spesmilo / spesmilo/electrum

Installation inconsistency (Windows)

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build/packaging 📦 OS-windows 🪟 pull-request wanted 📣
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Python
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Description

Currently, installer performs a machine-wide installation (requiring UAC elevation) but writes its uninstall entries to 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER' registry key, which may confuse some software like package managers (WinGet is one of them).

I believe for proper consistency you should either:

  1. choose to install into user directory and leave HKCU as it is now (also disable UAC elevation in this case);
  2. choose to install into ProgramFiles as it is now but use HKLM ('HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE') for uninstall entries so that any admin on PC can uninstall the software, not only the one who installed it.

Also, some installers support both types of installation at the same time via command-line arguments like '/CURRENTUSER' and '/ALLUSERS'.

Contributor guide

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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 locating the Windows installer implementation and its handling of ProgramFiles, UAC elevation, and uninstall entries in HKCU or HKLM. Compare the current behavior with the two installation models described, then confirm the chosen model or command-line options and test that installation and uninstallation use consistent scope.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
desktop, release
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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