Unable to install SDK via VS Code

[akshaybabloo]

I have installed nRF connect 2025.9.732 on my VS code Version: 1.103.2 on Ubuntu 22.04.

I am able to install the toolchains successful but I am getting this weird error message

[14:05:44] nrfutil-sdk-manager install,v3.1.0,--sdk-path,/home/akshay/ncs/v3.1.0,--type,nrf: Install toolchain v3.1.0
[14:05:44] nrfutil-sdk-manager install,v3.1.0,--sdk-path,/home/akshay/ncs/v3.1.0,--type,nrf: Toolchain with version v3.1.0 already installed: success
[14:05:44] nrfutil-sdk-manager install,v3.1.0,--sdk-path,/home/akshay/ncs/v3.1.0,--type,nrf: Calculating SDK checksum
[14:05:53] nrfutil-sdk-manager install,v3.1.0,--sdk-path,/home/akshay/ncs/v3.1.0,--type,nrf: Verified previously download file: success
[14:05:53] nrfutil-sdk-manager install,v3.1.0,--sdk-path,/home/akshay/ncs/v3.1.0,--type,nrf: Unpack SDK v3.1.0
[14:06:06] nrfutil-sdk-manager install,v3.1.0,--sdk-path,/home/akshay/ncs/v3.1.0,--type,nrf: Unpacked SDK tarball: success
[west]: usage: west [-h] [-z ZEPHYR_BASE] [-v] [-q] [-V] <command> ...
[west]: west: unknown command "zephyr-export"; workspace /home/akshay/ncs/v3.1.0 does not define this extension command -- try "west help" and "west -vv status"

[west]: exited with code 1.

[west]: FATAL ERROR: failed manifest import in zephyr (zephyr):
[west]:   Failed importing "west.yml" from revision "ncs-v3.1.0"
[west]:   Hint: zephyr must be cloned, owned by the user and its manifest-rev ref must point to a commit with the import data
[west]:   To fix, run "west update. If it still fails, try "west -vv ..."

[west]: exited with code 1.

[west]: FATAL ERROR: failed manifest import in zephyr (zephyr):
[west]:   Failed importing "west.yml" from revision "ncs-v3.1.0"
[west]:   Hint: zephyr must be cloned, owned by the user and its manifest-rev ref must point to a commit with the import data
[west]:   To fix, run "west update. If it still fails, try "west -vv ..."

[west]: exited with code 1.

I have west installed globally via pip, but I do NOT have ZEPHYR os installed in ~/zephyrproject.

I am not sure what that error is, do I have to go to /home/akshay/ncs/v3.1.0 and type west update?

[Soupdragon]

I have an almost identical problem. I updated toolchain (using 'Manage toolchain') and SDK (using 'Manage SDKs'), both from a happily working v3.0.2. I'm running Windows 10 on a PC.

Installs seemed to go OK but building my projects with these updates fail, exactly as per this thread. I tried suggested solution 'west update' and also 'west -v update'. Creating a new project with these updated tools also fails.

Note that I am new to Zephyr and have no idea what these commands do. But they seemed to run OK. But underlying problem persists.

Just a guess - Could it be a permissions thing ? Do I have to run VS Code as administrator to do these updates ?

[GatCode]

I also have pretty much the same issue for macOS 15.6

[Priyanka]

Hi,

So far we are unable to reproduce this issue. Thank you for reporting this. 

Could you try to remove the previous west installation and try again from a clean state?

Maybe the west main utility is the issue here.

-Priyanka

[Soupdragon]

I am in the process of doing this now, although I don't have the knowledge or skills to remove the 'west installation', as I have only a very vague idea of what that is. Instead I am removing all things Nordic from my PC and doing a complete re-install based on Lesson 1 in the Developer Academy course. This will likely take a number of hours.

[akshaybabloo]

I am going gong to give this a try as well

[akshaybabloo]

OK I tried it using both vs code and `nrfutil` and it fails here

> nrfutil sdk-manager install v3.1.0
[00:07:28] ###### 100% [Download toolchain v3.1.0] Toolchain downloaded
[00:00:13] ###### 100% [Unpack toolchain v3.1.0] Toolchain unpacked to /home/akshay/ncs/tmp/.tmpZnVlnP
[00:00:00] ###### 100% [Install toolchain v3.1.0] Toolchain installed at /home/akshay/ncs/toolchains/c5be9c56c7
[00:18:26] ###### 100% [Download SDK v3.1.0] Download SDK v3.1.0
[00:00:06] ###### 100% [Calculating SDK checksum] Verified download
[00:00:13] ###### 100% [Unpack SDK v3.1.0] Unpacked SDK tarball
Error: Failed to run west zephyr-export in SDK directory '/home/akshay/ncs/v3.1.0'. Check the log for details.

And the log file shows the same thing 

[2025-09-10T22:13:11.418Z] [771139] ERROR - [nrfutil_sdk_manager::sdk::register] Failed to run 'west zephyr-export' in SDK directory.
Exit status: Some(1)

I am using west v1.4.0

[Soupdragon]

Excellent work. Thank you. I know that must have taken ages. I am up and running again using a previous version (3.0.2). So I'm happy enough for now

[Priyanka]

Thank you everyone for your inputs. We will take a look at this.

-Priyanka