My codespace Failed to creation dev. Container

[ossama-122]

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code space show this message:
This codespace is currently running in recovery mode due to a configuration error. Please review the creation logs, update your dev container configuration as needed, and run the "Rebuild Container" command to rectify.
i rebuild container more but this issue still there.
this is all showing
In the creation logs:
Stop: Run: docker start f59f105b3592aeb123bdccfe2f4f839c4942e336c7590692dc587bfab11e5820
Shell server terminated (code: 126, signal: null)
unable to find user codespace: no matching entries in passwd file
{"outcome":"error","message":"An error occurred setting up the container.","description":"An error occurred setting up the container.","containerId":"f59f105b3592aeb123bdccfe2f4f839c4942e336c7590692dc587bfab11e5820"}
Error: An error occurred setting up the container.
at w6: (/.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:467:1253)
at ax: (/.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:467:997)
at process. processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
at async Y6 (/.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:484:3842)
at async BC (/.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:484:4957)
at async p7 (/.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:665:202)
at async d7 (/.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:664:14804)
at async /.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:484:1188
devcontainer process exited with exit code 1
ERROR =
2025-12-02 17:37:12.998Z: Failed to create container

how to solve this issue ?

[iamgurjitsingh]

The error "unable to find user codespace: no matching entries in passwd file" indicates a user permission issue in your dev container configuration.

Try these fixes:

1. Check your devcontainer.json for user settings:

{
  "remoteUser": "vscode",
  "containerUser": "vscode"
}

2. If using a custom Dockerfile, ensure the user exists:

RUN useradd -m -s /bin/bash vscode
USER vscode

3. Reset the codespace:

• Go to your codespace settings
• Click "..." menu → "Delete"
• Create a new codespace from scratch

4. Check for authentication issues:
The "Shell server terminated (code: 126, signal: null)" suggests a permissions problem. Try adding to your devcontainer.json:

{
  "postCreateCommand": "sudo chown -R vscode:vscode /workspaces"
}

5. If using a prebuild:
Prebuilds can sometimes cache bad configurations. Disable prebuilds temporarily and create a fresh codespace.

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[satyam9798]

This means:

Your dev container is trying to start as a user that does not exist inside the container image.

Because of this, Codespaces drops into recovery mode, and rebuilding won’t help until the configuration is fixed.

Why this happens

Usually caused by one of these in .devcontainer/devcontainer.json or the Dockerfile:

remoteUser is set to a user that doesn’t exist

USER codespace (or similar) is set in the Dockerfile but never created

A custom base image that doesn’t include the expected user

A mismatch between:

remoteUser

/etc/passwd

the image you’re using

Codespaces expects the user to exist in /etc/passwd.

✅ Quick fix (most common solution)
1️⃣ Open .devcontainer/devcontainer.json

Look for this:

"remoteUser": "codespace"

or

"remoteUser": "vscode"

👉 Fix option A (recommended)

Remove remoteUser entirely and let Codespaces handle it:

{
"name": "My Dev Container",
"image": "mcr.microsoft.com/devcontainers/base:ubuntu"
}

Then rebuild.

[shiva9520]

❌This error happens because the dev container is trying to use a user that does not exist inside the container.

Open .devcontainer/devcontainer.json and check remoteUser or containerUser.
If it is set to something like node, change it to:

👉"remoteUser": "vscode"

or remove the remoteUser field completely.

After saving, rebuild the container using Codespaces: Rebuild Container (full rebuild).

If the container still opens in recovery mode, delete the Codespace and create a new one.
✔️This fixes the no matching entries in passwd file and recovery mode issue.

[JameelShabbir]

This error usually happens because the user configured in your devcontainer doesn’t exist inside the image.

Quick fix:
Open .devcontainer/devcontainer.json
Check remoteUser or containerUser
Either remove it or set it to an existing user like:

// "remoteUser": "root"

If you’re using a custom Dockerfile, make sure the user is created:

//RUN useradd -m codespace

and then:

//"remoteUser": "codespace"

After that, Rebuild Container.
This resolves the unable to find user codespace: no matching entries in passwd file error.

[samyak2403]

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code space show this message: This codespace is currently running in recovery mode due to a configuration error. Please review the creation logs, update your dev container configuration as needed, and run the "Rebuild Container" command to rectify. i rebuild container more but this issue still there. this is all showing In the creation logs: Stop: Run: docker start f59f105b3592aeb123bdccfe2f4f839c4942e336c7590692dc587bfab11e5820 Shell server terminated (code: 126, signal: null) unable to find user codespace: no matching entries in passwd file {"outcome":"error","message":"An error occurred setting up the container.","description":"An error occurred setting up the container.","containerId":"f59f105b3592aeb123bdccfe2f4f839c4942e336c7590692dc587bfab11e5820"} Error: An error occurred setting up the container. at w6: (/.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:467:1253) at ax: (/.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:467:997) at process. processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5) at async Y6 (/.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:484:3842) at async BC (/.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:484:4957) at async p7 (/.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:665:202) at async d7 (/.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:664:14804) at async /.codespaces/agent/bin/node_modules/@devcontainers/cli/dist/spec-node/devContainersSpecCLI.js:484:1188 devcontainer process exited with exit code 1 ERROR = 2025-12-02 17:37:12.998Z: Failed to create container

how to solve this issue ?

How to Fix GitHub Codespace Recovery Mode Error

The error "unable to find user codespace: no matching entries in passwd file" means your dev container configuration has a user setup problem.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Check Your Dev Container Configuration

1. In your repository, find the file .devcontainer/devcontainer.json
2. Open it and look for these settings:
   • remoteUser
   • containerUser
   • runArgs

Step 2: Fix Common Issues

Option A - Remove User Settings (Simplest Fix)

Remove or comment out these lines in devcontainer.json:

"remoteUser": "codespace"
"containerUser": "codespace"

Option B - Use Default User

Change to:

"remoteUser": "vscode"

Option C - Fix Dockerfile User Issues

If you have a custom Dockerfile in .devcontainer/Dockerfile, make sure it creates the user properly:

RUN useradd -m -s /bin/bash codespace
USER codespace

Step 3: Delete and Recreate Codespace

1. Go to GitHub → Your Repository
2. Click Code button → Codespaces tab
3. Click the "..." (three dots) next to your codespace
4. Select Delete
5. Create a new codespace

Step 4: If Issue Persists - Use Minimal Config

Replace your devcontainer.json content with this basic version:

{
  "name": "My Project",
  "image": "mcr.microsoft.com/devcontainers/base:ubuntu"
}

Then rebuild the container.

Quick Fix Summary

1. Delete the broken codespace completely
2. Remove user-related settings from devcontainer.json
3. Create new codespace

This should resolve the "no matching entries in passwd file" error.

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This Discussion has been labeled as dormant by an automated system for having no activity in the last 60 days. Please consider one the following actions:

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