[Bug]: WAU Prerequisites always wants to install MS Visual C++ 2015-2022 again and again

[Git-Hub-AS]

The problem

Every RUN of WAU "MS Visual C++ 2015-2022" is detected to be not installed, is downloaded and is not installed because a newer version with the name "Microsoft Visual C++ v14 Redistributable (x64)" is installed, but in the log you see the entry successfully installed.

If you manually download https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/VC_redist.x64.exe and run it it will show the error...

In the log files you always see this entries:

13:22:23 - Checking prerequisites...
13:22:23 - MS Visual C++ 2015-2022 is not installed
13:22:23 - -> Downloading https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/VC_redist.x64.exe...
13:22:26 - -> Installing VC_redist.x64.exe...
13:22:27 - -> MS Visual C++ 2015-2022 installed successfully.
13:22:28 - WinGet installed version: 1.12.350 | WinGet available version: 1.12.350
13:22:28 - -> WinGet is up to date.
13:22:28 - Prerequisites checked. OK
13:22:28 - Selected winget instance: C:\Program......
13:22:28 - WAU current version: 2.8.0
13:22:28 - WAU AutoUpdate is Enabled.
13:22:28 - WAU is up to date.

What version of WAU has the issue?

WAU 2.8.0 and WAU 2.9.0-1 [Nightly Build] looks too

What version of Windows are you using (ex. Windows 11 22H2)?

Windows 11 25H2

What version of winget are you using?

1.12.350

Log information

Winget:

Name                                                                    Id                                                                 Version             Available           Source
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Visual C++ v14 Redistributable (x64) - 14.50.35719            Microsoft.VCRedist.2015+.x64                                       14.50.35719.0                           winget


Registry:
Microsoft Visual C++ v14 Redistributable (x64) - 14.50.35719

Additional information

Microsoft changed the naming: the Visual C++ 2015-2022 runtime is now named "Visual C++ v14"

Info from here:
https://www.techpowerup.com/download/visual-c-redistributable-runtime-package-all-in-one/

[rpodric]

It's worth pointing out more specifically what error you get when you try to install VC_redist.x64.exe manually (not that it makes any sense to want to install 2015-2022, since it's superseded):

https://i.imgur.com/7LsyXxB.png

WAU must not be aware of the name change, though that doesn't explain why it thinks that it successfully installed it. I haven't had this test install long enough to see it repeat, but I guess that would make sense since it wasn't installed and it doesn't know that it's not needed in the case when v14 exists.

Tested with v2.9.1.

[Git-Hub-AS]

Sorry for not explaining it in more detail... it was the first bug report I ever made.

As far as I can see in the source code, it checks for "Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable*" and if WAU thinks it's not installed, it downloads it from the internet, tries to install it, fails...

In principle, that doesn't matter, except that a download always takes place, I suppose.

Why it says “Successfully” in the log is a good question; presumably, it is not evaluated correctly in the script.

However, there are no problems with WAU, since the new version is already installed.

I get the “error” every time in the Log I run WAU or WAU runs automatically, and it only started after v14 was installed because the name in the registry changes.

Thanks for adding the screenshot @rpodric

I'm not a programming specialist, I just wanted to point this out so that a developer could take a look at it @Romanitho @KnifMelti

https://github.com/Romanitho/Winget-AutoUpdate/blob/develop/Sources/Winget-AutoUpdate/functions/Install-Prerequisites.ps1

    # === Check Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable ===
    $Visual2022 = "Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable*"
    $VisualMinVer = "14.40.0.0"
    $path = Get-Item HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*, HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | Where-Object { $_.GetValue("DisplayName") -like $Visual2022 -and $_.GetValue("DisplayVersion") -gt $VisualMinVer }

[Romanitho]

Thanks for pointing this out. Same issue on my PC. I'll have a look at home tonight.