe. Was getting same mirror issues otherwise. – striker77 Nov 02 '15 at 22:29
The mirror should be the full path http://mirrors.kernel.org/sourceware/cygwin
If you get complaints about the .ini being from a newer version of setup, you'll need to find a newer setup.exe somewhere on the net that you trust. (And cygwin guys? Grrr for not including setup.exe in your mirrors and for not signing your exe!)

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Yupp, setup works fine now with version 2.774 - and cygwin.com is online again. – mles Mar 20 '13 at 12:13
the reason is so simple:
the setup.ini changed its's location!
just go to cygwin site, download the latest setup.exe file. it will be OK.

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I confirm, just tested and none of the mirrors work anymore with the old `setup.exe` file I have. Downloading the new `setup-x86.exe` file fixed it. – Max Aug 23 '13 at 11:41
While installing, select Install through http/ftp proxy. Firewall may block the installation. Hence, proxy will help. Also try running as Administrator.
It helps..
Regards, Frank..!!

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For those who are still getting this error even with the correct installer, make sure that you're running the setup file on your local hard drive.
My problem was that I was trying to launch the executable from a mapped network drive. Copying down and running the program locally fixed the issue.

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Can you use another mirror? Try lug.mtu.edu or something like that. I've always had nothing but good results from there.

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Hmm, ok. Hopefully their site will be back up soon. I'm wanting to re-install it as well :) – Scott Mar 19 '13 at 12:39
Was giving me the same Unable to get setup from ...
error.
I used the new setup-x86_64.exe from the Cygwin.org site & had to select the option Use Internet Explorer Proxy Settings
.
It fetched the mirror urls. It worked that way for me.
But, if it does not fetch all the mirrors by itself, we can
add the url http://mirrors.kernel.org
in the Download list.
Initially, when it was not downloading the mirrors list by itself, I had tried adding the above http://mirrors.kernel.org
url manually & it had worked that way too.

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Was facing the Same issue... Run the installer in administrator mode and set the FTP/HTTP proxy to the proxy setting configured in internet explorer. Later if the download doesn't occur try different proxies. Selecting this mirror http://mirrors.kernel.org worked for me.

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