Error: Binaries missing/corrupted

[ChemistCraft300]

Im completely new here, and might have missed something in the wiki, but I cant find a solution for it.

I paste in a video link and then add it to the queue, but before I'm even allowed to do anything to it, I get presented with an error saying "Error! Binaries missing/corrupted". It also said "Please restart the app and disable antivirus.". Now, I have a Lenovo computer, so I don't really know how to get rid of McAfee, but even then, I don't want it to be completely uninstalled. So instead, I just deleted that version of the app and turned off McAfee from the browser and redownloaded it.

It still didn't work. So then I went to the github page and tried downloading the file from the "binaries" folder. I dragged and dropped the file into the file for the app, and then restarted it. And it still didn't work. I tried looking at the errors page, and nothing came up matching the error I got. I just completely deleted and reinstalled the app. Nothing. Can you guys help? Whats wrong?

[Thunderbird98]

I have the same issue

[StefanLobbenmeier]

To get some more information - would you mind trying to download youtube-dlp directly from https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases (probably you want this one: yt-dlp.exe)

I would expect your antivirus to also block that file, then we can verify that Antivirus is the issue. In that case you could try to add an exception to that .exe - or you could try adding an exception for open video downloader.exe.

[StefanLobbenmeier]

But I also noticed that there is an existing issue on linux, so I doubt it is actually related to antivirus: #389

[ChemistCraft300]

Yes, my antivirus did indeed block that file, even when i said "run anyways". Either that or the .exe just didn't work for me for some unknown reason.

The problem is, I cant manually add an exception to that file. I don't pay for McAfee to be on my computer; it just is. Thus, I cant add or change anything about how my antivirus is. Is there any other way?

[StefanLobbenmeier]

The yt-dlp.exe should open a command window (for maybe a few frames) and close again, so thats why you might still think it is not working.

But anyway I think there is also a separate issue that the download of yt-dlp failed in this application. This PR should fix it:
#375

[StefanLobbenmeier]

#375 definetly fixes it 😄 until then what might help is to place the yt-dlp.exe in this folder C:\Users\yourusername.youtube-dl-gui\yt-dlp.exe "C:/Users/yourusername/AppData/Local/Packages/Open-Video-Downloader/LocalCache/Roaming/open-video-downloader-app/yt-dlp.exe" - I am 90% sure that this is the path, if it is not the error message should contain the expected path you need to put yt-dlp.exe in.

Then it should be picked up by youtube-dl-gui and you should be able to download stuff. Didnt test it on Windows yet, but that works on Linux.

As for the McAfee issue I hope that it was actually fixed by manually allowing it, otherwise I cannot do much to help you :/ You dont have to worry about removing McAfee from your PC though as the Windows Defender is also a very good antivirus - e.g. in this ranking it is just one level below McAfee: https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/

[ChemistCraft300]

Yea, that folder doesnt exist. The app doesn't exist under any directory named Open-Video-Downloader, only under youtube-dl-gui. Even if I put the yt-dlp.exe in any of those files, it doesn't do anything. Under C:\Users\myname\AppData\Local\Programs\youtube-dl-gui\yt-dlp.exe, after relaunching the app, it did say "checking for updated yt-dlp" or something similar, but then after it finished it still returned the same error.

[StefanLobbenmeier]

Hmm i See - then I am out of ideas to help you sorry

[StefanLobbenmeier]

Actually I just thought of something else - try the release 2.3.1 , it does not use yt-dlp but youtube-dl, so maybe your antivirus is happy with that.

I would assume the auto update of the YouTube-dl might fail there, but it also already shipped with a version of YouTube-dl so I think it should work out of the box.

[ChemistCraft300]

Yay, that worked! Thank you for helping me, and also putting up for my unapologetic "but actually that doesnt work" updates. Thank you again!

[sotheanithsok]

@ChemistCraft300 I try the solution provided by FR46M3N7-P4R71CL3 at #362 and it work for me.

I found a solution:
First, download the YT-DLP Binary from the following address:
https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp.exe

Open Run (Windows Key + R) and in the dialog box, paste the below:
C:\Users%username%\AppData\Local\Programs\youtube-dl-gui\resources\app.asar.unpacked\binaries
and then hit Enter key or OK Button.

Now navigate to the YT-DLP download folder and copy the downloaded file (from Step 1) and Paste the file into the folder we just opened in Step 2. Make sure the filename stays/is "yt-dlp"(.exe)

Restart the application and now it should work! 🚀
For some reason, a fresh installation doesn't seem to install this binary and the update check too fails to observe that the file is missing.

[Lieutenant-L-T-Smash]

I can confirm the above solution works.
I need to manually download yt-dlp.exe and place it in:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\youtube-dl-gui\resources\app.asar.unpacked\binaries

For some reason this is not being done automatically.

[Xerain-House]

I can confirm the above solution works. I need to manually download yt-dlp.exe and place it in: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\youtube-dl-gui\resources\app.asar.unpacked\binaries

For some reason this is not being done automatically.

Works for version v.2.4.0 on my setup.
Is this an oversight with the switch to dlp? Are we supposed to be getting this on first install or when OVD updates ffmpeg and other such binaries?

[StefanLobbenmeier]

It is intended to be downloaded at the first launch using the same mechanism as the update. Unfortunately GitHub changed the behaviour for the yt-dlp releases (probably for any GitHub release), so we need a new release of this project with this fixed. There are already some merge requests but I think the author of this repository does not have a lot of time for this project at the moment.

[r00bit1984]

@ChemistCraft300 I try the solution provided by FR46M3N7-P4R71CL3 at #362 and it work for me.

