setup-python fails to install 3.11 on Windows Server 2022 21H1 self-hosted runner

[grossag]

Description: I am unable to

Action version: actions/setup-python@v4

Platform:

• [ ] Ubuntu
• [ ] macOS
• [x] Windows

Runner type:

• [ ] Hosted
• [x] Self-hosted

Tools version: I have only tested with 3.11.

Repro steps:
I have a Windows Server 2022 21H1 self-hosted runner. I made sure to have the runner be registered as a service using the default service identity (which matches what is recommended in documentation).

Expected behavior: I expect it to succeed, because Windows Server 2022 is supported by GitHub-hosted runners. However, I am unsure if this specific version of Server 2022 (21H1) is supported by actions/setup-python.

Actual behavior: Installation is failing. I have attached a log snippet showing the run of setup-python: setup-python-log-snippet.txt

Let me know if you want more logs. I turned on actions debugging using both ACTIONS_RUNNER_DEBUG=true and ACTIONS_STEP_DEBUG=true but I am not sure where to find the debug logs.

[dmitry-shibanov]

Hello @grossag. Thank you for your report. I have some questions:

• Did you configure your user on self-hosted runner as an administrator?
• Does it fail only on 3.11 or for the other versions too?

[grossag]

Hello @grossag. Thank you for your report. I have some questions:

• Did you configure your user on self-hosted runner as an administrator?

Yeah, it's running as admin / service.

• Does it fail only on 3.11 or for the other versions too?

I tested 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, and 3.12 and they all failed.

[mpaulic]

We are experiencing the same issue with our runners as well on Windows Server 2019.

[complexsplit]

Anyone find a solution for this? We are encountering the same. Windows Server 2022 21H2 OS build 20348.2655

[priya-kinthali]

Hello everyone👋,
 I apologize for the delay in response. I've conducted several tests to replicate the issue you're experiencing, but all tests have run successfully on my end. Here are the links to my test runs:

• Test Run with Different Python Versions
• Test Run with Cache
• Another Test Run with Different Python Versions
• Another Test Run with Cache

No issues were encountered during these runs. However, the error you're experiencing could be due to the following reasons:

• Network Issues: Interruptions during the download process or issues with the file source could prevent the runner from successfully downloading and installing Python.
• Disk Space: Ensure that the runner has sufficient disk space. Lack of adequate space can hinder the installation of Python and other necessary packages.
• Concurrency Issues: If multiple processes attempt to access or modify the same resources (such as the Python installation directory), it could lead to conflicts and cause the installation to fail.

For troubleshooting, I recommend re-running the job and trying different Python versions and actions/setup-python@v5. Also, clear any existing tool cache in your runner using the following snippet and re-run the workflow:

- name: Clear any existing tool cache
  run: |
    mv "${{ runner.tool_cache }}" "${{ runner.tool_cache }}.old"
    mkdir -p "${{ runner.tool_cache }}"

I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.

[priya-kinthali]

Hello @grossag 👋, Just a gentle reminder. Could you please let us know if you had a chance to try the troubleshooting steps mentioned in my previous comment and check if the issue has been resolved? Thankyou!

[grossag]

Hi @priya-kinthali , sorry, I no longer have the setup to be able to test this. We are not running into this issue anymore because we don't use setup-python on Windows anymore due to the admin requirement.

[priya-kinthali]

Hello @grossag 👋, Thank you for the update. Since this issue is no longer relevant, we will proceed to close it. In case of any concerns, please feel free to reopen this issue or create a new one. Thanks!