probably user data directory is already in use, please specify a unique value for --user-data-dir argument, or don't use --user-data-dir (SessionNotCreated)

[maurod83]

I have an application using Selenium to automate Edge browser that throws this error message: probably user data directory is already in use, please specify a unique value for --user-data-dir argument, or don't use --user-data-dir (SessionNotCreated)
This error happens using a new profile directory too.

Windows Version: Windows 10 Version 22H2 (build 19045.5487)
Selenium Version: 4.29.0
Edge and Edgedriver version: 133.0.3065.82

This is the code:

service = EdgeDriverService.CreateDefaultService();

var options = new EdgeOptions();
var driver = new EdgeDriver((EdgeDriverService)service, (EdgeOptions)options);

When I run this app manually for the first time it throws this exception:

session not created: probably user data directory is already in use, please specify a unique value for --user-data-dir argument, or don't use --user-data-dir (SessionNotCreated)

StackTrace:
at OpenQA.Selenium.WebDriver.UnpackAndThrowOnError(Response errorResponse, String commandToExecute)
at OpenQA.Selenium.WebDriver.Execute(String driverCommandToExecute, Dictionary`2 parameters)
at OpenQA.Selenium.WebDriver.StartSession(ICapabilities desiredCapabilities)
at OpenQA.Selenium.WebDriver..ctor(ICommandExecutor executor, ICapabilities capabilities)
at OpenQA.Selenium.Chromium.ChromiumDriver..ctor(ChromiumDriverService service, ChromiumOptions options, TimeSpan commandTimeout)
at OpenQA.Selenium.Edge.EdgeDriver..ctor(EdgeDriverService service, EdgeOptions options, TimeSpan commandTimeout)
at OpenQA.Selenium.Edge.EdgeDriver..ctor(EdgeDriverService service, EdgeOptions options)
at AppWeb.frmAppWeb.EjecutarConexion()

And creates automatically an entry in Windows Registry key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Compatibility Assistant\Store".
When I run the application again it works as expected. If I remove this entry, error shows up again.

On the first try (with error) msedge.exe commandline is:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe" --allow-pre-commit-input --disable-background-networking --disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows --disable-client-side-phishing-detection --disable-default-apps --disable-hang-monitor --disable-popup-blocking --disable-prompt-on-repost --disable-sync --enable-automation --enable-logging --log-level=0 --no-first-run --no-service-autorun --password-store=basic --remote-debugging-port=0 --test-type=webdriver --use-mock-keychain --user-data-dir="C:\Users\MAUROD~1\AppData\Local\Temp\scoped_dir8168_1802574373" --edge-skip-compat-layer-relaunch data:,

On the second try (without error) msedge.exe commandline is:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe" --allow-pre-commit-input --disable-background-networking --disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows --disable-client-side-phishing-detection --disable-default-apps --disable-hang-monitor --disable-popup-blocking --disable-prompt-on-repost --disable-sync --enable-automation --enable-logging --log-level=0 --no-first-run --no-service-autorun --password-store=basic --remote-debugging-port=0 --test-type=webdriver --use-mock-keychain --user-data-dir="C:\Users\MAUROD~1\AppData\Local\Temp\scoped_dir18024_701312417" data:,

The problem is that when I start my app from another process that was called from an browser extension using Native Host Messaging, it always throws that exception. And even if I start my app manually using "Run As Administrator" always throws that exception too.

