vscode: VSCode is "Unable to open 'Extension: ': An unknown error occurred."

OS Version: Windows10 x64

Steps to Reproduce:

Install VSCode & Open for the 1st time
Search for an extension in the market place and click on it

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

- VSCode Version: 1.44 (March 2020) & Insiders 1.45

Whenever I search for an extension and try to open to install it, it let me peek quickly at the extension page before closing it and displaying this notification:

Unable to open ‘Extension: EXTENSION NAME’: An unknown error occurred. Please consult the log for more details.

- VSCode Version: 1.42 (January 2020)

Now, when I uninstalled v1.44 and reinstalled v1.42, the extension page opens but when trying to install, it displays the following:

Failed to install ‘CREATOR.EXTENSION’. Download Manually.

Downloading manually and installing works fine with this version, but still do not understand why this is happening.

Searched for a solution but found nothing applicable. Why is this happening and how to fix it?

About this issue

Original URL
State: closed
Created 4 years ago
Reactions: 2
Comments: 31 (11 by maintainers)

Most upvoted comments

@deepak1556 that problem is mostly caused by Egyptian Domain Name Servers which are blocking many of Microsoft’s Servers(at least that’s my explanation of my DNS problem and please forgive my small knowledge for any stupidness)… however

I Changed my Domain Name Servers from my Router Modem’s cPanel for both the DHCP and DNS to Google DNS(Primary: 8.8.8.8 Secondary: 8.8.4.4)
I flushed my Adapter’s DNS Resolver Cache using the command ipconfig /flushdns (Windows)
I stopped the DNS Caching Services using the command net stop dnscache (Windows)
Make sure to Change your Adapter’s IPv4 Domain Name Servers

in fact, this problem happens with most of VS products… i can’t update my Visual Studio 2019 Extensions because of DNS problems too…

@theSeifHub حاول تخليهم يظبطوا ال DNS بتاعم علشان يشغل ال سيرفرات بتاعت مايكروسوفت لأنه علي حسب ما اعتقد انهم عاملين حظر ليها او الله اعلم بس هما مش بيوضوحوا اي حاجة ,كل الي عندهم يا فندم حضرتك تقدر تغير ل سيرفر تاني زي جوجل لو عندك مشكلة

Zorono on Apr 27, 2020

@deepak1556 @chrmarti I changed the DNS again to Google’s a few days ago but forgot to try any extensions then. Today I opened VSCode, clicked on an extension, viewed its page and images, installed it then uninstalled it to reinstall again. Somehow everything works fine! Thanks @Zorono you were a great help.

theSeifHub on May 3, 2020

@deepak1556 that problem is mostly caused by Egyptian Domain Name Servers which are blocking many of Microsoft’s Servers(at least that’s my explanation of my DNS problem and please forgive my small knowledge for any stupidness)… however

I Changed my Domain Name Servers from my Router Modem’s cPanel for both the DHCP and DNS to Google DNS(Primary: 8.8.8.8 Secondary: 8.8.4.4)

I flushed my Adapter’s DNS Resolver Cache using the command ipconfig /flushdns (Windows)

I stopped the DNS Caching Services using the command net stop dnscache (Windows)

Make sure to Change your Adapter’s IPv4 Domain Name Servers

in fact, this problem happens with most of VS products… i can’t update my Visual Studio 2019 Extensions because of DNS problems too…

@theSeifHub حاول تخليهم يظبطوا ال DNS بتاعم علشان يشغل ال سيرفرات بتاعت مايكروسوفت لأنه علي حسب ما اعتقد انهم عاملين حظر ليها او الله اعلم بس هما مش بيوضوحوا اي حاجة ,كل الي عندهم يا فندم حضرتك تقدر تغير ل سيرفر تاني زي جوجل لو عندك مشكلة

i had the same problem and this answer helped me alot, many thanks.

ahmad-bahaa on May 12, 2020

thanks guys , solved by changed to google DNS “8.8.8.8”, because of Egypt WE ISP

mahmoudelgawad on May 16, 2020