What causes "binary install failed - %w" in hashicorp/nomad?

Ensure the Nomad service is stopped (`sc query nomad` shows STOPPED) before installing

binary install failed - %w

Error message

binary install failed - %w

What it means

Wraps the failure of `binaryInstall`, which copies the Nomad binary to the target install path during `windows install`. Any filesystem error (missing source binary, permission denied, target locked) is surfaced here with %w.

Source

Thrown at command/windows_service_install.go:165

		running, err := nmdSvc.IsRunning()
		if err != nil {
			return fmt.Errorf("unable to determine service state - %w", err)
		}
		if running && !opts.reinstall {
			return fmt.Errorf("service is already running. Please run the\ncommand again with -reinstall to stop the service and install.")
		}

		if running {
			c.Ui.Output("  Stopping existing nomad service")
			if err := nmdSvc.Stop(); err != nil {
				return fmt.Errorf("unable to stop existing service - %w", err)
			}
		}
	}

	// Install the nomad binary into the system
	if err = c.binaryInstall(opts); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("binary install failed - %w", err)
	}

	c.Ui.Output(fmt.Sprintf("  Nomad binary installed to: %s", opts.binaryPath))

	// Create a configuration directory and add
	// a basic configuration file if no configuration
	// currently exists
	if err = c.configInstall(opts); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("configuration install failed - %w", err)
	}

	c.Ui.Output(fmt.Sprintf("  Nomad configuration directory: %s", opts.configDir))
	c.Ui.Output(fmt.Sprintf("  Nomad agent data directory: %s", opts.configDir))

	// Now let's install that service
	if err := c.serviceInstall(m, opts); err != nil {
		return fmt.Errorf("service install failed - %w", err)
	}

View on GitHub (pinned to 482b49bf1a)

Solutions

Ensure the Nomad service is stopped (`sc query nomad` shows STOPPED) before installing
Run the command from an elevated shell
Check write permission / free disk space on the target directory
Add an antivirus exclusion for the Nomad install path and retry

Example fix

// before
nomad windows install
// after
sc.exe stop nomad; nomad windows install -reinstall

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

if _, err := os.Stat(opts.binaryPath); err == nil {
	if f, e := os.OpenFile(opts.binaryPath, os.O_RDWR, 0o644); e != nil {
		log.Fatalf("target binary locked or unwritable: %v", e)
	} else { f.Close() }
}

Try / catch

if err := c.binaryInstall(opts); err != nil {
	if errors.Is(err, os.ErrPermission) { /* retry elevated */ }
	return fmt.Errorf("binary install failed - %w", err)
}

Prevention

Stop the Nomad service before replacing its binary
Check disk space and directory ACLs on the install path
Run from an elevated shell
Exclude the install path from antivirus scanning

When it happens

Trigger: The running executable or source binary cannot be copied to opts.binaryPath: destination file locked by the running service, insufficient privileges, or source path missing.

Common situations: Target binary in use because the service wasn't fully stopped; installing into a protected directory without elevation; AV software quarantining the copy.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of hashicorp/nomad@482b49bf1a (2026-09-04). Data as JSON: /api/errors/68e9a01e272c32e9. Report an issue: GitHub.