mandiant / mandiant/commando-vm
Installation bug - ERROR: Cannot bind argument to parameter 'Path' because it is null.
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Description
**Describe the bug and expected behavior**
Installation fails on first reboot *AFTER* debloat.vm runs. Specific error is:
```
C:\Windows\system32>Call PowerShell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy bypass -command "Import-Module 'C:\ProgramData\boxstarter\Boxstarter.Bootstrapper\boxstarter.bootstrapper.psd1';Invoke-Boxstarter -RebootOk -NoPassword:$False"
Boxstarter Version 3.0.3.0
(c) 2018 Chocolatey Software, Inc, 2012 - 2018 Matt Wrock. https://boxstarter.org
Boxstarter: Disabling Automatic Updates from Windows Update
++ Boxstarter starting Calling Chocolatey to install installer.vm. This may take several minutes to complete...
Chocolatey v2.2.2
Installing the following packages:
installer.vm
By installing, you accept licenses for the packages.
Progress: Downloading installer.vm 0.0.0.20231009... 100%
installer.vm v0.0.0.20231009 (forced)
installer.vm package files install completed. Performing other installation steps.
*** LOADING BOXSTARTER ***
Boxstarter: *** HELLO WORLD ***
Cannot find path 'C:\ProgramData\_VM\packages.xml' because it does not exist.
2023/10/13 19:06:34 [installer.vm] vm.common.psm1 [+] ERROR : [ERR] Cannot bind argument to parameter 'Path' because it is null.
At C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\lib\installer.vm\tools\chocolateyinstall.ps1:9 char:36
+ $configXml = [xml](Get-Content $configPath)
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~
ERROR: Cannot bind argument to parameter 'Path' because it is null.
The install of installer.vm was NOT successful.
Error while running 'C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\lib\installer.vm\tools\chocolateyinstall.ps1'.
See log for details.
Chocolatey installed 0/1 packages. 1 packages failed.
See the log for details (C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\logs\chocolatey.log).
Failures
- installer.vm (exited -1) - Error while running 'C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\lib\installer.vm\tools\chocolateyinstall.ps1'.
See log for details.
++ Boxstarter finished Calling Chocolatey to install installer.vm. This may take several minutes to complete... 00:00:15.0862313
True
Boxstarter: Restore Automatic Updates from Windows Update
Boxstarter: Enabling UAC
Type ENTER to exit:
```
**To Reproduce**
Steps to reproduce the behavior:
1. Install script using `.\install.ps1 -cli ` in an Administrator Powershell session.
**Screenshots**

**Version**
- OS: Windows 10 22H2 Build 19045.2965
**Additional context**
To repeat, this happens right after the first reboot, *AFTER* debloat.vm runs.
I believe this is due to this merge - https://github.com/mandiant/commando-vm/pull/306 which renamed `packages.xml` to `config.xml` which does exist in the `C:\ProgramData\_VM\`
Contributor guide
No contributing guide indexed for this repository
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start with install.ps1 and the Chocolatey entry point at C:\ProgramData\chocolatey\lib\installer.vm\tools\chocolateyinstall.ps1, then trace the first-reboot path after debloat.vm runs. Compare the expected packages.xml with the config.xml reported in C:\ProgramData\_VM\. Done means the installer completes after reboot without the null Path error.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- powershell
- Domain
- devops, operating-systems
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 48/100