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[BUG] Gemini Code Assist UI Stuck on Splash Screen in VS Code (Windows) - Bisect Confirms GCA as Cul

Posted 3 weeks ago
smolinari
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Reply posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM

Hello Google Cloud Community,

I'm experiencing a persistent issue with the Gemini Code Assist (GCA) extension in VS Code, where the splash screen with the spinner gets stuck indefinitely, and the chat UI never loads. I've performed extensive troubleshooting, including a full migration to the VS Code System Installer and utilizing the Extension Bisect feature, which points directly to GCA as the cause.

Problem Description: When I open VS Code, the Gemini Code Assist splash screen appears in its pane, displays a spinner, but never progresses. The Gemini chat functionality remains inaccessible.

My Environment:

  • Operating System: Windows Windows 10 Pro 24H2
  • VS Code Version: 1.101.0 (System Installer)
  • Gemini Code Assist Version: 2.37.0

Detailed Troubleshooting Steps & Outcomes (Chronological):

  1. Initial Problem: GCA stuck on splash screen after upgrading to latest beta.
  2. Network Issue (Resolved):
    • Initially encountered net::ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED for <URL Removed by Staff>
    • Confirmed msecnd.net and subdomains failed global DNS propagation checks.
    • This issue was resolved after updating VS Code to the latest stable version (which might have updated internal CDN references or fixed a caching problem). The chat.json error is no longer present.
  3. File System Error (Resolved):
    • Logs showed ENOENT: no such file or directory for chat_checkpoint_files at C:\Users\Scott\AppData\Roaming\Code\User\globalStorage\google.geminicodeassist\chat_checkpoint_files.
    • This folder (google.geminicodeassist) did not exist.
    • Resolved by manually creating the full directory path C:\Users\Scott\AppData\Roaming\Code\User\globalStorage\google.geminicodeassist\chat_checkpoint_files. The ENOENT error is no longer present in logs.
  4. VS Code Installation Migration:
    • Performed a clean uninstallation of the VS Code User Installer version.
    • Manually deleted all associated user data folders (%APPDATA%\Code, %USERPROFILE%\.vscode\extensions, %LOCALAPPDATA%\cloud-code).
    • Restarted PC.
    • Installed VS Code 1.101.0 using the System Installer (running as administrator).
    • Reinstalled Gemini Code Assist 2.37.0.
  5. Log Analysis Post-Migration (Crucial Findings):
    • All network calls to cloudcode-pa.googleapis.com (e.g., loadCodeAssist, onboardUser) are successful and show positive responses (e.g., "You've successfully connected your Google Account...").
    • The extension's activation log line "Done activating plugin Gemini Code Assist" is present and reports very fast activation times.
    • The cloudcode_cli.exe is being checked/extracted correctly.
    • No critical errors remain in the logs. Only a WARN about large extension state (2.6MB), which is a developer recommendation, not a functional blocker.
  6. UI/State Resets Attempted:
    • Ran View: Reset View Locations in Command Palette.
    • Toggled Gemini Code Assist visibility in Activity Bar.
    • Attempted Gemini Code Assist: Focus on Chat View (if available).
    • None of these resolved the stuck splash screen.
  7. Extension Bisect Result (Key Diagnostic):
    • Ran VS Code's Developer: Start Extension Bisect.
    • After systematically enabling/disabling extensions, Bisect explicitly concluded that google.geminicodeassist is the culprit extension. This confirms the issue is internal to GCA and not a conflict with another extension.
  8. New User Profile Test:
    • Launched VS Code with code --user-data-dir "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Code-TempGeminiTest" and --disable-extensions.
    • Installed only Gemini Code Assist in this pristine environment.
    • Signed into Google for GCA authentication.
    • Result: The Gemini Code Assist splash screen was still stuck with the spinner, even in this clean environment. This further confirms the issue is intrinsic to GCA itself, regardless of other extensions or existing user data.

Conclusion: Based on the comprehensive troubleshooting and the direct result from Extension Bisect, this appears to be a bug within the Gemini Code Assist extension (version 2.37.0) itself, specifically impacting its UI initialization/rendering, causing the splash screen to perpetually display. All backend operations, network connectivity, and authentication are successful as per logs.

Request: Could the development team please investigate this issue? I have exhausted all user-level troubleshooting, and the diagnostic data points strongly to an internal GCA bug. Please advise if any further diagnostic information is needed.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

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19 REPLIES 19

Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
Atliac
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I have the same problem

Tried on Windows 10, VS Code 1.101.1 and 1.100.3, Gemini Code Assist 2.37.0, 2.36.0, 2.35.0, all with no luck.

