Visual Studio Code - unable to update SDK, or access previous SDKs

[Mike Austin (LPI)]

I'm having some pretty significant issues with Visual Studio Code and the nRF Connect SDK/Toolchain installation.

I'm on Windows 10, and have been running V2.6.1 of the SDK for a year or so now, but needed to update to a more recent one to access some features not available in V2.6.1.  Went through the usual process within Visual Studio Code when I can install a toolchain, and install an SDK.  The toolchain for v3.0.1 seems to download and install correctly.  But when I went to install the V3.0.1 SDK, it downloaded, unpacked and then the final step failed with some random error code:

[15:13:35] nrfutil-sdk-manager sdk,install,v3.0.1,--sdk-path,c:\ncs\v3.0.1: Download SDK v3.0.1
[15:36:38] nrfutil-sdk-manager sdk,install,v3.0.1,--sdk-path,c:\ncs\v3.0.1: null: success
[15:36:38] nrfutil-sdk-manager sdk,install,v3.0.1,--sdk-path,c:\ncs\v3.0.1: Calculating SDK checksum
[15:36:44] nrfutil-sdk-manager sdk,install,v3.0.1,--sdk-path,c:\ncs\v3.0.1: Verified download: success
[15:36:44] nrfutil-sdk-manager sdk,install,v3.0.1,--sdk-path,c:\ncs\v3.0.1: Unpack SDK v3.0.1

[west]: exited with code -4058.

And now, Visual Studio Code seems almost completely broken.  If I open up an existing Workspace, then attempt to click on the nRF Connect icon on the left, it just sits there looking like this:

I've left it sitting there like this for > 30mins and nothing seems to change.  Shutting down Visual Studio Code, restarting my machine, and restarting VSC doesn't seem to fix things.  I've even attempted a complete uninstall of nRF Command Line Tools and Visual Studio Code, then reinstalling, but it is still showing this behaviour.

I'm now at the point where I basically can't do any further development, nor program any boards I have going through production, so I'm pretty stuck.

Is there something I am supposed to be doing different from what is described in this tutorial video when installing nRF Command Line Tools, VSC, Toolchains and SDK's now?

www.youtube.com/watch

I'm pretty desperate to get this issue resolved

Regards,

Mike

[Ryn]

same problem

[Mike Austin (LPI)]

Ryn 

Have a look at this ticket: devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../sdk-3-0-1-installation-failed

Hope it gets you out of trouble!

Cheers,

Mike

[Mike Austin (LPI)]

Hi Dejan,

Removed all downloads.

Tried to install v2.9.2

nrfutil sdk-manager install v2.9.2 --sdk-path c:\ncs\v2.9.2 --install-dir c:\ncs --log-level trace
[00:07:55] ###### 100% [Download toolchain v2.9.2] Toolchain downloaded
[00:00:57] ###### 100% [Unpack toolchain v2.9.2] Toolchain unpacked to c:\ncs\tmp\.tmpDaqjlp
[00:00:00] ###### 100% [Install toolchain v2.9.2] Toolchain installed at c:\ncs\toolchains\b620d30767
[00:27:49] ###### 100% [Download SDK v2.9.2] Download SDK v2.9.2
[00:00:10] ###### 100% [Calculating SDK checksum] Verified download
[00:02:44] #####-  79% [Unpack SDK v2.9.2] Unpacking
Error: Subprocess C:\Users\mikea.SURFACE-PRO-7\.nrfutil\bin\nrfutil-sdk-manager.exe failed with unexpected exit code Some(5)

Again, here is the log file

Regards,

Mike

2845.nrfutil-sdk-manager.log

[dejans]

Hi Mike,

Can you try to upgrade your sdk-manager by running "nrfutil upgrade sdk-manager" and then remove all your logs, re-run SDK install with --log-level trace and share your new log file?

Best regards,
Dejan

[Mike Austin (LPI)]

Hi Dejan,

Results of latest attempt:

C:\Users\mikea.SURFACE-PRO-7>nrfutil sdk-manager --version
nrfutil-sdk-manager 1.3.1 (887c4f2 2025-07-10)
commit-hash: 887c4f2a13f8688652e4f0a1586b18e282dbec72
commit-date: 2025-07-10
host: x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
build-timestamp: 2025-07-10T08:51:48.812830200Z
classification: nrf-external


C:\Users\mikea.SURFACE-PRO-7>nrfutil sdk-manager install v2.9.2 --sdk-path c:\ncs\v2.9.2 --install-dir c:\ncs --log-level trace
[00:00:00] ###### 100% [Install toolchain v2.9.2] Toolchain with version v2.9.2 already installed
[00:26:54] ###### 100% [Download SDK v2.9.2] Download SDK v2.9.2
[00:00:05] ###### 100% [Calculating SDK checksum] Verified download
[00:01:07] #####-  79% [Unpack SDK v2.9.2] Unpacking
Error: Subprocess C:\Users\mikea.SURFACE-PRO-7\.nrfutil\bin\nrfutil-sdk-manager.exe failed with unexpected exit code Some(5)

C:\Users\mikea.SURFACE-PRO-7>

4885.nrfutil-sdk-manager.log

Regards,

Mike

[Mike Austin (LPI)]

Interestingly, if I now try and run nrfutil sdk-manager --version, it comes back saying there is no sdk-manager?!?

C:\Users\mikea.SURFACE-PRO-7>nrfutil sdk-manager --version
Error: nrfutil command `sdk-manager` not found. See `nrfutil list` for full list of installed commands, `nrfutil search` for installable commands, and `nrfutil install` for installation of new commands.

Caused by:
    Subcommand nrfutil-sdk-manager.exe not found

C:\Users\mikea.SURFACE-PRO-7>

But if I then try and install it, I get this:

C:\Users\mikea.SURFACE-PRO-7>nrfutil install sdk-manager
nrfutil-sdk-manager already installed - use '--force' to uninstall and reinstall the command
[00:00:01] ###### 100% [Install packages] Install packages

[dejans]

Hi Mike,

There is no additional useful information in your log. It looks like something that could be caused by antivirus program or some problem in your setup. I suggest that you delete existing log files, uninstall all SDKs and Toolchains, install them again and provide clean log. If possible, you could try on another computer to see if you can reproduce the issue.

Best regards,
Dejan