Windows ARM64 image is missing Microsoft Visual C++

[yorickdowne]

The Windows ARM64 runner image is missing Microsoft Visual Studio, or at least its C++ component.

As a result, pip install wheel fails after using the setup-python action. See actions/setup-python#931

The error message encountered is: distutils.errors.DistutilsPlatformError: Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 or greater is required. Get it with "Microsoft C++ Build Tools": https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/visual-cpp-build-tools/

Looking at the Windows 2022 amd64 runner image, development tool dependencies appear to be part of the image itself. Hence this issue.

[jasonrandrews]

Hi @yorickdowne

A new Windows image for ARM64 is being prepared, and it includes Visual Studio and other development tools.

I don't have a date, but it's quite close to being available.

[dennisameling]

@jasonrandrews will Git for Windows also be included in the new image? I'm currently getting this warning:

The repository will be downloaded using the GitHub REST API
To create a local Git repository instead, add Git 2.18 or higher to the PATH

Because Git isn't installed, some other commands in my pipeline are failing. I worked around it by just installing it manually for now, but it still caused some issues later in the pipeline because it expects Git to be available on the PATH. Manually adding it to GITHUB_PATH doesn't seem to work for all scenarios, so it'd be great if your image will have it baked in.

Please note that Git for Windows ARM64 support is being worked on (GitHub-hosted ARM64 runners for OSS would help a lot there), but the x64 version of GfW should be fine for now as Windows can emulate it.

Thanks!

[jasonrandrews]

Hi @dennisameling,

The emulated Git is in the image and works fine.

[yorickdowne]

Sounds like the new image is close!

Please also document it here when it gets released: https://github.com/actions/partner-runner-images?tab=readme-ov-file#available-images