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
huabin
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Some problem here. 

A temporary solution: using another Google account.

I think it's an issue of Our Google accounts.

Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
smolinari
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In response to huabin
Reply posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
Yeah. I‘m using another account now. But, it would be nice if someone could
dig into this.

Scott

Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
Sahin38
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In response to huabin
Reply posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM

I have tried it on Webstorm with Gemini Code Assist and i can login without issues i install a 2 Months older Version of gemini code assist in visual studio code and i can login i think its the Problem of version Gemini Code assist 2.38.0 

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
Bjzy
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Reply posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM

Same issue here... thanks for the tip on using a different account. Just endless spinning on my primary account. Using another account now and it's totally fine.

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
huabin
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Reply posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM

Let me guess,  you probably have one or more projects in your Google Cloud account, right?

Actually, I did some digging, and this is a weird issue.

If there are no existing projects in your Google Cloud account, everything works fine. But if there are, you’ll encounter the error we're seeing.

When using Gemini Code Assist, it automatically creates a restricted project in Google Cloud.
For some reason, in certain cases, this restricted project seems to conflict with existing projects in your account.

That’s likely what’s causing the issue we’re facing now. I guess.

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
Bjzy
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In response to huabin
Reply posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
@huabin wrote:

Let me guess,  you probably have one or more projects in your Google Cloud account, right?

Actually, I did some digging, and this is a weird issue.

If there are no existing projects in your Google Cloud account, everything works fine. But if there are, you’ll encounter the error we're seeing.

When using Gemini Code Assist, it automatically creates a restricted project in Google Cloud.
For some reason, in certain cases, this restricted project seems to conflict with existing projects in your account.

That’s likely what’s causing the issue we’re facing now. I guess.

That's right. I do have multiple GCP. 

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
smolinari
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In response to huabin
Reply posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM

Yeah, something is awry with accounts, subs and using Gemini Code Assist.

Through your tip about projects,  I just happened to find a Gemini admin panel, which I never touched before and it doesn't show me subscribed to any Gemini Code Assist license, although I'm definitely subscribed to Gemini Code Assist or rather the Gemini API via Google 1. 

Question to any Google team member here:

Do I need a subscription in the Gemini Admin panel for Code Assist to work properly? My understanding what, because I have Google 1 Pro, Gemini Code Assist should also work. 

Scott

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
smolinari
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In response to huabin
Reply posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM

I just tested if a subscription is necessary too. I added a standard sub (not enterprise) to my "normal" account, still no bueno. Just the splash screen with a spinner that continues to spin. 

Scott

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
tobkum
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Reply posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM

Got the same problem, no matter what version of the extension I'm installing. Has something changed in the backend?

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
huabin
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In response to tobkum
Reply posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM

Check everything I said above.

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
tobkum
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In response to huabin
Reply posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM

I did - it's a personal account, no Google Cloud projects other than what was generated by Gemini

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
smolinari
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Ok. 

I got GCA working with my regular account, but with the standard GCA license (above Google1). As it seems, somehow the user I added (my own), wasn't the right user. No idea how that could happen either. A GCA standard license costs $22 extra above Google 1. I'd be glad to continue to pay it, if...

1. I get priority Gemini service. Often I get "reduced" to Gemini Flash 2.0 because 2.5 is getting too many requests. 

2. The GCA extension is seriously improved. Currently, the diff feature fails way to often. 

I don't consider getting the GCA license a fix either, when GCA is supposed to work with Google 1. 

Scott


 

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
UNKNOWN91
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Im facing the same issue, after try to login with my primary account. Stuck on loading. With other account its working, but gemini did not complete prompts. It stops every time, even if im only write hello. Im using vscode with latest Gemini Code assist. Already tried a different version, reinstalled vscode, delete cache and everything, but nothing seems to Work. All my accounts are personal without organization behind.

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
timopitt
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I'm facing the same issue too. A 6 Month old Version of the extension for VS Code seems to work but no newer one. No (visible) resposes to any input.

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
mattmcconnell
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Same issue here, started about the same time as well.

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
UNKNOWN91
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Seems to work now sometimes with other account than my primary one, but login problem with primary account still exist. If Geminis response stop, i write "continue without abort response" and it seems to work most time, what is strange. 😅

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
huabin
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Reply posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM

Check this post https://tourcoder.com/gemini-in-different-google-accounts/, it will help if you happen to know Chinese.

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Posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM
tobkum
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In response to huabin
Reply posted on --/--/---- --:-- AM

The link gives me a 404 error

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