Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-19

How to Fix: Error when executing .sh file on Windows 8 using Cygwin

Cygwin error: Cannot find 'make' program. Please install Cygwin make package or define the GNUMAKE variable to point to it.

Quick Answer: Install the Cygwin make package and update the PATH environment variable to include the Cygwin bin directory.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. 🔍 Why This Happens
  2. 🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps
  3. 💡 Conclusion

Error when executing .sh file on Windows 8 using Cygwin: The error message 'Cannot find 'make' program. Please install Cygwin make package or define the GNUMAKE variable to point to it.' indicates that the Cygwin installation is missing the 'make' program, which is required for building native code using the Android NDK.

This issue affects users who have installed Cygwin on Windows 8 and are trying to run .sh files that rely on the 'make' program. The error can be frustrating, especially for beginners who are new to Cygwin terminal.

🔍 Why This Happens

  • The primary reason for this error is that the 'make' program is not included in the default Cygwin installation. To fix this issue, you need to install the Cygwin make package or define the GNUMAKE variable to point to it.
  • An alternative cause could be that the environment variables are not set correctly, which can prevent the 'make' program from being found.

🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps

Installing the Cygwin make package

  1. Step 1: Open the Cygwin terminal and run the command 'setup-x86_64 --install cygwin-make'. This will install the Cygwin make package.
  2. Step 2: Once the installation is complete, restart the Cygwin terminal to apply the changes.
  3. Step 3: Verify that the 'make' program is available by running the command 'which make'. If it's not found, check the environment variables and define GNUMAKE correctly.

Defining the GNUMAKE variable

  1. Step 1: Open the Environment Variables window by going to Computer properties → Advanced system properties → Environment variables.
  2. Step 2: In the System Variables section, scroll down and find the 'Path' variable, then click Edit.
  3. Step 3: Add ';F:in' to the end of the Path variable value, which points to the Cygwin bin directory. Click OK to save the changes.

💡 Conclusion

To summarize, the error 'Cannot find 'make' program' can be resolved by installing the Cygwin make package or defining the GNUMAKE variable correctly. If you're using the second method, make sure to add the correct path to the environment variables and restart the terminal for the changes to take effect.

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