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[Python Environments] No report of failure when environment is not created #920

Description

Type: Bug

When I run the command for creating a Python virtual environment, nothing happens. No env is created, but there are no error-messages either.

If I run the traditional command myself, in the terminal (python -m venv .venv), I get an error-message, saying the program is blocked by group policy (WinError 1260). Maybe that is why it is not working when doing it from VS Code, but in that case, there should be some kind of error-message.

UPDATE: Another error happened that showed up in the User Interface, and offered to let me look into the logs, When I got there, I see that there are log-entries for all my retrys of creating the virtual environment. So the problem is maybe twofold:

  1. it doesn't work (probably because of policies on my employers computers)
  2. it doesn't give any feedback in the main UI that the operation failed

This is how it shows in the log when I use the option "Quick Create":

2025-10-09 13:28:38.836 [info] Running: uv --version
2025-10-09 13:28:38.838 [error] Failed to create virtual environment: Error: spawn UNKNOWN
Environment Information
Extension Version: 1.8.0
Python Extension Version: 2025.14.0

Registered Environment Managers (2):
  - ms-python.python:system (Global)
  - ms-python.python:venv (venv)

Total Available Environments: 1
Environment Details:
  1. Python 3.13 (3.13.8.final.0) - C:\Users\stsk\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\python3.13.exe

Python Projects (1):
  1. c:\python
     Environment: Python 3.13

Extension Settings:
  Default Environment Manager: ms-python.python:venv
  Default Package Manager: ms-python.python:pip
Auto-activation is "command". Activation based on first 'py-env.terminal.autoActivationType' setting which is 'command' and 'python.terminal.activateEnvironment' if the first is undefined which is 'true'.

Extension version: 1.8.0
VS Code version: Code 1.104.3 (385651c938df8a906869babee516bffd0ddb9829, 2025-10-02T12:30:51.747Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26100
Modes:

System Info
Item Value
CPUs Intel(R) Core(TM) Ultra 5 125U (14 x 2688)
GPU Status 2d_canvas: enabled
direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok
gpu_compositing: enabled
multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on
opengl: enabled_on
rasterization: enabled
raw_draw: disabled_off_ok
skia_graphite: disabled_off
trees_in_viz: disabled_off
video_decode: enabled
video_encode: enabled
vulkan: disabled_off
webgl: enabled
webgl2: enabled
webgpu: enabled
webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg) undefined
Memory (System) 15.47GB (0.41GB free)
Process Argv C:\Users\stsk\Documents\Archi\scripts\examples\Anonymize.ajs --crash-reporter-id e2e5a566-bed1-48e9-b34d-3d6701776fa6
Screen Reader no
VM 0%
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Activity

  1. eleanorjboyd commented on Oct 10, 2025

    @eleanorjboyd
    Member

    Yes great point, there should be error messages added when create environment (either quick create or regular create) fails.

  2. github-actions commented on Oct 25, 2025

    @github-actions

    Because we have not heard back with the information we requested, we are closing this issue for now. If you are able to provide the info later on, then we will be happy to re-open this issue to pick up where we left off.

    Happy Coding!

  3. added a commit that references this issue on Oct 29, 2025
    c87d304
  4. locked as resolved and limited conversation to collaborators on Apr 29, 2026
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