Install directory permissions broken on non-English Windows systems

[DvdGiessen]

• Version: 16.4.1
• Platform: Windows

What steps will reproduce the bug?

• Install Node v16.4.1 on a non-English Windows system.

How often does it reproduce? Is there a required condition?

It always reproduces as far as I can tell.

What do you see?

Additional information

I presume this bug was introduced in e817ba7.

Core issue seems to be that Windows localizes names of built-in users and groups. On my non-English Windows system, there does not exist a group called "Authenticated Users". It exists using a localized name. Hence, the solution implemented in that commit will never work on non-English Windows systems.

Instead, we should probably use a SID to reference the correct group. See https://support.microsoft.com/kb/243330.

EDIT: Presumably also affects v14.17.2 and v12.22.2, as these seem to include this same change. Haven't checked.

EDIT2: To clarify; this completely breaks Node.js installs, make it unable to complete installation, and when upgrading will leave Node.js in a broken state.

Similar. Cannot upgrade from 14.17.1 to 14.17.2

[gusbarzi]

I also have the same problem, could you help me

[Theraa0]

Also just encountered this issue. Neither the long term support, nor the latest version work and give the same error message as in the images shared by DvdGiessen and web2933.

[striezel]

EDIT: Presumably also affects v14.17.2 and v12.22.2, as these seem to include this same change. Haven't checked.

For what it's worth: I encountered the same issue when trying to upgrade from 14.17.1 LTS to 14.17.2 LTS, x64 version of the installer. Operating system is Windows 10 Home Edition, version 20H2, 64 bit. Language is German.

Just making a guess here, but the problem may be related to commit d0b449d which includes a fix for "CVE-2021-22921: Windows installer - Node Installer Local Privilege Escalation (Medium)". At least that is the only change mentioned in the changelog for 14.17.2 and 16.4.1 that references installation on Windows systems.

[RamiroPastor]

Same problem here with both msi installers (32 and 64 bit) and Windows in spanish

[cecilemuller]

I can confirm it must be a recent change: 16.4.0 and older still work, only 16.4.1 produces this issue.

[ThadeuFerreira]

Is it possible to download the bug free version?

Or is there any workaround?

[Ayase-252]

@ThadeuFerreira

How about using https://github.com/coreybutler/nvm-windows to install Node.js?

[Lem0nRavioli]

EDIT: Presumably also affects v14.17.2 and v12.22.2, as these seem to include this same change. Haven't checked.

Thinking about that, i could bypass this error by installing a previous release: https://nodejs.org/download/release/v14.17.1/

[cecilemuller]

@ThadeuFerreira
Is it possible to download the bug free version?

The old versions are still available, for example:
https://nodejs.org/dist/v16.4.0/node-v16.4.0-x64.msi

[RubenFilipe07]

I got the same problem when trying to install the x64 versions 4.17.2 LTS and 16.4.1 on Windows 10 Home Single Language (21H1) (Brazilian Portuguese). But I managed to install normally the 4.17.1 version that I downloaded at: https://nodejs.org/dist/v14.17.1/node-v14.17.1-x64.msi