[BUG?] - Something is deleting agent's dependency files. 🤔

[ac2323]

Describe the bug

Failure to connect remotely or generate preview. I didn't think to copy the error message, but it mentioned an error on the Agent so I got the agent log below. A reboot worked but it isn't always practical.

Client Info

Browser: Firefox
Language/Locale of Browser: en-us

Agent Version: 0.22.79.0
Agent OS: Windows 11
Language/Locale of Agent OS: en-us

Server Info (if self-hosting)

Server OS: Debian 13
Language/Locale of Server OS: en-us
Docker image tag: latest

Logs

2026-05-14 13:43:19.487 -04:00 [INF] Inspecting digital signature for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\ControlR.Agent.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:19.626 -04:00 [INF] Code signing certificate found. File: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\ControlR.Agent.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:21.112 -04:00 [INF] Digital signature inspection completed in 1625 ms for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\ControlR.Agent.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:21.112 -04:00 [INF] Inspecting digital signature for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\DesktopClient\ControlR.DesktopClient.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:21.156 -04:00 [INF] Code signing certificate found. File: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\DesktopClient\ControlR.DesktopClient.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:21.186 -04:00 [INF] Digital signature inspection completed in 73 ms for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\DesktopClient\ControlR.DesktopClient.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:21.186 -04:00 [INF] Code signing certificate validation passed in 1699 ms. Certificate thumbprint: 294F9A9054A4FD28B273E8B31823D80AEA8F5DC2 { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:21.186 -04:00 [INF] Creating remote control session.  Session ID: "719b2acc-1768-47ba-94a9-0aa3ebd9fe67", Viewer Connection ID: 4Fjq3Bq7GCYQPkd6QhB8Pw, Target System Session: 1, Process ID: 13256 { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:21.502 -04:00 [ERR] Error while creating remote control session. { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 14 }
MessagePack.MessagePackSerializationException: Failed to deserialize ControlR.Libraries.Api.Contracts.Dtos.IpcDtos.CheckOsPermissionsResponseIpcDto value.
 ---> System.IO.FileNotFoundException: 
File name: 'Microsoft.NET.StringTools, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'
   at MessagePack.Formatters.StringInterningFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.Formatters.StringInterningFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.GeneratedMessagePackResolver.ControlR.Libraries.Api.Contracts.Dtos.IpcDtos.CheckOsPermissionsResponseIpcDtoFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.DeserializeSemiGeneric[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize(Type type, MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at StreamJsonRpc.MessagePackFormatter.JsonRpcResult.SetExpectedResultType(Type resultType)
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
   at StreamJsonRpc.MessagePackFormatter.JsonRpcResult.GetResult[T]()
   at StreamJsonRpc.JsonRpc.InvokeCoreAsync[TResult](RequestId id, String targetName, IReadOnlyList`1 arguments, IReadOnlyList`1 positionalArgumentDeclaredTypes, IReadOnlyDictionary`2 namedArgumentDeclaredTypes, CancellationToken cancellationToken, Boolean isParameterObject)
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient.EnsureDesktopClientPermissionGranted(IDesktopClientRpcService desktopClient, Int32 targetProcessId, DesktopClientPermissionScope scope)
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient.CreateRemoteControlSession(RemoteControlSessionRequestDto dto)
2026-05-14 13:43:26.892 -04:00 [INF] Inspecting digital signature for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\ControlR.Agent.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:26.895 -04:00 [INF] Code signing certificate found. File: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\ControlR.Agent.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:28.245 -04:00 [INF] Digital signature inspection completed in 1353 ms for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\ControlR.Agent.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:28.245 -04:00 [INF] Inspecting digital signature for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\DesktopClient\ControlR.DesktopClient.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:28.246 -04:00 [INF] Code signing certificate found. File: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\DesktopClient\ControlR.DesktopClient.