SSH to windows host: VS Code Server failed to start

[seritools]

Does this issue occur when all extensions are disabled?: Yes

• VS Code Version: happened the last couple of insider releases

Version: 1.121.0-insider
Commit: f6cfa2ea2403534de03f069bdf160d06451ed282
Date: 2026-05-19T11:51:53+02:00
Electron: 39.8.8
ElectronBuildId: 13870025
Chromium: 142.0.7444.265
Node.js: 22.22.1
V8: 14.2.231.22-electron.0
OS: Linux x64 7.0.7-1-default

• OS Version: openSUSE Tumbleweed local, Windows 11 26200.8457 on SSH host

Steps to Reproduce:

1. connect to Windows remote via SSH. unsure what specifically is otherwise necessary, i just updated my vscode insiders.
2. observe connection failure.

The output panel shows

[19:10:54.446] > Looking for existing CLI in C:\Users\seri\.vscode-server-insiders
[19:10:54.447] > Found installed CLI
[19:10:54.452] > Starting cli: & 'C:\Users\seri\.vscode-server-insiders\code-insiders-f6cfa2ea2403534de03f069bdf160d06451ed282.exe' command-shell --cli-data-dir 'C:\Users\seri\.vscode-server-insiders\cli' --parent-process-id 4792 --on-host 127.0.0.1 --on-port --require-token 1b79c19a-9b00-4db9-a223-4ba402faef50 *> 'C:\Users\seri\AppData\Local\Temp\tmp7071.tmp'
[19:10:58.508] > Server did not start successfully. Full server log at C:\Users\seri\AppData\Local\Temp\tmp7071.tmp >>>
[19:10:58.512] > [2026-05-19 17:10:54] info No agent host supervisor running; starting one in the background
[19:10:58.513] > <<< End of server log
[19:10:58.514] > cbeea75724dc: start
[19:10:58.515] > exitCode==200==
[19:10:58.517] > listeningOn====
> osReleaseId==windows==
[19:10:58.517] > osVersion====
> arch==x64==
> platform==windows==
> unpackResult====
[19:10:58.518] > didLocalDownload==False==
> downloadTime====
[19:10:58.519] > installTime====
> extInstallTime====
[19:10:58.520] > serverStartTime==41==
> execServerToken==1a11a11a-1a11-1aa1-a111-1aa111aaaa11==
> cbeea75724dc: end
[19:10:58.521] Received install output: exitCode==200==listeningOn====
osReleaseId==windows==osVersion====
arch==x64==
platform==windows==
unpackResult====didLocalDownload==False==
downloadTime====installTime====
extInstallTime====serverStartTime==41==
execServerToken==1a11a11a-1a11-1aa1-a111-1aa111aaaa11==

[19:10:58.522] Terminating local server
[19:10:58.524] Resolver error: Error: The VS Code Server failed to start
    at y.ServerInstallError (/home/seri/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.123.2026051315/out/extension.js:2:725343)
    at p (/home/seri/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.123.2026051315/out/extension.js:2:718964)
    at t.handleInstallOutput (/home/seri/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.123.2026051315/out/extension.js:2:721238)
    at e (/home/seri/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.123.2026051315/out/extension.js:2:779648)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:103:5)
    at async /home/seri/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.123.2026051315/out/extension.js:2:804806
    at async t.withShowDetailsEvent (/home/seri/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.123.2026051315/out/extension.js:2:808487)
    at async /home/seri/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.123.2026051315/out/extension.js:2:776391
    at async P (/home/seri/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.123.2026051315/out/extension.js:2:774457)
    at async t.resolveWithLocalServer (/home/seri/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.123.2026051315/out/extension.js:2:775944)
    at async A (/home/seri/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.123.2026051315/out/extension.js:2:801610)
    at async t.resolve (/home/seri/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.123.2026051315/out/extension.js:2:805897)
    at async /home/seri/.vscode-insiders/extensions/ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.123.2026051315/out/extension.js:2:1099068
[19:10:58.526] Local server exit: 15

The server log in the temp file is as echoed above, only this one line:

[2026-05-19 17:10:54] info No agent host supervisor running; starting one in the background

I'm not using the agent view -- is that related?

The first version failing is:

Version: 1.121.0-insider
Commit: 5e0703e4995f2f2eae35b04597b482cadaf968dd
Date: 2026-05-13T20:45:20-07:00
Electron: 39.8.8
ElectronBuildId: 13870025
Chromium: 142.0.7444.265
Node.js: 22.22.1
V8: 14.2.231.22-electron.0
OS: Linux x64 7.0.7-1-default

The last version working for me is:

Version: 1.121.0-insider
Commit: 40fdd83c1374b6368e38a12e0cb99843aea4871a
Date: 2026-05-13T16:11:56Z
Electron: 39.8.8
ElectronBuildId: 13870025
Chromium: 142.0.7444.265
Node.js: 22.22.1
V8: 14.2.231.22-electron.0
OS: Linux x64 7.0.7-1-default

[ispal]

I have the same exact problem and it started today after upgrading to version 1.121.0. I tried to delete .vscode-server and clear temp files but still no luck. Quite a major problem for me. Connecting from MacOS to Windows

[ispal]

Interestingly

1. I unchecked Remote.SSH: Use Local Server
2. Tried to connect -> same error
3. Checked Remote.SSH: Use Local Server again
4. Tried to connect -> works