Program hangs at "Reading MultiCommander Configuration"

[pyroguy7]

While trying to run MultiCommander (v11.0, build 2770) the popup window reports "Reading MultiCommander Configuration", but then never moves past this and hangs indefinitely.

Anyone else experience this?  I've also uploaded a .DMP file in hopes that someone can take a look and see why it's hanging.

[shadonoz]

I am having the same problem, except MC does start after about 20 seconds.

The log shows:  2021-05-04 15:21:46.581 Dropbox appdata folder not found : "C:\Users\Dean\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox"
                        2021-05-04 15:21:46.581 GoogleDrive folder not found : "<empty>"

I do NOT use Google drive nor Dropbox.  How can I remove these from the configuration file?

Thanks.

[shadonoz]

UPDATE:  I deleted TabSessions.xml from C:\Users\Dean\AppData\Roaming\MultiCommander\Config\

And so far, that has solved the problem.  And that file has NOT been recreated.

[shadonoz]

NEW UPDATE:  The fix only lasted one restart.  Now it's taking over a minute looking for those same folders mentioned above.
How can I get MC to stop looking for those non-existent folders?
Thanks!
Win 10 Home 20H2 build 19042.928

BTW, my boot drive is an SSD.  Previously, MC would start within just a couple of seconds.

[shadonoz]

SOLUTION: It was a mapped network drive.  Whenever that system was offline, MC would hang looking for the drive. I have to disconnect from that drive.  When I am disconnected, MC starts normally.
Sounds like a Windows bug, since it didn't used to behave that way.

[pyroguy7]

That's disturbing, since I always am working with mapped drives and it has been working fine until my last reboot.  Were you able to reconnect to those mappped drives afterwards?  I usually found in the past I'd have to restart multicommander if Windows wasn't connected to the map drives yet.

[Mathias (Author)]

While trying to run MultiCommander (v11.0, build 2770) the popup window reports "Reading MultiCommander Configuration", but then never moves past this and hangs indefinitely.

Anyone else experience this?  I've also uploaded a .DMP file in hopes that someone can take a look and see why it's hanging.

I checked the dumpfile. it is "hanged" because a messagebox is shown because of some error. I can't se why. Why you don't see the messagebox directly might be that is some way gets shown behind the splash screen

[pyroguy7]

Alt-tabbing and trying other various thing is revealing no messagebox showing up.  Usually there would be a sound associated with those boxes when they pop up, yeah?  Because I'm not getting that sound either.  If it's really popping up behind the splash screen, I've no way to access it.  Is there an alternative solution or workaround here? or another way to find out what the error could be?

I should say that I also tried downloading the portable version and tried to run that as well, but is unfortunately doing the same thing.

Is there any other information that would be helpful?  Windows OS build numbers? Any particular settings?

[Mathias (Author)]

Alt-tabbing and trying other various thing is revealing no messagebox showing up.  Usually there would be a sound associated with those boxes when they pop up, yeah?  Because I'm not getting that sound either.  If it's really popping up behind the splash screen, I've no way to access it.  Is there an alternative solution or workaround here? or another way to find out what the error could be?

I should say that I also tried downloading the portable version and tried to run that as well, but is unfortunately doing the same thing.

Is there any other information that would be helpful?  Windows OS build numbers? Any particular settings?

Probably a configuration file is corrupt.
try rename (to .bak)
C:\Users\[**USERNAME**]\AppData\Roaming\MultiCommander\Config\ExplorerPanel.xml   ( or MultiCommander.xml )  And it wil revert that file into a default one,  rename it to .bak instead of delete then you can restore it if it was not that file

[pyroguy7]

I left my PC on over the weekend with it trying to load, and both the installed and the portable version did eventually open....but I have no idea how long it took.

I tried your suggestion, waited 10-15 minutes while it hung trying to boot, and it finally started.  Not really sure if that's quicker than before, but it's more information at least.

I took a cursory look through the logs and I found an operation that looks like it took about 12 minutes:
2021-05-10 10:44:32.725 Use extra UI thread for progress dialogs : 0
2021-05-10 10:56:47.573 Dropbox appdata folder not found : "C:\Users\**USERNAME**\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox"

I'm not sure what's going on here because I'm not using Dropbox on this PC.  I will say that I am using OneDrive, and in the drop down selection with all of my drives, there's a blank line that takes me to C:\Users\**USERNAME**\OneDrive\.  There may have been an update to OneDrive that's causing problems, maybe???

Do you have any other suggestion? Any way to disable this Dropbox check, or from it trying to load up OneDrive?

[AlanJB]

Try:

Menu > Configuration > Explorer Panel Settings > Device Filtering Tab

Expand 'Explorer panel device dropdown'
Check 'Override default settings'
Uncheck 'Dropbox'

Any improvement?

[Mathias (Author)]

I left my PC on over the weekend with it trying to load, and both the installed and the portable version did eventually open....but I have no idea how long it took.

I tried your suggestion, waited 10-15 minutes while it hung trying to boot, and it finally started.  Not really sure if that's quicker than before, but it's more information at least.

I took a cursory look through the logs and I found an operation that looks like it took about 12 minutes:
2021-05-10 10:44:32.725 Use extra UI thread for progress dialogs : 0
2021-05-10 10:56:47.573 Dropbox appdata folder not found : "C:\Users\**USERNAME**\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox"

I'm not sure what's going on here because I'm not using Dropbox on this PC.  I will say that I am using OneDrive, and in the drop down selection with all of my drives, there's a blank line that takes me to C:\Users\**USERNAME**\OneDrive\.  There may have been an update to OneDrive that's causing problems, maybe???

Do you have any other suggestion? Any way to disable this Dropbox check, or from it trying to load up OneDrive?

It can't have to do with dropbox. it only check if that dropbox db file exists.
There are lots of stuff happening before that point. and if you increse loglevel in core settings you see a lot more.
Like it adds all available devices ( A:-Z:), maybe some of the device are stalled network devices so windows lock up on them until they timeout.

[pyroguy7]

AlanJB, I tried doing that and no effect.  There's actually multiple sections under Device Filtering that can look for it, and I unchecked all of them.  Good suggestion to try though.

Mathias, I increased the logging level to Debug and you seem to be right, that it's hanging on adding the logical devices:
2021-05-11 09:49:53.095 Use extra UI thread for progress dialogs : 0
2021-05-11 09:49:53.173 Initilizing device manager
2021-05-11 09:49:53.217 [Device Manager] - Adding/Updating logical devices (A-Z)
2021-05-11 10:02:07.645 [Device Manager] - Adding/Updating Virtual folders - Started
2021-05-11 10:02:07.788 Dropbox appdata folder not found : "C:\Users\**USERNAME**\AppData\Roaming\Dropbox"

After trying to remove non-essential network mappings with no success, I was staring at all of the logic drives and realized I left a USB Floppy Drive plugged in from the day before trying to backup old assets.  Unplugging that fixed it!  I feel very silly now  .  Not sure what about having this device plugged in caused the hangup, but at least this device isn't essential for me to have plugged in.

Thanks for helping me troubleshoot that!  If you'd like any followup info, let me know!