Vscode-cpptools: Unable to start the C/C++ Language Server (Missing binary Microsoft.VSCode.CPP.Extension.exe)

[SharquiX]

Type: LanguageService

Describe the bug

• OS and Version: Windows 10 1909
• VS Code Version: 1.42.1
• C/C++ Extension Version: 0.26.3
• Other extensions you installed (and if the issue persists after disabling them):
• A clear and concise description of what the bug is.

Unable to start the C/C++ language server. IntelliSense features will be disabled. Error: Missing binary at c:\Users\shawn.vscode\extensions\ms-vscode.cpptools-0.26.3\bin\Microsoft.VSCode.CPP.Extension.exe

To Reproduce

1. Go to '...'
2. Click on '....'
3. Scroll down to '....'
4. See error

Expected behavior

I just want the notification to go away.

Screenshots

Additional context

[michelleangela]

@SharquiX Based on the error

Unable to start the C/C++ language server. IntelliSense features will be disabled. Error: Missing binary at c:\Users\shawn.vscode\extensions\ms-vscode.cpptools-0.26.3\bin\Microsoft.VSCode.CPP.Extension.exe

the binary of the extension failed to download or install.

Can you try re-installing the extension by doing the following:

1. From VS Code, uninstall the C/C++ extension
2. Go the folder where VS Code extensions are stored and ensure the folder c:\Users\shawn.vscode\extensions\ms-vscode.cpptools-0.26.3 is deleted. If it's not deleted, manually delete it.
3. From VS Code, install the C/C++ extension

[minida28]

I cannot uninstall it because other extensions depend on it..

My Visual Code version:
Version: 1.43.2 (user setup)
Commit: 0ba0ca52957102ca3527cf479571617f0de6ed50
Date: 2020-03-24T07:38:38.248Z
Electron: 7.1.11
Chrome: 78.0.3904.130
Node.js: 12.8.1
V8: 7.8.279.23-electron.0
OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.18362

[minida28]

I solved it by:

1. Deleting the extension folder as advised above.
2. Reinstall the extension.

[sean-mcmanus]

Let us know if anyone figures out a good way to repro this issue so we could figure out a way to prevent it from happening.

[bigjosh]

Same problem, deleting the directory and re-installing also worked for me.