microsoft / microsoft/winget-cli

winget using outdated user account path from registry

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Issue-Bug
Dominant language
C++
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Description

Brief description of your issue

Background:
Because of poor UX from default account creation, giving dumb user account home directory names, I was force to create a new user account and move old home directory name into new. Also updated some required path registry items and linked old directory (xxxx) to new one to ensure proper function system. However,...

When installing sw using winget, I still find that configuration settings are using the old path for new install. Looking into the registry I found this item showing a related path to old directory.

Path (and OneDrive) found under HKCU:Environment contain the old user path after having changed user account/directory. Seem like this reg item is not updated with new user account info. Path show %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Users\xxxx\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WinGet\Links;, where xxxx is the old user name. Which is probably why it affect all the winget installs.

Steps to reproduce

see above

Expected behavior

That all winget installs are using the current user account paths.

Actual behavior

Using old user account path when installing new software.

Environment
Windows Package Manager v1.6.3133
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Windows: Windows.Desktop v10.0.22621.2715
System Architecture: X64
Package: Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller v1.21.3133.0

Winget Directories
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Logs                               %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\DiagOutputDir
User Settings                      %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\settings.json
Portable Links Directory (User)    %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Links
Portable Links Directory (Machine) C:\Program Files\WinGet\Links
Portable Package Root (User)       %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Packages
Portable Package Root              C:\Program Files\WinGet\Packages
Portable Package Root (x86)        C:\Program Files (x86)\WinGet\Packages
Installer Downloads                %USERPROFILE%\Downloads

Links
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Privacy Statement   https://aka.ms/winget-privacy
License Agreement   https://aka.ms/winget-license
Third Party Notices https://aka.ms/winget-3rdPartyNotice
Homepage            https://aka.ms/winget
Windows Store Terms https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/storedocs/terms-of-sale

Admin Setting                             State
--------------------------------------------------
LocalManifestFiles                        Disabled
BypassCertificatePinningForMicrosoftStore Disabled
InstallerHashOverride                     Disabled
LocalArchiveMalwareScanOverride           Disabled

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 by reproducing a winget installation after changing the Windows user account and inspect HKCU\Environment, especially Path and OneDrive, for references to the old profile. Compare those values with the current account paths and trace how winget uses them during installation. Done means new installations use only the current user account paths.

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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