Bug with Scheduled Tasks and Start Menu Shortcuts not being added

[WalterSobchak9515]

As the title states, there is a bug where the start menu shortcuts don't get added and the scheduled tasks don't get created randomly. However, the GPO's are being applied successfully, for instance if you check the registry the startmenushortcut is set to 1. Randomly works for some machines, randomly doesn't for others.

It was described here: Romanitho#764

Any fix for that yet?

[WalterSobchak9515]

Also, on these failed machines, they also only have a logs folder in this location and that folder only has the install log because updates haven't happened yet due to it being broken. All other files (PS scripts, includedapps, etc) and folders (config, icons, mods, etc.) are missing.

Path: C:\ProgramData\Winget-AutoUpdate

Running newest version you have out, 1.06.0036, which is winget aas version - 1.21.13

[WalterSobchak9515]

There seems to be a flaw in the logic of the Refresh-WingetConfiguration.ps1 powershell script. This is why scheduled tasks and start menu items aren't getting created.

It has to do with this specific if/else statement:

if ( $commandLineArguments -ne $previousCommandLineArguments ) {
    if ( $configuration.ReinstallOnRefresh ) {
        iex $uninstallCommand;
        Write-LogFile "Removed WAU for Reinstall." -Severity 1
    }
    iex $installCommand;
    Write-LogFile "Updated WAU." -Severity 1

    $wauWrapperEXE = Get-WAUWrapperEXE;
    Write-LogFile -InputObject "Retrived wrapper exe $wauWrapperEXE." -Severity 1

    # Overwrite original Winget Tasks with WAUC Tasks. This is allows configuring WAUC as a managed installer.
    $RunWingetAutoupdateAction = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute $wauWrapperEXE -Argument "[ARGSSELECTOR|winget-upgrade]"

    #$UserRunWingetAutoupdateAction = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "$scriptlocation\WinGet-AutoUpdate-Configurator\Winget-AutoUpdate.exe" -Argument "user-run"
    $NotifyUserAction = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute $wauWrapperEXE -Argument "[ARGSSELECTOR|notify-user]"
    Set-ScheduledTask -TaskName "WAU\Winget-Autoupdate" -Action $RunWingetAutoupdateAction
    
    if ( $configuration.InstallUserContext ) {
        Set-ScheduledTask -TaskName "WAU\Winget-AutoUpdate-UserContext" -Action $RunWingetAutoupdateAction -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    }
    Set-ScheduledTask -TaskName "WAU\Winget-AutoUpdate-Notify" -Action $NotifyUserAction -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    Write-LogFile "Set Winget-Autoupdate tasks to run $wauWrapperEXE." -Severity 1

    if ( $commandLineArguments -match "-StartMenuShortcut" ) {
        Set-Shortcut -Target $wauWrapperEXE -Shortcut "${env:ProgramData}\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Winget-AutoUpdate (WAU)\WAU - Check for updated Apps.lnk" -Arguments "[ARGSSELECTOR|user-run]"
        Set-Shortcut -Target $wauWrapperEXE -Shortcut "${env:ProgramData}\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Winget-AutoUpdate (WAU)\WAU - Open logs.lnk" -Arguments "[ARGSSELECTOR|user-run] -Logs"
        Set-Shortcut -Target $wauWrapperEXE -Shortcut "${env:ProgramData}\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Winget-AutoUpdate (WAU)\WAU - Web Help.lnk" -Arguments "[ARGSSELECTOR|user-run] -Help"
        Write-LogFile "Modified start menu shortcuts to run $wauWrapperEXE." -Severity 1
   }

   if ( $commandLineArguments -match "-DesktopShortcut" ) {
        Set-Shortcut -Target $wauWrapperEXE -Shortcut "${env:Public}\Desktop\WAU - Check for updated Apps.lnk" -Arguments "[ARGSSELECTOR|user-run]"
        Write-LogFile "Modified desktop shortcuts to run $wauWrapperEXE." -Severity 1
   }

   if ( $configuration."PinWAUInstallation" -eq 1 ) {
& winget pin add --id Romanitho.Winget-AutoUpdate | Out-Null;
   } elseif ( $configuration."PinWAUInstallation" -eq 0 ) {
& winget pin remove --id Romanitho.Winget-AutoUpdate | Out-Null;
   }

   # Run WAU in case it is not specified otherwise.
   if ( $configuration.DoNotUpdate -ne 0 ) {
        Start-ScheduledTask -TaskName "Winget-Autoupdate";
        Write-LogFile "Starting Winget Autoupdate after setup $wauWrapperEXE." -Severity 1
   }
} else {
    Write-LogFile "Skipped updating WAU." -Severity 1
}

So the issue is that the variable $commandLineArguments actually equals the variable $previousCommandLineArguments, so it skips the creation of the scheduled tasks and start menu items. And as I stated above, all of the stuff that should be in "C:\ProgramData\Winget-AutoUpdate" isn't there, all files and folders are missing except for the "log" folder in that location.

I have completely reconfigured the logic so that it checks for the scheduled tasks and creates them if they don't exist, regardless of the value of $commandlinearguments. I also added logic to check for start menu folder and icons add the start menu icons back, both of those functions are outside of the if/else statement so that it always runs.

It now does what it should, creates the tasks and start menu items, however, I had to copy all the files for "C:\programdata\winget-autoupdate" manually. And still when I run, it bypasses the whitelist even though the registry settings are all correct from the GPO showing to use a whitelist and no blacklist setting set.

No matter what it still just acts as if UseWhitelist isn't enabled when it is. In the logs it also says: WAU uses Black List config but it isn't set to do that.

I have quite a bit of machines in this state where WAU is just straight broken on them and no matter what you do, it uses a blacklist instead of a whitelist as it is set to do. Not sure what is broken with this fork, but something definitely is. It's random whether it deploys correctly to a mass number of machines or is broken on them.

I haven't gotten a response to this after a few days. I guess I don't have much of a choice except abandoning this project and going back to the original WAU from Ramanitho. It now has GPO support too and is updated much more often.

[mertozsoy]

@Weatherlights can you give an answer on this?

@WalterSobchak9515 were you able to solve this problem? I am having the same problem

[WalterSobchak9515]

Nope! I am currently in the middle of abandoning this fork altogether and replacing it with the original WAU from Romanitho as it now has GPO support too.

The issue I am having is that intune "tattoos" the GPO in their settings once you deploy it. So even filtered machines from the GPO, the GPO still gets partially pushed to machines. Working on that when I get more time and can provide updates at that time.

[Weatherlights]

@Weatherlights can you give an answer on this?

@WalterSobchak9515 were you able to solve this problem? I am having the same problem

Hey. I was currently in the middle of updating to WAU 2.8.0. That was a lot of work since I had to redesign many aspects of the architecture.

But you guys are totally right that logic would be more robust when the statement would not be included within this block. I will implement this asap.

Btw: You can open this stuff as Issue this way it comes faster to my attention :)/