emulator doesn't accept ANDROID_SDK_ROOT

Question

I'm trying to start an Android emulator on Windows 10, but I keep getting this error message:

PANIC: Broken AVD system path. Check your ANDROID_SDK_ROOT value [C:\Users\tamas\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk]!

Yes, I know I have to check the ANDROID_SDK_ROOT variable. Thing is... it's set properly. The above directory is indeed the SDK root, and every part of it is in place.

 Volume in drive C is OS
 Volume Serial Number is E8BA-CBB6

 Directory of c:\Users\tamas\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk

07/21/2018  01:21 PM    <DIR>          .
07/21/2018  01:21 PM    <DIR>          ..
07/21/2018  01:17 PM                16 .knownPackages
06/14/2018  12:38 AM    <DIR>          add-ons
06/14/2018  12:21 AM    <DIR>          build-tools
07/21/2018  09:40 AM    <DIR>          emulator
07/19/2018  10:30 PM    <DIR>          extras
06/14/2018  12:39 AM    <DIR>          licenses
06/14/2018  12:25 AM    <DIR>          patcher
06/14/2018  12:21 AM    <DIR>          platform-tools
06/14/2018  12:38 AM    <DIR>          platforms
07/21/2018  12:17 PM    <DIR>          skins
07/19/2018  10:46 PM    <DIR>          sources
07/21/2018  12:18 PM    <DIR>          system-images
07/21/2018  12:54 PM    <DIR>          tools
               2 File(s)             16 bytes
              14 Dir(s)  392,152,141,824 bytes free

It just doesn't want to take it. I tried unsetting System and Hidden attributes, but it didn't help. No amount of tinkering seems to be able to make it work, regardless if I try to launch it from the AVD or command prompt.

Any help in here? [PANIC: Broken AVD system path. Check your ANDROID_SDK_ROOT value](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/39645178/panic-broken-avd-system-path-check-your-android-sdk-root-value) — Elletlar, Jul 21 '18 at 23:14

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 21 '18 at 23:52

What version of the Android SDK tools do you have? As the API evolves, you must keep them updated or the emulators will eventually fail to start.

You should update your SDK tools to latest version 27, then reinstall the SDK System Images, and finally configure your system (HAXM/Hypervisor) according to your processor (Intel/AMD).

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 01 '18 at 22:52

A recent update to Android Studio broke this for me too with the identical error message (albeit on a mac).

In my case NVPACK, a software development kit from NVIDIA, was somehow interfering. (The hint was that it overwrote my $ANDROID_HOME setting in my .bashrc and set a whole bunch of environment variables globally.) Setting $ANDROID_SDK_ROOT was not sufficient to fix the issue.

My solution was to run NVPACK/uninstall and the problem was solved.

I have the same problem with a Windows computer. – Diblo Dk Feb 28 '19 at 15:24 — Diblo Dk, Feb 28 '19 at 15:24

emulator doesn't accept ANDROID_SDK_ROOT

2 Answers2