Installer - Run PowerShell hidden and with -NoProfile when installing silently

[o-l-a-v]

Context

Following command:

winget install --silent --id WinMerge.WinMerge --scope user

Downloads and installs https://github.com/WinMerge/winmerge/releases/download/v2.16.44/WinMerge-2.16.44-x64-PerUser-Setup.exe with /SP- /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART.

In the middle of the installation a visible PowerShell window pops up, and it is loading the PowerShell profile before installing.

Feature requests

1. Run PowerShell hidden from the installer with something like PowerShell.exe -WindowStyle hidden
2. Don't load the PowerShell profile, use PowerShell.exe -NoProfile.

Example command I've successfully used from Intune when running PowerShell scripts in user context in the past:

"%SystemRoot%\sysnative\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe" -ExecutionPolicy "Bypass" `
    -NoLogo -NonInteractive -NoProfile -WindowStyle "Hidden" `
    -Command "& '.\User_Install-ClientTroubleshootingTools.ps1'; exit $LASTEXITCODE"

Workaround

Use Scoop: scoop install extras/winmerge.

[sdottaka]

Sorry for the late response.

1. Is there any reason to hide the Powershell window other than it looks bad? (I want to keep the Powershell window because it shows the progress of the shell extension installation.)

2. Am I correct in understanding that adding the -NoProfile command line option can avoid environment-dependent issues?

[o-l-a-v]

1. I think the most common understanding of what quiet / silent actually implies is to show nothing. That's also what the Inno Setup switched passed by WinGet (/VERYSILENT) implies (link below). If you want progress to be shown, don't pass /VERYSILENT, but /SILENT.
   • https://jrsoftware.org/ishelp/index.php?topic=setupcmdline
2. Yes, correct. You'll run "vanilla" PowerShell that way.
   • https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_profiles
   • https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_pwsh?view=powershell-7.4#-noprofile---nop

[sdottaka]

The -NoProfile -WindowStyle "Hidden" command line options have been added in commit 2537e21.
However, due to the following issue, the window appears for just a moment. We welcome PRs on this issue.
PowerShell/PowerShell#3028