KRE 9.x Terminates Immediately Without Running Tests on Windows Server 2019 EC2 (When Scheduled via TestOps)

Product Forums Katalon TestOps
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1

Hi Community,

I’m encountering an issue where Katalon Runtime Engine (KRE) 9.x terminates without executing any test cases when a job is scheduled via Katalon TestOps on a Windows Server 2019 EC2 instance.

:magnifying_glass_tilted_left: Problem Summary:

  • Execution is triggered through the TestOps UI Scheduler.
  • As soon as the execution starts, KRE 9.x terminates immediately, without running even a single test case.
  • No errors are logged, and no reports are generated — the job just exits.

Works Fine With:

  • KRE 8.x: Same setup and test suite run successfully.

:cross_mark: Issue With:

  • KRE 9.x (tested with multiple subversions)
  • Windows Server 2019 (Amazon EC2 instance)

Command Used (via TestOps Scheduler):

-testSuitePath="Test Suites/Web/Smoke/QA/Web Smoke Tests" \
-executionProfile="default" \
-browserType="Chrome (headless)" \
--config -webui.autoUpdateDrivers=true \
-executionUUID=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000 \
-orgId=123456 \
-apiKey=abc123-xyz789-abcd12h-000000 \
-testOps.jobUUID=11111111-2222-3333-4444-555555555555

Additional Notes:

  • All dependencies (Java, ChromeDriver, permissions, etc.) are properly configured.
  • Run as Administrator, with full access to KRE and project directories.
  • No antivirus or firewall issues.
  • Works perfectly in local/non-EC2 environments.

Question:

Has anyone experienced this behavior with KRE 9.x on Windows Server 2019 EC2, specifically when triggered via TestOps? Any insight or workaround would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

1 Like
2

The abrupt termination of KRE 9.x on Windows Server 2019 EC2 when triggered via TestOps is often caused by silent compatibility issues or missing runtime dependencies. Here’s a step-by-step solution:

1. Java Version Compatibility

  • KRE 9.x requires Java 11 (JDK/JRE). Verify and update:

powershell

# On EC2 instance
java -version

2. Chrome Headless Configuration

  • Add explicit Chrome arguments in the TestOps job Advanced Settings:
-webui.chrome.args="--no-sandbox;--disable-gpu;--headless=new;--remote-debugging-port=9222;--disable-dev-shm-usage"
  • Critical: Windows Server 2019 may need --disable-gpu even if no GPU is present.

3. KRE 9.x Service Account Permissions

  • Grant Full Control to the KRE directory for the SYSTEM account:
    1. Right-click KRE folder > Properties > Security > Edit.
    2. Add SYSTEM with Full Control.
  • Run TestOps Agent Service as Local System Account (not a user account).

4. Update TestOps Agent Configuration

  • In config.json for TestOps Agent:

json

{
  "katalon": {
    "version": "9.13.0",  // Match EC2's KRE version
    "args": "--add-opens=java.base/java.lang=ALL-UNNAMED"
  }
}
  • Restart the TestOps Agent service.

5. Disable Fast User Switching

  • Windows Server 2019 may terminate sessions that spawn GUI processes:

powershell

# Disable Fast User Switching
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System" /v HideFastUserSwitching /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

6. Test with Minimal Configuration

  • Command:

powershell

.\katalonc.exe -noSplash -runMode=console -projectPath="C:\path\to\project.prj" -testSuitePath="Test Suites/YourSuite" -executionProfile="default" -browserType="Chrome (headless)" -consoleLog
  • Expected Outcome: Detailed logs will show initialization errors (e.g., missing modules).

7. Fix Silent Crash via Dump Analysis

  • Generate Crash Dump:
    1. Download ProcDump.
    2. Monitor KRE process:

powershell

procdump -ma -x . "katalonc.exe" "katalon.dmp"
  • Analyze katalon.dmp with WinDbg for segmentation faults.

8. Known Workaround

  • Downgrade to KRE 9.10.1: Later versions (9.11+) have reported issues on Windows Server 2019:

powershell

choco install katalon-runtime-engine --version 9.10.1 -y

Key Troubleshooting Areas

Component Check
Java Corretto 11, JAVA_HOME
Chrome 120+ version, matching ChromeDriver
KRE Permissions SYSTEM account access
Windows Policies Session isolation, fast user switching
3

Thank you for the detailed response.

I’d like to confirm that I’m currently using Katalon Runtime Engine version 9.7.5, which is the latest available version in the 9.x series. I have carefully followed all the steps you provided, including:

  • Verifying and setting up Java 11 (Amazon Corretto) with the correct JAVA_HOME.
  • Adding the recommended Chrome headless arguments in TestOps.
  • Ensuring proper SYSTEM account permissions for the KRE directory.
  • Updating the TestOps Agent config.json with the JVM arguments and restarting the service.
  • Disabling Fast User Switching via registry.
  • Running tests manually with minimal configuration to check for logs.
  • Attempting crash dump analysis with ProcDump (no obvious errors captured).

Despite applying these fixes, the issue persists—KRE terminates immediately without executing the test suite when triggered via TestOps on my Windows Server 2019 EC2 instance.

Please let me know if there are any additional suggestions or workarounds I could try.

4

is it happening in lower version?

5

Yes, it works fine with version 8.x, but when I switch from 8.6.10 to 9.0.0 or any version up to 9.7.5, I encounter the same issue.

6

if you are a paid user, can you submit a support ticket with katalon directly

1 Like