org.openqa.selenium.WebDriverException: Timed out waiting for driver server to start. Build info: version: ‘unknown’, revision: ‘unknown’

While everything works on my machine, when I bring the project in which I’m working on my server, Selenium and Chromedriver won’t boot, causing the following exception

2018-08-31 09:16:06,578 ERROR [stderr] (Exec Stream Pumper) /home/app.conf/homebooks2/chromedriver: 1: /home/app.conf/homebooks2/chromedriver: Syntax error: Unterminated quoted string
2018-08-31 09:16:26,570 ERROR [io.undertow.request] (default task-1) UT005023: Exception handling request to /crawlerClass/myCrawler/5922: org.springframework.web.util.NestedServletException: Request processing failed; nested exception is org.openqa.selenium.WebDriverException: Timed out waiting for driver server to start.
Build info: version: 'unknown', revision: 'unknown', time: 'unknown'
System info: host: 'shaula', ip: '127.0.1.1', os.name: 'Linux', os.arch: 'i386', os.version: '3.16.0-44-generic', java.version: '1.8.0_92'
Driver info: driver.version: ChromeDriver
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:982)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.doPost(FrameworkServlet.java:872)
    at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:707)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.service(FrameworkServlet.java:846)
    at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:790)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.ServletHandler.handleRequest(ServletHandler.java:85)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.FilterHandler$FilterChainImpl.doFilter(FilterHandler.java:129)
    at org.springframework.web.filter.HiddenHttpMethodFilter.doFilterInternal(HiddenHttpMethodFilter.java:81)
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107)
    at io.undertow.servlet.core.ManagedFilter.doFilter(ManagedFilter.java:61)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.FilterHandler$FilterChainImpl.doFilter(FilterHandler.java:131)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:317)
    at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.invoke(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:127)
    at org.springframework.security.web.access.intercept.FilterSecurityInterceptor.doFilter(FilterSecurityInterceptor.java:91)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331)
    at org.springframework.security.web.access.ExceptionTranslationFilter.doFilter(ExceptionTranslationFilter.java:114)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331)
    at org.springframework.security.web.session.SessionManagementFilter.doFilter(SessionManagementFilter.java:137)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331)
    at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(AnonymousAuthenticationFilter.java:111)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331)
    at org.springframework.security.web.servletapi.SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextHolderAwareRequestFilter.java:170)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331)
    at org.springframework.security.web.savedrequest.RequestCacheAwareFilter.doFilter(RequestCacheAwareFilter.java:63)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331)
    at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.doFilter(AbstractAuthenticationProcessingFilter.java:200)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331)
    at org.springframework.security.web.authentication.logout.LogoutFilter.doFilter(LogoutFilter.java:116)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331)
    at org.springframework.security.web.header.HeaderWriterFilter.doFilterInternal(HeaderWriterFilter.java:64)
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331)
    at org.springframework.security.web.context.request.async.WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.doFilterInternal(WebAsyncManagerIntegrationFilter.java:56)
    at org.springframework.web.filter.OncePerRequestFilter.doFilter(OncePerRequestFilter.java:107)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331)
    at it.myproject.security.web.utils.AjaxConcurrentSessionFilter.doFilter(AjaxConcurrentSessionFilter.java:70)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331)
    at org.springframework.security.web.context.SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.doFilter(SecurityContextPersistenceFilter.java:105)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy$VirtualFilterChain.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:331)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilterInternal(FilterChainProxy.java:214)
    at org.springframework.security.web.FilterChainProxy.doFilter(FilterChainProxy.java:177)
    at org.springframework.security.web.debug.DebugFilter.invokeWithWrappedRequest(DebugFilter.java:90)
    at org.springframework.security.web.debug.DebugFilter.doFilter(DebugFilter.java:77)
    at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.invokeDelegate(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:346)
    at org.springframework.web.filter.DelegatingFilterProxy.doFilter(DelegatingFilterProxy.java:262)
    at io.undertow.servlet.core.ManagedFilter.doFilter(ManagedFilter.java:61)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.FilterHandler$FilterChainImpl.doFilter(FilterHandler.java:131)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.FilterHandler.handleRequest(FilterHandler.java:84)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.security.ServletSecurityRoleHandler.handleRequest(ServletSecurityRoleHandler.java:62)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.ServletDispatchingHandler.handleRequest(ServletDispatchingHandler.java:36)
    at org.wildfly.extension.undertow.security.SecurityContextAssociationHandler.handleRequest(SecurityContextAssociationHandler.java:78)
    at io.undertow.server.handlers.PredicateHandler.handleRequest(PredicateHandler.java:43)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.security.SSLInformationAssociationHandler.handleRequest(SSLInformationAssociationHandler.java:131)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.security.ServletAuthenticationCallHandler.handleRequest(ServletAuthenticationCallHandler.java:57)
    at io.undertow.server.handlers.PredicateHandler.handleRequest(PredicateHandler.java:43)
    at io.undertow.security.handlers.AbstractConfidentialityHandler.handleRequest(AbstractConfidentialityHandler.java:46)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.security.ServletConfidentialityConstraintHandler.handleRequest(ServletConfidentialityConstraintHandler.java:64)
    at io.undertow.security.handlers.AuthenticationMechanismsHandler.handleRequest(AuthenticationMechanismsHandler.java:60)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.security.CachedAuthenticatedSessionHandler.handleRequest(CachedAuthenticatedSessionHandler.java:77)
