"Error spawning the child process" upon flashing

[fatso83]

• Etcher version: 1.19.25
• Operating system and architecture: macOS 15, arm64 Apple M2 Max
• Image flashed: ubuntu-24.04.1-live-server-amd64.iso
• What do you think should have happened:
  Not get an error message without any logs to go by

1. Select the image
2. Select the USB device (tried both 8GB and 64GB sticks)
3. Flash
4. Success? (got error instead: "Error spawning the child process")

• What happened:
  "Error spawning the child process" which is caused by a swallowed process exception:

"Error: Elevation timeout\n    at file:///Applications/balenaEtcher.app/Contents/Resources/app.asar/.webpack/renderer/main_window/index.js:355:4465\n    at r (file:///Applications/balenaEtcher.app/Contents/Resources/app.asar/.webpack/renderer/main_window/index.js:2:329483)"

• Do you see any meaningful error information in the DevTools?

Full log

index.js:2 _____ _ _ | ___| | | | | |__ | |_ ___| |__ ___ _ __ | __|| __/ __| '_ \ / _ \ '__| | |___| || (__| | | | __/ | \____/ \__\___|_| |_|\___|_|

Interested in joining the Etcher team?
Drop us a line at [email protected]

Version = 1.19.25, Type = local
index.js:140 Spawning unpriviledged sidecar on port 3434
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 /Applications/balenaEtcher.app/Contents/Resources/etcher-util
index.js:2 etcher-l1y2og
index.js:2 Retrying to connect to child process in 1000... 1 / 10
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 2 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 etcher-l1y2og
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 CHILD READY
index.js:2 start heartbeat
index.js:2 CHILD LOG: Ready ...
index.js:2 CHILD LOG: Scan requested
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 3 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 CHILD LOG: sourceMetadata requested
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 4 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 4 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Spawning priviledged sidecar on port 3435
index.js:2 /Applications/balenaEtcher.app/Contents/Resources/etcher-util
index.js:2 ... with privileges ...
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 0 devices, 0% at 0.00 MB/s (total 0.00 MB/s) with 0 failed devices
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Error]: Event rejected due to exceeded retry count
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Error spawning child process Error: Invalid error title: undefined
at Object.i [as createError] (index.js:353:5185)
at index.js:355:2732
at async t.withTmpFile (index.js:2:903000)
at async t.elevateCommand (index.js:355:2235)
at async t.spawnChildAndConnect (index.js:140:43289)
at async f (index.js:140:45207)
at async t.flash (index.js:140:47000)
at async S (index.js:140:51638)
at async E.tryFlash (index.js:140:53449)
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Error: Error spawning the child process
at t.spawnChildAndConnect (index.js:140:44239)
at async f (index.js:140:45207)
at async t.flash (index.js:140:47000)
at async S (index.js:140:51638)
at async E.tryFlash (index.js:140:53449)
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Starting...
media/icon.png:1

   Failed to load resource: net::ERR_FILE_NOT_FOUND

index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Error]: Event rejected due to exceeded retry count
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Error]: Event rejected due to exceeded retry count
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 CHILD LOG: sourceMetadata requested
index.js:2 Starting...
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 2 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
e.warn @ index.js:2
e.handleResponse @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
a @ index.js:355
Promise.then (async)
l @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
h @ index.js:355
e.send @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
h @ index.js:355
e.flush @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
r @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
e.warn @ index.js:2
e.handleResponse @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
a @ index.js:355
Promise.then (async)
l @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
h @ index.js:355
e.send @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
h @ index.js:355
e.flush @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
r @ index.js:2
setTimeout (async)
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
e.schedule @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
Promise.then (async)
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
r @ index.js:2
setTimeout (async)
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
e.schedule @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
Promise.then (async)
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
r @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Error]: Event rejected due to exceeded retry count
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
e.error @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
a @ index.js:355
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Warn]: {code: 0, error: "Status 'unknown' provided for 1 events"}
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
e.warn @ index.js:2
e.handleResponse @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
a @ index.js:355
Promise.then (async)
l @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
h @ index.js:355
e.send @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
h @ index.js:355
e.flush @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
r @ index.js:2
setTimeout (async)
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
e.schedule @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
Promise.then (async)
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
r @ index.js:2
setTimeout (async)
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
e.schedule @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
Promise.then (async)
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
r @ index.js:2
setTimeout (async)
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
e.schedule @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
Promise.then (async)
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
r @ index.js:2
index.js:2 Amplitude Logger [Error]: Event rejected due to exceeded retry count
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
e.error @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:2
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
(anonymous) @ index.js:355
a @ index.js:355

❯ npx envinfo --system

  System:
    OS: macOS 15.1
    CPU: (12) arm64 Apple M2 Max
    Memory: 154.95 MB / 64.00 GB
    Shell: 5.2.37 - /opt/homebrew/bin/bash

[fatso83]

Captured some more details from devtools. Not sure if it helps much.

[sumitsharansatsangi]

I am also facing the same error. Tried with different iso file , checked hashed sum , everything was correct, but still the same pop up. Tried with old iso which was worked on earlier version of Balena etcher, but still the same pop up