Avoid Fatal error log entry when rebooting at end of an automation / Workflow

[Hafner_Michael-EXTERNE]

Hi all,

we have some workflows / automations where the robot / server becomes very unstable and we have to reboot the server at the end of the workflow in order that the next workflow / automation will run smoothly. (The problem seems to be a combination of UIPath interacting with this specific Java-App over a long time).

This is by itself no problem and I have implemented a simple powershell call (restart-computer -force) which solves our problem.

The problem we face now is that within Orchestrator, everytime the robot / server boots, a fatal error (robot disconnected from Orchestrator) is being logged.

How can we reboot the server without everytime have a fatal error being logged in Orchestrator?

With kind regards,

Michael Hafner

[Che]

Hi Hafner

Have you thought about resetting the robot environment through killing the processes UiPath interacts with after the workflow finishes instead of doing a system restart?

Orchestrator logging a fatal error on robot disconnect is intended, if Orchestrator loses connection during an automation execution. As far as I’m aware no fatal error gets logged when no automations are being ran, so the system may be restarting before the automation has been completed.

Kind Regards

[Hafner_Michael-EXTERNE]

Thanks for your feedback.

The processes with which UIpath interacts are cleanly terminated (normal software shutdown) at the end of the workflows - but still Windows and the UIPath agent are then in a condition which prevents successful completion of the next workflow. So there is nothing to terminate except to restart the whole server.

As I have to do the reboot as the last step within a workflow, the workflow is technially not yet finished when the reboot occurs (although it is at the very end of the workflow).

I will see if “shutdown /r /t 30” will do it.

[Che]

I see the issue there.

While its diverging from your original question, it may be worthwhile to investigate the conditions in which is causing the unsuccessful completion of the second workflow and resulting errors if you haven’t already. We may find a workaround or fix there to prevent restarting.

A timed shutdown should work - that’ll allow the workflow to finish before the shutdown command is executed. I’m not sure if UiPath will wait for the script to be finished, in that case you could make a sequence which opens cmd prompt, types into and enters shutdown that way.

Let me know if your timed shutdown fixes your issue

Kind Regards

[Hafner_Michael-EXTERNE]

Hmm - it doesn’t seem to work. Still getting the fatal error. Will try to increase time and report back.

[Che]

Hi Hafner,

I tried to replicate what you are doing - a timed shutdown by using a batch script. I executed this batch script by using a Start Process activity. When tested using UiPath Assistant, the process execution ended before the computer shutdown, resulting in no fatal errors:

Here’s the batch script I used:

shutdown.exe /r /t 05

Ensure your shutdown procedure is at the very end of your Main component. Let me know if that helps

Kind Regards

[Hafner_Michael-EXTERNE]

Hi @Che,

yes - this worked. It has to be combined:

• Start-Process
• The command: shutdown.exe /r /t 05