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bugs #5571
Description
Prerequisites
- I have written a descriptive issue title.
- I have searched all open and closed issues to ensure it has not already been reported.
- I have read the troubleshooting guide.
- I am sure this issue is with the extension itself and does not reproduce in a standalone PowerShell instance.
- I have verified that I am using the latest version of Visual Studio Code and the PowerShell extension.
- If this is a security issue, I have read the security issue reporting guidance.
Summary
2026-08-09 22:47:04.732 [info] Visual Studio Code: v1.107.0 64-bit on Windows 64-bit
2026-08-09 22:47:04.732 [info] PowerShell Extension: v2025.4.0
2026-08-09 22:47:04.848 [info] Starting 'Windows PowerShell (x64)' at: C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe
2026-08-09 22:47:05.799 [info] PowerShell process started with PID: 9340
2026-08-09 22:47:39.278 [warning] Loading the PowerShell extension is taking longer than expected. If you're using privilege enforcement software, this can affect start up performance.
2026-08-09 22:49:10.369 [warning] PowerShell process terminated or Extension Terminal was closed, PID: 9340
2026-08-09 22:49:10.417 [error] Extension Terminal is undefined.
2026-08-09 22:49:10.981 [error] PowerShell Language Server process didn't start!
2026-08-09 22:49:11.545 [warning] Re-entered 'start' so waiting...
2026-08-09 22:49:11.624 [info] Starting 'Windows PowerShell (x64)' at: C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe
2026-08-09 22:49:12.076 [info] PowerShell process started with PID: 20496
2026-08-09 22:49:45.075 [warning] Loading the PowerShell extension is taking longer than expected. If you're using privilege enforcement software, this can affect start up performance.
PowerShell Version
Name Value
---- -----
PSVersion 5.1.19041.7548
PSEdition Desktop
PSCompatibleVersions {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0...}
BuildVersion 10.0.19041.7548
CLRVersion 4.0.30319.42000
WSManStackVersion 3.0
PSRemotingProtocolVersion 2.3
SerializationVersion 1.1.0.1Visual Studio Code Version
1.107.0
x64Extension Version
ms-vscode.powershell@2025.4.0Steps to Reproduce
2026-08-09 22:47:04.732 [info] Visual Studio Code: v1.107.0 64-bit on Windows 64-bit
2026-08-09 22:47:04.732 [info] PowerShell Extension: v2025.4.0
2026-08-09 22:47:04.848 [info] Starting 'Windows PowerShell (x64)' at: C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe
2026-08-09 22:47:05.799 [info] PowerShell process started with PID: 9340
2026-08-09 22:47:39.278 [warning] Loading the PowerShell extension is taking longer than expected. If you're using privilege enforcement software, this can affect start up performance.
2026-08-09 22:49:10.369 [warning] PowerShell process terminated or Extension Terminal was closed, PID: 9340
2026-08-09 22:49:10.417 [error] Extension Terminal is undefined.
2026-08-09 22:49:10.981 [error] PowerShell Language Server process didn't start!
2026-08-09 22:49:11.545 [warning] Re-entered 'start' so waiting...
2026-08-09 22:49:11.624 [info] Starting 'Windows PowerShell (x64)' at: C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe
2026-08-09 22:49:12.076 [info] PowerShell process started with PID: 20496
2026-08-09 22:49:45.075 [warning] Loading the PowerShell extension is taking longer than expected. If you're using privilege enforcement software, this can affect start up performance.
Visuals
2026-08-09 22:47:04.732 [info] Visual Studio Code: v1.107.0 64-bit on Windows 64-bit
2026-08-09 22:47:04.732 [info] PowerShell Extension: v2025.4.0
2026-08-09 22:47:04.848 [info] Starting 'Windows PowerShell (x64)' at: C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe
2026-08-09 22:47:05.799 [info] PowerShell process started with PID: 9340
2026-08-09 22:47:39.278 [warning] Loading the PowerShell extension is taking longer than expected. If you're using privilege enforcement software, this can affect start up performance.
2026-08-09 22:49:10.369 [warning] PowerShell process terminated or Extension Terminal was closed, PID: 9340
2026-08-09 22:49:10.417 [error] Extension Terminal is undefined.
2026-08-09 22:49:10.981 [error] PowerShell Language Server process didn't start!
2026-08-09 22:49:11.545 [warning] Re-entered 'start' so waiting...
2026-08-09 22:49:11.624 [info] Starting 'Windows PowerShell (x64)' at: C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe
2026-08-09 22:49:12.076 [info] PowerShell process started with PID: 20496
2026-08-09 22:49:45.075 [warning] Loading the PowerShell extension is taking longer than expected. If you're using privilege enforcement software, this can affect start up performance.
Logs
No response
Activity
github-actions commentedon Aug 10, 2026
Thanks for the report! This looks like a genuine startup failure — the extension launched Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PSES died after roughly 2 minutes without initializing, leaving
Extension Terminal is undefined.To help diagnose this, we need a few more details:
PSES log files — The extension output channel (what you pasted) only shows high-level events. The actual PSES logs have the crash reason. You can find them with:
Please share the contents of the most recent
.logfile.Privilege enforcement / security software — The warning "Loading the PowerShell extension is taking longer than expected. If you're using privilege enforcement software, this can affect start up performance." appeared twice. Are you running any endpoint protection, DLP, application control (AppLocker / WDAC), or enterprise MDM software? If so, what product?
Reproduction steps — What were you doing when this happened (opening a specific file, just launching VS Code, etc.)? Does it happen every time, or only sometimes?
Network / proxy — Is VS Code running in an environment with a proxy or restricted network access?
Without the PSES log files in particular, it is very difficult to identify the root cause.
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