multipass: better error handling when images are unavailable
Metadata
Current evaluation
Enhancement to improve error handling and user guidance when Multipass snapcraft images are unavailable or unsupported on non-amd64 architectures. Currently open with maintainer discussion and downstream reports.
Suggested action: keep open
Reason: The issue is a valid enhancement request initiated by a maintainer to improve error messaging for unavailable Multipass images, particularly on non-amd64 architectures. It has recent downstream references (snapcraft#5145) and active maintainer discussion, warranting its continued tracking despite moderate staleness.
Impact:
60
Quick Win:
42.0
Staleness:
55
Complexity:
30
Confidence:
85
Support Request:
10
Issue body
## Overview
Sometimes the `snapcraft` images for multipass aren't available and produce an error when launching a multipass instance.
## Details
The multipass error is `launch failed: Remote "snapcraft" is unknown or unreachable.`
`snap restart multipass` may fix the error.
You can also reproduce it with:
1. disconnecting network
2. `snap restart multipass`
3. `multipass launch snapcraft:core22`
## Solution
Possible solutions:
- Before launching, run `multipass find --format=yaml` and confirm that the `snapcraft:core...` images are available.
- Try to launch, catch the exception, and parse the output for `launch failed: Remote "snapcraft" is unknown or unreachable.`
Either way, we should also recommend the user to restart multipass. This can be done directly in the error message or point to documentation.
## Sources
- https://github.com/canonical/multipass/issues/2235
- https://forum.snapcraft.io/t/multipass-launch-failure/33808
- https://askubuntu.com/questions/1460377/launch-failed-remote-snapcraft-is-unknown-or-unreachable-multipass-returned
- https://github.com/snapcore/snapcraft/issues/4106
Evaluation history
| Date | Model | Scores | Action | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6 |
Impact:
60
Quick Win:
42.0
Staleness:
55
Complexity:
30
Confidence:
85
Support Request:
10
|
keep open | Enhancement to improve error handling and user guidance when Multipass snapcraft images are unavailable or unsupported on non-amd64 architectures. Currently open with maintainer discussion and downstream reports. | |
| qwen/qwen3.6-35b-a3b |
Staleness:
45
Complexity:
20
Confidence:
85
Support Request:
10
|
keep open | Enhancement to improve error handling and user guidance when Multipass snapcraft images are unavailable or unsupported on non-amd64 architectures. Currently open with maintainer discussion and downstream reports. | |
| qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6 |
Staleness:
45
Complexity:
35
Confidence:
75
Support Request:
10
|
keep open | Enhancement to improve error handling and messaging when Multipass snapcraft images are unavailable or unsupported on certain architectures. Currently open with maintainer discussion and downstream tracking. | |
| qwen3.6-35b-a3b-mtp-q6 |
Staleness:
75
Complexity:
45
Confidence:
75
Support Request:
10
|
keep open | Enhancement request to improve error handling and user guidance when Multipass snapcraft images are unavailable or unsupported on non-amd64 architectures. Open for over three years with recent downstream references but no implementation or prioritization. |
Update history
No update history recorded yet.
Related work
-
Related To:
canonical/snapcraft#5145
(confidence 90%)
Downstream report explicitly referencing this issue's problem domain and linking to it.
-
Related To:
canonical/multipass#2235
(confidence 85%)
Referenced in the issue body as a source for the underlying Multipass remote error.
Related issues
| Issue | Project | State | Summary | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #5145 snapcraft fails to launch multipass instance when multipass isn't pre-installed | snapcraft | open | Snapcraft fails to launch a multipass VM with 'Remote snapcraft is unknown or unreachable' when multipass is installed on-demand. Maintainer triaged it as an image-server availability issue and linked craft-providers#211 for better error messaging; still open. | |
| #718 multipass: use the correct image remote | charmcraft | merged | Merged after approval, updating Multipass to use the correct image remote and resolving issue #713. The change modifies four files (+5/-7 lines) and notes a related LXD upstream fix. | |
| #4106 Error 2 on snapcraft on linux with multipass: | snapcraft | closed | Resolved as fixed after a temporary Multipass remote image unavailability cleared. The reporter closed the issue. | |
| #3381 multipass build provider: check if instance exists before deleting | snapcraft | merged | Merged a Snapcraft fix adding an existence check before deleting Multipass instances, preventing errors when missing. Addresses LP #1904774. Reviewers suggested extra features and warnings, but the core fix was approved and merged. | |
| #1806083 snapcraft fails to locate multipass (inside a multipass session) | snapcraft (launchpad) | open | snapcraft 3.0.1 fails to detect an installed multipass when run inside a multipass VM, prompting to install and dropping the user into a shell. No maintainer activity for ~7 years; affected version is long obsolete. | |
| #2694 multipass: fix setup exception when multipass is not found in PATH | snapcraft | merged | Merged fix for multipass setup failure when binary is installed but missing from PATH. Raises SnapcraftEnvironmentError with PATH guidance, refactors wait loop to reduce complexity, and resolves SNAPCRAFT-10S. | |
| #1791821 multipass should use snapcraft defined environments | snapcraft (launchpad) | closed | Closed without discussion or resolution, indicating the feature request was likely abandoned or superseded. The proposal to align multipass with snapcraft-defined build images received no further action. | |
| #1859427 'multipass' does not exist or is not available on the desired channel 'latest/beta' | snapcraft (launchpad) | closed | Abandoned after 135 days of inactivity. The report describes a snapcraft channel resolution error when installing multipass, though manual installation works. No fix or discussion was provided. | |
| #1792254 multipass to drive the image to use for building | snapcraft (launchpad) | closed | Closed without comments or resolution. The request to delegate image selection to Multipass was likely abandoned or superseded by updated build configurations. |