Latest windows installer installing 32 bit version/Program Files (x86) on 64 bit systems

[hj-collab]

What is the issue?

Latest windows installer installing 32 bit version/Program Files (x86) on 64 bit systems.

Steps to reproduce

1. Visit Tailscale Website.
2. Download Windows Installer.
3. Install on a 64 bit system.
4. Notice the installation location.

Are there any recent changes that introduced the issue?

Not sure. May be recent updates. I am coming back to Tailscale after a few months. So not sure.

OS

Windows

OS version

Windows 11 22H2

Tailscale version

1.34.0

Bug report

No response

[bradfitz]

Which installer? MSI or NSIS (exe)?

cc @dblohm7

[hj-collab]

Hi @bradfitz

Thanks for your prompt reply. It's nice to see when some body is so passionate about their product and the company.

Installer available on the website. https://pkgs.tailscale.com/stable/tailscale-ipn-setup-1.34.0.exe

I didn't see the MSI installer on the website. I am right now using the MSI installer for unstable package and that of course will install in the correct location.

[hj-collab]

Just realized there are MSI packages available for the stable version here. https://pkgs.tailscale.com/stable/#windows

Hopefully we will see Tailscale on MS Store in the next year. It will reduce lot of friction we have right now to update the app to newer version with the frequent release cycle (which is good of course) and getting it to work properly with WDAC.

[hj-collab]

I see the bug is also there in the unstable release of the normal installer.

I can use the MSI installer instead but it does not play well with WDAC. MSI installer creates unsigned .tmp files in C:\Windows\Installer which does allow the installer to complete the installation.

[hj-collab]

Is it not a priority to fix an issue where the program is being installed in the wrong location?

[DentonGentry]

I understand that you want a fix. Current efforts are going in to the MSI installer. This is the first report we have of issues with Windows Defender; you're not able to install the MSI at all?

[DentonGentry]

We have not been able to reproduce an issue with Windows Defender, after looking into it during #6996

[DentonGentry]

I believe the 32bit / 64bit issue was fixed by https://github.com/tailscale/corp/pull/10889 (which you won't be able to see, sorry) in Tailscale release 1.40 and later.

Barring further comment, we'll expect to close this during the next regular bug scrub.

[hj-collab]

@DentonGentry Thanks! It is fixed.