Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?
Cursor IDE
Describe the Bug
I cannot use Remote-SSH on Cursor from my Laptop to my desktop. Whenever I “Connect to Host” I get the following error:
“Connection to Cursor server failed: Failed to install server within the timeout”
2025-09-30 16:50:39.620 [info] (ssh_tunnel) stderr: ln: failed to create hard link ‘/tmp/cursor-remote-lock.c8c4da9952b214c551268e224d26e419’: File exists
2025-09-30 16:50:40.631 [info] (ssh_tunnel) stderr: ln: failed to create hard link ‘/tmp/cursor-remote-lock.c8c4da9952b214c551268e224d26e419’: File exists
2025-09-30 16:50:40.632 [info] (ssh_tunnel) stdout: Install in progress, sleeping for a bit…
2025-09-30 16:50:41.656 [info] (ssh_tunnel) stdout: Install in progress, sleeping for a bit…
2025-09-30 16:50:41.657 [info] (ssh_tunnel) stderr: ln: failed to create hard link ‘/tmp/cursor-remote-lock.c8c4da9952b214c551268e224d26e419’: File exists
2025-09-30 16:50:42.651 [info] (ssh_tunnel) stdout: Install in progress, sleeping for a bit…
2025-09-30 16:50:42.651 [info] (ssh_tunnel) stderr: ln: failed to create hard link ‘/tmp/cursor-remote-lock.c8c4da9952b214c551268e224d26e419’: File exists
2025-09-30 16:50:43.663 [info] (ssh_tunnel) stdout: Install in progress, sleeping for a bit…
2025-09-30 16:50:43.664 [info] (ssh_tunnel) stderr: ln: failed to create hard link ‘/tmp/cursor-remote-lock.c8c4da9952b214c551268e224d26e419’: File exists
2025-09-30 16:50:44.672 [info] (ssh_tunnel) stdout: Install in progress, sleeping for a bit…
2025-09-30 16:50:44.673 [info] (ssh_tunnel) stderr: ln: failed to create hard link ‘/tmp/cursor-remote-lock.c8c4da9952b214c551268e224d26e419’: File exists
2025-09-30 16:50:45.686 [info] (ssh_tunnel) stdout: 98574ab933ae04a703ee050a: start
exitCode==1==
nodeExecutable==/home/justinlandowne/.cursor-server/bin/34881053400013f38e2354f1479c88c9067039a0/node==
multiplexListeningOn====
multiplexConnectionToken====
codeListeningOn====
errorMessage==Could not acquire lock after multiple attempts==
isFatalError====
codeConnectionToken====
detectedPlatform==linux==
arch==x64==
SSH_AUTH_SOCK====
98574ab933ae04a703ee050a: end
2025-09-30 16:50:45.691 [info] Server install command exit code: 1
2025-09-30 16:50:45.692 [error] Error installing server: Couldn’t install Cursor Server, install script returned non-zero exit status: Could not acquire lock after multiple attempts
2025-09-30 16:50:45.692 [info] Deleting local script /var/folders/cs/l53csljx0dqdqmrnhnw4jc6c0000gn/T/cursor_remote_install_3140867e-86cb-4b73-9759-35ddd615c69d.sh
2025-09-30 16:50:45.693 [error] Error resolving SSH authority Couldn’t install Cursor Server, install script returned non-zero exit status: Could not acquire lock after multiple attempts
I can ssh into my Desktop from my Laptop normally through a regular terminal. I have tried removing (on my host desktop) ~/.cursor-server directory and retrying. I have tried rolling back the version. To no avail. Sometimes, if I roll back the version, delete the cursor-server directory, and restarting my desktop, it will temporarily work. But once it disconnects because my laptop goes to sleep, reconnection and subsequent retries all fail. This issue started after updates on 9/29/25.
Steps to Reproduce
Simply using “Connect to Host” via Remote-SSH extension almost every time. Unless I roll back the version, delete the cursor-server directory, and restarting my desktop, it will temporarily work. But once it disconnects because my laptop goes to sleep, reconnection and subsequent retries all fail.
Expected Behavior
Reliably connect to host on Cursor via Remote-SSH including reconnections after laptop goes to sleep
Operating System
MacOS
Linux
Current Cursor Version (Menu → About Cursor → Copy)
Version: 1.7.17 (Universal)
VSCode Version: 1.99.3
Commit: 34881053400013f38e2354f1479c88c9067039a0
Date: 2025-09-29T03:10:26.099Z (1 day ago)
Electron: 34.5.8
Chromium: 132.0.6834.210
Node.js: 20.19.1
V8: 13.2.152.41-electron.0
OS: Darwin arm64 25.0.0
Remote-SSH versions: 1.0.30, 1.0.29., 1.0.32
Does this stop you from using Cursor
Sometimes - I can sometimes use Cursor