PowerShell 7.2.6 doesn't ignore a module that requires 7.3

Prerequisites

• Write a descriptive title.
• Make sure you are able to repro it on the latest released version
• Search the existing issues.
• Refer to the FAQ.
• Refer to Differences between Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell.

Steps to reproduce

1. Install Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive 2.0.1-preview2 in user scope

2. Modify the incorrect (https://twitter.com/Steve_MSFT/status/1561009864784384002?s=20&t=gvVFcVRDXx9-OzGIBPGGPA) manifest so that it specifies that 7.3 is required

3. Launch PowerShell 7.2.6

4. Attempt to run Compress-Archive

Expected behavior

Compress-Archive from the built-in version 1 of Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive module should run

Actual behavior

PowerShell attempts to load version `2.0.1-preview2` of `Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive` and fails:

PS C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7> compress-archive
compress-archive: The 'compress-archive' command was found in the module 'Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive', but the module could not be loaded. For more information, run 'Import-Module Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive'.
PS C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7> import-module microsoft.powershell.archive
Import-Module: The version of PowerShell on this computer is '7.2.6'. The module 'C:\Users\steph\OneDrive\Documents\PowerShell\Modules\microsoft.powershell.archive\2.0.1\microsoft.powershell.archive.psd1' requires a minimum PowerShell version of '7.3' to run. Verify that you have the minimum required version of PowerShell installed, and then try again.

Error details

PS C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7> get-error

Exception             :
    Type        : System.Management.Automation.CommandNotFoundException
    ErrorRecord :
        Exception             :
            Type    : System.Management.Automation.ParentContainsErrorRecordException
            Message : The 'compress-archive' command was found in the module 'Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive', but the module could not be
loaded. For more information, run 'Import-Module Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive'.
            HResult : -2146233087
        TargetObject          : compress-archive
        CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (compress-archive:String) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
        FullyQualifiedErrorId : CouldNotAutoloadMatchingModule
        InvocationInfo        :
            ScriptLineNumber : 1
            OffsetInLine     : 1
            HistoryId        : 14
            Line             : compress-archive
            PositionMessage  : At line:1 char:1
                               + compress-archive
                               + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
            InvocationName   : compress-archive
            CommandOrigin    : Internal
        ScriptStackTrace      : at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 1
    CommandName : compress-archive
    TargetSite  :
        Name          : TryModuleAutoDiscovery
        DeclaringType : System.Management.Automation.CommandDiscovery, System.Management.Automation, Version=7.2.6.500, Culture=neutral,
PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35
        MemberType    : Method
        Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll
    Message     : The 'compress-archive' command was found in the module 'Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive', but the module could not be
loaded. For more information, run 'Import-Module Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive'.
    Data        : System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal
    Source      : System.Management.Automation
    HResult     : -2146233087
    StackTrace  :
   at System.Management.Automation.CommandDiscovery.TryModuleAutoDiscovery(String commandName, ExecutionContext context, String
originalCommandName, CommandOrigin commandOrigin, SearchResolutionOptions searchResolutionOptions, CommandTypes commandTypes, Exception&
lastError)
   at System.Management.Automation.CommandDiscovery.LookupCommandInfo(String commandName, CommandTypes commandTypes,
SearchResolutionOptions searchResolutionOptions, CommandOrigin commandOrigin, ExecutionContext context)
   at System.Management.Automation.ExecutionContext.CreateCommand(String command, Boolean dotSource)
   at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.AddCommand(PipelineProcessor pipe, CommandParameterInternal[] commandElements,
CommandBaseAst commandBaseAst, CommandRedirection[] redirections, ExecutionContext context)
   at System.Management.Automation.PipelineOps.InvokePipeline(Object input, Boolean ignoreInput, CommandParameterInternal[][]
pipeElements, CommandBaseAst[] pipeElementAsts, CommandRedirection[][] commandRedirections, FunctionContext funcContext)
   at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.ActionCallInstruction`6.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
   at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)
TargetObject          : compress-archive
CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (compress-archive:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
FullyQualifiedErrorId : CouldNotAutoloadMatchingModule
InvocationInfo        :
    ScriptLineNumber : 1
    OffsetInLine     : 1
    HistoryId        : 14
    Line             : compress-archive
    PositionMessage  : At line:1 char:1
                       + compress-archive
                       + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    InvocationName   : compress-archive
    CommandOrigin    : Internal
ScriptStackTrace      : at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 1

Environment data

PS C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7> $PSVersionTable

Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      7.2.6
PSEdition                      Core
GitCommitId                    7.2.6
OS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.19044
Platform                       Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion              3.0

PS C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7> $env:PSModulePath -split ';' | % { $mp = join-path -path $_ -childpath 'Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive'; if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $mp) { gci -rec $mp -filter 'm*.psd1' } }

    Directory: C:\Users\<REDACTED>\OneDrive\Documents\PowerShell\Modules\Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive\2.0.1

Mode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name
----                 -------------         ------ ----
la---          2022-08-20    19:33          16210 Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive.psd1

    Directory: C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\Modules\Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive

Mode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name
----                 -------------         ------ ----
-a---          2020-02-11    19:01          13503 Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive.psd1

    Directory: C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive

Mode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name
----                 -------------         ------ ----
-a---          2019-12-07    10:10            457 Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive.psd1

PS C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7> gcm *archive

CommandType     Name                                               Version    Source
-----------     ----                                               -------    ------
Function        Compress-Archive                                   1.2.5      Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive
Function        Compress-Archive                                   1.0.1.0    Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive
Function        Expand-Archive                                     1.2.5      Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive
Function        Expand-Archive                                     1.0.1.0    Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive
Cmdlet          Compress-Archive                                   2.0.1      Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive
Cmdlet          Expand-Archive                                     2.0.1      Microsoft.PowerShell.Archive

Visuals

[SteveL-MSFT]

@kilasuit I’m not proposing that we do anything in the case the module indicates it is compatible, but doesn’t load for other reason (it’s incorrectly marked, dependencies missing, etc…). As we do have many folks running 5.1, PS7 and PS7-preview simultaneously, it would make sense that if the module manifest declares requiring a newer version, then an older version of PS should skip that module and continue its normal search logic.

[kilasuit]

I agree @SteveL-MSFT and captured the above as test cases as currently we don’t load the next working version

1. We can auto load the next working version, which should be a lower version number, regardless of which path in PSModulePaths it is located,
2. We don’t break current expectation for those that may not automatically want that to happen - example being in testing/use of preview versions of modules requiring preview versions of PowerShell

Whilst 1 is a definite need 2 is a nice to have IMO