fix(self-update): minimal asInvoker manifest — stop uffs-update.exe SxS crash (os error 14001)#456
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…xS crash (os error 14001) The asInvoker manifest added in #454 (to defeat Installer Detection / os error 740) made the cross-compiled uffs-update.exe fail to *start at all* on Windows with ERROR_SXS_CANT_GEN_ACTCTX (os error 14001, "side-by-side configuration is incorrect"). Every invocation died, including the apply-phase smoke test (`uffs-update --version`), so `uffs --update` rolled back with "smoke test failed for uffs-update". Root cause: the richer manifest carried `<assemblyIdentity>` (plus a `<compatibility>` supportedOS block and `<windowsSettings>`). `<assemblyIdentity>` in an application manifest makes the loader attempt a side-by-side assembly resolution that fails for a plain console binary — ERROR_SXS_CANT_GEN_ACTCTX. Fix: strip the manifest to the single thing this helper needs — a `trustInfo`/`asInvoker` block — removing every SxS activation-context surface. This keeps the #454 740-fix (asInvoker still defeats Installer Detection) while eliminating the 14001 crash. Verified by cross-compiling (cargo xwin) and inspecting the embedded PE manifest: `requestedExecutionLevel level="asInvoker"` present; zero real `<assemblyIdentity type=>` / `<supportedOS Id=>` elements. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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…S 14001 cause (#457) The actual root cause of uffs-update.exe failing to start with ERROR_SXS_CANT_GEN_ACTCTX (os error 14001, "Invalid Xml syntax ... on line 1") was a literal double hyphen inside the manifest's XML comment: the comment body contained the example CLI invocation `uffs --update`, and XML forbids "--" anywhere inside a <!-- --> comment. Windows' strict side-by-side manifest parser rejected the whole manifest. This was present in BOTH the original #454 manifest and the #456 "minimal" rewrite — both carried that same `uffs --update` line in the comment — which is why #456 (dropping <assemblyIdentity>) did not fix it. The Application event log (SideBySide id 59) pinpointed it: "Error in manifest or policy file ... on line 1. Invalid Xml syntax." Fix: reword the comment so no "--" appears in the body, and add an explicit DO-NOT-USE-double-hyphen warning so this never regresses. Verified by extracting the embedded RT_MANIFEST from a freshly cross-compiled uffs-update.exe and running `xmllint --noout` on it: now well-formed (previously malformed). asInvoker is retained, so the #454 Installer-Detection / os error 740 fix still stands. Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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Problem
After #454 shipped (v0.6.9),
uffs-update.exefails to start at all on Windows:Every invocation dies — including the apply-phase smoke test (
uffs-update --version) — souffs --updaterolls back with "smoke test failed for uffs-update". The self-updater can't even update itself.Root cause
The asInvoker manifest added in #454 (to defeat Installer Detection /
os error 740) also carried<assemblyIdentity>, a<compatibility>supportedOS block, and<windowsSettings>.<assemblyIdentity>in an application manifest makes the loader attempt a side-by-side assembly resolution that fails for a plain console binary →ERROR_SXS_CANT_GEN_ACTCTX(14001).uffs.exehappened to survive the same elements, butuffs-update.exedid not — so rather than chase the exact divergence, strip the manifest to only what this helper needs.Fix
Reduce
app.manifestto a singletrustInfo/asInvokerblock — removing every SxS activation-context surface (assemblyIdentity,compatibility,windowsSettings). This:asInvokerstill defeats Installer Detection (no moreos error 740), andVerification
Cross-compiled with
cargo xwinand inspected the embedded PE manifest:requestedExecutionLevel level="asInvoker"— present (1)<assemblyIdentity type=>— 0<supportedOS Id=>— 0🤖 Generated with Claude Code