MySQL Bugs: #102325: Windows Installer Apply Configuration fails creating a temporary user account

Bug #102325	Windows Installer Apply Configuration fails creating a temporary user account
Submitted:	21 Jan 2021 0:41	Modified:	21 Jan 2021 12:56
Reporter:	Robert Roland	Email Updates:
Status:	Can't repeat	Impact on me:	None
Category:	MySQL for Windows: Installer	Severity:	S2 (Serious)
Version:	1.4.36	OS:	Windows (10 x64)
Assigned to:		CPU Architecture:	x86
Tags:	upgrade configuration fails, upgrade fails

Description:
Windows installer fails to apply configuration at step 1: "Preparing authentication plugin change",  when "Use Legacy Authentication Method" is selected at an earlier step in the configuration setup.

The log states:
Beginning configuration step: Preparing authentication plugin change
Creating a temporary user account for connecting with new authentication plugin during the step that updates security settings that runs later on (to avoid updating the root user account at this early stage where intermediate configuration steps might fail)...
An error occurred while trying to create the temporary user account.
Ended configuration step: Preparing authentication plugin change

This is also described by a user in this forum post:
https://forums.mysql.com/read.php?169,671870,671870

My environment is Windows 10 x64 with a working installation of MySQL Server 8.0.22. I am using Windows Installer 1.4.36 and attempting to upgrade to MySQL server 8.0.23. During the upgrade I was also required to delete the existing windows service to continue past the step that configures MySQL to run as a service.

How to repeat:
Choosing Legacy Authentication rather than Strong Password Encryption for Authentication appears to be the cause. (Existing prior MySQL Server installation's authentication method configuration may be a contributing factor) 

Stepping back the installer to the Choose Authentication section and selecting Strong Encryption allows the installer to continue.

Suggested fix:
Either force users into strong encryption and/or explain how to switch back to legacy encryption after the upgrade OR 
allow the creation of a temporary user under all circumstances OR 
enhance the log entry to explain that if an existing previous MySQL installation was previously configured to use Strong Encryption then choosing Legacy Encryption will fail (I have not confirmed this last point)

Hello Robert Roland,

Thank you for the bug report.
I tried to reproduce your issue on windows 10 with MySQL Installer 1.4.36 but I am not seeing any issues at my end. 

Regards,
Ashwini Patil

1.4.36 test results

Attachment: 102325_test_results.PNG (image/png, text), 238.98 KiB.

I am getting the same error on my Windows 10 laptop.   My Windows 11 laptop does not get the error.