VSCode deleted my profiles data after connecting to another device

[ylazy]

Does this issue occur when all extensions are disabled?: Yes

• VS Code Version: 1.94.0
• OS Version: Windows 11 24H2

Steps to Reproduce:

I'm using VSCode Portable on my portable SSD Drive in an Asus VivoBook laptop. After connecting my SSD to another machine (Microsoft Surface Pro), then switching back to my laptop, ALL MY PROFILES ARE GONE!!!

OMG! This's my work for a very long time. I've built so many snippets, settings, shortcuts... And they're gone! I tried many data recovery applications but received corrupted files.

I searched then I found this issue but didn't understand why it and related issues have been closed or are unavailable for new comments?

I also can't believe that such a critical issue that leads to DATA LOST is still remains unresolved for a long time.

I understand that this can be a duplicate but I have to open this issue for user voices.

Thanks!

[ylazy]

It is noteworthy that I didn't do any setting sync.

I just connected my SSD to another device, opened VSCode to run a project test, then switched back to the original device. The ssd's driver letter on my first device is Y:, on my second device is E:, so I renamed to Y: before running the project test. That's all I did.

I didn't see any warning or deletion confirmation. My profiles folder has been deteled silently. Why can an IDE remove user data silently?

[ylazy]

I added information that there are no accounts signed in on my VSCode Portable.

[sandy081]

Can you please provide steps to reproduce the issue?

[ylazy]

Can you please provide steps to reproduce the issue?

My devices:

• Asus VivoBook (System Model: VivoBook_ASUSLaptop X512FLG_A512FL
• Microsoft Surface Pro 5
• SSD: Transcend ESD310 (contains VSCode Portable 1.94.0)

Step:

• I use VSCode on the SSD on Asus VivoBook everyday. (no account signed in)
• Unplug the SSD from Asus VivoBook, plug into the Microsoft Surface Pro
• Change the SSD's driver letter. From E: to Y:
• Open VSCode on the SSD on Microsoft Surface Pro (The screen resolution is zoomed at 125%, so I see the layout changed)
• VSCode automatically open my last multi root workspace. Run a test that invoke VSCode debugger.
• Unplug the SSD from Microsoft Surface Pro, plug into the Asus VivoBook
• Open VSCode on the SSD on Asus VivoBook
• VSCode automatically open my last multi root workspace. I can't run the test again because my language-support extension and some other extension were in not installed state (I opened @installed and can't see them, I search them on the Marketplace and see the "Install" button with them). I clicked on File > New Window with Profile > and I saw all profiles were dissapeared. I opened my VSCode folder, navigate to data/user-data/User/profiles, and I saw the profiles folder was empty.

[sandy081]

How about settings stored in the data/user-data/User/ folder? Are they got deleted too?

[ylazy]

How about settings stored in the data/user-data/User/ folder? Are they got deleted too?

I'm not sure about the application scope settings.json file because I hardly change it so I didn't pay attention to it. If needed I'll try to reproduce this issue next monday to find more info about this.

Thanks!

[ylazy]

I think the application scope is fine, because all extensions that installed on the default profile are still alive.