Fails after changing scope - Preview install location?

[infinity (Infinitay)]

Preface: I installed VSCode on my PC way before I used winget. When I got UniGet and Winget, I ended up updating VSCode through Uniget. All this time I didn't realize that I was maintaining two different versions. My main VSCode was not the one I had installed through Uniget, and therefore I was using an out of date one. My main/previous VSCode was the system version (C:) and my winget one was the user version (appdata). After learning all of this, I learned that I had to install it under the machine scope and not the default which seems to have been user. As a result, I went to my winget preferences within UniGet and changed the default scope installation to be machine.

I'm facing an issue now where some of my operations are failing. This seems to be as a result of changing my winget package manager preferences - changing the scope to machine instead of default.

Fail - Attempting to update a package under the new machine scope preferences

Package update operation for Package=OliverBetz.ExifTool with Manager=Winget
Installation options: <InstallOptions instance (only non-default values are shown)
	InstallationScope: "machine"
	OverridesNextLevelOpts: False>
Overriden options: <Scope=;RunAsAdministrator=True;WG_SpecifyVersion=;PS_NoScope=False>
Version: 13.51 -> 13.52
Starting operation...
Executing process with StartInfo:
 - FileName: "C:\Program Files\UniGetUI\Assets\Utilities\UniGetUI Elevator.exe"
 - Arguments: ""C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\winget.exe"  update --id "OliverBetz.ExifTool" --exact --source winget --accept-source-agreements --disable-interactivity --scope machine --silent --include-unknown --accept-package-agreements --force"
Start Time: "3/1/2026 6:02:18 PM"
No installed package found matching input criteria.
End Time: "3/1/2026 6:02:20 PM"
Process return value: "-1978335212" (0x8A150014)
ExifTool could not be updated

Success - Attempting to update a package setting the specific update options to user scope

Package update operation for Package=OliverBetz.ExifTool with Manager=Winget
Installation options: <InstallOptions instance (only non-default values are shown)
	InstallationScope: "user"
	OverridesNextLevelOpts: True>
Overriden options: <Scope=;RunAsAdministrator=True;WG_SpecifyVersion=;PS_NoScope=False>
Version: 13.51 -> 13.52
Starting operation...
Executing process with StartInfo:
 - FileName: "C:\Program Files\UniGetUI\Assets\Utilities\UniGetUI Elevator.exe"
 - Arguments: ""C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\winget.exe"  update --id "OliverBetz.ExifTool" --exact --source winget --accept-source-agreements --disable-interactivity --scope user --silent --include-unknown --accept-package-agreements --force"
Start Time: "3/1/2026 6:03:17 PM"
Found ExifTool [OliverBetz.ExifTool] Version 13.52
This application is licensed to you by its owner.
Microsoft is not responsible for, nor does it grant any licenses to, third-party packages.
Downloading https://oliverbetz.de/cms/files/Artikel/ExifTool-for-Windows/ExifTool_install_13.52_64.exe
  ██████████████████████████████  10.4 MB / 10.4 MB
Successfully verified installer hash
Starting package install...
Successfully installed
End Time: "3/1/2026 6:03:25 PM"
Process return value: "0" (0x0)
ExifTool was updated successfully

As you can see, when I changed my scope back to what it was before I modified my global scope preferences, the update worked. I am assuming this is intended behavior, correct? Is it possible to know where a WinGet package will be installed on UniGet's UI before initiating the installation?

[Martí Climent (marticliment)]

Yes. For WinGet, if you want to change the scope you will need to first uninstall the package, and then reinstall it with the changed scope to the value you want.

Is it possible to know where a WinGet package will be installed on UniGet's UI before initiating the installation?

I am afraid not

[infinity (Infinitay)]

Sorry I forgot to thank you for your help. Thanks for the answer!