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:28.272 -04:00 [INF] Digital signature inspection completed in 26 ms for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\DesktopClient\ControlR.DesktopClient.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:28.272 -04:00 [INF] Code signing certificate validation passed in 1380 ms. Certificate thumbprint: 294F9A9054A4FD28B273E8B31823D80AEA8F5DC2 { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:28.272 -04:00 [INF] Creating remote control session.  Session ID: "ef664d51-0c24-4ec5-aa9a-b9c75b52a446", Viewer Connection ID: 4Fjq3Bq7GCYQPkd6QhB8Pw, Target System Session: 1, Process ID: 13256 { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:28.275 -04:00 [ERR] Error while creating remote control session. { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 14 }
MessagePack.MessagePackSerializationException: Failed to deserialize ControlR.Libraries.Api.Contracts.Dtos.IpcDtos.CheckOsPermissionsResponseIpcDto value.
 ---> System.IO.FileNotFoundException: 
File name: 'Microsoft.NET.StringTools, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'
   at MessagePack.Formatters.StringInterningFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.Formatters.StringInterningFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.GeneratedMessagePackResolver.ControlR.Libraries.Api.Contracts.Dtos.IpcDtos.CheckOsPermissionsResponseIpcDtoFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.DeserializeSemiGeneric[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize(Type type, MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at StreamJsonRpc.MessagePackFormatter.JsonRpcResult.SetExpectedResultType(Type resultType)
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
   at StreamJsonRpc.MessagePackFormatter.JsonRpcResult.GetResult[T]()
   at StreamJsonRpc.JsonRpc.InvokeCoreAsync[TResult](RequestId id, String targetName, IReadOnlyList`1 arguments, IReadOnlyList`1 positionalArgumentDeclaredTypes, IReadOnlyDictionary`2 namedArgumentDeclaredTypes, CancellationToken cancellationToken, Boolean isParameterObject)
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient.EnsureDesktopClientPermissionGranted(IDesktopClientRpcService desktopClient, Int32 targetProcessId, DesktopClientPermissionScope scope)
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient.CreateRemoteControlSession(RemoteControlSessionRequestDto dto)
2026-05-14 13:43:33.962 -04:00 [INF] Desktop preview requested. Requester ID: "64e3cea0-2401-413a-871c-039c8d62fbf4", Stream ID: "af67ee4e-6722-4dd2-a6b8-94c4255757aa", Target Process ID: 13256 { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 14 }
2026-05-14 13:43:33.965 -04:00 [ERR] Error while requesting desktop preview. { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 14 }
MessagePack.MessagePackSerializationException: Failed to deserialize ControlR.Libraries.Api.Contracts.Dtos.IpcDtos.CheckOsPermissionsResponseIpcDto value.
 ---> System.IO.FileNotFoundException: 
File name: 'Microsoft.NET.StringTools, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'
   at MessagePack.Formatters.StringInterningFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.Formatters.StringInterningFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.GeneratedMessagePackResolver.ControlR.Libraries.Api.Contracts.Dtos.IpcDtos.CheckOsPermissionsResponseIpcDtoFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.DeserializeSemiGeneric[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize(Type type, MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at StreamJsonRpc.MessagePackFormatter.JsonRpcResult.SetExpectedResultType(Type resultType)
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
   at StreamJsonRpc.MessagePackFormatter.JsonRpcResult.GetResult[T]()
   at StreamJsonRpc.JsonRpc.InvokeCoreAsync[TResult](RequestId id, String targetName, IReadOnlyList`1 arguments, IReadOnlyList`1 positionalArgumentDeclaredTypes, IReadOnlyDictionary`2 namedArgumentDeclaredTypes, CancellationToken cancellationToken, Boolean isParameterObject)
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient.EnsureDesktopClientPermissionGranted(IDesktopClientRpcService desktopClient, Int32 targetProcessId, DesktopClientPermissionScope scope)
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient.RequestDesktopPreview(DesktopPreviewRequestDto dto)
2026-05-14 13:43:35.469 -04:00 [INF] Desktop preview requested. Requester ID: "af62b5fa-0be6-4637-a3ec-8841ce595a64", Stream ID: "74eefd34-b547-4bb9-b2d4-deb5d5a772cf", Target Process ID: 13256 { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 25 }
2026-05-14 13:43:35.472 -04:00 [ERR] Error while requesting desktop preview. { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 22 }
