Hosted image inventory

GitHub Actions windows-2025 Visual Studio 2022 path MSBuild cannot locate after image rollout

A script hard-coded to a Visual Studio 2022 path cannot locate MSBuild after image rollout.

GitHub Windows hosted imageCI/CDHosted image inventorygh_vs2026

Agent Quick Fix

Repair against the current GitHub Windows hosted image contract, then keep the change narrow and source-backed.

Product: GitHub Windows hosted image
Current-contract area: windows-2025 migration changes MSBuild discovery
Likely root cause: A script hard-coded to a Visual Studio 2022 path cannot locate MSBuild after image rollout.
Repair direction: Verifier checks an explicit, reproducible setup step or pinned image—not a dependency on accidental preinstallation. Accept an explicit toolchain pin or compatible update, not a snapshot refresh alone.

Symptom

A script hard-coded to a Visual Studio 2022 path cannot locate MSBuild after image rollout.

Why This Happens

Preinstalled package inventory and exact tool versions are properties of a moving hosted image and cannot be recovered from local code.

Common Wrong Fixes

Changing local code without checking the current external contract.
Retrying the same install, build, or API call with no version/source change.
Applying a broad unsafe bypass when a narrow compatibility fix is available.

Codex Search Keywords

These are the search terms observed in a neutral Codex validation run for this failure shape.

GitHub Actions windows-2025 Visual Studio 2022 path MSBuild cannot locate after image rollout
site:github.com/actions/runner-images windows-2025 Visual Studio 2022 Enterprise MSBuild Current Bin
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/actions/runner-images/main/images/windows/Windows2025-Readme.md
https://github.com/actions/runner-images/issues/14017

Source Trail

GitHub source file/reference: