FATAL ERROR: Failed to download database from [https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/...

[danphillips28]

I had a script which previously worked, however, after reinstalling snpEff and snpSift and rerunning I now run into the following error(s):

FATAL ERROR: Failed to download database from [https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_2/snpEff_v5_2_BDGP5.75.zip, https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_0/snpEff_v5_0_BDGP5.75.zip, https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_1/snpEff_v5_1_BDGP5.75.zip]

This is also the case for 'Schizosaccharomyces_pombe', 'WBcel235.105', and 'Neurospora_crassa', and seems to be due to a known permissions issue: <Message>Public access is not permitted on this storage account. RequestId:e8526207-d01e-002e-0e4a-106e3e000000 Time:2025-08-18T14:12:19.4078044Z</Message>

I see this is a recurring issue, and the past solution seems to be to bring it to the devs attention so they can fix it(?). Hopefully it can be resolved soon.

[gacrestani]

I am also encountering the same problem.

FATAL ERROR: Failed to download database from [https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_2/snpEff_v5_2_Drosophila_melanogaster.zip, https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_0/snpEff_v5_0_Drosophila_melanogaster.zip, https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_1/snpEff_v5_1_Drosophila_melanogaster.zip]

and

FATAL ERROR: Failed to download database from [https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_2/snpEff_v5_2_Saccharomyces_cerevisiae.zip, https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_0/snpEff_v5_0_Saccharomyces_cerevisiae.zip, https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_1/snpEff_v5_1_Saccharomyces_cerevisiae.zip]

[lakshsesh97]

Hi, I have the same issue while trying to download the GRCh38.99 genome.

FATAL ERROR: Failed to download database from [https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_1/snpEff_v5_1_GRCh38.99.zip, https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_0/snpEff_v5_0_GRCh38.99.zip]

I wonder if the snpEff.blob.core.windows.net is down?

@pcingola Any solution to this yet? :) Thanks.

[helaersr]

Currently it's even impossible to download the lastest version of snpEff from the website

https://pcingola.github.io/SnpEff/download/ https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/versions/snpEff_latest_core.zip

We get a page site inaccessible of snpeff.blob.core.windows.net

[pcingola]

As the collaboration with Microsoft came to an end, we are looking for a new home for the SnpEff project and the databases.

This will be (hopefully) solved soon.

[jingmingcn]

@pcingola Firstly, thanks for your great work on SnpEff project. And, is there any other online repository, such as google drivers, where can provide the alternative download services for these links: [https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_2/snpEff_v5_2_Saccharomyces_cerevisiae.zip, https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_0/snpEff_v5_0_Saccharomyces_cerevisiae.zip, https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/databases/v5_1/snpEff_v5_1_Saccharomyces_cerevisiae.zip] and https://snpeff.blob.core.windows.net/versions/snpEff_latest_core.zip

[maxulysse]

Some pre-downloaded cache is available on aws s3 within https://github.com/annotation-cache

• GRCh37.87
• GRCh38.105
• GRCm38.99
• WBcel235.105

cf https://annotation-cache.github.io/snpeff_cache/

All of the CI we have on nf-core/modules uses this cache.

And @pcingola sorry for the issue with Microsoft, but really thanks a lot for such a project

[dpmccabe]

Would anyone happen to have a copy of GRCh38.mane.1.2.ensembl they could share?

[berylrab]

@pcingola any interest in hosting this on the Registry of Open Data on AWS? We have over 190 life sciences datasets and are always looking for interesting datasets to add to our collection: https://registry.opendata.aws/tag/life-sciences/.

If you're interested, please submit an application at https://application.opendata.aws/ and we'll get back to you soon.

[clintval]

Anyone have a cached version of v5.x mm10?

[arareko]

@pcingola Are there any updates about this? I just stumbled into this issue while trying to download the hg19 database to rebuild some Docker images.

[maxulysse]

@arareko there has been a new release of snpeff, download the new version and you should be good to go

[maxulysse]

Long story short, hosting is now on AWS and not on Azure anymore, so the update is needed

[arareko]

@maxulysse thanks for the reply and the context!

[FelixMoelder]

After updating to v5.3.0a we will have issues downloading databases:

FATAL ERROR: Failed to download database from
[https://snpeff.odsp.astrazeneca.com/databases/v5_3/snpEff_v5_3_ebola_zaire.zip,
https://snpeff.odsp.astrazeneca.com/databases/v5_2/snpEff_v5_2_ebola_zaire.zip,
https://snpeff.odsp.astrazeneca.com/databases/v5_1/snpEff_v5_1_ebola_zaire.zip,
https://snpeff.odsp.astrazeneca.com/databases/v5_0/snpEff_v5_0_ebola_zaire.zip]

The only valid url in that list is the last one.