Revert Node 24.14.1 pin when npm ci 0xDEAD bug is fixed in a newer Node version

[wtgodbe]

Context

Node 24.15 introduced a bug where npm ci exits with code 57005 (0xDEAD), breaking aspnetcore builds in the VMR unified build pipeline.

As a workaround:

• dotnet/dotnet: Node version pinned to 24.14.1 in eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vmr-build.yml
• dotnet/aspnetcore: PR Disable npm audit to prevent ETIMEDOUT build failures #66465 applies a similar workaround

Action needed

When a new Node version is available that fixes the npm ci bug:

1. Update eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vmr-build.yml in dotnet/dotnet to use the new version (or revert to 24.x)
2. Revert Disable npm audit to prevent ETIMEDOUT build failures #66465
3. Close this issue

Impact

This bug has been blocking all main branch rolling builds (public + internal) since ~April 20, causing npm ci to fail with exit code 57005 in the aspnetcore build step on Windows legs.

See also nodejs/node#62991

[github-actions]

Triage Summary

Area: area-unified-build — This issue is specifically about the VMR (Virtual Monolithic Repository) unified build pipeline (eng/pipelines/templates/jobs/vmr-build.yml in dotnet/dotnet) and the workaround PR in dotnet/aspnetcore. It tracks a build-breaking issue in the unified build CI introduced by a Node.js version update.

Type: test-failure — This is a CI/build infrastructure failure caused by a Node.js 24.15 bug where npm ci exits with code 57005 (0xDEAD), blocking main branch rolling builds. The issue is a tracking item for reverting the version pin once the upstream Node bug is fixed.

Regression Info

• Previously working version: Node 24.14.1
• Broken since: Node 24.15
• npm ci fails with exit code 57005 (0xDEAD) on Windows legs in the aspnetcore build step when using Node 24.15+. The workaround pins Node to 24.14.1.

Potential Duplicates

• None found

Notes

• The root cause is an upstream Node.js bug, not an aspnetcore code issue. This issue serves as a tracking item for reverting PR Disable npm audit to prevent ETIMEDOUT build failures #66465 and the dotnet/dotnet version pin once Node ships a fix.
• Also crosses into area-infrastructure since it impacts aspnetcore's own CI build pipeline, but area-unified-build is the primary area given the VMR focus.

Generated by Issue Triage Agent for dotnet/aspnetcore for issue #66501 · ● 162K · ◷

[Youssef1313]

NOTE: the pinning was reverted in dotnet/dotnet#6297. But we are pinning again to 24.17.0 in #67402