any winget command does nothing!

[youngunix]

Brief description of your issue

Issuing commands such as winget upgrade -r -u or winget list does nothing, just the cursor blinking. I tried installing winget via Add-AppxPackage -Patch C:\Users\dev\Downloads\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe.msixbundle and still nothing.

I am also noticing that explorer freezes on launch and is unusable & launching notepad does nothing.

Prior to this issue:

• tried installing KB5035853 but keeps failing.
• installed Visual Studio 2022 and VirtualBox.
• applied a few GPs (list below).

---

• Configure enhanced anti-spoofing Disabled
• Allow the use of biometrics Disabled
• Allow users to log on using biometrics Disabled
• Allow domain users to log on using biometrics Disabled
• Specify timeout for fast user switching events Disabled
• Allow Microsoft Edge to pre-launch at Windows startup, when the system is idle, and each time Microsoft Edge is closed Disabled
• Allow Saving History Disabled
• Allow Microsoft Edge to start and load the Start and New Tab page at Windows startup and each time Microsoft Edge is closed Disabled
• Allow extended telemetry for the Books tab Disabled
• Allow Automatic Update of Speech Data Disabled
• Allow enumeration of emulated smart card for all users Disabled
• Use Windows Hello for Business certificates as smart card certificates Disabled
• Use Windows Hello for Business Disabled
• Allow remote server management through WinRM Disabled
• Allow Remote Shell Access Disabled
• Prevent enabling lock screen camera Enabled
• Turn off Application Telemetry Enabled
• Turn off Inventory Collector Enabled
• Turn off Steps Recorder Enabled
• Turn off Windows Location Provider Enabled
• Turn off location scripting Enabled
• Turn off location Enabled
• Turn off unsolicited network traffic on the Offline Maps settings page Enabled
• Turn off Automatic Download and Update of Map Data Enabled
• Prevent the First Run webpage from opening on Microsoft Edge Enabled
• Prevent Microsoft Edge from gathering Live Tile information when pinning a site to Start Enabled
• Turn off smart card emulation Enabled
• Disallow WinRM from storing RunAs credentials Enabled
• Allow clipboard sharing with Windows Sandbox Enabled
• Allow networking in Windows Sandbox Enabled
• Do not include drivers with Windows Updates Enabled

Steps to reproduce

undetermined.

Expected behavior

execute the commands successfully and output the results.

Actual behavior

nothing happens.

Environment

can't get the packages info since winget and get-appxpackage are not working.

Windows 11
version 23H2

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• Winget doesn't work (#3894), similarity score: 0.76

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[Trenly]

Can you share the output from the following command? I find it very odd that Get-AppxPackage wouldn't be working, as that has nothing to do with winget. Does Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.UI.Xaml* work?

systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Name" /B /C:"OS Version"

[youngunix]

Can you share the output from the following command? I find it very odd that Get-AppxPackage wouldn't be working, as that has nothing to do with winget. Does Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.UI.Xaml* work?

systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Name" /B /C:"OS Version"

It has been over 5min and Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.UI.Xaml* still hanging with no output.

OS Name: Microsoft Windows 11 Enterprise
OS Version: 10.0.22631 N/A Build 22631

[Trenly]

Definitely seems like it must be something on the OS side then, since the Get-AppxPackage shouldn't hang like that. Explorer also shouldn't be freezing on launch. The only thing I can think may help fix those issues is a clean install

[youngunix]

Well, the command Get-AppxPackage *Microsoft.UI.Xaml* just now displayed the output but it's still hanging, which means it's still searching or working on whatever it needs to do.

I want to blame the SSD but it's not fair since 3rd party apps work fine.

I am suspecting one of the group policies I activated is the culprit.

[youngunix]

I wasn't able to figure out what caused this issue, but I was able to solve it.

Steps to fix this problem if anyone finds themselves in the same situation:

1. Download the Win 11 installation ISO.
2. Extract it (or mount it).
3. Run the setup.exe as administrator.
4. At the setup.exe window, click on "Change how Setup downloads updates".
5. Choose "Download updates, drivers and optional features (recommended)".
6. At the "Ready to install" window, make sure "Install Windows 11 Enterprise" and "Keep personal files and apps" are checked.
7. click "Next" and let it do its thing.