# Unable to open Anki Desktop on version 2.1.39

**URL:** <https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/unable-to-open-anki-desktop-on-version-2-1-39/7289>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [February 6, 2021, 10:05pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/unable-to-open-anki-desktop-on-version-2-1-39/7289 "2021-02-06T22:05:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ManHunted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@ManHunted](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/ManHunted)\
**Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 10:05pm UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/unable-to-open-anki-desktop-on-version-2-1-39/7289/1 "2021-02-06T22:05:19Z")

</div>

Today I tried to open Anki and it failed. I haven’t changed anything or upgraded since the last time I used it.  
The program says its running as a background process, but won’t open.

1. I restarted my computer
2. checked for Windows updates (all up to date)
3. uninstalled and deleted all anki files.
4. Reinstalled in the program file folder.

anki-console:

[8380] PyInstaller Bootloader 3.x  
[8380] LOADER: executable is C:\Program Files\Anki\anki-console.exe  
[8380] LOADER: homepath is C:\Program Files\Anki  
[8380] LOADER: \_MEIPASS2 is NULL  
[8380] LOADER: archivename is C:\Program Files\Anki\anki-console.exe  
[8380] LOADER: C:\Program Files\Anki\anki-console.exe contains a digital signature  
[8380] LOADER: No need to extract files to run; setting extractionpath to homepath  
[8380] LOADER: SetDllDirectory(C:\Program Files\Anki)  
[8380] LOADER: Already in the child - running user’s code.  
[8380] LOADER: Python library: C:\Program Files\Anki\python38.dll  
[8380] LOADER: Loaded functions from Python library.  
[8380] LOADER: Manipulating environment (sys.path, sys.prefix)  
[8380] LOADER: sys.prefix is C:\Program Files\Anki  
[8380] LOADER: Pre-init sys.path is C:\Program Files\Anki\base\_library.zip;C:\Program Files\Anki  
[8380] LOADER: Setting runtime options  
[8380] LOADER: Initializing python  
[8380] LOADER: Overriding Python’s sys.path  
[8380] LOADER: Post-init sys.path is C:\Program Files\Anki\base\_library.zip;C:\Program Files\Anki  
[8380] LOADER: Setting sys.argv  
[8380] LOADER: setting sys.\_MEIPASS  
[8380] LOADER: importing modules from CArchive  
[8380] LOADER: extracted struct  
[8380] LOADER: callfunction returned…  
[8380] LOADER: extracted pyimod01\_os\_path  
[8380] LOADER: callfunction returned…  
[8380] LOADER: extracted pyimod02\_archive  
[8380] LOADER: callfunction returned…  
[8380] LOADER: extracted pyimod03\_importers  
[8380] LOADER: callfunction returned…  
[8380] LOADER: Installing PYZ archive with Python modules.  
[8380] LOADER: PYZ archive: PYZ-00.pyz  
[8380] LOADER: Running pyiboot01\_bootstrap.py  
[8380] LOADER: Running pyi\_rth\_win32comgenpy.py  
[8380] LOADER: Running pyi\_rth\_multiprocessing.py  
[8380] LOADER: Running pyi\_rth\_certifi.py  
[8380] LOADER: Running pyi\_rth\_pyqt5.py  
[8380] LOADER: Running pyi\_rth\_pkgres.py  
[8380] LOADER: Running pyi\_rth\_pyqt5webengine.py  
[8380] LOADER: Running runanki.py

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/anki2/original/2X/0/0a23063b0215be968419599ce8b5638454d6adb4.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dae](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.ankiweb.net/dae/32/65_2.png) [@dae](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/dae)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 1:13am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/unable-to-open-anki-desktop-on-version-2-1-39/7289/2 "2021-02-08T01:13:55Z")

</div>

Does renaming prefs21.db while Anki is closed help?

[https://docs.ankiweb.net/#/files?id=file-locations](https://docs.ankiweb.net/#/files?id=file-locations)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ManHunted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@ManHunted](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/ManHunted)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 1:48am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/unable-to-open-anki-desktop-on-version-2-1-39/7289/3 "2021-02-09T01:48:00Z")

</div>

I ended up resetting my PC since I found some other issues unrelated to Anki. If it happens again I will try this. Thank you!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/anki2/original/1X/8f1279ababc5879d54e4838989f606cfe55af8c7.jpeg) [@system](https://forums.ankiweb.net/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2023, 5:14am UTC](https://forums.ankiweb.net/t/unable-to-open-anki-desktop-on-version-2-1-39/7289/4 "2023-05-01T05:14:30Z")

</div>

Closed on May 1, 2023, 5:14am UTC