# An update did not install, or Scalpel went back a version

> Why an update can wait, fail or roll back: the trading guard, a folder Scalpel cannot write, a failed start. How to check, retry or go back.

Source: https://scalpeltrade.com/guides/fix-update-failed
Guide 13.11, Troubleshooting. Beginner, 4 min read.
Checked with Scalpel 1.12.8 on 2026-10-15. By Scalpel Team.

**In short:**

Scalpel never installs an update on its own while you trade. **Restart and update** stays grey while you have an open position, a working order or a live stop: close them or choose **Update when I quit**. If the update failed, click the orange **Update ... failed** pill in the status bar to read why; the usual cause is a folder Scalpel cannot write to. If a new version does not start twice, Scalpel puts the old one back by itself.

Updates download in the background, are checked against Scalpel's own release signature, and wait next to the app until you restart ([guide 12.2](https://scalpeltrade.com/guides/updates)). Here is every message the updater can show.

## You have an open position. Close it first

The full line reads: "You have an open position. Close it first: Scalpel watches your stops and moves your trailing stops, and that stops while it restarts. Or choose Update when I quit." It names whatever is open: positions (in either mode, or anything on your IBKR account), working orders, or live stops, and says "Close them first" when more than one thing is open.

This is a safety guard, not an error. Your stops are watched by Scalpel, not resting at the broker ([guide 5.1](https://scalpeltrade.com/guides/how-stops-work)), so during a restart nothing would watch them.

*Screenshot: What's new with an update ready and a position open: Restart and update is grey, Update when I quit is available. Demo data.*

Two ways forward:

- **Update when I quit.** The pill changes to "Update 1.12.6 installs when you quit". Trade on; the new version installs as Scalpel closes and runs next time.
- **Close out, then restart.** Once you are flat with nothing working, **Restart and update** turns on. Scalpel restarts in a few seconds and reconnects to TWS by itself.

## Update 1.12.6 failed

An orange pill in the status bar. Click it: the **What's new** card shows the reason after "The last update failed:". **Settings > About** shows the same line. Scalpel tries again at its next check (every 30 minutes while it runs), or straight away when you click **Check for updates**. You do not need to restart Scalpel for it to find an update.

*Screenshot: The failed pill (1) and the reason in What's new. Demo data.*

| The reason says | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Scalpel cannot write to its own folder. Move it to a folder you own (your desktop, for example, or Applications on a Mac), or download the new version from scalpeltrade.com. | The exe sits somewhere Windows protects, such as Program Files, or a read-only or synced folder. Scalpel needs to place the new copy beside itself. | Quit Scalpel, move the exe to your desktop or a folder in Documents, and open it from there. |
| macOS is running Scalpel from a temporary copy. Move Scalpel to Applications and open it from there to get updates. | You opened Scalpel straight from the disk image or Downloads. | Drag Scalpel into Applications and open it from there. |
| Could not reach the update server | No internet, or a firewall or proxy blocks scalpeltrade.com. | Same checks as [guide 13.9](https://scalpeltrade.com/guides/fix-licence-offline), then **Check for updates**. |
| The downloaded file does not match the release (size or checksum) | The download was cut short or altered on the way. Scalpel deleted it. | Click **Check for updates** to download it again. |
| The release signature is invalid | The file was not signed with Scalpel's release key. It was refused and never ran. | Do not work around it. Tell us on Discord ([guide 12.6](https://scalpeltrade.com/guides/discord-support)). |

## Could not check for updates. Try again later.

A toast after you click **Check for updates** when scalpeltrade.com could not be reached. Background checks that fail stay silent and simply try again 30 minutes later. Check your connection as in [guide 13.9](https://scalpeltrade.com/guides/fix-licence-offline).

## The update could not be installed

A red toast after **Restart and update** (or "Update 1.12.6 could not be installed" while the new copy was being placed). Something held the files: most often antivirus scanning the new exe, or a second copy of Scalpel still running from the same folder. Nothing changed: you are still on the version you had. Close any other copy, wait a minute and try again.

## Version 1.12.6 did not start, so Scalpel went back to 1.12.5

A new version proves itself by running for 60 seconds with the window up. If it fails twice, the third start swaps the previous version back, relaunches it and shows this toast. Scalpel reports the failure to us and skips that version, so it is not offered again on its own. Your settings, SIM ledger and journal are untouched.

*Screenshot: The toast after an automatic rollback. Demo data.*

Wait for the next version, or tell us on Discord what happened when it tried to start.

## Go back to the previous version yourself

If an update starts but you want the old version back, open **Settings > About**. Under **Updates**, **Go back to 1.12.5** appears while the previous copy is still kept (until the next update replaces it). It has the same guard as restarting: be flat first. If the copy has gone, a red toast says "Could not go back: No previous version is kept on this computer". Stay on the version you have, or ask on Discord if it gives you trouble.

*Screenshot: Settings, About, Updates: Check for updates and Go back. Demo data.*

Going back skips the newer version. **Check for updates** offers it again when you are ready.

## This version of Scalpel has a problem that affects your orders. Update before you trade.

A banner at launch when your version is below the minimum we support, because it has a bug that matters for your orders. Click **See the update**, then install it before you trade.

## Still stuck: replace the exe by hand

Quit Scalpel, download the current version from scalpeltrade.com/download, and put it in place of the old exe (same folder, same name, or a new folder you own). Your settings stay in %APPDATA%\scalpel. If something still fails, send us scalpel.log from %APPDATA%\scalpel\data\logs on Discord.

## Questions

**Why is Restart and update greyed out?**

You have an open position, a working order or a live stop. Scalpel watches your stops itself, so it will not restart while they need watching. Close them, or choose Update when I quit.

**Where should the Scalpel exe live on Windows?**

In a folder you own, such as your desktop or Documents. Not Program Files, where Scalpel cannot write its update.

**Why did Scalpel go back a version on its own?**

The new version failed to start twice, so the third start restored the previous one. The failure is reported to us and that version is skipped.

**Do I lose my settings if I replace the exe by hand?**

No. Settings, the SIM ledger, the journal and the log are in %APPDATA%\scalpel, not next to the exe.