[client] Stop the UI before a silent Windows update and suppress the installer reboot (#7209)

Stop the UI before a silent Windows update and suppress the installer reboot

On silent MSI updates msiexec could reboot the machine on its own. The running UI holds a lock on its own exe, and since msiexec runs as LocalSystem it cannot close the interactive user's UI via Restart Manager, so the MSI scheduled the
file replacement for the next reboot and marked the install restart-required.

Terminate netbird-ui.exe before launching the installer and wait until its image file is released; the existing deferred restart brings it back after the install on every exit path
Run msiexec with /norestart REBOOT=ReallySuppress so it never reboots on its own
Treat exit codes 3010/1641 as success with a warning instead of a failure

---------

Co-authored-by: Viktor Liu <viktor@netbird.io>

client/internal/updater/installer/doc.go

@@ -37,23 +37,32 @@
 // Updater Process (Setup):
 //
 //  1. Receives parameters from service via command-line arguments
-//  2. Runs installer with appropriate silent/quiet flags:
+//  2. Terminates the UI so the installer does not have to replace a locked image
+//     file, which would otherwise leave the install needing a reboot
+//  3. Runs installer with appropriate silent/quiet flags:
 //     - Windows EXE: installer.exe /S
-//     - Windows MSI: msiexec.exe /i installer.msi /quiet /qn /l*v msi.log
+//     - Windows MSI: msiexec.exe /i installer.msi /qn /norestart REBOOT=ReallySuppress /l*v msi.log
 //     - macOS PKG: installer -pkg installer.pkg -target /
 //     - macOS Homebrew: brew upgrade netbirdio/tap/netbird
-//  3. Installer terminates daemon and UI processes
-//  4. Installer replaces binaries with new version
-//  5. Updater waits for installer to complete
-//  6. Updater restarts daemon:
+//  4. Installer terminates the daemon
+//  5. Installer replaces binaries with new version
+//  6. Updater waits for installer to complete. On Windows, MSI exit codes 3010
+//     (ERROR_SUCCESS_REBOOT_REQUIRED) and 1641 (ERROR_SUCCESS_REBOOT_INITIATED)
+//     are a pending-reboot outcome, not a failure: the install succeeded, but
+//     some files are only replaced on the next restart (the reboot itself is
+//     suppressed via /norestart and REBOOT=ReallySuppress), and the flow
+//     continues as on success
+//  7. Updater restarts daemon:
 //     - Windows: netbird.exe service start
 //     - macOS/Linux: netbird service start
-//  7. Updater restarts UI:
-//     - Windows: Launches netbird-ui.exe as active console user using CreateProcessAsUser
+//  8. Updater restarts UI:
+//     - Windows: Launches netbird-ui.exe using CreateProcessAsUser in every
+//     session it was terminated in, falling back to the active console session
 //     - macOS: Uses launchctl asuser to launch NetBird.app for console user
 //     - Linux: Not implemented (UI typically auto-starts)
-//  8. Updater writes result.json with success/error status
-//  9. Updater process exits
+//  9. Updater writes result.json with success/error status (a pending reboot is
+//     recorded as success)
+//  10. Updater process exits
 //
 // # Result Communication
 //

client/internal/updater/installer/installer_run_windows.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package installer
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -22,6 +23,12 @@ const (
 
 	msiLogFile = "msi.log"
 
+	// ERROR_SUCCESS_REBOOT_REQUIRED and ERROR_SUCCESS_REBOOT_INITIATED
+	msiRebootRequired  = 3010
+	msiRebootInitiated = 1641
+
+	processExitWait = 10 * time.Second
+
 	msiDownloadURL = "https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/releases/download/v%version/netbird_installer_%version_windows_%arch.msi"
 	exeDownloadURL = "https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/releases/download/v%version/netbird_installer_%version_windows_%arch.exe"
 )
@@ -38,6 +45,8 @@ var (
 func (u *Installer) Setup(ctx context.Context, dryRun bool, installerFile string, daemonFolder string) (resultErr error) {
 	resultHandler := NewResultHandler(u.tempDir)
 
+	var uiSessions []uint32
+
 	// Always ensure daemon and UI are restarted after setup
 	defer func() {
 		log.Infof("starting daemon back")
@@ -46,7 +55,7 @@ func (u *Installer) Setup(ctx context.Context, dryRun bool, installerFile string
 		}
 
 		log.Infof("starting UI back")
-		if err := u.startUIAsUser(daemonFolder); err != nil {
+		if err := u.startUI(daemonFolder, uiSessions); err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("failed to start UI: %v", err)
 		}
 
@@ -75,6 +84,14 @@ func (u *Installer) Setup(ctx context.Context, dryRun bool, installerFile string
 		return
 	}
 
