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jo2jo
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winbox 3.32- Crash when switched to foreground (windows)

Thu Jan 20, 2022 9:11 pm

Winbox issue/bug - v3.32 : frequently, when winbox is in the background, and is clicked to bring it to the foreground (focus), AND then an item on the left-side bar is clicked (such as "IP" or "System" menu's), winbox will frequently disappear (ie crash- no message/error, and winbox.exe is not running any longer).

WinVer=21H2 build: 22000.282 (win11)- but this occurred just as frequently with win10
Windows11 = (fresh install as of ~ 3 months ago).

This is my 3rd physical PC i have had this occur on (prior was on windows10 - and issue persisted).
One unique / contributing factor: I have 8x high-res monitors. (4x at 4k resolution, 4x at 2560p res- via 2x Nvidia Quadro RTX-4000 cards). If that is relevant.
I am not running any AntiVirus SW, and win Defender is fully disabled (please keep this topic focused on winbox crash)

When i was running win10 - w 2x Quadro p1000 GPUs, on different (mb,cpu) hardware but with 6x slightly lower res monitors, about 1 year ago, i also frequently had this same issue with winbox crashing/closing.) I generally do not see this occur when in the field using my windows10 laptop,
but I have had this occur when using a different laptop (win7) that is connected to a monitor (thus dual monitor setup).

It is ofcouse very frustrating. Anecdotally, it seems to have increased in frequency with the v3.32 winbox version. (that may just be a coincidence as this issue occurs 1-5x times a day for me on avg).
I have had this issue occur at least once per work-day for nearly two years now. (as i manage 100s of mikrotiks , i very-frequently use winbox, and I always have one or more winbox windows/sessions open and running. also note: 2x or 3x winbox sessions stay running 24/7 ).

(im adding as much info as i can for context / information to help mikrotik debugging).
Im also submitting this to support@mikrotik.com.

If anyone has any info / suggestion (or if others are seeing this same issue occur) please reply back.
(i could not find any mentions of this issue in my google and mt forum searches) - Thank you!

EDIT: My only guess/intuition is that this may have something to do with multi monitor setups. I do not have this issue occur with other apps/program i run (only winbox does this)
 
holvoetn
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Re: winbox 3.32- Crash when switched to foreground (windows)

Thu Jan 20, 2022 11:46 pm

Very detailed problem description :)

Multi monitor is not the issue since I run mostly that way as well.
Either laptop with fixed monitor using hdmi, either laptop using usb-c asus zenscreen.
No problem. So it can't be multi monitor on itself.
 
jo2jo
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Re: winbox 3.32- Crash when switched to foreground (windows)

Fri Jan 21, 2022 9:26 pm

Very detailed problem description :)

Multi monitor is not the issue since I run mostly that way as well.
Either laptop with fixed monitor using hdmi, either laptop using usb-c asus zenscreen.
No problem. So it can't be multi monitor on itself.
Thanks for your reply, comments.

Do you have winbox session open for more than a few hours? (and i assume your on windows10, correct?)
(also i have a feeling that its related to several monitors, or it gets worse/more frequent when you have 3x or more monitors- this is just a guess from my experience).

In my experience this most frequently seems to happen with 3x or more monitors in total (including a laptops screen as 1 of the 3x, so 2x external monitors when ive seen it repeaadly occur on my laptop)

I thought i was close to getting this as a repeatable issue this morning, as i was able to make it occur 2x times in a row, both times *NEWLY* opened winbox sessions (to my local network, office mikrotik) i was able to get winbox to crash / disappear both times when clicking the "IP ->" menu (when winbox was in the background).

(winbox was on my upper monitor, so not on the main monitor, and i had 4x other winbox "sub-windows" open: Interface , Dhcp-server->Lease, Log, Firewall). I then clicked over to chrome, and clicked directly on the IP menu of winbox and it disappeared). the 2nd time it took a few tries (clicking desktop or chrome, then winbox->IP menu). After this 2nd time, i was not able to repeat it again. (but i know it will happen more, later today).

I do feel its occurs more frequently when clicking the IP menu in winbox.

To update, i have deleted as much as i can in my: %appdata%\mikrotik\winbox\ folder however i did not want to delete several .session files as those contain my custom winbox layouts for some routers i frequently use. ( also i dont see any connection to X router and Y .session file, as ive seen this occur on fresh, brand new mikrotiks we have deployed. (ie as its my first winbox session on those devices, a .session file has not even been saved/created yet, and the disappear issue will still occur).

