I have Python 3.9 installed from the Windows Store and use it in CMake scripts.

After the recent update to 3.92288.0 Python executions suddenly started failing with "Access is denied". I assumed I was using a wrong or cached path but that didn't turn out to be the case.

It did find the executable in the (apparently) correct folder "C:/Program Files/WindowsApps/PythonSoftwareFoundation.Python.3.9_3.9.2288.0_x64__qbz5n2kfra8p0/python3.9.exe".

I tried running that via the command-line and it failed with "Access is denied." as well. It appears to be related to "C:/Program Files/WindowsApps" requiring Administrator permissions.

Also just running "python3.9.exe" (which exists in the PATH) no longer works. It fails with "The system cannot find the file C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\python3.9.exe."

So it seems the update messed something up.

I had Python 3.9 installed and working fine for some version now. I ran into something similar in the past and had to uninstall and install it again to fix the problem.

I am using Windows 10 Version 21H1 (OS Build 19043.1348).