The solution for encountering the Error "Error creating local task: Error: Timeout" when using "startup_timeout_ms" under windows

[sfz009900]

What version of the VS Code extension are you using?

v0.5.6

Which IDE are you using?

VS Code

What platform is your computer?

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.19045.0 x64

What steps can reproduce the bug?

This is the situation where an error was reported before:
#3348

Now I have tried it myself and obtained a solution that can currently run MCP successfully:

[mcp_servers.context7]
command = "F:\\software\\nodejsold\\npx.cmd"
args = ["-y", "@upstash/context7-mcp", "--api-key", "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"]
startup_timeout_ms = 20_000
env = { APPDATA="C:\\Users\\testuser000\\AppData\\Roaming", LOCALAPPDATA="C:\\Users\\testuser000\\AppData\\Local", HOME="C:\\Users\\testuser000", SystemRoot="C:\\Windows", ComSpec="C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe", NPM_CONFIG_REGISTRY="https://registry.npmmirror.com" }

it's ok :)

What is the expected behavior?

No response

What do you see instead?

No response

Additional information

No response

[mizuikk]

Also working with

command = "cmd"
args = [
    "/c",
    "npx",
    "-y",
    "@upstash/context7-mcp",
    "--api-key",
    "xxx",
]
env = { APPDATA="C:\\Users\\testuser000\\AppData\\Roaming", LOCALAPPDATA="C:\\Users\\testuser000\\AppData\\Local", HOME="C:\\Users\\testuser000", SystemRoot="C:\\Windows", ComSpec="C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe", NPM_CONFIG_REGISTRY="https://registry.npmmirror.com" }

[micahdlamb]

Narrowed it down to just adding this:
env = { SystemRoot="C:\\Windows" }
fixes it for me.

[deangabbai]

Great work man, thanks alot.

[wbdb]

For those looking for a complete example of config.toml working with Windows 11 Pro 24H2:

[mcp_servers.context7]
command = "cmd"
args = [
    "/c",
    "npx",
    "-y",
    "@upstash/context7-mcp",
    "--api-key",
    "your-key",
]
env = { SystemRoot="C:\\Windows" }
startup_timeout_ms = 20_000

Thanks @micahdlamb @mizuikk

[kimhee0129]

Narrowed it down to just adding this: env = { SystemRoot="C:\\Windows" } fixes it for me.

Thanks a lot.... I struggled for 3 Hours, and you helped me!

[SiNaPsEr0x]

my solution on windows with codex on vscode is:

model = "gpt-5-codex"
model_reasoning_effort = "high"

[mcp_servers.brave-search]
command = "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe"
args = ["C:\\Users\\Rocco\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-brave-search\\dist\\index.js"]
timeoutMs = 90000

[mcp_servers.brave-search.env]
BRAVE_API_KEY = "APIKEY"
APPDATA = "C:\\Users\\Rocco\\AppData\\Roaming"
LOCALAPPDATA = "C:\\Users\\Rocco\\AppData\\Local"
HOME = "C:\\Users\\Rocco"
SystemRoot = "C:\\Windows"
ComSpec = "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe"
NPM_CONFIG_REGISTRY = "https://registry.npmmirror.com"

[mcp_servers.sequential-thinking]
command = "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe"
args = ["C:\\Users\\Rocco\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@modelcontextprotocol\\server-sequential-thinking\\dist\\index.js"]
timeoutMs = 90000

[mcp_servers.sequential-thinking.env]
APPDATA = "C:\\Users\\Rocco\\AppData\\Roaming"
LOCALAPPDATA = "C:\\Users\\Rocco\\AppData\\Local"
HOME = "C:\\Users\\Rocco"
SystemRoot = "C:\\Windows"
ComSpec = "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe"
NPM_CONFIG_REGISTRY = "https://registry.npmmirror.com"

[mcp_servers.context7]
command = "C:\\Program Files\\nodejs\\node.exe"
args = ["C:\\Users\\Rocco\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm\\node_modules\\@upstash\\context7-mcp\\dist\\index.js"]
timeoutMs = 90000

[mcp_servers.context7.env]
APPDATA = "C:\\Users\\Rocco\\AppData\\Roaming"
LOCALAPPDATA = "C:\\Users\\Rocco\\AppData\\Local"
HOME = "C:\\Users\\Rocco"
SystemRoot = "C:\\Windows"
ComSpec = "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe"
NPM_CONFIG_REGISTRY = "https://registry.npmmirror.com"