    at io.undertow.security.handlers.NotificationReceiverHandler.handleRequest(NotificationReceiverHandler.java:50)
    at io.undertow.security.handlers.AbstractSecurityContextAssociationHandler.handleRequest(AbstractSecurityContextAssociationHandler.java:43)
    at io.undertow.server.handlers.PredicateHandler.handleRequest(PredicateHandler.java:43)
    at org.wildfly.extension.undertow.security.jacc.JACCContextIdHandler.handleRequest(JACCContextIdHandler.java:61)
    at io.undertow.server.handlers.PredicateHandler.handleRequest(PredicateHandler.java:43)
    at io.undertow.server.handlers.PredicateHandler.handleRequest(PredicateHandler.java:43)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.ServletInitialHandler.handleFirstRequest(ServletInitialHandler.java:292)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.ServletInitialHandler.access$100(ServletInitialHandler.java:81)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.ServletInitialHandler$2.call(ServletInitialHandler.java:138)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.ServletInitialHandler$2.call(ServletInitialHandler.java:135)
    at io.undertow.servlet.core.ServletRequestContextThreadSetupAction$1.call(ServletRequestContextThreadSetupAction.java:48)
    at io.undertow.servlet.core.ContextClassLoaderSetupAction$1.call(ContextClassLoaderSetupAction.java:43)
    at io.undertow.servlet.api.LegacyThreadSetupActionWrapper$1.call(LegacyThreadSetupActionWrapper.java:44)
    at io.undertow.servlet.api.LegacyThreadSetupActionWrapper$1.call(LegacyThreadSetupActionWrapper.java:44)
    at io.undertow.servlet.api.LegacyThreadSetupActionWrapper$1.call(LegacyThreadSetupActionWrapper.java:44)
    at io.undertow.servlet.api.LegacyThreadSetupActionWrapper$1.call(LegacyThreadSetupActionWrapper.java:44)
    at io.undertow.servlet.api.LegacyThreadSetupActionWrapper$1.call(LegacyThreadSetupActionWrapper.java:44)
    at io.undertow.servlet.api.LegacyThreadSetupActionWrapper$1.call(LegacyThreadSetupActionWrapper.java:44)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.ServletInitialHandler.dispatchRequest(ServletInitialHandler.java:272)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.ServletInitialHandler.access$000(ServletInitialHandler.java:81)
    at io.undertow.servlet.handlers.ServletInitialHandler$1.handleRequest(ServletInitialHandler.java:104)
    at io.undertow.server.Connectors.executeRootHandler(Connectors.java:202)
    at io.undertow.server.HttpServerExchange$1.run(HttpServerExchange.java:805)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
    at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
    at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)
Caused by: org.openqa.selenium.WebDriverException: Timed out waiting for driver server to start.
Build info: version: 'unknown', revision: 'unknown', time: 'unknown'
System info: host: 'shaula', ip: '127.0.1.1', os.name: 'Linux', os.arch: 'i386', os.version: '3.16.0-44-generic', java.version: '1.8.0_92'
Driver info: driver.version: ChromeDriver
    at org.openqa.selenium.remote.service.DriverService.waitUntilAvailable(DriverService.java:193)
    at org.openqa.selenium.remote.service.DriverService.start(DriverService.java:179)
    at org.openqa.selenium.remote.service.DriverCommandExecutor.execute(DriverCommandExecutor.java:79)
    at org.openqa.selenium.remote.RemoteWebDriver.execute(RemoteWebDriver.java:548)
    at org.openqa.selenium.remote.RemoteWebDriver.startSession(RemoteWebDriver.java:212)
    at org.openqa.selenium.remote.RemoteWebDriver.<init>(RemoteWebDriver.java:130)
    at org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver.<init>(ChromeDriver.java:181)
    at org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver.<init>(ChromeDriver.java:168)
    at org.openqa.selenium.chrome.ChromeDriver.<init>(ChromeDriver.java:157)
    at it.myproject.initCrawler(ImmobiliareItController.java:127)
    at it.myproject$$FastClassBySpringCGLIB$$c2524ba.invoke(<generated>)
    at org.springframework.cglib.proxy.MethodProxy.invoke(MethodProxy.java:204)
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.CglibAopProxy$CglibMethodInvocation.invokeJoinpoint(CglibAopProxy.java:721)
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:157)
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.adapter.MethodBeforeAdviceInterceptor.invoke(MethodBeforeAdviceInterceptor.java:52)
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:179)
    at org.springframework.aop.interceptor.ExposeInvocationInterceptor.invoke(ExposeInvocationInterceptor.java:92)
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:179)
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.CglibAopProxy$DynamicAdvisedInterceptor.intercept(CglibAopProxy.java:656)
    at it.myproject$$EnhancerBySpringCGLIB$$a6350cf3.initCrawler(<generated>)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498)
    at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.doInvoke(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:205)
    at org.springframework.web.method.support.InvocableHandlerMethod.invokeForRequest(InvocableHandlerMethod.java:133)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.invokeAndHandle(ServletInvocableHandlerMethod.java:116)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.invokeHandlerMethod(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:827)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.annotation.RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.handleInternal(RequestMappingHandlerAdapter.java:738)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.mvc.method.AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.handle(AbstractHandlerMethodAdapter.java:85)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doDispatch(DispatcherServlet.java:963)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.DispatcherServlet.doService(DispatcherServlet.java:897)
    at org.springframework.web.servlet.FrameworkServlet.processRequest(FrameworkServlet.java:970)
    ... 84 more
Caused by: org.openqa.selenium.net.UrlChecker$TimeoutException: Timed out waiting for [http://localhost:4668/status] to be available after 20000 ms
    at org.openqa.selenium.net.UrlChecker.waitUntilAvailable(UrlChecker.java:100)
    at org.openqa.selenium.remote.service.DriverService.waitUntilAvailable(DriverService.java:188)
    ... 116 more
Caused by: java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException
    at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.get(FutureTask.java:205)
    at com.google.common.util.concurrent.SimpleTimeLimiter.callWithTimeout(SimpleTimeLimiter.java:156)
    at org.openqa.selenium.net.UrlChecker.waitUntilAvailable(UrlChecker.java:75)
    ... 117 more

