WAS runtime cannot be found/loaded by apps on Windows Server 2019 LTSC

[riverar]

Describe the bug
After installing the WAS runtime on Windows Server 2019 LTSC, apps attempting to bootstrap cannot locate the WAS runtime.

Are W.A.M.AppExtensions supported on LTSC? This doesn't work either (PowerShell):

[Windows.ApplicationModel.AppExtensions.AppExtensionCatalog,Windows.ApplicationModel,ContentType=WindowsRuntime]::Open(
"com.microsoft.reunion.ddlm-0.8-x64-p")

Steps to reproduce (C++)
TBD

Steps to reproduce (Rust)

1. Enable sideloading of packages via Settings
2. Deploy runtime .\ProjectReunion-0.8Preview-Install-x64.exe
3. git clone https://github.com/microsoft/windows-samples-rs/
4. cd windows-samples-rs/windows_app_sdk/skeleton
5. cargo run

Steps to reproduce (Pre-compiled, x64)

1. Enable sideloading of packages via Settings
2. Deploy runtime .\ProjectReunion-0.8Preview-Install-x64.exe
3. Download precompiled_skeleton.zip
4. Run skeleton.exe
5. Observe (self-imposed) error due to internal DDLM 0x80070490 "Element not found."

ProjectReunion-0.8Preview-Install-x64.exe
Windows Server 2019 17763.1

[Zymlex]

Same problem.

[DrusTheAxe]

Manifested windows.appExtension is in the uap3 namespace (i.e. a long time ago) and the AppExtension API is likewise supported for a long time so it's probably a server-specific issue.

After installing the WAS runtime on Windows Server 2019 LTSC

Did the installer successfully install the packages? You can verify from a command line

$(get-appxpackage *reunion*).packagefullname

and you should see the 2x Frameworks (x86+x64), 1x Main (x64) and 2x DDLM packages (x86+x64).

Do you have the Desktop Experience(?) enabled?

[Zymlex]

Microsoft.ProjectReunion.0.8-preview_8000.146.628.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Microsoft.ProjectReunion.0.8-preview_8000.146.628.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Microsoft.ProjectReunion.Main.0.8-preview_8000.146.628.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Microsoft.ProjectReunion.DDLM.8000.146.628.0-x8-p_8000.146.628.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Microsoft.ProjectReunion.DDLM.8000.146.628.0-x6-p_8000.146.628.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe

Do you have the Desktop Experience(?) enabled?

Yes

[riverar]

Yep, packages are installed.

Microsoft.ProjectReunion.0.8-preview_8000.146.628.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Microsoft.ProjectReunion.0.8-preview_8000.146.628.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Microsoft.ProjectReunion.Main.0.8-preview_8000.146.628.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Microsoft.ProjectReunion.DDLM.8000.146.628.0-x8-p_8000.146.628.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Microsoft.ProjectReunion.DDLM.8000.146.628.0-x6-p_8000.146.628.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe

WS19 LTSC w/ desktop experience.

[DrusTheAxe]

@riverar Does this issue repro with 1.0-preview1?

[riverar]

@DrusTheAxe Will get you an answer shortly.

[riverar]

@DrusTheAxe Same issue with 1.0-preview1. I'm not entirely convinced AppExtensions work at all on LTSC.

PowerShell exercising W.A.M.AppExtensions

[Windows.ApplicationModel.AppExtensions.AppExtensionCatalog,Windows.ApplicationModel,ContentType=WindowsRuntime]::Open(
"microsoft.winappruntime.ddlm-0.258.2116.0-x6-p1")

> Exception calling "Open" with "1" argument(s): "Element not found. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070490)"

Steps to reproduce (Rust)

1. Enable sideloading of packages via Settings
2. Deploy preview1 runtime for x86/x64
3. git clone https://github.com/riverar/was-repros
4. cd was_issue_1121
5. cargo run --release

Debugger output

D:\...\MddBootstrap.cpp(99)\Microsoft.WindowsAppRuntime.Bootstrap.dll!00007FFF8DA1034D:
(caller: 00007FF6CBF413BD) ReturnHr(1) tid(16bc) 80070490 Element not found.
    Msg:[winrt::hresult_error: Element not found.] 

[riverar]

@jvintzel Hey John, do you know if AppExtensions has known quirks on LTSC or is supported?

[jvintzel]

App Extensions are supported on 1809 LTSC and later. I am unaware of any quirks for them.

[riverar]

Err @DrusTheAxe is this expected to work for exp/prev releases?

WindowsAppSDK/dev/DynamicDependency/API/MddLifetimeManagement.cpp

Lines 121 to 126 in 5661c2d

	// Look for windows.appExtension with name="microsoft.winappruntime.ddlm-<majorversion>.<minorversion>-<shortarchitecture>[-shorttag]"
	// NOTE: We don't support VersionTag (i.e. we only support 'Stable' versions)
	WCHAR appExtensionName[100]{};
	wsprintf(appExtensionName, L"microsoft.winappruntime.ddlm-%hu.%hu-%s", majorVersion, minorVersion, shortArchitecture);
	auto catalog{ winrt::Windows::ApplicationModel::AppExtensions::AppExtensionCatalog::Open(appExtensionName) };

[pjc50]

I'm seeing the same as #1121 (comment) on desktop Windows 1909.

[DrusTheAxe]

I'm seeing the same as #1121 (comment) on desktop Windows 1909.

I suspect this is the same root problem. Software archeology in progress (i.e. I'm digging :P) to verify Windows Server 2019 LTSC is based on 19H1 then yes, this should be addressed by #1681

[DrusTheAxe]

I'm seeing the same as #1121 (comment) on desktop Windows 1909.

I suspect this is the same root problem. Software archeology in progress (i.e. I'm digging :P) to verify Windows Server 2019 LTSC is based on 19H1 then yes, this should be addressed by #1681

Confirmed. Kudos to wikipedia for the convenient reference:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Microsoft_Windows_versions#Server_versions

Server versions[edit]

Name	Release date	Version number	Editions	Latest build	End of support
Windows Server 2019	2018-11-13	1809	Windows Server 2019 EssentialsWindows Server 2019 StandardWindows Server 2019 Datacenter	17763	2024-01-09

Windows Server 2019 == 1809 == RS5

So yes, this should be addressed by #1681

[riverar]

@DrusTheAxe if you would like an extra set of eyes on this fix, ping me (and shoot over some build artifacts).