Mikrotik support has requested that i send them a video of it occurring, this will be a bit difficult as its random, but i will try. (i sent them a video of the process though).

any feedback is appreciated, thanks
 
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Re: winbox 3.32- Crash when switched to foreground (windows)

Fri Jan 21, 2022 9:55 pm

On Win7 it crash every time it is closed.
Working for me on win10 without problem.
I reported it in the release thread for w3.32.
 
holvoetn
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Re: winbox 3.32- Crash when switched to foreground (windows)

Fri Jan 21, 2022 10:59 pm

Win10 and win 11, no problems.
And when I forget to close it over the weekend, it can stay open for days.
 
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Re: winbox 3.32- Crash when switched to foreground (windows)

Fri Jan 21, 2022 11:24 pm

I have not observed or been able to repeat this issue on four different computers. #1 is Win 10 Pro with four 1920x1080 monitors. #2 is Win 10 Pro with two 1920x1080 monitors. #3 is Win 7 Pro with one 1080x1024 monitor. #4 was Win Server 2012r2 (until a few days ago when it was upgraded to Win Server 2019) with one 1080x1024 monitor. Computers 3 & 4 rarely use the local monitor as they are usually accessed remotely via TeamViewer or VNC server.
 
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Re: winbox 3.32- Crash when switched to foreground (windows)

Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:51 pm

thanks all, Very helpful information from every reply. (has helped me to see that this may be unique to my setup).

[b 2nd update: ISSUE is not fixed, see reply below this one [/b]

(prior , incorrect info , as the issue has returned:)
*(i say MIGHT as i have not had the winbox close/disappear on click issue occur in 3x days now, which is a big improvement! prior to the changes below, the issue would have occurred several times over 3 days of my normal winbox use pattern).

What i have done so far (possible fix):
( all below is being done in \AppData\Roaming\mikrotik\winbox\ : )

1- I deleted every "rOS version folder" ie (folder "6.43.7-1442003122" and so on). i had 100s, as its one folder per version of rOS you use winbox to connect to.

2- deleted MOST (not all) of the files i my "sessions" folder (i had over 1k of these, but i left several for MTs that i use most freqently, as these are the winbox layouts that i have customized over the years).

3- changed the name of my sessions folder, back to "sessions" from "sessionsOLDpc " (and updated the corresponding "sessionpath" txt file)
(nb: about 1 yr ago, when i got this new PC (+ did a new/fresh win10 install on it) and i copied over the "sessions" folder from my old pc -> new pc, and to clearly label it, i named the folder sessionsOLDpc (and pointed the "sessionpath" file to that sessionsOLDpc folder). This all worked as expected, but perhaps caused issues down the line.

So one or all of these 3x things may have fixed the issue, i will update in about a week or so (or sooner if the issue occurs again).
However i do feel that none of the above issues should have caused this issue in the first place (assuming they are the cause/fix), so perhaps mikrotik needs to improve some element of winbox's code in regards to accessing of the above files.

(bottom line: its GREAT to not have this annoyance not occuring anymore!!! thanks again!)
Last edited by jo2jo on Wed Feb 02, 2022 10:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 
jo2jo
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Re: winbox 3.32- Crash when switched to foreground (windows)

Wed Feb 02, 2022 10:55 pm

The issue is definitely still occuring. However i have been able to narrow to the source / problem:

(tldr: the crashes are caused by winbox and use of custom session .viw files - these files are not old .viw files, ive made them in the past 12 months )

The issue seems to occur when im using a custom winbox session file ( the. viw files). I have several .viw files which are my customized winbox layout, EACH ive made specific to a RouterBoard Model. (ie one for hex, one for hex-POE , one for CCRs , one for CRS , one for hAP's ... ect)

(i assume im using "Sessions" correctly, so this sounds like a bug in how winbox parses or processes session files, and might be why not all users experience this)

+ my goal has been to have a base set of winbox columns / layout for all my devices. (ie i want them all to look very similar, and with much more detail than the default winbox "session" layout)

So what i normally do on a new mikrotik deployed , on my first or 2nd connection to it (after basic configs done).

1- I Save the session file. ("Session Menu" -> Save). which saves a new "<IP-address>.viw" file

2- I then click ("Session Menu" -> Open) to Open one of my custom "default" session files for the matching routerboard model. (ie a session file name "My_rb_model_HEX_layout.viw")

3- (i now see my "good" custom winbox layout), so i then choose "Save As" and overwrite the default <IP-address>.viw file for this mikrotik.


the end result is next time i go to connect to this mikrotik, winbox loads the session as "Own" and i see my good, detailed winbox.

all of the above works great, THE PROBLEM is, the only winbox instances where im seeing this crashing/disappearing issue is when im using these custom session (.viw) files. ( to re-iterate "my issue" = "Click on winbox in background, to bring to it foreground, at which point winbox instantly disappears / crashes)

It only happens sporadically (ie a few times a day) , but it now seems it only occurs when a customized Session is being used. (and is very frustrating).

