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[Bug]: `msedge` refuses to start when started with `--remote-debugging-pipe`

Open vhorvath-gs opened this issue 7 months ago • 6 comments

Version

1.52.0

Steps to reproduce

  1. defineConfig with a project: { name: "msedge", use: { ...devices["Desktop Edge"], channel: "msedge" } }
  2. Run the test(s)

Expected behavior

The tests run.

Actual behavior

msedge.exe refuses to start.

Additional context

Command playwright tried to run (cmd.exe-ified for repro):

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe" --disable-field-trial-config --disable-background-networking --disable-background-timer-throttling --disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows --disable-back-forward-cache --disable-breakpad --disable-client-side-phishing-detection --disable-component-extensions-with-background-pages --disable-component-update --no-default-browser-check --disable-default-apps --disable-dev-shm-usage --disable-extensions --disable-features=AcceptCHFrame,AutoExpandDetailsElement,AvoidUnnecessaryBeforeUnloadCheckSync,CertificateTransparencyComponentUpdater,DeferRendererTasksAfterInput,DestroyProfileOnBrowserClose,DialMediaRouteProvider,ExtensionManifestV2Disabled,GlobalMediaControls,HttpsUpgrades,ImprovedCookieControls,LazyFrameLoading,LensOverlay,MediaRouter,PaintHolding,ThirdPartyStoragePartitioning,Translate --allow-pre-commit-input --disable-hang-monitor --disable-ipc-flooding-protection --disable-popup-blocking --disable-prompt-on-repost --disable-renderer-backgrounding --force-color-profile=srgb --metrics-recording-only --no-first-run --enable-automation --password-store=basic --use-mock-keychain --no-service-autorun --export-tagged-pdf --disable-search-engine-choice-screen --unsafely-disable-devtools-self-xss-warnings --no-sandbox "--user-data-dir=%Temp%\playwright_chromiumdev_profile-JXfNA6" --remote-debugging-pipe --no-startup-window

If I run this command without --remote-debugging-pipe, msedge.exe appears in the Task Manager and without --no-startup-window I get the GUI to show as well.

When it fails to open, no logs are generated and the exit code is 0, indicating that nothing went wrong.

Output of a test with DEBUG=pw:browser npx playwright test:

[msedge] › tests_playwright\tests\Bars.spec.ts:316:5 › Bars (bitmap check) › Analytics bar
  pw:browser <launching> C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe --disable-field-trial-config --disable-background-networking --disable-background-timer-throttling --disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows --disable-back-forward-cache --disable-breakpad --disable-client-side-phishing-detection --disable-component-extensions-with-background-pages --disable-component-update --no-default-browser-check --disable-default-apps --disable-dev-shm-usage --disable-extensions --disable-features=AcceptCHFrame,AutoExpandDetailsElement,AvoidUnnecessaryBeforeUnloadCheckSync,CertificateTransparencyComponentUpdater,DeferRendererTasksAfterInput,DestroyProfileOnBrowserClose,DialMediaRouteProvider,ExtensionManifestV2Disabled,GlobalMediaControls,HttpsUpgrades,ImprovedCookieControls,LazyFrameLoading,LensOverlay,MediaRouter,PaintHolding,ThirdPartyStoragePartitioning,Translate --allow-pre-commit-input --disable-hang-monitor --disable-ipc-flooding-protection --disable-popup-blocking --disable-prompt-on-repost --disable-renderer-backgrounding --force-color-profile=srgb --metrics-recording-only --no-first-run --enable-automation --password-store=basic --use-mock-keychain --no-service-autorun --export-tagged-pdf --disable-search-engine-choice-screen --unsafely-disable-devtools-self-xss-warnings --no-sandbox --remote-debugging-io-pipes=3,4 --user-data-dir=Temp\playwright_chromiumdev_profile-aXHo4Y --remote-debugging-pipe --no-startup-window +0ms
  pw:browser <launched> pid=13144 +10ms
  pw:browser [pid=13144] <gracefully close start> +22ms
  pw:browser [pid=13144] <kill> +0ms
  pw:browser [pid=13144] <will force kill> +0ms
  pw:browser [pid=13144] taskkill stderr: ERROR: The process "13144" not found.
  pw:browser  +114ms
  pw:browser [pid=13144] <process did exit: exitCode=0, signal=null> +1ms
  pw:browser [pid=13144] starting temporary directories cleanup +0ms
  pw:browser [pid=13144] finished temporary directories cleanup +558ms
  pw:browser [pid=13144] <gracefully close end> +0ms
  1) [msedge] › tests_playwright\tests\Bars.spec.ts:316:5 › Bars (bitmap check) › Analytics bar ────