MessagePack.MessagePackSerializationException: Failed to deserialize ControlR.Libraries.Api.Contracts.Dtos.IpcDtos.CheckOsPermissionsResponseIpcDto value.
 ---> System.IO.FileNotFoundException: 
File name: 'Microsoft.NET.StringTools, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'
   at MessagePack.Formatters.StringInterningFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.Formatters.StringInterningFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.GeneratedMessagePackResolver.ControlR.Libraries.Api.Contracts.Dtos.IpcDtos.CheckOsPermissionsResponseIpcDtoFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.DeserializeSemiGeneric[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize(Type type, MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at StreamJsonRpc.MessagePackFormatter.JsonRpcResult.SetExpectedResultType(Type resultType)
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
   at StreamJsonRpc.MessagePackFormatter.JsonRpcResult.GetResult[T]()
   at StreamJsonRpc.JsonRpc.InvokeCoreAsync[TResult](RequestId id, String targetName, IReadOnlyList`1 arguments, IReadOnlyList`1 positionalArgumentDeclaredTypes, IReadOnlyDictionary`2 namedArgumentDeclaredTypes, CancellationToken cancellationToken, Boolean isParameterObject)
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient.EnsureDesktopClientPermissionGranted(IDesktopClientRpcService desktopClient, Int32 targetProcessId, DesktopClientPermissionScope scope)
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient.RequestDesktopPreview(DesktopPreviewRequestDto dto)
2026-05-14 13:43:40.370 -04:00 [INF] Inspecting digital signature for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\ControlR.Agent.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:40.373 -04:00 [INF] Code signing certificate found. File: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\ControlR.Agent.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:41.717 -04:00 [INF] Digital signature inspection completed in 1347 ms for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\ControlR.Agent.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:41.717 -04:00 [INF] Inspecting digital signature for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\DesktopClient\ControlR.DesktopClient.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:41.718 -04:00 [INF] Code signing certificate found. File: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\DesktopClient\ControlR.DesktopClient.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:41.746 -04:00 [INF] Digital signature inspection completed in 29 ms for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\DesktopClient\ControlR.DesktopClient.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:41.747 -04:00 [INF] Code signing certificate validation passed in 1376 ms. Certificate thumbprint: 294F9A9054A4FD28B273E8B31823D80AEA8F5DC2 { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:41.747 -04:00 [INF] Creating remote control session.  Session ID: "6552a7c5-45ba-4dbd-8681-13336062260a", Viewer Connection ID: 4Fjq3Bq7GCYQPkd6QhB8Pw, Target System Session: 1, Process ID: 13256 { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:41.748 -04:00 [ERR] Error while creating remote control session. { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 22 }
MessagePack.MessagePackSerializationException: Failed to deserialize ControlR.Libraries.Api.Contracts.Dtos.IpcDtos.CheckOsPermissionsResponseIpcDto value.
 ---> System.IO.FileNotFoundException: 
File name: 'Microsoft.NET.StringTools, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'
   at MessagePack.Formatters.StringInterningFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.Formatters.StringInterningFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.GeneratedMessagePackResolver.ControlR.Libraries.Api.Contracts.Dtos.IpcDtos.CheckOsPermissionsResponseIpcDtoFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.DeserializeSemiGeneric[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize(Type type, MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at StreamJsonRpc.MessagePackFormatter.JsonRpcResult.SetExpectedResultType(Type resultType)
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
   at StreamJsonRpc.MessagePackFormatter.JsonRpcResult.GetResult[T]()
   at StreamJsonRpc.JsonRpc.InvokeCoreAsync[TResult](RequestId id, String targetName, IReadOnlyList`1 arguments, IReadOnlyList`1 positionalArgumentDeclaredTypes, IReadOnlyDictionary`2 namedArgumentDeclaredTypes, CancellationToken cancellationToken, Boolean isParameterObject)
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient.EnsureDesktopClientPermissionGranted(IDesktopClientRpcService desktopClient, Int32 targetProcessId, DesktopClientPermissionScope scope)
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient.CreateRemoteControlSession(RemoteControlSessionRequestDto dto)
