No existing instance of WinVNC could be contacted

didio · Post by **didio** » 2004-05-31 09:52

Hi, Installed the lastest version (r17) and installed as a service, the service is running fine, windows xp sp1 say it is started.

But I can't connect with a viewer and when I run:

"C:\Program Files\UltraVNC\winvnc.exe" -defaultsettings

I get the error:

no existing instance of WinVNC could be contacted

What is wrong..

RobH · Post by **RobH** » 2004-05-31 14:40

That means the vnc server is not waiting. Make sure it's started and waiting in the task bar.

didio · Post by **didio** » 2004-05-31 20:41

But if I run it as a service I don't have to start it bij hand, right? And it will not be visable in the taskbar, or am I wrong?

Leonard · Post by **Leonard** » 2004-06-01 10:33

net start "VNC Server"

net start "VNC Server"

theses will start or stop winvnc, and let you know if they are started or stoped already.

Leonard · Post by **Leonard** » 2004-06-01 10:39

You will also need to check into the services to see if startup is set to automatic.

Post by **Rudi De Vos** » 2004-06-01 14:08

17 is just for testing....
will be promoted to an RC first build bugs are solved
Current just a test server and viewer for performance measurements and stability check.

didio · Post by **didio** » 2004-06-01 14:20

Very stange.. this is the message I get when I start from the commandline:

The requested service has already been started.

so it is started, but I will get the message:

no existing instance of WinVNC could be contacted

when I try to start "Show Default Settings" or something like that.

The same problem with the latest stable build from the homepage, after that I treid the latest test build.

Post by **Rudi De Vos** » 2004-06-01 14:38

Check if
C:\Program Files\UltraVNC\winvnc.exe"
and
configurations panel->system managment->services->VNC server
->properties have the same path

Looks like the 2 versions have been simultanious installed.

Start menu -> reffer to C:\Program Files\UltraVNC\winvnc.exe
but possible your service still reffer to the path of the test 17

didio · Post by **didio** » 2004-06-01 14:46

The path to the service is:

"C:\Program Files\UltraVNC\WinVNC.exe" -service

and the path from the start menu is:

"C:\Program Files\UltraVNC\winvnc.exe" -defaultsettings

so that must be the same program..

btaz · Post by **btaz** » 2005-07-07 00:43

I have installed 1.0 on four XP Pro SP2 systems. Two had no problem. On the second two, the WinVNC service is running but there is no icon in the tray. When I selected Show Default Settings from the Programs menu I get the error message in the subject on both machines. There is no anti-virus software on these machines. Both did have RC 18 on installed but I uninstalled it before installing 1.0.

The only thing unusual about these two machines is that I uninstalled RC18 and installed 1.0 using Remote Desktop. Could this be the cause of the problem? If not, any other suggestions?

Thanks.

redge · Post by **redge** » 2005-07-07 20:18

install ultravnc
select option: clean vnc registry when you update

btaz · Post by **btaz** » 2005-07-07 20:31

I did use the option to clean the old registry entries during the installation of 1.0. I also uninstalled and reinstalled and used the clean registry option the second time. I still get the same erro.

Are there instructions for cleaning the registry manually after uninstalling that I can try?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

redge · Post by **redge** » 2005-07-07 21:37

HKLM\software\orl
HKCU\\software\orl
HKU\.default\Software\ORL

btaz · Post by **btaz** » 2005-07-08 00:42

I uninstalled, deleted the UltraVNC directory, manually deleted all registry keys, reinstalled, rebooted, checked that the VNC service was running, tried to open the Server Defaults and I still get the same error message that an instance of WnVNC cannot be found.

Help!

redge · Post by **redge** » 2005-07-08 01:19

please check spyware removal tool had to much cleaned
i had this issue when there a spyware...

Post by **Rudi De Vos** » 2005-07-08 07:19

Is service actual runnning ?
Or is the service only installed.

check:
dosbox
net start winvnc

Klepper · Post by **Klepper** » 2005-07-08 08:34

I had the same problem with no icon in the tray on Win 2k. I'd resolved it with the following steps:

1. Start->Programme->UltraVNC->UltraVNC Server->Install Default Registry Settings

2. Open a Console

3. Go to your UltraVNC-Directory

4. Type: winvnc -kill

5. Start the UltraVNC Server again

Now, the UltraVNC Icon should be in the tray.

btaz · Post by **btaz** » 2005-07-09 01:02

Thanks for the suggestion but that did not help. Still no icon. Still the same error message.

javfranram · Post by **javfranram** » 2005-07-24 03:30

Machine: Windows 2003 server standar.
Error: No existing instance of WinVNC could be contacted

The service is runing....

netwolf · Post by **netwolf** » 2005-07-25 07:52

Have you tried manually starting the Service Helper (Start - Programs - UltraVNC - Run Service Helper) ?

