Missing winget.exe on server 2019 install

[matsmcp]

Brief description of your issue

I'm trying to install winget on a server2019 box to start eval if winget may be the right product to solve in issue we have (CDN kind of thing)

Steps to reproduce

install a server 2019 ( I used the en_windows_server_2019_updated_nov_2020_x64_dvd_8600b05f.iso media)
I then tried to install Winget using Add-AppxPackage .\desktop\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe.appxbundle

It gave me an Error about missing Visual C so I went to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/cpp/c-runtime-packages-desktop-bridge#how-to-install-and-update-desktop-framework-packages and downloaded the X64 package.

That package was installed with Add-AppxPackage .\desktop\Microsoft.VCLibs.x64.14.00.Desktop.appx
After that the Add-AppxPackage .\desktop\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe.appxbundle ran without any errors

The system was rebooted and now I expected winget to work in a cmd window. It does not.
C:\Users\Administrator>winget
'winget' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

to verify that the exe is missing
C:>dir /S winget.*
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is 0AE8-B414
File Not Found

C:>

Expected behavior

winget starting

Actual behavior

See reproduce

Environment

Server 2019
Build: 17763.1577
Server installed for this test so only server 2019 iso (desktop experience) + Microsoft.VCLibs.x64.14.00.Desktop.appx + Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe.appxbundle installed
User: Administrator
Stand-alone server so no GPO or desired state

[nataz77]

I'm having the same issue on a fresh new Server 2019 VM, but I'm not sure if winget it's supposed to work on Server versions.
The README says:

The client requires Windows 10 1709 (build 16299) or later at this time.

so, build-wise Server 2019 should be fine.

I tried following the solutions found in #210, and what I found is that even though the execution alias is registered and enabled, the
%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\ folder is empty.

Again, I'm not sure winget has been tested and it's supposed to work on Server versions.

[Karl-WE]

see also #702

[codefromthecrypt]

@denelon please prioritize this so that it doesn't slip further. While there is a workaround from @al-cheb, and I appreciate it, it is a pile of copy/paste which everyone will need to do meanwhile actions/runner-images#910 (comment)

[Karl-WE]

very much our customers would be amazed if we could provide winget as a unified solution for updating their public apps. Many of these do not afford patchmypc, configmgr etc.

Server 2019 and Server 2022 should be supported and I do not see many technical restrictions.
I have tried to install it manually and it works, something more offical would be great.

[unquietwiki]

Using the page @Karl-WE posted on another comment, I do notice for my environment, C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_1.12.11692.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe was generated; but the EXEs act like #1328. I also am unclear how these EXE names translate to WinGet in the first place.

PS C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_1.12.11692.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe> .\AppInstaller.exe
Program 'AppInstaller.exe' failed to run: Access is deniedAt line:1 char:1
+ .\AppInstaller.exe
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
At line:1 char:1
+ .\AppInstaller.exe
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [], ApplicationFailedException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandFailed

PS C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_1.12.11692.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe> .\AppInstallerCLI.exe
Program 'AppInstallerCLI.exe' failed to run: Access is deniedAt line:1 char:1
+ .\AppInstallerCLI.exe
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
At line:1 char:1
+ .\AppInstallerCLI.exe
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [], ApplicationFailedException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : NativeCommandFailed

Edit: looks like #712 is more like this error.

[Karl-WE]

I have tried it again on a Server 2022 release but no luck. This time it tells me I have a missing license when running winget.

[Karl-WE]

"how this exe names translate to winget".
There's a thing in settings app called app alias. I believe this is responsible.
@unquietwiki

[denelon]

@Karl-WE we aren't targeting server builds, but we do publish the license for offline installation.

[vtron21]

@Karl-WE we aren't targeting server builds, but we do publish the license for offline installation.

Is this a we will never thing, or a just not right now thing. With the drop of the Windows Store for business site After 2023 we won't be able to install some windows store apps on server, like snip and sketch, photos, calculator etc. These are great to haves for remote desktop services.

