vscode: VSCode auto updates to incompatible version on older macOS
Does this issue occur when all extensions are disabled?: Yes
- VS Code Version: 1.85.2
- OS Version: macOS 10.13.6 (17G14042)
Info from “About Visual Code” dialog Version: 1.85.2 Commit: 8b3775030ed1a69b13e4f4c628c612102e30a681 Date: 2024-01-18T06:40:32.531Z Electron: 25.9.7 ElectronBuildId: 26354273 Chromium: 114.0.5735.289 Node.js: 18.15.0 V8: 11.4.183.29-electron.0 OS: Darwin x64 17.7.0
Steps to Reproduce:
- Launch VS Code 1.85.2
- You get a prompt in the sidebar saying “Restart to update”. It installs 1.86.0 which prevents the app from launching
I’m on an older version of macOS (High Sierra, 10.13.6) which I cannot upgrade. For the last 2-3 months or so there’s been a small dismissible message in the bottom right corner:
That message is informative, totally understandable, and expected. I was fine with not receiving new updates.
But today the sidebar had the prompt to “Restart to Update” and it updated me to VS Code 1.86.0 which was incompatible with my operating system. It’s one thing to not receive new updates, but it’s another to receive an update that literally prevents the app from launching.
For users with older macOS, I would expect to just remain on 1.85.2 forever and no longer get new updates, not be offered a breaking update.
About this issue
- Original URL
- State: open
- Created 5 months ago
- Reactions: 13
- Comments: 29 (6 by maintainers)
Download link for the specified version https://update.code.visualstudio.com/{version}/darwin-universal/stable
Suitable for macOS 10.14 https://update.code.visualstudio.com/1.85.2/darwin-universal/stable
This just happened to me, and Google took me here.
I was fine using VSCode on 10.13.6 until today, and suddenly it won’t open. Stupid me, I must have had auto-update on. Why someone would make an app update itself to a version that won’t run on it’s OS or environment, I don’t know. Should be pretty easy to CHECK FIRST, wouldn’t you think?
Now I have to stuff around trying to find out which version is the latest version that 10.13.6 can run. I have no idea what version I had - I didn’t pay attention to that, why should I? I had it installed, it ran. Why would I memorize the version of something that worked fine?
Can someone kindly note down here, which version is best for 10.13.6.
Here’s something weird. In my downloads folder I have
VSCode-darwin-universal.zipand this unzips a version that will run. But if I open it, and IMMEDIATELY kill auto-update… then close it… Guess what, it can’t be run. WHY GOD WHY How am I supposed to do this? Unplug my ethernet? Seriously. “can devs do something.” Not joking. What kind of person codes it to update to a version that can’t be run.There should be ZERO reason an app could ever update itself to a version that the OS cannot run. This should be a kindergarten-level app development rule, people.
I don’t know if there is a newer version than 1.75.1 that I could run, VScode doesn’t seem to have any sort of list of what is compatible with which OS, which is also mind-boggling. Like - you KNOW, you just haven’t put the information in one single place.
1.85.2version from https://code.visualstudio.com/updates/v1_85There was an issue in our update server that sent incompatible versions before which should now be addressed. The ask is to validate the fix. Thanks!
I am able to use 1.85.2 - Darwin Stable. Auto-updates off, all extensions working.
Oh good all my extensions don’t work now either What am I supposed to do here? I literally have stuff I was working on, in the middle of… And I have no code formatting, hinting, autocomplete, nothing. VSCode… what the???
Extensions are greyed out. ESLint isort Jupyter Jupyter Cell Tags Jupyter Notebook Render Jupyter Slideshow Pylance Python Python Debugger Simple React Snippets Solidity
Gear icon - CANNOT disable or enable. Both options greyed out. “Install another version” also greyed out.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
I think this is the same issue for any previous MacOS. Some of us are perfectly happy using our older Macs which unfortunately Apple sees as not fit to run the latest MacOS.
Not much of a help, but I have followed your discussion and all the steps so far.
I can reproduce the issue that @SeanPM5 is having. Same build (just downloaded from here).
Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_13_6) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Code/1.85.2 Chrome/114.0.5735.289 Electron/25.9.7 Safari/537.36Deleted that cache folder, quit and relaunched VS Code, and tried update flow again. Same result unfortunately.
Updater offering an incompatible update:
Clicking update installs an incompatible version that doesn’t launch:
Fresh
ShipIt_stderr.loglog file attached (the otherShipIt_stdout.logis still blank): ShipIt_stderr.logHow can one run ‘Check for update’ if VSCode can’t be opened at all due to incompatible OS?
Apple doesn’t make money supporting old hardware. Apple makes money by coercing you to throw perfectly good hardware into the landfill. The shame is third parties (like vscode) embracing this eco-nightmare by breaking its own installations despite user preference settings.
@cscattaglia917 Thank you so much, I’ll compare that version to the 1.75.1 I got back up and running to see if it’s worth me upgrading a little. 😃