PowerShell-master/.github/instructions/troubleshooting-builds.instructions.md

metadata

applyTo:
  - build.psm1
  - tools/ci.psm1
  - .github/**/*.yml
  - .github/**/*.yaml

Troubleshooting Build Issues

Git Describe Error

Error:

error MSB3073: The command "git describe --abbrev=60 --long" exited with code 128.

Cause: Insufficient git history (shallow clone)

Solution: Add fetch-depth: 1000 to checkout step

- name: Checkout
  uses: actions/checkout@v4
  with:
    fetch-depth: 1000

Version Information Incorrect

Symptom: Build produces wrong version numbers

Cause: Git tags not synchronized

Solution: Run Sync-PSTags -AddRemoteIfMissing:

- name: Bootstrap
  shell: pwsh
  run: |
    Import-Module ./tools/ci.psm1
    Invoke-CIInstall -SkipUser
    Sync-PSTags -AddRemoteIfMissing

PowerShell Binary Not Built

Error:

Exception: CoreCLR pwsh.exe was not built

Causes:

1. Build failed (check logs)
2. Wrong configuration used
3. Build output location incorrect

Solutions:

1. Check build logs for errors
2. Verify correct configuration for use case
3. Use default parameters: Start-PSBuild

Module Restore Issues

Symptom: Slow build or module restore failures

Causes:

• Network issues
• Module cache problems
• Package source unavailable

Solutions:

1. Retry the build
2. Check network connectivity
3. Use -NoPSModuleRestore if modules not needed
4. Clear package cache if persistent

.NET SDK Not Found

Symptom: Build can't find .NET SDK

Solution: Ensure .NET setup step runs first:

- name: Setup .NET
  uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v4
  with:
    global-json-file: ./global.json

Bootstrap Failures

Symptom: Invoke-CIInstall fails

Causes:

• Missing dependencies
• Network issues
• Platform-specific requirements not met

Solution: Check prerequisites for your platform in build system docs