I found a solution:
First, download the YT-DLP Binary from the following address:
https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp.exe
Open Run (Windows Key + R) and in the dialog box, paste the below:
C:\Users%username%\AppData\Local\Programs\youtube-dl-gui\resources\app.asar.unpacked\binaries
and then hit Enter key or OK Button.
Now navigate to the YT-DLP download folder and copy the downloaded file (from Step 1) and Paste the file into the folder we just opened in Step 2. Make sure the filename stays/is "yt-dlp"(.exe)
Restart the application and now it should work! 🚀
For some reason, a fresh installation doesn't seem to install this binary and the update check too fails to observe that the file is missing.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

[Vaarelsauce]

It also worked for me as well, thank you.

[The-Ark-Knight]

C:\Users%username%\AppData\Local\Programs\youtube-dl-gui\resources\app.asar.unpacked\binaries and then hit Enter key or OK Button.

Now navigate to the YT-DLP download folder and copy the downloaded file (from Step 1) and Paste the file into the folder we just opened in Step 2. Make sure the filename stays/is "yt-dlp"(.exe)

Restart the application and now it should work! 🚀

---

this works as expected.

[calebmeyer]

I'll note that you can shorten the run path with a different variable: C:\Users%username%\AppData\Local can just be %localappdata%

But I'll also chime in that this worked for me as well.

[gentisle]

I'll try some of these solutions, but in the mean time, I wanted to add some info. I had the program working fine on Windows 7 Pro, then downloaded it on my other Windows 11 Pro machine. It gave that error. So I decided to look for an earlier version, and sure enough 2.3.1 worked fine on Win 11. Or at least it did for a few weeks. I had turned off the auto update feature, and then I noticed that there was an "update ytdl" feature, so I unchecked that. Then the program went into automatic-I'm-going-to-update-the-living-hell-out-of-your-computer-come-hell-or-high-water-and-you-have-NO-say-whatsoever mode. Once it updated itself back to 2.4.0, it would not work. Hope this helps the diagnosis.

[Aurekk78]

confirmed, uninstalled v2.4.0 and ran portable 2.3.1 from here: https://github.com/jely2002/youtube-dl-gui/releases/tag/v2.3.1 and was back in business. Thank you for the tip @gentisle 👍 Windows 10 21H2 19044

[gentisle]

@https://github.com/Aurekk78
My pleasure. I missed the portable version. I think that is easier to install. When installing the normal setup of 2.3.1, it always automatically updates before I can stop it. Once 2.4.0 gets on the hard drive, it's a problem.

[tuket]

How do you uninstall 2.4? I tried to do it by right-click in the Windows start menu->uninstall

but it opens up the typical Windows uninstall window

but can't find it there

[tuket]

Nevermind, I found it in this list instead

Not sure why would not show up in the other list...

[dizzy-egg]

FYI none of the workarounds worked for me for the portable version, including downloading yt-dlp.exe manually.

What did work was using the updated fork at https://github.com/StefanLobbenmeier/youtube-dl-gui

[bmitc]

I don't think this has anything to do with antivirus. My antivirus does not warn on download, does not warn when launching the application, and there are no protection actions taken in my antivirus' history.

It appears that there were changes to not bundle binaries with the application, and so I would guess that the logic to download those binaries is what is broken. Currently, I can find no evidence of my antivirus blocking anything. For reference, my antivirus is the built-in Windows Security.

I would caution against immediately recommending users to disable antivirus. For one, it doesn't appear to be the actual problem, at least on my machine, and secondly, the reason that I am seeking out a downloader is to avoid sketchy sites.

[Street-foo-fighter]

@ChemistCraft300 I try the solution provided by FR46M3N7-P4R71CL3 at #362 and it work for me.

I found a solution:
First, download the YT-DLP Binary from the following address:
https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp.exe
Open Run (Windows Key + R) and in the dialog box, paste the below:
C:\Users%username%\AppData\Local\Programs\youtube-dl-gui\resources\app.asar.unpacked\binaries
and then hit Enter key or OK Button.
Now navigate to the YT-DLP download folder and copy the downloaded file (from Step 1) and Paste the file into the folder we just opened in Step 2. Make sure the filename stays/is "yt-dlp"(.exe)
Restart the application and now it should work! 🚀
For some reason, a fresh installation doesn't seem to install this binary and the update check too fails to observe that the file is missing.

This absolutely fixed the problem! The only thing was there is a missing backslash for the referenced directory. Should be: "C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Programs\youtube-dl-gui\resources\app.asar.unpacked\binaries"

[A-q-p-W]

@ChemistCraft300 I try the solution provided by FR46M3N7-P4R71CL3 at #362 and it work for me.

I found a solution:
First, download the YT-DLP Binary from the following address:
https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/releases/latest/download/yt-dlp.exe
Open Run (Windows Key + R) and in the dialog box, paste the below:
C:\Users%username%\AppData\Local\Programs\youtube-dl-gui\resources\app.asar.unpacked\binaries
and then hit Enter key or OK Button.
Now navigate to the YT-DLP download folder and copy the downloaded file (from Step 1) and Paste the file into the folder we just opened in Step 2. Make sure the filename stays/is "yt-dlp"(.exe)
Restart the application and now it should work! 🚀
For some reason, a fresh installation doesn't seem to install this binary and the update check too fails to observe that the file is missing.

thank you this worked

[guyster104]

I downloaded the portable version of open video downloader, but cannot figure out where to put the youtube-dlp library. Do I need to create this folder that was mentioned above?

[ndirangudavid]

I can confirm the above solution works. I need to manually download yt-dlp.exe and place it in: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\youtube-dl-gui\resources\app.asar.unpacked\binaries

For some reason this is not being done automatically.

This worked great for me. Thanks a lot.