google-gemini/gemini-cli

Bug Description: The grep_search tool fails with a spawn EFTYPE error on Windows (win32). It appears the underlying ripgrep binary is either incompatible with the current OS/architecture or corrupted.

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#22784 opened on Mar 17, 2026

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Description

What happened?

Bug Description: The grep_search tool fails with a spawn EFTYPE error on Windows (win32). It appears the underlying ripgrep binary is either incompatible with the current OS/architecture or corrupted.

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What did you expect to happen?

Bug Description: The grep_search tool fails with a spawn EFTYPE error on Windows (win32). It appears the underlying ripgrep binary is either incompatible with the current OS/architecture or corrupted.

Client information

  • CLI Version: 0.33.1
  • Git Commit: f59f9e931
  • Session ID: 8db605a1-0f43-49df-9943-f1da504f2c09
  • Operating System: win32 v22.14.0
  • Sandbox Environment: no sandbox
  • Model Version: gemini-3.1-pro-preview
  • Auth Type: oauth-personal
  • Memory Usage: 234.9 MB
  • Terminal Name: Unknown
  • Terminal Background: #0c0c0c
  • Kitty Keyboard Protocol: Unsupported

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Contributor guide

Tech stack
typescriptnodejsrust
Domain
clideveloper experiencetooling
Issue type
bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Node.jsWindows OSBasic knowledge of CLI tools
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
50
Research direction
Investigate how the CLI downloads or bundles the ripgrep binary for Windows. Look at the code responsible for platform detection and binary selection (likely in the grep search module or related utility files). Check if the binary is correctly matched to the system architecture (e.g., x64 vs ARM). Examine recent commits or build scripts that may have changed the binary distribution. Review the error handling around spawning the binary and consider adding more descriptive error messages or fallback logic.