winunitd 0.3.0

winunitd 0.3.0

The first public release of the product MSI, WinUnit Manager, for Windows 11
Enterprise and Enterprise LTSC x64. It replaces the unsigned 0.2.1-beta package.
No Go or .NET runtime is needed on the destination.

The MSI is not code-signed yet, so Windows SmartScreen may warn when you open
it. Check the download instead:

# Compare with SHA256SUMS from this release.
Get-FileHash .\winunitd-0.3.0-x64.msi -Algorithm SHA256
# Confirm that this repository's release workflow built it from the v0.3.0 tag.
gh attestation verify .\winunitd-0.3.0-x64.msi --repo PLN/winunitd `
  --signer-workflow PLN/winunitd/.github/workflows/release.yml `
  --source-ref refs/tags/v0.3.0

Install

From an elevated terminal:

msiexec /i .\winunitd-0.3.0-x64.msi /qb

The package installs the LocalSystem winunitd service, puts winunitd.exe,
winctl.exe and winunit-notify.exe in %ProgramFiles%\winunitd\bin and adds
that folder to PATH (REMOVE=AddToPath opts out). Examples and documentation
are in %ProgramFiles%\winunitd\doc. No workload is enabled. See the
installation guide for repair, upgrade and removal.

From 0.2.1-beta: the MSI refuses to install while the beta is present.
Back up %ProgramData%\winunitd, stop the service, uninstall the beta, then
install 0.3.0. Units, enablement and logs carry over; enabled units start again
(details).

New since 0.2.1-beta

• Installer and servicing. Repair and in-place upgrade stop the service
  cleanly and roll back if the new version fails to start. Data under
  %ProgramData%\winunitd is kept across repair, upgrade and removal. The
  installer refuses conflicting services and unsafe directories, and an
  optional compatibility floor keeps unattended servicing from running an
  unsuitable build. The service writes a daemon log and Windows Application
  log events.
• Units. A cooperative stop command (ExecStop), repeatable oneshots,
  fixed or exponential restart backoff, loopback readiness probes and
  probe-based health checks, BindsTo, and an explicit unit format 2
  (FormatVersion=2) whose policies are listed in the
  unit reference. Timers handle calendar, boot and
  interval triggers across clock changes and DST. Journals stay within bounded
  disk use.
• Control. Start, stop and restart return operation IDs for
  winctl operation, and winctl cancel stops unfinished starts and
  restarts; a maintenance mode quiesces the manager for servicing;
  winctl capabilities reports the running build; status stays available
  under heavy load.
• User managers. Each admitted user gets a manager in their own session
  for their units under %LOCALAPPDATA%\winunitd. winctl enable-linger
  keeps a user's manager running without a sign-in. Both work for local and
  Active Directory domain accounts, including roaming profiles.

Limits

• Tested on Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC build 26100. Other editions, Windows
  Server and ARM64 are not supported yet; see SUPPORT.md.
• Microsoft Entra ID (cloud) accounts are not supported.
• A lingering user's services run without the user's credentials: network
  shares need credentials the service supplies, and DPAPI, Credential Manager
  and EFS are unavailable. While linger holds a roaming profile, the profile
  stops roaming on that machine
  (headless user managers).
• Experimental: the headless-store-uri linger mode,
  RequiresInteractiveSession, and persistent timers (Persistent=).
• Downgrades are refused.

Qualification

Each area was tested on disposable Windows guests. A pilot also ran a real
workload under the installed service, including a 24-hour soak and an upgrade
between two pilot builds. Before publication, this MSI was installed clean and
as an upgrade from the 0.1.1 pilot build on a disposable guest. The
milestones and the evidence documents they link record what
was tested and what was not.