+	// The UI holds an open handle on its own image. Left running, Restart Manager
+	// cannot shut it down (msiexec runs as LocalSystem here, the UI as the
+	// interactive user), so the MSI falls back to replacing the file on reboot and
+	// marks the install as restart-required. The deferred close-application action
+	// in the package runs too late to prevent that, it happens after
+	// InstallValidate has already registered the file as in use.
+	uiSessions = killUI()
+
 	var cmd *exec.Cmd
 	switch installerType {
 	case TypeExe:
@@ -84,7 +101,9 @@ func (u *Installer) Setup(ctx context.Context, dryRun bool, installerFile string
 		installerDir := filepath.Dir(installerFile)
 		logPath := filepath.Join(installerDir, msiLogFile)
 		log.Infof("run msi installer: %s", installerFile)
-		cmd = exec.CommandContext(ctx, "msiexec.exe", "/i", filepath.Base(installerFile), "/quiet", "/qn", "/l*v", logPath)
+		// REBOOT=ReallySuppress: a silent install has no way to ask, so without it
+		// msiexec reboots the machine on its own if it decides one is needed.
+		cmd = exec.CommandContext(ctx, "msiexec.exe", "/i", filepath.Base(installerFile), "/qn", "/norestart", "REBOOT=ReallySuppress", "/l*v", logPath)
 	}
 
 	cmd.Dir = filepath.Dir(installerFile)
@@ -95,9 +114,13 @@ func (u *Installer) Setup(ctx context.Context, dryRun bool, installerFile string
 	}
 
 	log.Infof("installer started with PID %d", cmd.Process.Pid)
-	if resultErr = cmd.Wait(); resultErr != nil {
-		log.Errorf("installer process finished with error: %v", resultErr)
-		return
+	if err := cmd.Wait(); err != nil {
+		if !isRebootPending(err) {
+			resultErr = err
+			log.Errorf("installer process finished with error: %v", err)
+			return
+		}
+		log.Warnf("installer completed but reported a pending reboot, some files will be replaced on the next restart")
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -117,16 +140,142 @@ func (u *Installer) startDaemon(daemonFolder string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (u *Installer) startUIAsUser(daemonFolder string) error {
+func (u *Installer) startUI(daemonFolder string, sessionIDs []uint32) error {
 	uiPath := filepath.Join(daemonFolder, uiName)
 	log.Infof("starting netbird-ui: %s", uiPath)
 
-	// Get the active console session ID
-	sessionID := windows.WTSGetActiveConsoleSessionId()
-	if sessionID == 0xFFFFFFFF {
-		return fmt.Errorf("no active user session found")
+	if len(sessionIDs) == 0 {
+		sessionID := windows.WTSGetActiveConsoleSessionId()
+		if sessionID == 0xFFFFFFFF {
+			return fmt.Errorf("no active user session found")
+		}
+		sessionIDs = []uint32{sessionID}
 	}
 
+	var errs []error
+	for _, sessionID := range sessionIDs {
+		if err := startUIInSession(uiPath, sessionID); err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, fmt.Errorf("session %d: %w", sessionID, err))
+			continue
+		}
+		log.Infof("netbird-ui started successfully in session %d", sessionID)
+	}
+	return errors.Join(errs...)
+}
+
+// isRebootPending reports whether the installer exit code means it succeeded but
+// left work for the next restart. The reboot itself is suppressed, so this is not
+// a failure.
+func isRebootPending(err error) bool {
+	var exitErr *exec.ExitError
+	if !errors.As(err, &exitErr) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	switch exitErr.ExitCode() {
+	case msiRebootRequired, msiRebootInitiated:
+		return true
+	default:
+		return false
+	}
+}
+
+// killUI terminates any running netbird-ui process and returns the IDs of the
+// interactive sessions the terminated processes belonged to. Setup starts the
+// UI again in those sessions once the installer is done.
+func killUI() []uint32 {
+	pids, err := processIDsByName(uiName)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("failed to look up %s processes: %v", uiName, err)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	sessions := make(map[uint32]struct{})
+	for _, pid := range pids {
+		var sessionID uint32
+		if err := windows.ProcessIdToSessionId(pid, &sessionID); err != nil {
+			log.Warnf("failed to look up session of %s (PID %d): %v", uiName, pid, err)
+		}
+
+		if err := terminateProcess(pid); err != nil {
+			log.Warnf("failed to terminate %s (PID %d): %v", uiName, pid, err)
+			continue
+		}
+		log.Infof("terminated %s (PID %d) in session %d", uiName, pid, sessionID)
+
+		if sessionID != 0 {
+			sessions[sessionID] = struct{}{}
+		}
+	}
+
+	sessionIDs := make([]uint32, 0, len(sessions))
+	for sessionID := range sessions {
+		sessionIDs = append(sessionIDs, sessionID)
+	}
+	return sessionIDs
+}
+
+func processIDsByName(name string) ([]uint32, error) {
+	snapshot, err := windows.CreateToolhelp32Snapshot(windows.TH32CS_SNAPPROCESS, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("create process snapshot: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		if err := windows.CloseHandle(snapshot); err != nil {
+			log.Warnf("failed to close process snapshot: %v", err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	var entry windows.ProcessEntry32
+	entry.Size = uint32(unsafe.Sizeof(entry))
+
+	var pids []uint32
+	for err = windows.Process32First(snapshot, &entry); err == nil; err = windows.Process32Next(snapshot, &entry) {
+		if strings.EqualFold(windows.UTF16ToString(entry.ExeFile[:]), name) {
+			pids = append(pids, entry.ProcessID)
+		}
+	}
+	if !errors.Is(err, windows.ERROR_NO_MORE_FILES) {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("enumerate processes: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return pids, nil
+}
+
+func terminateProcess(pid uint32) error {
+	handle, err := windows.OpenProcess(windows.PROCESS_TERMINATE|windows.SYNCHRONIZE, false, pid)
+	if err != nil {
+		// The process may have exited between enumeration and now.
+		if errors.Is(err, windows.ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER) {
+			return nil
+		}
+		return fmt.Errorf("open process: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		if err := windows.CloseHandle(handle); err != nil {
+			log.Warnf("failed to close process handle: %v", err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	if err := windows.TerminateProcess(handle, 0); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("terminate process: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Wait for the handle to signal so the image file is released before the
+	// installer tries to overwrite it. A timeout is reported through the returned
+	// event, not through err, which stays nil unless the wait itself failed.
+	event, err := windows.WaitForSingleObject(handle, uint32(processExitWait.Milliseconds()))
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("wait for process exit: %w", err)
+	}
+	if event != windows.WAIT_OBJECT_0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("wait for process exit: unexpected wait result %#x", event)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func startUIInSession(uiPath string, sessionID uint32) error {
 	// Get the user token for that session
 	var userToken windows.Token
 	err := windows.WTSQueryUserToken(sessionID, &userToken)
@@ -197,7 +346,6 @@ func (u *Installer) startUIAsUser(daemonFolder string) error {
 		log.Warnf("failed to close thread handle: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	log.Infof("netbird-ui started successfully in session %d", sessionID)
 	return nil
 }
 

