VS Code SSH problem

Type: Bug

Previously (with an older vscode version i don't remember which one), I can SSH to a Ubuntu server via 2 other middle servers, SSH connection sequence is PC > 1st server > 2nd server > 3rd server. But with latest versions, it seems impossible, the download vscode server window keep poping up and disappear, and the ssh server is not connected. Please fix this, since the older version can handle it smoothly.

VS Code version: Code 1.129.0 (125df4672b8a6a34975303c6b0baa124e560a4f7, 2026-07-15T00:08:44Z)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26200
Modes:
Remote OS version: Linux x64 5.4.0-216-generic

System Info

|Item|Value|
|---|---|
|CPUs|11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-11400 @ 2.60GHz (12 x 2592)|
|GPU Status|2d_canvas: enabled
GPU0: VENDOR= 0x8086, DEVICE=0x4c8b [Intel(R) UHD Graphics 730], DRIVER_VENDOR=Intel, DRIVER_VERSION=30.0.101.1273 *ACTIVE*
GPU1: VENDOR= 0x1414, DEVICE=0x008c [Microsoft Basic Render Driver], DRIVER_VERSION=10.0.26100.7309
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: enabled
webgl: enabled
webgpu: enabled
webnn: disabled_off|
|Load (avg)|undefined|
|Memory (System)|15.80GB (4.05GB free)|
|Process Argv|--crash-reporter-id 942ce577-0c9d-4fb2-9ed8-5521069d416b|
|Screen Reader|no|
|VM|0%|

|Item|Value|
|---|---|
|Remote|SSH: 10.42.217.252|
|OS|Linux x64 5.4.0-216-generic|
|CPUs|Intel(R) Xeon(R) Silver 4310 CPU @ 2.10GHz (48 x 0)|
|Memory (System)|251.35GB (203.25GB free)|
|VM|0%|
Extensions (15)

Name|Identifier|Author|Version
---|---|---|---
Remote - SSH|ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh|ms-vscode-remote|0.124.0
Remote - SSH: Editing Configuration Files|ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-edit|ms-vscode-remote|0.87.0
WSL|ms-vscode-remote.remote-wsl|ms-vscode-remote|0.104.3
Remote Explorer|ms-vscode.remote-explorer|ms-vscode|0.5.0
SVN Blamer|beaugust.blamer-vs|beaugust|1.0.0
GitLens — Git supercharged|eamodio.gitlens|eamodio|18.3.0
PlantUML|jebbs.plantuml|jebbs|2.18.1
SVN|johnstoncode.svn-scm|johnstoncode|2.17.0
Compare Folders|moshfeu.compare-folders|moshfeu|0.30.0
Container Tools|ms-azuretools.vscode-containers|ms-azuretools|2.4.5
CMake Tools|ms-vscode.cmake-tools|ms-vscode|1.23.52
C/C++ DevTools|ms-vscode.cpp-devtools|ms-vscode|0.5.13
C/C++|ms-vscode.cpptools|ms-vscode|1.32.2
C/C++ Extension Pack|ms-vscode.cpptools-extension-pack|ms-vscode|1.5.1
Makefile Tools|ms-vscode.makefile-tools|ms-vscode|0.12.17

A/B Experiments

```
vsliv368:30146709
vswsl492cf:30256860
pythonvspyt551:31249599
binariesv615:30325510
nativeloc1:31344060
dwcopilot:31170013
dwoutputs:31242946
copilot_t_ci:31333650
e5gg6876:31282496
pythonrdcb7:31342333
6518g693:31463988
aj953862:31281341
82j33506:31327384
6abeh943:31336334
envsactivate1:31551504
478i5457:31544283
cloudbuttont:31379625
3efgi100_wstrepl:31403338
ec5jj548:31422691
cp_cls_t_966_ss:31526232
4je02754:31466945
8hhj4413:31478653
ge8j1254_inline_auto_hint_haiku:31490510
cp_cls_t_1081:31454832
conptydll_true:31498968
e9c30283:31461165
test_control1:31471004
c9b86496:31447327
capico_axe_098a3278:31551526
idci7584:31464702
e3e4d672:31494082
t-26112-aa:31454027
ei9d7968:31496641
nes-extended-on:31455476
chat:31457767
8hig5102:31480529
89g7j272:31518289
7e187181:31503455
i2gc6536:31499202
52612955:31516516
ghj88844:31499326
ec1eg703:31520046
ddid_c:31478207
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
a1ije391_t:31540920
g4a0e106:31529594
41836166:31537719
jbcp_cls_pctr_t:31531130
61138546:31518536
cp_intellij_t_nes:31548657
d7b18187:31526828
nes-curr-leftover-1500:31538366
8hjh2968:31552050
h561g132:31533256
sessions_5:31532894
ihg5j128:31534457
f412h606:31551416
7g2b5551:31542111
max-result-100:31551154
allow-none:31553854
fd5dc207:31551400
nes-gb3-nf-4k:31554344
1532g621_copy:31554320

```

No source file or test is named. Start by reproducing the multi-hop SSH connection from Windows through the three Ubuntu servers with VS Code 1.129.0 and Remote-SSH 0.124.0, then inspect the Remote-SSH connection and server-download behavior. Done means the remote session connects reliably without the download window repeatedly appearing and disappearing.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.