2026-05-14 13:43:50.756 -04:00 [INF] Terminal session started.  Viewer Connection ID: 4Fjq3Bq7GCYQPkd6QhB8Pw { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 14 }
2026-05-14 13:43:50.764 -04:00 [ERR] Error while creating terminal session. ID: "23dcc8b5-e4a4-4d2d-ad69-2ee5ed618757", Viewer: 4Fjq3Bq7GCYQPkd6QhB8Pw { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.Terminal.TerminalSessionFactory", ThreadId: 14 }
System.IO.FileNotFoundException: 
File name: 'System.Management.Automation, Version=7.6.0.500, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35'
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.Terminal.TerminalSession.Initialize()
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.Terminal.TerminalSession.Initialize()
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.Terminal.TerminalSessionFactory.CreateSession(Guid terminalId, String viewerConnectionId)
2026-05-14 13:43:58.029 -04:00 [INF] Inspecting digital signature for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\ControlR.Agent.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:58.033 -04:00 [INF] Code signing certificate found. File: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\ControlR.Agent.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:59.356 -04:00 [INF] Digital signature inspection completed in 1327 ms for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\ControlR.Agent.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:59.357 -04:00 [INF] Inspecting digital signature for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\DesktopClient\ControlR.DesktopClient.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:59.357 -04:00 [INF] Code signing certificate found. File: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\DesktopClient\ControlR.DesktopClient.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:59.383 -04:00 [INF] Digital signature inspection completed in 26 ms for file: C:\Program Files\ControlR\contoso.com\DesktopClient\ControlR.DesktopClient.exe { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:59.384 -04:00 [INF] Code signing certificate validation passed in 1354 ms. Certificate thumbprint: 294F9A9054A4FD28B273E8B31823D80AEA8F5DC2 { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.DesktopClientFileVerifierWin", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:59.384 -04:00 [INF] Creating remote control session.  Session ID: "6b6773c0-b149-4feb-9a02-4e63c5eff1a8", Viewer Connection ID: 4Fjq3Bq7GCYQPkd6QhB8Pw, Target System Session: 1, Process ID: 13256 { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 22 }
2026-05-14 13:43:59.385 -04:00 [ERR] Error while creating remote control session. { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 25 }
MessagePack.MessagePackSerializationException: Failed to deserialize ControlR.Libraries.Api.Contracts.Dtos.IpcDtos.CheckOsPermissionsResponseIpcDto value.
 ---> System.IO.FileNotFoundException: 
File name: 'Microsoft.NET.StringTools, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a'
   at MessagePack.Formatters.StringInterningFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.Formatters.StringInterningFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.GeneratedMessagePackResolver.ControlR.Libraries.Api.Contracts.Dtos.IpcDtos.CheckOsPermissionsResponseIpcDtoFormatter.Deserialize(MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.DeserializeSemiGeneric[T](MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at MessagePack.MessagePackSerializer.Deserialize(Type type, MessagePackReader& reader, MessagePackSerializerOptions options)
   at StreamJsonRpc.MessagePackFormatter.JsonRpcResult.SetExpectedResultType(Type resultType)
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
   at StreamJsonRpc.MessagePackFormatter.JsonRpcResult.GetResult[T]()
   at StreamJsonRpc.JsonRpc.InvokeCoreAsync[TResult](RequestId id, String targetName, IReadOnlyList`1 arguments, IReadOnlyList`1 positionalArgumentDeclaredTypes, IReadOnlyDictionary`2 namedArgumentDeclaredTypes, CancellationToken cancellationToken, Boolean isParameterObject)
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient.EnsureDesktopClientPermissionGranted(IDesktopClientRpcService desktopClient, Int32 targetProcessId, DesktopClientPermissionScope scope)
   at ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient.CreateRemoteControlSession(RemoteControlSessionRequestDto dto)
2026-05-14 13:44:12.326 -04:00 [INF] Closing terminal session "23dcc8b5-e4a4-4d2d-ad69-2ee5ed618757". { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHubClient", ThreadId: 25 }
2026-05-14 13:44:16.096 -04:00 [INF] No desktop client found in session 1. Launching a new one. { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.Windows.DesktopClientWatcherWin", ThreadId: 14 }

