[Question]: Why azure agent needs node.exe for VSTest tasks?

[xkasjan77]

Describe your question

Hello,

I have configured our pipelines to run c# VSTest. Few days ago I've done system update to our virtual machines to Windows11. All azure agents are the same as before. I can run release, I can see connection between agent and VM everything seems fine.

When my release comes to VSTask (in version 2.205.0) a node.exec command-line window pops up and blocks our tests. Like I said on previous system everything was fine till now. I've tried removing this folder but visual studio test task requires node and won't even run without it.

Before that I had agent with version 2.181.2 and big command line window sometimes pops up that drivers to agent folder -> externals -> node and here opens node.exe. I've never seen that Visual studio tests need any node exec file.

Then I found this issue (link) and downloaded newer alternative version that should not include node folder. I've configured on our pool and run our release one more time. Now it can't even start c# tests because node.exe cannot be found in agent file system.

So my question is how to get rid of node.exe during VS tests or how to prevent this node.exec to cover whole desktop? Why I see this on windows11 but not on our previous system (windows server 2019)

Versions

VSTask v2.205.0
Windows 11 Virtual machines with self-hosted agents
Azure agent with 2 versions (2.181.1 and 2.188.3

Environment type (Please select at least one enviroment where you face this issue)

• Self-Hosted
• Microsoft Hosted
• VMSS Pool
• Container

Azure DevOps Server type

dev.azure.com (formerly visualstudio.com)

Operation system

No response

Version controll system

No response

Azure DevOps Server Version (if applicable)

No response