Windows update failed: Access is denied

[ryanolsonx]

Log from %HOME%\AppData\Local\Temp\vscode-inno-updater.log

Apr 13 11:27:40.666 INFO Starting: C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\Code.exe, false
Apr 13 11:27:40.670 INFO Checking for running Code.exe processes... (attempt 1)
Apr 13 11:27:40.670 INFO Code.exe is running, wait a bit
Apr 13 11:27:41.148 INFO Checking for running Code.exe processes... (attempt 2)
Apr 13 11:27:41.153 INFO Code.exe is running, wait a bit
Apr 13 11:27:41.654 INFO Checking for running Code.exe processes... (attempt 3)
Apr 13 11:27:41.666 INFO Code.exe is not running
Apr 13 11:27:41.666 INFO Starting update, silent = false
Apr 13 11:27:41.691 INFO do_update: "C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft VS Code\\Code.exe", _
Apr 13 11:27:41.692 INFO move_update: "C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft VS Code\\unins000.dat", _
Apr 13 11:27:41.696 INFO Delete: "Code.exe" (attempt 1)
Apr 13 11:27:41.744 INFO Delete: "Code.exe" (attempt 2)
Apr 13 11:27:41.945 INFO Delete: "Code.exe" (attempt 3)
Apr 13 11:27:42.396 INFO Delete: "Code.exe" (attempt 4)
Apr 13 11:27:43.197 INFO Delete: "Code.exe" (attempt 5)
Apr 13 11:27:44.448 INFO Delete: "Code.exe" (attempt 6)
Apr 13 11:27:46.249 INFO Delete: "Code.exe" (attempt 7)
Apr 13 11:27:48.700 INFO Delete: "Code.exe" (attempt 8)
Apr 13 11:27:51.901 INFO Delete: "Code.exe" (attempt 9)
Apr 13 11:27:55.952 INFO Delete: "Code.exe" (attempt 10)
Apr 13 11:28:00.953 INFO Delete: "Code.exe" (attempt 11)
Apr 13 11:28:00.953 ERRO Access is denied. (os error 5)

On Windows 10 64 bit

[vscodebot]

(Experimental duplicate detection)
Thanks for submitting this issue. Please also check if it is already covered by an existing one, like:

• Failed to install VS Code update. Please download and reinstall VS Code. os error 145 (#47778)
• Failed to install VS Code update. Please download and resinstall VS Code. (#47494)

[joaomoreno]

This is a puzzle to me, because we know Code isn't running... so why can't the updater remove Code... unless it is really running?

---

@ryanolsonx @gitDylanHub @OfficerHalf @SwingCoder911

Can you run this little app I've created, while Code is running? rust-playground.zip

It will output all running process numbers and names. Something like this:

Does Code appear in that list, for you? Can you show me the output of the app in your system?

[nathonius]

I'll do you one better. I'm attaching the output of that before running the update, while running the update, and at the point when I get the error message.
pre-update.txt
mid-update2.txt
error.txt

It certainly doesn't look like Code is running. That doesn't necessarily mean that some other process isn't preventing its deletion, though.

[joaomoreno]

@OfficerHalf Awesome, it's great that you can reliably reproduce it. Any thoughts on who might be preventing that deletion? Just to confirm, the setup runs elevated, correct? Does the inno-updater.exe process also run elevated?

[nathonius]

Well, there are at least two pieces of security software running on my machine: ESET Security and CrowdStrike Falcon (though CrowdStrike is a recent addition, and I think this issue was present before it was installed), neither of which I have any control over. There are also various other controls in place as this is a managed Enterprise installation of Windows. I have co-workers that use Code without issue though so I doubt it's those. My guess was more along the lines of zombie processes spawned by Code that were still holding some resource.

A quick check in the task manager shows that all three update processes (inno_updater.exe, CodeSetup-insider-guid.exe, and CodeSetup-insider-guid.tmp) are elevated.

[joaomoreno]

OK. I just need you to use the task manager and find those zombie processes and what is their full command line.

[nathonius]

FindZombieHandles reports nothing. I'm at a loss.

[joaomoreno]

And can you manually delete the executable file yourself, in the file explorer?

