DrivePool causing Windows 11 to hang at logon

[KeithA]

I have been using DrivePool with success for years but recently started having problems.  My computer (Windows 11) began hanging at logon.  I found that if I waited around 10 minutes all would return to normal.  I could however use things that didn't involve explorer.  I tried multiple things in an effort to resolve the issue but nothing worked.  In the end I decided to reinstall windows.  After doing so there was no hang until I installed DrivePool.  Looking into it further it appears that it takes DrivePool over 10 minutes to get the service started.  Once it does everything works perfect until I reboot.  I have checked all of the drives and nothing seems to be wrong.  In addition I have their scanning software,  it too reports all is well.  I tried  support and while they responded right away and requested some info I never heard back after multiple pings.  I am hoping someone may have a suggestion as the issue is very inconvenient.

 

Thanks

 

0:01:32.5: Information: 0 : [Main] StableBit DrivePool 2.3.8.1600
0:01:32.5: Information: 0 : [Main] Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.22631.0
0:01:32.5: Information: 0 : [Main] Loading settings...
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] No legacy pool ID found. Will not upgrade legacy pools.
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting cloud services...
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Initializing...
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting token service...
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting connect service...
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting auto connect service...
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting store synchronization service...
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting disk ID service...
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting license service...
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting update service...
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting metrics service...
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting commands service...
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting app state service...
0:01:32.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting notifications service...
0:01:32.8: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting...
0:01:32.8: Information: 0 : [Main] Checking StableBit CloudDrive start status...
0:01:32.9: Information: 0 : [Main] Not waiting for the StableBit CloudDrive system service. Service CloudDriveService was not found on computer '.'.
0:01:32.9: Information: 0 : [Main] Loading lifetime statistics...
0:01:32.9: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting remote control...
0:01:32.9: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting running file...
0:01:32.9: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting user feedback...
0:01:32.9: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting root tasks...
0:01:32.9: Information: 0 : [Main] Enumerating disks...
0:01:36.5: Information: 0 : [Disks] Updating disks / volumes...
0:01:38.6: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting disk metadata...
0:01:38.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting performance samplers...
0:01:38.7: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting CoveFs...
0:01:38.7: Information: 0 : [CoveFs] Waiting for pools to mount...
0:01:38.7: Information: 0 : [CoveFs] All 1 pools mounted.
0:01:38.7: Information: 0 : [CoveFs] Waiting for pool parts to arrive...
0:10:35.5: Information: 0 : [CoveFs] All known pool parts have arrived. Continuing startup...
0:10:35.5: Information: 0 : [CoveFs] Pool found on: \\?\GLOBALROOT\Device\HarddiskVolume34 (pool ID=32c96b5f-5bcf-4e4f-b613-1ef4f5dcc141)
0:10:35.9: Information: 0 : [Disks] Updating disks / volumes...
0:10:36.0: Information: 0 : [Rebalance] Loading balancers (LoadBuiltIn=True)...
0:10:36.2: Information: 0 : [FsControl] Set overall pool mode: PoolModeNormal (lastKey=CoveFsPool, pool=32c96b5f-5bcf-4e4f-b613-1ef4f5dcc141)
0:10:36.3: Information: 0 : [PoolPartUpdates] Set pool part count for pool 32c96b5f-5bcf-4e4f-b613-1ef4f5dcc141 (count=11)
0:10:38.2: Information: 0 : [Main] Updating free space...
0:10:38.2: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting notifications...
0:10:38.2: Information: 0 : [Main] Starting notification tasks...
0:10:38.2: Information: 0 : [Main] Service started.
0:10:38.2: Information: 0 : [Main:55] Opened DrivePool_PreShutdown (CreatedNew=False)
0:10:38.2: Information: 0 : [Main:55] Opened DrivePool_PreShutdownStarted (CreatedNew=False)
0:10:38.2: Information: 0 : [Main:55] Opened DrivePool_PreShutdownComplete (CreatedNew=False)

 

[Shane]

13 hours ago, KeithA said:

In the end I decided to reinstall windows.  After doing so there was no hang until I installed DrivePool.  Looking into it further it appears that it takes DrivePool over 10 minutes to get the service started.

0:01:38.7: Information: 0 : [CoveFs] Waiting for pool parts to arrive...
0:10:35.5: Information: 0 : [CoveFs] All known pool parts have arrived. Continuing startup...