Selenium Log:

2025-02-24 23:18:18.999 TRACE SeleniumManager: DEBUG msedgedriver not found in PATH
2025-02-24 23:18:19.001 TRACE SeleniumManager: DEBUG MicrosoftEdge detected at C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe
2025-02-24 23:18:19.001 TRACE SeleniumManager: DEBUG Running command: wmic datafile where name='C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe' get Version /value
2025-02-24 23:18:19.001 TRACE SeleniumManager: DEBUG Output: "\r\r\n\r\r\nVersion=133.0.3065.82\r\r\n\r\r\n\r\r\n\r"
2025-02-24 23:18:19.001 TRACE SeleniumManager: DEBUG Detected browser: MicrosoftEdge 133.0.3065.82
2025-02-24 23:18:19.001 TRACE SeleniumManager: DEBUG Required driver: msedgedriver 133.0.3065.82
2025-02-24 23:18:19.002 TRACE SeleniumManager: DEBUG msedgedriver 133.0.3065.82 already in the cache
2025-02-24 23:18:19.002 TRACE SeleniumManager: INFO Driver path: C:\Users\Mauro Dimare.cache\selenium\msedgedriver\win64\133.0.3065.82\msedgedriver.exe
2025-02-24 23:18:19.002 TRACE SeleniumManager: INFO Browser path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe
2025-02-24 23:18:19.002 TRACE SeleniumManager: Driver path: C:\Users\Mauro Dimare.cache\selenium\msedgedriver\win64\133.0.3065.82\msedgedriver.exe
2025-02-24 23:18:19.002 TRACE SeleniumManager: Browser path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe
2025-02-24 23:18:19.592 DEBUG HttpCommandExecutor: Executing command: []: newSession
2025-02-24 23:18:19.634 TRACE HttpCommandExecutor: >> POST RequestUri: http://localhost:45960/session, Content: System.Net.Http.ByteArrayContent, Headers: 2
{"capabilities":{"firstMatch":[{"browserName":"MicrosoftEdge","ms:edgeOptions":{"binary":"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe"}}]}}
2025-02-24 23:18:19.715 TRACE HttpCommandExecutor: << StatusCode: 500, ReasonPhrase: Internal Server Error, Content: System.Net.Http.StreamContent, Headers: 1
{"value":{"error":"session not created","message":"session not created: probably user data directory is already in use, please specify a unique value for --user-data-dir argument, or don't use --user-data-dir","stacktrace":"\tGetHandleVerifier [0x00007FF68182E735+13397]\n\tMicrosoft::Applications::Events::EventProperty::empty [0x00007FF681ABB1B4+2060276]\n\tMicrosoft::Applications::Events::EventProperty::empty [0x00007FF681A12338+1368440]\n\t(No symbol) [0x00007FF6815F0382]\n\t(No symbol) [0x00007FF6815EA827]\n\t(No symbol) [0x00007FF68162FD84]\n\t(No symbol) [0x00007FF681623FC3]\n\t(No symbol) [0x00007FF6815F8B96]\n\t(No symbol) [0x00007FF6815F7E50]\n\t(No symbol) [0x00007FF6815F89C3]\n\t(No symbol) [0x00007FF681680214]\n\t(No symbol) [0x00007FF6817106CF]\n\t(No symbol) [0x00007FF681683A53]\n\tMicrosoft::Applications::Events::EventProperty::to_string [0x00007FF681B745BD+279981]\n\tsimdutf::get_active_implementation [0x00007FF6817B78C1+409457]\n\tsimdutf::get_active_implementation [0x00007FF6817B2BA4+389716]\n\tsimdutf::get_active_implementation [0x00007FF6817B2CE9+390041]\n\tsimdutf::get_active_implementation [0x00007FF6817A62E6+338326]\n\tBaseThreadInitThunk [0x00007FFE4DF37374+20]\n\tRtlUserThreadStart [0x00007FFE4FDDCC91+33]\n"}}
2025-02-24 23:18:19.724 DEBUG HttpCommandExecutor: Response: ( SessionNotCreated: System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary`2[System.String,System.Object])

[guangyuexu]

Hi maurod83,

Thanks for reporting this bug. We are working on this issue and will get it fixed as soon as possible.

As a workaround, you may use an earlier version of MsEdgeDriver 133.0.2978.0 in this link: https://msedgewebdriverstorage.z22.web.core.windows.net/?prefix=133.0.2978.0/

Thanks.

[leeej84]

If any additional information is required for this, I am happy to help. I work for a software vendor using this component to drive web automation. We automatically update the drivers in the product and are getting hit by this.