[nathonius]

I can delete it manually. Even attempted to do so during the update, though it still failed with a complaint that the file didn't exist. Make up your mind, updater... 😁

[joaomoreno]

The updater, as admin, can't. Yet you can easily delete it. 🤔 Did you get an elevation prompt to delete the file?

[nathonius]

I was not asked to elevate. I just get the usual 'are you sure you want to delete this' prompt.

[gitDylanHub]

Same issue that was originally reported here with the most recent update as well. So, had this issue on 1.22 and again now on 1.23. Be kind of annoying if I have to uninstall and download to get the latest features. Definitely a work related only issue though, can update on my personal easily. Probably good old McAfee locking everything down in the registries with some unique rule.

[Morten242]

It also happens on my home computer, which is not in a domain.

[brotherdust]

I had a bit of an epiphany on Friday. I had installed the Vivaldi browser on both my work and home computers. By default, the Vivaldi browser also gets installed into the %userprofile%\AppData\Local folder. On my work PC, I have no problems updating the browser. But on my home PC, the updates always fail due to—can you guess?—locked files! Locked by the SYSTEM process. The same exact reason that updates to the user installations of VS Code and VS Code Insiders fail.

One thing that's worth checking out is what installer technology is being used by Vivaldi. Is the installer technology the same as that being used by VS Code? If so, then maybe it's something specific to the installer.

Ruling out any installer issues with respect to the installation location, it would seem most likely that this issue is machine-specific, I'm sorry to report, because for the life of me I'm unable to determine why this particular machine is behaving in such a manner.

I also run Vivaldi and have the SAME issue! I thought it was just me!

[fourpastmidnight]

@arencambre It does not seem to be highly correlated to domain-joined computers. My domain-joined work computer has no issues updating VS Code (regular or Insiders) nor Vivaldi (which also installs into %userprofile%\AppData\Local). My home computer, on the other hand, which is NOT domain-joined exhibits this behavior for both applications.

Therefore, as I stated previously, this issue is not a VS Code-specific issue, but is probably a machine-specific issue. (I'm leaning towards ruling out the installer because it's not the installer which has a problem, rather, it's the SYSTEM account holding a lock on files which need to be replaced causing the installer to fail.) The top culprit is the Anti-Virus program in use and/or it's configuration. I haven't been able to resolve the issue by changing my anti-virus configuration, however.

In my case, on my work computer they use Sophos Anti-Virus--again, this computer does not have an issue updating VS Code. On my home computer, I'm running Trend Micro Maximum Security, the latest version.

It may be helpful if others also list their anti-virus program in use to see if there are any program and/or configuration commonalities that could help determine why the SYSTEM process is holding locks on these files.

[brotherdust]

Here's my setup:

• Latest VS Code (non-insider) User installed
• Windows 10 1809 (2H18)
• Windows Defender for anti-virus
• NOT domain joined

Both my laptop and my desktop are set up the same as above and exhibit the same problem. I just uninstalled VS Code User and installed VS Code System. Seems to have fixed the problem.

[fourpastmidnight]

@brotherdust Thanks for the info. Yes, the system-wide installation does not exhibit this problem (to my knowledge) because it's installed to %Program Files%. I, too, have resorted to using the system-wide installation on my home computer due to the update issues.

One question: since you're running Windows 10 1809 and Windows Defender, did you enable the new anti-ransomware folder protection feature? Trend Micro has a similar feature that's been around for a while now and I am using it on some folders (though, not the %userprofile%\AppData folder). If so, is it possible for you to list the locations you've enabled it for (just use the well-known folder names such as Documents, Pictures, etc., not the full path to those folders. And also note if you've used the feature on other not well-known folders, e.g. C:\some-other-folder—I don't want to know the actual path, just whether or not you're using the feature outside of well-known folders as well).

[shanselman]

Hm...I also have Vivaldi...