Also the reason i though the issue was fixed in my earlier posts, was a result of me clearing out my sessions folder (%appdata%\mikrotik\winbox\sessions\) , thus all my MTs started from "blank" winbox layouts, and worked flawlessly. But as i started deploying new MTs and doing the above 3x steps, the issue has returned.

Anyone have any suggestions? or am i using sessions incorrectly? (how are you all getting customized winbox views for many different mikrotiks?)

thanks!
 
holvoetn
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Re: winbox 3.32- Crash when switched to foreground (windows)

Wed Feb 02, 2022 11:00 pm

I must admit I didn't even know about that feature.
A template of columns and windows ?
Something I definitely need to look into !
 
jo2jo
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Re: winbox 3.32- Crash when switched to foreground (windows)

Sun Feb 13, 2022 11:03 pm

I must admit I didn't even know about that feature.
A template of columns and windows ?
Something I definitely need to look into !
Yes- setup columns and windows ect (in winbox) as you like, and save (menu: Session-> save , or save as). then in future either set one of your winbox "bookmarks" to use xyz.vim SESSION file, or when already in a winbox session choose (menu: Session-> Open)..

back onto my issue / this winbox bug: I have further narrowed it down! it is 100% related to when i have specifically saved a session file (and that session file is in use).

I do have winbox set to "Autosave session" However, i had a winbox session opened for nearly 10days (to my local core router), on a 3rd monitor, with-out any issues or crashes. Yesterday i did (menu: Session-> save as) and saved as the default name pre-filled in (ie 192.168.1.1.viw) win asked me if i wanted to replace the existing, and i clicked YES, and left winbox still open ofcouse. about 20hours later, when i clicked on winbox (which was in the background) i had my first crash of this specific session , in near 10 days (crash = winbox disappearing on click).

So this crash / winbox disappearing on click is somehow related to the session files. (as i have said in earlier posts, this issue is not unique this this PC, nor win11 / win10 / win7 -> as i have had this occur on all 3x of thoses OSes each on different physical machines (over the past 1-2 years now). Im still following up with MT support via email and have sent them some of my session files, but they are unable to reproduce.

Please chime in/ reply if you are using sessions and are seeing this issue occur.
Thank you!
 
jo2jo
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Re: winbox 3.32- Crash when switched to foreground (windows)

Sat Apr 09, 2022 8:57 pm

To update this, (am now on winbox v3.35), this issue does still occur at times, however it ONLY occurs on winbox sessions where i have saved additional columns to a session file (and when making use of that session file).

I do not share sessions between mikrotiks. ex: just as is the Winbox default, when you connect to a mikrotik the winbox session is set to "OWN" , this is what i use. When in winbox, I will at times do: Session->Save , when ive made some winbox layout/column change that i want to save for future winbox connections to that mikrotik.

However if i start to see a specific winbox session for X-mikrotik start to "Crash/Disappear on Winbox-Click" a few times, i will then choose Session = "None" on the next re-connect, which always resolves the issue. (but ofcouse wipes all of my winbox session settings such as Columns, Column order, windows..ect) so this is still very frustrating.

A few steps that will always get this to re-produce for me (across more than one physical machine, with different versions of windows):

1a- on a PC, running windows (either win7, win10, or what im running currently on my main machine: win11), with 2x or MORE physical monitors (and ideally higher than 1080p res. montions), (my win DPI is set to 100%, so no scaling)

1- in a winbox connection- make a few column additions, and column re-sizes / re-orders and choose Session-> Save

2- reconnect to the mikrotik (be sure it loads that same sessions file), make the winbox window quite large, ie ~ 25%+ of a 4k desktop.

3- click and use other apps so that winbox is in the background, and after a few minutes/hours of using other apps (so that winbox is in the background, and is being brought to the foreground when you click on its interface)

4- This issue will occur at some point when you are clicking from ex: Chrome -> winbox's gui (seems to happen alot when i click directly, while winbox in background, on one of the sidebar buttons, such as "IP" or "SYSTEM") one of the times when you click, winbox will just disappear, with no error msg, and that one winbox.exe will no longer be running.

if anyone is seeing this or can re-produce please reply here or email support@mt
thanks

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