I remember that I also once had this problem after upgrading.

off topic: are you sure that it's wise not to have any antivirus-tool running

redge · Post by **redge** » 2005-07-26 02:38

vncviewer 1.0.1
winvnc 1.0.1
LAN 100 Mbits/s --> WLAN 54Mbit/s fail same subnet same workgroup
WLAN 54Mbit/s --> LAN 100 Mbits/s success !!! same subnet same workgroup

I can have same issue if i start from command line viewer and winvnc

notebook viewer listen mode: (pre-release 1.0.1)
"C:\Program Files\UltraVNC\vncviewer.exe" -listen

I have same error: no existing instance of WinVNC could be contacted if winvnc service is not started
well, when winvnc service is started... done
desktop host outgoing connection (pre-release 1.0.1)
"C:\Program Files\UltraVNC\WinVNC.exe" -connect vnc_host
...
notebook viewer report
Connection failed - Invalid protocol !!!!!

inverse situation work ! very strange, there no firewall at too side !!!
LAN 100 Mbit/s viewer is desktop xp pro sp2 us
WLAN 54Mbit/s winvnc is notebook xp home sp2 fr

any idea what happen with wireless and vncviewer -listen ?

update: (uppercase and low case of winvnc.exe)
the only different a seen
WINVNC.EXE as SYSTEM on xp sp2 home fr
winvnc.exe as SYSTEM on xp sp2 professional us

is a warning like vncviewer and repeater ID:12345 work
is a warning like vncviewer and repeater id:12345 not work !!!

need check file name and options spelling
Windows in many case don't care caracter upper/lower case
*nix care always care caracter upper/lower case

danmap · Post by **danmap** » 2005-07-30 15:16

This exact situation is happening to me as well. I have tried all of the steps here but no luck yet.

JNasty · Post by **JNasty** » 2005-07-31 11:24

Add me to this list as well.

I did 5 computers with clean windows xp pro installs ....4 machines work flawlessly the 5th does not. I get the same error and when I do start the service manually, I can't connect to it all.

I've done the clean registery, delete all registry keys...reinstall...the works...nothing helps.

btaz · Post by **btaz** » 2005-07-31 17:25

Well, I started this thread on July 7th and I still cannot find a solution. I have uninstalled and reinstalled multiple times and tried all of the other suggestions. On the machines where the problem occurs the services manager shows the service as installed and running but there is no icon in the tray and choosing Show Default Settings from the menu gives the error. Stopping and starting the service does not help and neither does rebooting the machine.

If I start the VNC server as an application and choose Show Default Settings the settings dialog is displayed and an icon appears in the tray but I still cannot connect either directly or via the repeater. The machines that have the problem are all XP Pro SP2 machines on which RC18 worked.

Any other suggestions?

netwolf · Post by **netwolf** » 2005-07-31 21:26

Well, I replied in this thread on July 25th, and you still didn't comment my suggestion

btaz · Post by **btaz** » 2005-07-31 22:27

Sorry about that. When I run the service helper I get the hour glass mouse cursor for a couple of seconds and that is all. No icon appears in the tray. Trying to open the Default Settings dialog still produces the error.

Correct me if I am wrong but I believe that running the service helper should cause the icon to appear in the tray.

Regarding your other question, what makes you think I am not running an AV program? I am.

redge · Post by **redge** » 2005-07-31 23:06

[post=6826][/post]
[post=626][/post]

btaz · Post by **btaz** » 2005-08-01 00:53

Sorry but I do not understand how your first link relates to the problem. It discusses running the server from a batch file. Running the server from a batch file will not work, at least in my case, because the batch file will not execute until the user logs on. I must have the server running as a service so the user can connect and then logon.

I have scanned the entire hard drive. There is only one copy of winvnc.exe. The service path points to that copy.

Thanks for your help. Is there anything else I should check?

netwolf · Post by **netwolf** » 2005-08-01 09:07

btaz wrote:Correct me if I am wrong but I believe that running the service helper should cause the icon to appear in the tray.

Hmm, yes, actually that's what I expected.

btaz wrote:Regarding your other question, what makes you think I am not running an AV program? I am.

Well, because you wrote so

btaz wrote:There is no anti-virus software on these machines.Thanks.

btaz · Post by **btaz** » 2005-08-01 18:16

Sorry about the confusion. I disabled the AV software when testing to make sure it was not part of the problem. When I reread your message I interpreted "my machine" literally.

The machines where I have the problem are at another site.

The thing that is really frustrating is that RC18 worked on the machines at the remote site and 1.0 does not.

UltraVNC

No existing instance of WinVNC could be contacted

no existing instance of WinVNC could be contacted

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No existing instance of WinVNC could be contacted

Service no work

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