Error opening VSCode on my pc

The error message you are encountering when trying to open Visual Studio Code (VSCode) indicates there may be an issue with the installation or configuration of the application. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem:

1. Reinstall VSCode: Uninstall VSCode completely from your system and then download the latest version from the official website. This can help resolve any issues caused by a corrupted installation.
2. Check for Conflicting Applications: Sometimes, other applications may interfere with VSCode. Ensure that no other programs are running that might conflict with it.
3. Run in Safe Mode: Try launching your PC in Safe Mode and then open VSCode. This can help determine if background services or applications are causing the issue.
4. Check Permissions: Ensure that you have the necessary permissions to access the files and folders that VSCode requires. Running as an administrator should typically suffice, but you may want to check file permissions manually.
5. Check for Antivirus Interference: Your antivirus software might be blocking VSCode from launching. Temporarily disable your antivirus and see if that resolves the issue.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider checking the VSCode logs for more detailed error messages that might provide further insight into the problem.

I noticed a similar problem on my Windows 10 laptop yesterday. Trying to run it from a command prompt resulted in this error:

C:\Users\XXX\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code>Code.exe

C:\Users\XXX\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code>

[1216/091328.477:ERROR:base\i18n\icu_util.cc:224] Invalid file descriptor to ICU data received.

Downloading and installing the latest vscode (1.107) resolved it. I didn't bother uninstalling the old version first.

However I have no idea what caused the original failure - corporate antivirus tool; bug in vscode? Hopefully this won't keep recurring, because reinstalling it every time will be a pain!