client/internal/updater/installer/installer_run_windows_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+package installer
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"os/exec"
+	"slices"
+	"strconv"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+// exitErrorWithCode returns a real *exec.ExitError carrying the given exit code.
+func exitErrorWithCode(t *testing.T, code int) error {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	err := exec.Command("cmd.exe", "/c", "exit "+strconv.Itoa(code)).Run()
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected a non-zero exit for code %d", code)
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func TestIsRebootPending(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		code int
+		want bool
+	}{
+		{name: "reboot required", code: msiRebootRequired, want: true},
+		{name: "reboot initiated", code: msiRebootInitiated, want: true},
+		{name: "generic failure", code: 1603, want: false},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if got := isRebootPending(exitErrorWithCode(t, tt.code)); got != tt.want {
+				t.Errorf("isRebootPending(exit %d) = %v, want %v", tt.code, got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestProcessIDsByNameAndTerminate spawns a long-running system process, finds it
+// by name and terminates it, covering the path the updater uses to release the UI
+// image file before the installer replaces it.
+func TestProcessIDsByNameAndTerminate(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd := exec.Command("ping.exe", "-n", "60", "127.0.0.1")
+	if err := cmd.Start(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("start ping: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	pid := uint32(cmd.Process.Pid)
+	killed := false
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		if !killed {
+			_ = cmd.Process.Kill()
+		}
+		_ = cmd.Wait()
+	})
+
+	// Name matching must be case-insensitive: the snapshot reports PING.EXE.
+	pids, err := processIDsByName("ping.exe")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("processIDsByName: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if !slices.Contains(pids, pid) {
+		t.Fatalf("PID %d not among the ping.exe processes found: %v", pid, pids)
+	}
+
+	if err := terminateProcess(pid); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("terminateProcess: %v", err)
+	}
+	killed = true
+
+	// terminateProcess only returns once the handle has signalled, so the process
+	// is already gone and Wait must not block. It exits with the code passed to
+	// TerminateProcess, which is 0, so Wait reports no error.
+	if err := cmd.Wait(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("wait for terminated ping: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !cmd.ProcessState.Exited() {
+		t.Error("process did not exit after terminateProcess")
+	}
+
+	remaining, err := processIDsByName("ping.exe")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("processIDsByName after terminate: %v", err)
+	}
+	if slices.Contains(remaining, pid) {
+		t.Errorf("PID %d still listed after terminateProcess", pid)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestProcessIDsByNameNoMatch(t *testing.T) {
+	pids, err := processIDsByName("netbird-nonexistent-process.exe")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("processIDsByName: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(pids) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("expected no matches, got %v", pids)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestIsRebootPendingNonExitError(t *testing.T) {
+	if isRebootPending(errors.New("start installer: file not found")) {
+		t.Error("a non-exit error must not be treated as a pending reboot")
+	}
+}