Windows install is missing cursor_proclist.node after fresh install/reinstall, and Cursor becomes unstable

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1

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?
Cursor IDE

Describe the Bug
On Windows, Cursor installs without the native module cursor_proclist.node. After a fresh install/reinstall, the file is still missing, and Cursor is unstable. It logs a startup warning about the missing module, sometimes freezes or becomes unresponsive, and in some cases seems to stall other apps/system interaction until Cursor closes itself automatically.

Steps to Reproduce

  1. Install Cursor on Windows 11 x64 using the User installer.
  2. Open Cursor.
  3. Check this path:
    C:\Users\11\AppData\Local\Programs\cursor\resources\app\node_modules\cursor-proclist\build\Release\cursor_proclist.node
  4. The file is missing.
  5. Check the startup log in %AppData%\Roaming\Cursor\logs\... and Cursor logs:
    Native module unavailable; disabling proclist metrics: Cannot find module './build/Release/cursor_proclist.node'
  6. Reinstall Cursor or downgrade to an older version and repeat. The same problem remains.

Expected Behavior
Cursor should install all required packaged native files, including cursor_proclist.node, and launch/stay stable without freezing or becoming unresponsive.

Screenshots / Screen Recordings
I can attach screenshots of the errors/freezes if needed.

Operating System
Windows 11
OS build: 10.0.26200

Version Information
IDE:
Version: 2.5.26
VSCode Version: 1.105.1
Commit: 7d96c2a03bb088ad367615e9da1a3fe20fbbc6a0

Also tested:

  • 2.6.21
  • same missing file and same startup warning

Additional Information

  • Install type: User install
  • Install path: C:\Users\11\AppData\Local\Programs\cursor\Cursor.exe
  • The cursor-proclist folder exists, but only contains index.js and package.json. The native binary is not there.
  • I checked whether the file may have been installed and later removed, but I could not find installer logs showing file-level install actions.
  • I also searched for cursor_proclist.node on disk and did not find a copy anywhere.
  • Based on this, it appears the native file was likely never installed at all.
  • This happened on both the latest version and an older version, so it does not seem limited to only one release.

Does this stop you from using Cursor?
yes

2

Hi there!

We detected that this may be a bug report, so we’ve moved your post to the Bug Reports category.

To help us investigate and fix this faster, could you edit your original post to include the details from the template below?

Bug Report Template - Click to expand

Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

  • Cursor IDE
  • Cursor CLI
  • Background Agent (GitHub, Slack, Web, Linear)
  • BugBot
  • Somewhere else…

Describe the Bug
A clear and concise description of what the bug is.

Steps to Reproduce
How can you reproduce this bug? We have a much better chance at fixing issues if we can reproduce them!

  1. …
  2. …
  3. …

Expected Behavior
What is meant to happen here that isn’t working correctly?

Screenshots / Screen Recordings
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Operating System

  • Windows 10/11
  • MacOS
  • Linux

Version Information

  • For Cursor IDE: Menu → About Cursor → Copy
  • For Cursor CLI: Run agent about in your terminal
IDE:
Version: 2.xx.x
VSCode Version: 1.105.1
Commit: ......

CLI:
CLI Version 2026.01.17-d239e66

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Request ID: f9a7046a-279b-47e5-ab48-6e8dc12daba1
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Additional Information
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Does this stop you from using Cursor?

  • Yes - Cursor is unusable
  • Sometimes - I can sometimes use Cursor
  • No - Cursor works, but with this issue

The more details you provide, the easier it is for us to reproduce and fix the issue. Thanks!

4

Update: the issue seems resolved for now on my machine.

I uninstalled the older Cursor version, then installed the latest version again cleanly. After that, Cursor started working normally without the flashing/freezing behavior I was seeing before.

The cursor_proclist.node warning is still present and the file still appears to be missing in the install folder, but in my case it no longer seems to cause crashes or system instability.

So at least on my side, the clean reinstall fixed the actual usability problem, even though that warning still remains.

5

Hi,

I tried to reproduce this on my own Windows install of Cursor and found that cursor_proclist.node is also completely missing on my system, both in the expected path and via a full search. I also see the same “Native module unavailable; disabling proclist metrics” log, but Cursor runs normally for me without any freezes or instability.

This suggests that the missing file is likely expected (the module seems optional, probably for metrics), and its absence alone doesn’t cause issues. So while your observation is correct, it probably isn’t the root cause of the behavior you’re seeing.

Given that your system becomes unresponsive, the issue is more likely related to how the fallback behaves in your environment or something external (like antivirus, permissions, or system configuration). It might help to check those areas or try reproducing on another machine to narrow it down further.

Hope this helps!

7

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