microsoft / microsoft/terminal

Windows Terminal does not start -> errors in console and GUI (Dialog with "Wrong parameter")

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#14,368 7 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
Culprit-Centennial Issue-Bug Needs-Tag-Fix Priority-3 Product-Terminal
Dominant language
C++
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Avg merge
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Merged PRs (30d)
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Description

### Windows Terminal version

1.15.2874.0

### Windows build number

10.0.19044.2251

### Other Software

_No response_

### Steps to reproduce

I have installed Windows Terminal with winget successfully.
winget install Microsoft.WindowsTerminal

Try to start Windows Terminal from start menu or from console with wt.

Alias for app execution is set for Terminal / wt.exe.

### Expected Behavior

Windows Terminal opens.

### Actual Behavior

Click on Terminal in start menu -> Nothing happens

Normal user:
- Powershell: wt
```
ResourceUnavailable: Program 'wt.exe' failed to run: An error occurred trying to start process 'C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\wt.exe' with working directory 'C:\Users\'. Falscher Parameter.At line:1 char:1
+ wt
+ ~~.
```

Admin:
- Powershell: wt
```
Fehler beim Ausführen des Programms "wt.exe": Falscher ParameterIn Zeile:1 Zeichen:1
+ wt
+ ~~.
In Zeile:1 Zeichen:1
+ wt
+ ~~
+ CategoryInfo : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [], ApplicationFailedException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandFailed
```

Normal user or Admin: Starting from
```
C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\wt.exe
```
→ Dialog: "Falscher Parameter" (= Wrong parameter)

I have done a Windows 10 21H2 inplace upgrade and reinstalled Windows Terminal afterwards. Did not help.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start by reproducing the failure through the Start menu, PowerShell `wt`, and the mentioned `C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\wt.exe` entry point on Windows 10 21H2. Trace why startup returns the “Wrong parameter” error for both normal and elevated users, then verify that Windows Terminal opens successfully through each reported path.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
cli, operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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