    Error: browserType.launch: Target page, context or browser has been closed
    Browser logs:

    <launching> C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe --disable-field-trial-config --disable-background-networking --disable-background-timer-throttling --disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows --disable-back-forward-cache --disable-breakpad --disable-client-side-phishing-detection --disable-component-extensions-with-background-pages --disable-component-update --no-default-browser-check --disable-default-apps --disable-dev-shm-usage --disable-extensions --disable-features=AcceptCHFrame,AutoExpandDetailsElement,AvoidUnnecessaryBeforeUnloadCheckSync,CertificateTransparencyComponentUpdater,DeferRendererTasksAfterInput,DestroyProfileOnBrowserClose,DialMediaRouteProvider,ExtensionManifestV2Disabled,GlobalMediaControls,HttpsUpgrades,ImprovedCookieControls,LazyFrameLoading,LensOverlay,MediaRouter,PaintHolding,ThirdPartyStoragePartitioning,Translate --allow-pre-commit-input --disable-hang-monitor --disable-ipc-flooding-protection --disable-popup-blocking --disable-prompt-on-repost --disable-renderer-backgrounding --force-color-profile=srgb --metrics-recording-only --no-first-run --enable-automation --password-store=basic --use-mock-keychain --no-service-autorun --export-tagged-pdf --disable-search-engine-choice-screen --unsafely-disable-devtools-self-xss-warnings --no-sandbox --remote-debugging-io-pipes=3,4 --user-data-dir=Temp\playwright_chromiumdev_profile-aXHo4Y --remote-debugging-pipe --no-startup-window
    <launched> pid=13144
    Call log:
      - <launching> C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe --disable-field-trial-config --disable-background-networking --disable-background-timer-throttling --disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows --disable-back-forward-cache --disable-breakpad --disable-client-side-phishing-detection --disable-component-extensions-with-background-pages --disable-component-update --no-default-browser-check --disable-default-apps --disable-dev-shm-usage --disable-extensions --disable-features=AcceptCHFrame,AutoExpandDetailsElement,AvoidUnnecessaryBeforeUnloadCheckSync,CertificateTransparencyComponentUpdater,DeferRendererTasksAfterInput,DestroyProfileOnBrowserClose,DialMediaRouteProvider,ExtensionManifestV2Disabled,GlobalMediaControls,HttpsUpgrades,ImprovedCookieControls,LazyFrameLoading,LensOverlay,MediaRouter,PaintHolding,ThirdPartyStoragePartitioning,Translate --allow-pre-commit-input --disable-hang-monitor --disable-ipc-flooding-protection --disable-popup-blocking --disable-prompt-on-repost --disable-renderer-backgrounding --force-color-profile=srgb --metrics-recording-only --no-first-run --enable-automation --password-store=basic --use-mock-keychain --no-service-autorun --export-tagged-pdf --disable-search-engine-choice-screen --unsafely-disable-devtools-self-xss-warnings --no-sandbox --remote-debugging-io-pipes=3,4 --user-data-dir=Temp\playwright_chromiumdev_profile-aXHo4Y --remote-debugging-pipe --no-startup-window
      - <launched> pid=13144


    Error Context: test-results\Bars-Bars-bitmap-check-Analytics-bar-msedge\error-context.md

RemoteDebuggingAllowed doesn't appear to be configured, but I put in a ticket to enable it. The docs say that it should work regardless.

If I change --remote-debugging-pipe to --remote-debugging-port=0 manually, then the browser also starts, but I didn't find good documentation on how to make that work with a config file and npx playwright test.

Environment

System:
    OS: Windows 11 10.0.22631
    CPU: (16) x64 Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-9900K CPU @ 3.60GHz
    Memory: 44.68 GB / 63.62 GB
  Binaries:
    Node: 24.2.0 - C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.EXE
    npm: 11.1.0 - C:\Program Files\nodejs\npm.CMD
  IDEs:
    VSCode: 1.100.3 - C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\bin\code.CMD
  Languages:
    Bash: 5.2.21 - C:\Windows\system32\bash.EXE
  npmPackages:
    @playwright/test: ^1.52.0 => 1.52.0

vhorvath-gs avatar Jun 12 '25 08:06 vhorvath-gs

Before we dig deeper, could you navigate to edge://policy with your Edge and see if any Policies are listed there?

mxschmitt avatar Jun 12 '25 16:06 mxschmitt

Here is the exported policies JSON:

{
   "chromeMetadata": {
      "OS": "Windows 11 Version 23H2 (Build 22631.5335)",
      "application": "Microsoft Edge",
      "revision": "f3affdcf267b3645b45a2fc38dcf44cb11cc4091",
      "version": "137.0.3296.68 (Official build) (64-bit)"
   },
   "policyValues": {
      "chrome": {
         "name": "Microsoft Edge Policies",
         "policies": {
            "ExtensionSettings": {
               "level": "mandatory",
               "scope": "machine",
               "source": "platform",
               "value": {
                  "*": {
                  }
               }
            },
            "HubsSidebarEnabled": {
               "level": "mandatory",
               "scope": "machine",
               "source": "platform",
               "value": false
            },
            "RelaunchNotification": {
               "level": "mandatory",
               "scope": "machine",
               "source": "platform",
               "value": 2
            },
            "RelaunchNotificationPeriod": {
               "level": "mandatory",
               "scope": "machine",
               "source": "platform",
               "value": 3600000
            }
         }
      },
      "extensions": {
      },
      "precedence": {
         "name": "Policy Precedence",
         "policies": {
         },
         "precedenceOrder": [ "Platform machine", "Cloud machine", "Platform user", "Cloud user" ]
      },
      "updater": {
         "name": "Microsoft EdgeUpdate Policies",
         "policies": {
            "AutoUpdateCheckPeriodMinutes": {
               "level": "mandatory",
               "scope": "machine",
               "source": "platform",
               "value": "60"
            },
            "UpdatePolicy": {
               "level": "mandatory",
               "scope": "machine",
               "source": "platform",
               "value": "1"
            },
            "UpdaterExperimentationAndConfigurationServiceControl": {
               "level": "mandatory",
               "scope": "machine",
               "source": "platform",
               "value": "false"
            }
         }
      }
   },
   "status": {
      "updater": {
         "domain": "org",
         "policyDescriptionKey": "statusUpdater",
         "timeSinceLastRefresh": "1 hour ago",
         "version": "1.3.195.61"
      },
      "user": {
      }
   }
}

vhorvath-gs avatar Jun 13 '25 07:06 vhorvath-gs

How does your playwright.config look like? We saw --remote-debugging-io-pipes=3,4 in your logs and this is not an argument we set. Does it happen with npm init playwright test-project aka. a fresh project?

mxschmitt avatar Jun 17 '25 15:06 mxschmitt

Thank you - I forwarded it to the Edge team internally as well.

mxschmitt avatar Jun 18 '25 08:06 mxschmitt

Following further investigation, I suspect this issue originates in Edge itself, not Playwright.

A Chromium bug has been filed to track this: https://issues.chromium.org/issues/425736619

Summary of Findings

  • Edge Canary 139.0.3386.0 exits immediately when launched with --remote-debugging-pipe
  • Behaviour persists even when using a clean --user-data-dir
  • No logs or crash output are produced, the exit code is 0
  • Adding --no-startup-window or removing other automation flags has no effect
  • --remote-debugging-port=0 works correctly
  • Chrome Stable behaves correctly with the same launch configuration

Environment

  • Operating System: Windows 11 Version 24H2 (Build 26100.4349)
  • Browser: Edge Canary 139.0.3386.0
  • Policy Status: No blocking policies present in edge://policy
  • Reproduction: Verified outside of Playwright using direct shell invocation

Additional Notes

The failure appears to stem from Edge’s current handling of --remote-debugging-pipe. Playwright’s behaviour is consistent, and the issue is reproducible independently of the framework.

d-wezzer avatar Jun 18 '25 08:06 d-wezzer

We saw --remote-debugging-io-pipes=3,4 in your logs and this is not an argument we set.

Apologies, that was me touching module files to try to narrow down and test different flags. The issue reproduces with a clean node_modules directory as well.

Reproducer:

  1. Clone https://github.com/microsoft/playwright-examples
  2. Uncomment the Microsoft Edge project
  3. Run npx playwright test "--project=Microsoft Edge" -x -j 1 clock.spec.ts

vhorvath-gs avatar Jun 18 '25 08:06 vhorvath-gs

Do you have potentially special anti virus software installed on your system which might kill the Edge process?

mxschmitt avatar Jun 26 '25 10:06 mxschmitt

Update: Could you try the following?

    {
      name: 'Microsoft Edge',
      use: { ...devices['Desktop Edge'], channel: 'msedge', launchOptions: { args: ['--edge-skip-compat-layer-relaunch']  } },
    },

mxschmitt avatar Jun 26 '25 11:06 mxschmitt