[leeej84]

A further note, the workaround on using this driver did not work for me.

https://msedgewebdriverstorage.z22.web.core.windows.net/?prefix=133.0.2978.0/

[guangyuexu]

Hi @leeej84 and @maurod83 , do you have a small test case to repro the crash?

[kkingdara-at-loginvsi]

adding the argument "--edge-skip-compat-layer-relaunch" to options seems to work for me.

otherwise, the path to the program (or the parent if there's one) that calls the webdriver needs to be in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Compatibility Assistant\Store" but this will only happen after the program has been opened at least once.

seems like a bug but at least there's a workaround.

cheers

[maurod83]

Hi @leeej84 and @maurod83 , do you have a small test case to repro the crash?

Hi @guangyuexu,

I've attached a simple test case comparing the results using Selenium or using webdriver directly.
If you start this app for the first time and use Selenium test it fails (if there is no record in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Compatibility Assistant\Store for this app).
It should fail if you start this app with "Run As Administrator" too.

But this error is not consistent as it happens randomly.

AppWeb.zip

[maurod83]

adding the argument "--edge-skip-compat-layer-relaunch" to options seems to work for me.

otherwise, the path to the program (or the parent if there's one) that calls the webdriver needs to be in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Compatibility Assistant\Store" but this will only happen after the program has been opened at least once.

seems like a bug but at least there's a workaround.

cheers

Thanks @kkingdara-at-loginvsi it works with that option!

Is there any documentation about this option or something similar in Chrome as it happens there too?

[Daisyyijun]

adding the argument "--edge-skip-compat-layer-relaunch" to options seems to work for me.
otherwise, the path to the program (or the parent if there's one) that calls the webdriver needs to be in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Compatibility Assistant\Store" but this will only happen after the program has been opened at least once.
seems like a bug but at least there's a workaround.
cheers

Thanks @kkingdara-at-loginvsi it works with that option!

Is there any documentation about this option or something similar in Chrome as it happens there too?

yes,it can really solve!!

[mmasaop]

Hi @guangyuexu

Thank you for looking into this issue. I’m hoping to see it resolved. Is there any plan to fix this in an upcoming release of the browser or the driver?

I’m running a Java program on Windows with administrator privileges to launch the Edge browser, and I consistently encounter this error. If I roll back the browser to version 132, the issue no longer occurs, which suggests it was introduced in version 133.
The EdgeDriver version does not appear to make a difference.

Workarounds

Here are the workarounds I’ve identified:

1. Specify the --edge-skip-compat-layer-relaunch option as commented above.
2. Specify a port number not in use by other applications for the --remote-debugging-port option, as in this comment.
3. Disable the Program Compatibility Assistant Service (although this does not work in all environments).

Notes on the workarounds

• There is no official documentation about --edge-skip-compat-layer-relaunch. Oddly, when running under administrator privileges, this option is already included by default, but explicitly adding it changes the option order and resolves the error. This behavior is quite strange.
• For the --remote-debugging-port, there is no documentation explaining why --remote-debugging-port=0 fails, which may indicate another underlying issue.
• Disabling the Program Compatibility Assistant Service works only on certain environments and is not a universal solution.

I would really appreciate an official fix if possible.

More Details

You can reproduce this behavior as follows:

1. Download and extract sample.zip file.
   • If you prefer to build from source, use sample_project.zip and run mvn clean package.
2. Place msedgedriver.exe in the same directory as HelloWorld.exe and then run HelloWorld.exe with administrator privileges.
3. If the browser launches correctly, you will be redirected to a webpage. However, if the issue occurs, it will remain at the data:, URL and log a SessionNotCreatedException in the console.

You can also control the following settings in config.properties:

• edgedriver.path=[path\\to\\msedgedriver.exe]
• debug.port=[debugging port number]
• skip.compat.layer=[true to specify --edge-skip-compat-layer-relaunch]

Thank you again for your attention to this issue and any help in resolving it!