microsoft / microsoft/winget-cli
Winget doesnt run as system on fresh windows installs, even after running windows update and store updates
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- Dominant language
- C++
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Description
Brief description of your issue
Winget not running as system on a fresh install of Windows
This means it cannot be used with Intune to roll out software
Steps to reproduce
Install a fresh copy of Windows (I did mine as a VM) Windows 11 pro and Windows 11 enterprise tested, 23H2 and 22H2
SW_DVD9_Win_Pro_11_22H2.24_64BIT_English_Pro_Ent_EDU_N_MLF_X23-81095
Download PSexec
From an admin command prompt, Run PSexec -s CMD
run whoami to confirm you are NT\system.
cd c:\program files\windowsapps
dir to get the path, something like Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe
CD to that directory
Run winget.exe
No output will be displayed nor logs appear in the diagoutput directory, it should go to c:\windows\temp if run as system.
No install commands work, or viewing version of winget
Drop out to a normal command prompt as admin user and it works fine.
Expected behavior
Packages should install - blogs from 2023 as discussed on this site, report it is working, with the only issue of the exe not being in a PATH system variable
Logs should appear for every run
Actual behavior
Fails to run without any errors reported
Environment
Windows Package Manager v1.8.1911
Windows: Windows.Desktop v10.0.22631.4037
Package: Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller v1.23.1911.0
Contributor guide
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
Reproduce the issue on the listed Windows 11 22H2 or 23H2 environments by launching winget.exe from a PsExec system command prompt, then compare it with an administrator prompt. Check whether output or logs appear in the WindowsApps diagnostic location or c:\windows\temp. Done means system-context execution reports a version and supports package installation with logs.
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
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 42/100