Timestamp‑Ready Diagnostic Bug Report: Immediate “File unavailable” + Regeneration Loop

Summary

Generated file cards (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.) intermittently appear with an immediate “File unavailable” state. The download link is invalid at the moment of creation. In some cases, Copilot enters a regeneration loop, repeatedly producing new file cards that also fail.

Environment

Platform: Copilot (web and/or app)
Location: Houston, TX (CST)
Network: Stable, low latency
No VPN or proxy
Occurs across multiple sessions and days

Incident Timestamps

(You fill these in each time the bug occurs.)

Date: [YYYY‑MM‑DD]
Local Time (CST): [HH:MM:SS]
File Type Requested: [.xlsx / .docx / .pptx / other]
Prompt Used: “[Paste the exact prompt here]”
Number of Regeneration Attempts Observed: [#]

Reproduction Steps

Request Copilot to generate a downloadable file.
Wait for the file card to appear.
Observe that the card displays “File unavailable” immediately.
Attempt to download the file — link is invalid.
In some cases, Copilot automatically regenerates the file, creating a loop.

Expected Behavior

File card appears with a valid, active download link.
File remains available long enough for retrieval.
No automatic regeneration unless explicitly requested.

Actual Behavior

File card appears with instant expiration.
Download link is invalid before user interaction.
UI displays “File unavailable” immediately.
Automatic regeneration loop sometimes triggers.

Frequency

Intermittent but recurring
More common during higher usage periods
Not tied to specific file types or prompt structures

Diagnostic Notes

File generation succeeds (card appears), but attachment registration fails.
Failure occurs before the UI fetches the link.
Behavior consistent with:
- zero‑TTL link registration
- race condition in storage service
- premature cleanup of temporary file
- timeout in file‑attachment microservice
Regeneration loop suggests error‑handling logic misinterprets the failure.

Impact

Prevents retrieval of generated files
Disrupts multi‑step workflows
Causes repeated failing cards
Increases backend load due to unnecessary regeneration
Forces user to retry tasks or wait for off‑peak hours

Attachments

N/A — issue is reproducible without user‑provided files.

If you want, I can also generate a tiny version optimized for the small feedback text box, or a version with pre‑filled timestamps once you encounter the next failure.

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