PowerShell / PowerShell/PowerShell

PS7-packaged: pwsh not discoverable in SYSTEM / LocalSystem context

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Package-MSIX
Dominant language
C#
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Avg merge
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Description

Summary

When PowerShell 7 is installed as an MSIX package, pwsh is not available in non-interactive system contexts. MSIX packages register per-user only — the SYSTEM account and other service identities cannot locate or invoke pwsh.

Affected scenarios

  • Scheduled tasks running as SYSTEM
  • Windows Services running as LocalSystem or a service account
  • MDM-deployed scripts (Intune, ConfigMgr)
  • Deployment agents and automation pipelines running in non-interactive contexts

Repro

From an elevated prompt:

psexec -s -i pwsh.exe

Expected: PowerShell 7 launches.
Actual: The system cannot find the file specified.

Context

This is a known architectural constraint of MSIX packaging. We are working with the relevant Windows engineering teams on a resolution. We have internal tracking for this work and will update this issue as progress is made.

This is a blocker for the PS7 inboxing initiative.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the elevated psexec -s -i pwsh.exe reproduction and the issue's description of MSIX per-user registration. Investigate how PowerShell 7 is packaged and discovered in SYSTEM, LocalSystem, service-account, and other non-interactive contexts. Done means pwsh launches successfully in those affected scenarios.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
powershell
Domain
cli, operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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