Document interactive desktop requirement for Windows GUI tests

Gabriel Engelrequested to merge
docs-windows-gui-interactive-desktop into main

Summary

Adds a new troubleshooting subsection to the Windows install docs explaining that GUI/desktop automation tests require GitLab Runner to run in a logged-in interactive session, not as a Windows service.

Problem

The current Windows install documentation focuses on installing GitLab Runner as a Windows service. When Runner runs only as a service, jobs execute in a non-interactive session with no access to the visible desktop. GUI/desktop test tools (for example, Ranorex or other Windows UI automation frameworks) require an interactive user session, and customers are often confused why GUI tests fail or hang when Runner is installed "correctly" as a service.

Changes

In docs/install/windows.md, under Windows troubleshooting, a new ### GUI tests and interactive desktop sessions subsection is added after "Get runner logs" and before the existing error-specific subsections. The new section:

  • Explains that GUI/desktop tests require Runner to run in a logged-in interactive session
  • Lists the symptoms when running as a service only (non-interactive session, no desktop access, tests fail/hang)
  • Provides a step-by-step guide to start Runner as a foreground process
  • Notes that autoscaled/ephemeral Windows runners are not suitable for GUI tests
  • Recommends using tags to route only GUI test jobs to interactive runners

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