Setup: fall back when Windows' tar.exe is missing #1896

Closed

opened 2026-11-10 19:48:01 +00:00 by NotRexed · 1 comment

NotRexed commented

2026-11-10 19:48:01 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

Reported on Discord (Windows).

What happens: setup stops with Could not start Windows' tar.exe (Windows error 2). Error 2 means the file isn't there: C:\Windows\System32\tar.exe is missing on that PC. It ships with Windows 10 (1803 and later) and Windows 11, so it was most likely removed by a "debloat" or system-cleaning tool.

What's needed: when tar.exe isn't found, the setup should fall back to extracting the parts itself (for example with its own extractor) instead of stopping, or at least say clearly that Windows' tar.exe is missing and how to restore it.

Work-around: restore the missing Windows system files. In a Command Prompt run as administrator:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

then restart Windows and run the setup again.

Reported on Discord (Windows). **What happens:** setup stops with `Could not start Windows' tar.exe (Windows error 2)`. Error 2 means the file isn't there: `C:\Windows\System32\tar.exe` is missing on that PC. It ships with Windows 10 (1803 and later) and Windows 11, so it was most likely removed by a "debloat" or system-cleaning tool. **What's needed:** when tar.exe isn't found, the setup should fall back to extracting the parts itself (for example with its own extractor) instead of stopping, or at least say clearly that Windows' tar.exe is missing and how to restore it. **Work-around:** restore the missing Windows system files. In a Command Prompt run as administrator: ``` DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth sfc /scannow ``` then restart Windows and run the setup again.

NotRexed commented

2026-11-11 21:24:11 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

Thanks for the report. Reports of the same problem are now collected in #2505, which lists this one with your details and links back here, so one fix closes them together and the open list stays readable. Follow #2505 for the fix, and add new details there (or here). If this turns out to be a separate problem it will be reopened.

Commenting is not possible because the repository is archived.