WebDriverException: unknown error: DevToolsActivePort file doesn't exist while trying to initiate Chrome Browser

Question

I am trying to launch chrome with an URL, the browser launches and it does nothing after that.

I am seeing the below error after 1 minute:

Unable to         


        

Answer 1

It happens when chromedriver fails to figure out what debugging port chrome is using.

One possible cause is an open defect with HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\UserDataDir

But in my last case, it was some other unidentified cause.

Fortunately setting port number manually worked:

final String[] args = { "--remote-debugging-port=9222" };
options.addArguments(args);
WebDriver driver = new ChromeDriver(options);