…

On Thu, Oct 11, 2018 at 12:39 PM Craig E. Shea ***@***.***> wrote: @brotherdust <https://github.com/brotherdust> Thanks for the info. Yes, the system-wide installation does not exhibit this problem (to my knowledge) because it's installed to %Program Files%. I, too, have resorted to using the system-wide installation on my home computer due to the update issues. One question: since you're running Windows 10 1809 and Windows Defender, did you enable the new anti-ransomware folder protection feature? Trend Micro has a similar feature that's been around for a while now and I am using it on some folders (though, not the %userprofile%\AppData folder). If so, is it possible for you to list the locations you've enabled it for (just use the well-known folder names such as Documents, Pictures, etc., not the full path to those folders. And also note if you've used the feature on other not well-known folders, e.g. C:\some-other-folder—I don't want to know the actual path, just whether or not you're using the feature outside of well-known folders as well). — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#47841 (comment)>, or mute the thread <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAALTIOQysz_b7HuDyD8HVckEYfIPxe8ks5uj55ogaJpZM4TTz7T> .

-- Scott Hanselman Donate to fight diabetes: http://hnsl.mn/fightdiabetes

[Morten242]

But I don't think vivaldi's the cause though (I don't have it).
Also had this issue before 1809 so it's not because of the anti-ransomware feature.

[fourpastmidnight]

No no, I’m not saying Vivaldi is the cause; I’m saying that Vivaldi installs into a similar location as VS Code and that it, too, fails to update in the same way as VS Code. So there's an element of commonality in the behavior of updating both of these applications. Regards

…

Sent from my Windows 10 phone From: Mårten Nordheim Sent: Friday, October 12, 2018 2:50 To: Microsoft/vscode Cc: Craig E. Shea; Comment Subject: Re: [Microsoft/vscode] Windows update failed: Access is denied(#47841) But I don't think vivaldi's the cause though (I don't have it). Also had this issue before 1809 so it's not because of the anti-ransomware feature. — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or mute the thread.

[spences10]

So, this worked on my Dell XPS 13 but still fails on my Asus Transformer Pro

[joaomoreno]

Will give Vivaldi a try... @shanselman is this happening to you on every update?

[jcotton42]

I don't have Vivaldi installed and am also having this issue

[mknejp]

Ever since I switched to the user-based installation this is now happening to me ever since. vscode is incapable of updating itself now, always claiming it cannot access Code.exe.

What I have noticed though (whenever I remember to check) is that the System process (pid 4) has a lock on Code.exe which remains locked even when vscode and the udpater exit. I can't even delete the file by hand at this point. Occasionally new locks are added within System when the update process attempts to run again. Needless to say when that happens not even the manually downloaded installer can do anything until I restart the machine.

[axmccx]

I'm also having this exact same issue. I need to download the new installer from the website, reboot, and install it first thing for it to succeed. This was the issue I posted weeks ago: #58743 (comment)

[fourpastmidnight]

@Morten242 Well, it may still be a "ransomware feature". As I mentioned earlier, I use Trend Micro Maximum Security which has had a "ransomware folder protection" feature since late 2017 (so, since around Windows 1803, possibly even 1709) and I've been using it on my Documents, Pictures and some other folders. So, it's not so much whether you're using the Windows ransomware folder protection feature, but whether or not you're using a ransomware folder protection feature of some software security suite which may be interfering (even though, in my case particularly, I'm not protecting %AppData%).

And as far as Vivaldi, for the 3rd time, I'm not saying it's causing anything, but that it also exhibits the same update failure behavior as VS Code (SYSTEM process holding a lock on critical files causing updates to fail), which is leading me to believe that this issue may be more specific to a machine configuration than an actual problem with VS Code itself (or Vivaldi, for that matter).

[WindFox]

@fourpastmidnight Except, all I have is Defender and I did not turn on the ransomware protection and I still get this on VSCode and Twitch (Starting to think Discord as well now unless they are truly pushing daily updates with no changelog)

[fourpastmidnight]

@WindFox Cool! It's just one more thing to potentially rule out. Thanks!

[pushqrdx]

same issue with me with the exact same description from other members.

Edit> It's really bad for as i can't even uninstall vscode or reinstall it because both inno_updater and code are being used by System, even after restarting the machine.

[arencambre]

Can we change the name of this issue? This isn't about Windows Update.

[joaomoreno]

Thanks for all the info guys, will continue investigating this. Meanwhile, I'll lock this thread so everyone sees this:

If you're having this issue constantly, disable background updates with

"update.enableWindowsBackgroundUpdates": false