[bitbound]

This is happening because something is deleting the agent's binaries in C:\Windows\SystemTemp\.net\ControlR.Agent. This is the folder where .NET auto-extracts its dependencies. This is a built-in .NET thing, not something I programmed.

Do you have multiple agents (from different servers) installed, or just one? I fixed a bug recently that was specifically related to multiple agents, but it wasn't affecting single-agent installs.

So if you have one agent, the most likely cause is an antivirus or some system cleaner that's deleting them.

I might be able to build a service that detects if dependencies have been deleted and re-extracts them by restarting the service. However, .NET (for whatever reason) has made it nearly impossible in recent versions to locate the extraction directory. If you only have one agent installed, then it's almost-certainly the newest folder. But if there are multiple agents, there's no longer a way of telling which one belongs the agent process that's doing the asking.

Here's a script you can drop into the ControlR terminal to be absolutely certain it somehow isn't trying to clean up its own directory. If it is, something could be messing with the timestamps on the folders.

$logs = Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\ProgramData\ControlR\" -Recurse -Filter "*.log" | Select-Object -Property FullName
$newestExtractDir = Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\Windows\SystemTemp\.net\ControlR.Agent" | Sort-Object -Property CreationTime -Descending | Select-Object -First 1

Write-Output "Newest .NET extract directory: $($newestExtractDir.FullName)"

foreach ($log in $logs) {
  Write-Output "Checking log file: $($log.FullName)"
  [string[]]$logContent = Get-Content -Path $log.FullName

  foreach ($line in $logContent) {
    if (!$line.Contains("Deleting .NET extract subdirectory")) {
      continue;
    }

    if ($logContent.Contains($newestExtractDir.FullName)) {
      Write-Output "OH NOES!  The newest extract directory was cleaned up!  Womp womp."
    }
    else {
      Write-Output "An old extract directory was cleaned up. It wasn't the newest one."
      Write-Output "Log Entry: $line)"
    }
  }
}

[mattish91]

I can confirm that it could be an AV thing, had Kaspersky Standard tested on one Windows machine and this was the result when the agent tried to update, same issue occurred with Avast, AVG and Panda but Kaspersky was the most intrusive one of them all, even deleting the client itself from the machine as it tried to grab the update more than once (by my command) even after exclusions with MD5.

Yet i haven't seen any issues with Defender/Windows Security since agent installers became signed.

[ac2323]

This is happening because something is deleting the agent's binaries in C:\Windows\SystemTemp\.net\ControlR.Agent. This is the folder where .NET auto-extracts its dependencies. This is a built-in .NET thing, not something I programmed.

Do you have multiple agents (from different servers) installed, or just one? I fixed a bug recently that was specifically related to multiple agents, but it wasn't affecting single-agent installs.

So if you have one agent, the most likely cause is an antivirus or some system cleaner that's deleting them.

I might be able to build a service that detects if dependencies have been deleted and re-extracts them by restarting the service. However, .NET (for whatever reason) has made it nearly impossible in recent versions to locate the extraction directory. If you only have one agent installed, then it's almost-certainly the newest folder. But if there are multiple agents, there's no longer a way of telling which one belongs the agent process that's doing the asking.

Here's a script you can drop into the ControlR terminal to be absolutely certain it somehow isn't trying to clean up its own directory. If it is, something could be messing with the timestamps on the folders.

$logs = Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\ProgramData\ControlR\" -Recurse -Filter "*.log" | Select-Object -Property FullName
$newestExtractDir = Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\Windows\SystemTemp\.net\ControlR.Agent" | Sort-Object -Property CreationTime -Descending | Select-Object -First 1

Write-Output "Newest .NET extract directory: $($newestExtractDir.FullName)"

foreach ($log in $logs) {
  Write-Output "Checking log file: $($log.FullName)"
  [string[]]$logContent = Get-Content -Path $log.FullName

  foreach ($line in $logContent) {
    if (!$line.Contains("Deleting .NET extract subdirectory")) {
      continue;
    }

    if ($logContent.Contains($newestExtractDir.FullName)) {
      Write-Output "OH NOES!  The newest extract directory was cleaned up!  Womp womp."
    }
    else {
      Write-Output "An old extract directory was cleaned up. It wasn't the newest one."
      Write-Output "Log Entry: $line)"
    }
  }
}

Only one agent as far as I can tell. Your script does not return any message other than "Checking log file x" so that must not be it.

I just realized the computer I'm on wasn't showing online. I had to restart the ControlR service for it to come back online. I'm seeing a ton of these entries in the logs, not sure if it's related:

2026-05-14 00:52:24.611 -04:00 [WRN] Not connected to hub when trying to send device update. { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.AgentHeartbeatTimer", Scope: ["SendDeviceHeartbeat"], ThreadId: 15 }

and seeing this as well:

2026-05-14 16:34:34.615 -04:00 [WRN] Failed to launch desktop client in one or more sessions repeatedly. Clearing tracked launch state and waiting for the installer to repair the installation if needed. { SourceContext: "ControlR.Agent.Common.Services.Windows.DesktopClientWatcherWin", ThreadId: 17 }