Linux .deb installer creates duplicate desktop shortcuts leading to startup crash loops and orphaned crashpad handlers on Ubuntu MATE

[TumnusVirus]

Type: Bug

1. Install VS Code or VS Code Insiders via the standard .deb package on Ubuntu MATE.
2. Invoke a deep link protocol (e.g., vscode://) inside a browser window, leading to a session crash.
3. Try opening the application normally from the system menu bar.

Expected Behaviour:
The main application menu item should exclusively match the base code window thread and bring the single active workspace forward.

Actual Behaviour:
The window manager reads the unpurged layout history cache file alongside a hidden auxiliary *-url-handler.desktop installation file. The matching loop fails, spawning silent duplicate background processes (chrome_crashpad_handler --monitor-self-annotation=pty), causing a second window failure loop.

The Fix/Workaround:
Manually purging the shared config (~/.config/Code/storage.json, ~/.config/Code/GPUCache) and correcting the desktop launcher file parameter strictly to a lower-case StartupWMClass=code fully anchors the execution environment back to a single instance.

Additional Note:
This happens both on VS Code and VS Code - Insiders

VS Code version: Code 1.130.0 (1b6a188, 2026-07-22T14:55:04Z)
OS version: Linux x64 6.8.0-124-generic
Modes:

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-7200U CPU @ 2.50GHz (4 x 3100)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled GPU0: VENDOR= 0x10de, DEVICE=0x134d, DRIVER_VENDOR=Nvidia, DRIVER_VERSION=535.309.01 ACTIVE GPU1: VENDOR= 0x8086, DEVICE=0x5916 Machine model name: Machine model version: direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: enabled_on rasterization: enabled raw_draw: disabled_off_ok skia_graphite: disabled_off trees_in_viz: disabled_off video_decode: enabled video_encode: disabled_software vulkan: disabled_off webgl: enabled webgpu: enabled webgpu_on_vk_via_gl_interop: enabled webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	1, 1, 1
Memory (System)	15.39GB (9.39GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id d141b6f5-6de4-4d12-8b3e-f26f50af006e
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%
DESKTOP_SESSION	mate
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP	MATE
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP	mate
XDG_SESSION_TYPE	x11

Extensions (20)

Name	Identifier	Author	Version
Prettier - Code formatter	esbenp.prettier-vscode	esbenp	12.4.0
GitLab	gitlab.gitlab-workflow	GitLab	6.85.3
Python Debugger	ms-python.debugpy	ms-python	2026.6.0
isort	ms-python.isort	ms-python	2026.7.12031009
Python	ms-python.python	ms-python	2026.4.0
Pylance	ms-python.vscode-pylance	ms-python	2026.3.1
Python Environments	ms-python.vscode-python-envs	ms-python	1.36.0
Jupyter	ms-toolsai.jupyter	ms-toolsai	2025.9.1
Jupyter Keymap	ms-toolsai.jupyter-keymap	ms-toolsai	1.1.2
Jupyter Notebook Renderers	ms-toolsai.jupyter-renderers	ms-toolsai	1.3.0
Jupyter Cell Tags	ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-cell-tags	ms-toolsai	0.1.9
Jupyter Slide Show	ms-toolsai.vscode-jupyter-slideshow	ms-toolsai	0.1.6
Language Support for Java(TM) by Red Hat	redhat.java	redhat	1.55.0
Live Server	ritwickdey.liveserver	ritwickdey	5.7.10
Gradle for Java	vscjava.vscode-gradle	vscjava	3.18.0
Debugger for Java	vscjava.vscode-java-debug	vscjava	0.59.0
Project Manager for Java	vscjava.vscode-java-dependency	vscjava	0.27.6
Extension Pack for Java	vscjava.vscode-java-pack	vscjava	0.31.1
Test Runner for Java	vscjava.vscode-java-test	vscjava	0.46.0
Maven for Java	vscjava.vscode-maven	vscjava	0.45.3

A/B Experiments

vsliv368cf:30146710
binariesv615:30325510
nativeloc1:31344060
dwcopilot:31170013
dwoutputs:31242946
copilot_t_ci:31333650
e5gg6876:31282496
pythonrdcb7:31342333
6518g693:31463988
aj953862:31281341
envsactivate1:31551504
gh487529:31544284
cloudbuttont:31379625
3efgi100_wstrepl:31403338
ddidt:31399633
ec5jj548:31422691
cp_cls_t_966_ss:31526232
4je02754:31466945
c3h7c220:31478652
cp_cls_t_1081:31454832
conptydll_true:31498968
core-renderer-profiling-on:31440367
e9c30283:31461165
test_treatment2:31471001
46204921:31447328
capico_bxe_098a3278:31551525
idci7584:31464702
e3e4d672:31494082
ei9d7968:31496641
chat:31457767
8hig5102:31480529
89g7j272:31518289
7e187181:31503455
i2gc6536:31499202
52612955:31516516
ghj88844:31499326
ddid_t:31478206
hmra_i5g22:31518061
7df3h592:31512476
cp_cls_t_1082:31535311
logging_enabled_new:31498466
j0d79568:31499440
jb_cp_cls_t_632:31543129
56dj4588:31512888
32d76977:31512328
ha629193:31508444
cdk-lw-on:31524445
f9bf7985:31543584
jh5f2457_c:31540921
8hfba999:31537718
jbcp_cls_pctr_t:31531130
61138546:31518536
cp_intellij_t_nes:31548657
d7b18187:31526828
nes-curr-leftover-1500:31538366
h561g132:31533256
sessions_3:31532893
ihg5j128:31534457
f412h606:31551416
9gg7f176:31542112
sandbox-ui-on-2:31543161
nes-ex-cf-euporie-03:31542868
5fe6f778:31554331
fd5dc207:31551400
1532g621_copy:31554320
d4c76da2:31554780