[denelon]

@vtron it's a not right now thing. I don't have an ETA, but we have quite a bit of work to do related to polish, PowerShell support, and other Windows Package Manager product work to complete first. I'm sure you've been seeing some of the work related to the Microsoft Store and the Windows Package Manager. The store source for the Windows Package Manager is still experimental, and we have several other big challenges with respect to paid apps and entitlements to address. Intune integration is coming.

[vtron21]

@denelon I've only just started looking at the package manager and was trying it on a server. This is where I do most of my app install management. But good to know it is on the road map.

[alexchandel]

Please fix this and support Windows Server. Servers are where this is MOST useful. It is truly insane that time and time again, MS develops these useful things, then completely botches the distribution.

[Karl-WE]

Alex, I feel your pain and I see it the same. There are many other examples that do not make sense as they are. Sconfig is recoded from WSH to PowerShell but cannot be run in PS Remoting session things like that.

While there is no official support for Winget on Server it is possible to install it, see above.

[alexchandel]

@Karl-WE Thank you. The file referenced above, Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller_8wekyb3d8bbwe.appxbundle, no longer seems to be part of the distribution. What are the current unsupported install steps?

[Karl-WE]

Wonder when this changed without app installer you cannot install winget.
What if you dl the license file from above and the latest MSIX of winget?

[denelon]

Based on my initial findings, we will not be able to support Windows Package Manager on Windows Server 2019.

The Windows Package Manager on Windows Server 2022 should be considered experimental only and thus also not supported, but it may be possible in the future. I'm still identifying gaps and risks. I will continue collecting feedback from customers and communicating the aggregated demand.

We are working on integration with Intune, and continuing to make improvements with the Microsoft Store. Full support for Delivery Optimization is also in progress.

@matsmcp would you prefer to close this issue, or mark it as a duplicate of 702?

[ghost]

@matsmcp this issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has been marked as requiring author feedback but has not had any activity for 7 days. It will be closed if no further activity occurs within 7 days of this comment.

[alexchandel]

winget doesn't work on Server 2022 either. It would be nice to have it on Server 2019.

[ItzLevvie]

winget doesn't work on Server 2022 either. It would be nice to have it on Server 2019.
winget already doesn't work on servers

If you have followed these instructions: #1781. It should work.

I tried it on Windows Server 2019, and on Windows Server 2022, and it works completely fine for me.

@vedantmgoyal2009's pipelines also runs on Windows Server 2019, or Windows Server 2022, and you can see the way his pipelines are setup: https://github.com/vedantmgoyal2009/winget-pkgs-automation/blob/main/scripts/Automation.ps1

There likely won't be official support for WinGet on Windows Server for a while because Windows Server editions don't have built-in Microsoft Store and, at the moment, you really cannot bundle license files in APPX/MSIX to make the installation easier.

Please support Server 2022.

Article you posted (i.e. from #702 (comment)) has instructions on how to get it up and running on Windows Server 2022.

For Windows Server 2019, you will likely need to setup AEA (App Execution Alias) for WinGet using instructions from #144 (comment) because Windows Server 2019 doesn't have support for AEA, so you've to manually do that yourself. I believe this isn't an issue for Windows Server 2022.

If you're having PATH issues with 2022, you can just force WindowsApps into your PATH.

[matsmcp]

The usecase we was looking at was to use winget as a central repository for a number of different domains with no trust or federation between them. These domains are airgapped against internet and the same Ip range can be used in multiple nets/domains.

For this Scenario we currently are tracking three blocking issues:

• This issue that blocks use on our 2019 servers requiring us to have another solution for them - kind of defeats the idea
  of one central solution

• The issue with Winget not working over SSH or WinRM While in SSH, running WinGet raises the ResourceUnavailable error. #513 and Doesn't run under WinRM #256 (since it doesn't work under WinRM either it
  shows it's not a SSH issue)

• No Working reference implementation of a Rest server. The only example I have seen requires azure and since we
  must do it airgapped that can't be used. I'm not saying that there isn't such an implementation - Just that We haven't
  found one yet

I still believe that the fix for the two first issues is to drop the appx packaging and make it a standard MSI instead. And since the store now supports them a MSI based package would work online, offline and over SSH/WinRM

Issue three takes some more work