Everything works like this: the user, for launching the crawler, is supposed to click a button. Then, with JavaScript, I make an Ajax call to a specific method of a specific class that holds my crawler for the initialization, which is as it follows

[...]
public Map initCrawler(Things that I give as input) throws InterruptedException, ApiException, IOException {
    System.setProperty("webdriver.chrome.driver",  BackEndProperties.getProperty("chrome_driver_path") );
    final ChromeOptions chromeOptions = new ChromeOptions();
    //chromeOptions.setBinary("/usr/bin/chromium-browser"); 
    chromeOptions.addArguments("--headless");
    chromeOptions.addArguments("--disable-extensions");
    chromeOptions.addArguments("--disable-gpu");
    chromeOptions.addArguments("--no-sandbox");
    [...]

As I said, everything works fine on my machine but not on server side. Searching the web helped me understanding that whoever had this problem fixed it just by upgrading the old instance of chromium on the server and that’s what I did (and I also downloaded the latest ChromeDriver available) but that didn’t solve anything. I was also thinking in trying another browser for seeing if it might change something. Does anybody have some clues with which I might work?

Answer

This error message…

2018-08-31 09:16:26,570 ERROR [io.undertow.request] (default task-1) UT005023: Exception handling request to /crawlerClass/myCrawler/5922: org.springframework.web.util.NestedServletException: Request processing failed; nested exception is org.openqa.selenium.WebDriverException: Timed out waiting for driver server to start.

…implies that the ChromeDriver was unable to initiate/spawn a new WebBrowser i.e. Chrome Browser session.

Your base exception is the org.openqa.selenium.WebDriverException as your program Timed out waiting for driver server to start because of the following reason:

• Your JDK version is 1.8.0_92 which is pretty ancient.

So there is a clear mismatch between the JDK v8u92 and current Selenium Client v3.14.0.

---

Solution

• Upgrade JDK to recent levels JDK 8u181.
• Upgrade Selenium to current levels Version 3.14.0.
• Upgrade ChromeDriver to current ChromeDriver v2.41 level.
• Keep Chrome version between Chrome v66-68 levels. (as per ChromeDriver v2.41 release notes)
• Take a System Reboot.
• Execute your @Test.