DotNet test runs fail for a x86 projects - Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App (net core 6) is missing on windows-latest runner,

[kerrywicks]

Description:
This has been an issue since Wednesday 22nd November. DotNet test runs fail for a x86 projects with an error message stating that Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App (net core 6) is missing on windows-latest (github action) runner.

This issue was raised here: actions/runner-images#8859 (reported as an Azure devops issue), but was closed with a claim that it is not image related, and it was recommended to raise the issue here. I'm hoping this is the right place to raise this! If I should raise this elsewhere, please let me know and feel free to close this.

Task version:
setup-dotnet@v3

Platform:
Windows

Runner type:
Hosted - github action + Azure devops

Repro steps:
Here are the tasks I am attempting to run:

# Setup
- name: Install .NET Core
  uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v3
  with:
    dotnet-version: 6.0.x

This task does pass, but gives the message:

dotnet-install: .NET Core SDK with version '6.0.417' is already installed.

The next task is to run the unit tests for a windows app project:

- name: Execute Domino.UnitTests.LabelFacade
  run: dotnet test ".\Mozart\Domino.UnitTests.LabelFacade\bin\x86\Release\net6.0-windows\Domino.UnitTests.LabelFacade.dll" --verbosity m

This task fails with the following message:

Testhost process for source(s) 'D:\a\DA-development\DA-development.\Mozart\Domino.UnitTests.LabelFacade\bin\x86\Release\net6.0-windows\Domino.UnitTests.LabelFacade.dll' exited with error: You must install or update .NET to run this application.
App: D:\a\DA-development\DA-development\Mozart\Domino.UnitTests.LabelFacade\bin\x86\Release\net6.0-windows\testhost.x86.exe
Architecture: x86
Framework: 'Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App', version '6.0.0' (x86)
.NET location: C:\Program Files (x86)\dotnet
The following frameworks were found:
8.0.0 at [C:\Program Files (x86)\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App]

Expected behavior:
I'd expect .net 6 to install if it is in fact missing for both x86 and x64, and as such I would expect the testhost to be able to run tests successfully.

Actual behavior:
The image thinks that .Net is installed at the requested version - however, the x86 portion for .net tests seem to be missing. Note that x86 non-test projects build and run successfully as expected.

[Dusan Trickovic]

Hello, @kerrywicks ! Thank you for reporting this issue, we will look into it :)

[Mel Dommer]

We are also seeing this issue for x86 tests. Started within the last 2 weeks.

[mnr3395]

We are also facing the issue for x86 tests from last week

[Fredrik]

We are having the same issue in our builds, starting on the 20th of November. Our current workaround is to use a self hosted agent where we manually install windows desktop development packages.
Attaching a msbuild.zip from a build that fails using this following build configuration:

trigger: none
jobs:
##
# Configuration
##
- job: Build_HSH
  pool:
    vmImage: 'windows-latest'
  steps:

    - checkout: self  # self represents the repo where the initial Pipelines YAML file was found
      clean: true  # whether to fetch clean each time
      submodules: true

    - task: UseDotNet@2
      inputs:
        packageType: 'sdk'
        version: 6.x
        performMultiLevelLookup: true

    - task: UseDotNet@2
      inputs:
        packageType: 'runtime'
        version: 6.x
        performMultiLevelLookup: true

    - powershell: |
        dotnet --info
      displayName: 'dotnet info'

    - powershell: dotnet tool restore
      displayName: 'dotnet tool restore'

    - powershell: |
        dotnet --info
      displayName: 'dotnet info'
      
    - task: DotNetCoreCLI@2
      displayName: 'Test HSH'
      inputs:
        command: 'test'
        arguments: "-s test.runsettings -v:n --logger:trx /bl"

    - task: PublishBuildArtifacts@1
      displayName: 'Publish Artifact: build-log'
      condition: always()
      inputs:
        PathtoPublish: '$(Build.Repository.LocalPath)/msbuild.binlog'
        ArtifactName: 'build-log'

To trigger the issue, we've used the following csproj settings:
"Code project"

  <PropertyGroup>
    <TargetFramework>net6.0-windows</TargetFramework>
    <UseWPF>true</UseWPF>
    <Platforms>x86</Platforms>
    <Configurations>Debug;Release</Configurations>
    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
    <IsPackable>false</IsPackable>
    <implicitUsings>enable</implicitUsings>
  </PropertyGroup>

"Test project"

  <PropertyGroup>
    <TargetFramework>net6.0-windows</TargetFramework>
    <Platforms>x86</Platforms>
    <Configurations>Debug;Release</Configurations>
    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
    <ImplicitUsings>true</ImplicitUsings>
  </PropertyGroup>

[Philippe]

Same her. VSTest@2 doesnt work either.
Changed my 2 NET6 unit test projects (one for x86 one for x64) to NET8, the assembly under test itself remains NET6.
Works again. 😃

[Brenda Jin]

I have a fork that fixes the issue but would like it resolved upstream. This is just a hack to make sure we have the right dotnet version. It should be supported properly by Github Actions IMO.