If you installed any other software (including 3rd party drivers) between installing Windows and installing DrivePool, I would try installing DrivePool immediately after Windows and seeing if the problem still occurs before installing the others one by one?

[KeithA]

I believe it was one of the first things I installed.  It is hard to do anything about it now because I have already reinstalled/setup most things which has taken some time. It was working fine on my system until about a month ago.  Any other ideas?

Thanks

[Shane]

I'd look at services that interact with the disks or file system at a low level - e.g. programs that add virtual drives, programs such as antivirus that install file filters, that sort of thing - particularly anything that might have had an update around that time.

E.g. if you uninstall any 3rd party antivirus, reboot and then DrivePool finds the drives right away...

In the Windows Event Viewer, under Windows Logs -> System, you could check if any services are having trouble starting or only finish starting at around the time that the poolparts finish arriving (you can correlate this with DrivePool's log, which is measured in time since bootup, by looking for Event ID 6013 which logs uptime since boot).

You could also try installing a different version of DrivePool (e.g. 2.3.7.1570 if you're running 2.3.8.1600) to see if that makes a difference; if installing an earlier version then uninstall your current version first.

[KeithA]

Well, it's been a month of trying to resolve this.  Here I am with software I still can't get to work.  At this point I have reinstalled many times, disconnected everything possible, tried multiple versions of DrivePool and nothing works.  It works fine with no drives but once I start adding them it complains others are missing.  It then will hang the computer and make files systems (explorer) hang until I have to reset the computer.  The drives have all been scanned and checked for errors, everything comes back without issues.  The drives without DrivePool work flawlessly.  There have been no hardware changes.  I am at the point I just need to find another option unless someone can help me discover the solution to the issue.  

 

I was thinking of moving the files out of the hidden folder DP creates and deleting the .covefs folder.  Once done I can try and recreate the pool.  I haven't done it because I don't know what other problems that may cause.  Does anyone have experience with this?

 

DrivePool has made my computer unusable when it is installed.

 

I sincerely appreciate any help you can provide; this is driving me crazy.

 

Thanks

[Shane]

9 hours ago, KeithA said:

I was thinking of moving the files out of the hidden folder DP creates and deleting the .covefs folder.  Once done I can try and recreate the pool.  I haven't done it because I don't know what other problems that may cause.  Does anyone have experience with this?

It shouldn't cause problems (on the other hand, I don't know why DP is having this problem!).

Recreating the pool (assumes you only have the one):

• Make note of your settings (performance, balancing plugins, file placement, etc) if you wish to keep them.
• Uninstall DrivePool.
• Optionally, delete the following folders if they remain:
  • "C:\Program Files\StableBit\DrivePool\"
  • "C:\ProgramData\StableBit DrivePool\"
• On each drive in the pool rename the prefix of the hidden poolpart folder (e.g. from "d:\poolpart.xyz\" to "d:\oldpart.xyz\").
• Reinstall DrivePool.
• Create your new pool and add the drives.
  • Optionally, restart the computer after adding each individual drive to see if the problem returns even with a new, empty pool, in case a particular drive is involved.
• Disable the Automatic balancing (if used).
• Stop the main DrivePool service.
• On each drive, move your content from the old oldpart.xxxx folder to the new poolpart.xxxx folder.
  • Leave behind - do not move - the "System Volume Information" and "$RECYCLE.BIN" and ".covefs" folders.
  • Optionally, restart the computer after moving each drive's content to see if the problem returns, in case particular content is involved.
    • If you're doing this, remember to stop the service before each move.
• Start the main DrivePool service.
• Perform a Re-measure if DrivePool has not initiated one.
• Put your preferred settings back and re-enable the Automatic balancing (if used).
• If everything is behaving and where it should be, delete the oldpart.xxxx folders.

[KeithA]

My issue is fixed!

I had an accumulation of reparse files in the .covefs folder.  The quantity must have gotten to a number that the program could no longer deal with causing the hangs.  The root cause being symbolic links.  Once I moved the folder out of the hidden one everything started acting as it should.  The links no longer work but that is fine.  I will figure a way around it.  I stumbled on to this thanks to another forum post; 

The problem he was facing sounded all too familiar.  Thanks for those who responded to my issue.  Since these files can cripple a system when they get to a certain quantity it may be good idea for the program to throw an error as the number is reaching a level that can cause the system to become non-functional.  Maybe an entry in the Wiki?  I guess it might just be an edge case...

 

Thanks