Update: UltraVNC 1.4.3.6 and UltraVNC SC 1.4.3.6: viewtopic.php?t=37885
Important: Please update to latest version before to create a reply, a topic or an issue: viewtopic.php?t=37864

Join us on social networks and share our announcements:
- Website: https://uvnc.com/
- GitHub: https://github.com/ultravnc
- Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@ultravnc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ultravnc1
- X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ultravnc1
- Reddit community: https://www.reddit.com/r/ultravnc
- OpenHub: https://openhub.net/p/ultravnc

ultravnc service cannot find rc4.key

Should you have problems with the DSM plugin, here's the place to look for help or report issues
Post Reply
mathog

ultravnc service cannot find rc4.key

Post by mathog »

I have ultravnc RC19.5 working with the plugin correctly, however, only when it is started manually.

To get that far the desktop icons needed to have a "start in"
value set to match the location of the rc4.key file. This wasn't
needed if the client was started by double clicking directly on
the application. So that's one bug, the desktop icon's
are created without the proper "start in" values.

Unfortunately there is no "start in" option for a service,
at least not through the services administrator tool.
Consequently when the service tries to run the WinVNC server
it looks for "C:\Program Files\rc4.key", which does not exist.
Wish it would look in the same directory as the application, but
maybe for some reason it can't figure out where that is?

Anyway, in its current state ultravnc can't autostart the
server with the plugin, so its of zero use in remote administration of machines. It will of course work with the
plugin turned off, but sending everything unencrypted is a
terrible idea.

Will this be fixed soon?

Thanks,

David Mathog
Ipsec
Former moderator
Former moderator
Posts: 565
Joined: 2004-09-20 18:56
Contact:

Post by Ipsec »

The settings for the key files are configured to the default Administrator settings of the app or service.

e.g. Admin Properties - Check the USE DSM plugin - Configure.

This configuration setting is hard coded into the registry in order for it to be used. I know this because I use two separate keys and the only way to get around this is to use a registry setting that specifies the viewer key when I want to change networks.

You state the service tries to run the server and looks for - c:\program files\rc4.key which doesnt exist, hoping for it to look in the same directory where you placed the application.

This setting is configurable to where you want it to go. The devs by default set it up to go to c:\program files\ultravnc\rc4.key or maybe the guy who wrote the DSM plugin.. not sure.. but in either case you can manually change this... Yes I agree it should know where you placed the plugin therefore automatically selecting that directory for a key.. or possibly even a BROWSE button to browse to where you want the use the key from depending on where you put it... but thats just a minor nuisance..

I know for a fact - Application or Service mode RC18/19_4 /_5 /_6 all can automatically start with the DSM plugin properly configured either as an Application or service. It is also a very good solution because the DSM plugin could be replaced with your own MS Crypto API.. havent tested that..

Your comment about sending everything unencrypted is a terrible idea... Yes.. it is... thats why this is much better than REALVNC or TightVNC because A its free and B the encryption works.

Lastly if you are really worried about unencrypted information going over the internet you should really SSH into your remote box, run the viewer to your own machine utilizing this encryption algorithm.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Ipsec wrote:The settings for the key files are configured to the default Administrator settings of the app or service.

e.g. Admin Properties - Check the USE DSM plugin - Configure.

This configuration setting is hard coded into the registry in order for it to be used.
The working directory issue is not an issue of configuration and cannot be hard coded into the registry. I use the noreg version of the DSM plugin and man if this one writes something in any registry then something's really going wrong!

As you can read here

http://home.comcast.net/~msrc4plugin/ms ... noreg.html

UltraVNC searches for the DSM plugin in the current working directory without any further configuration. After a default installation UltraVNC should search and find the plugin in the installation directory of UltraVNC through the environment variable %programfiles%.

As this is currently not working IPSec understandibly asks for a fix in a future revision of the plugin. It seems as if the plugin uses the environment variable %programfiles% but "forgets" to add the directory "UltraVNC" at the end. IMHO It would be very practicable if UltraVNC used the directory the exe was started in. So we can keep all files together which could be nice for USB stick user.[/url]
Ipsec
Former moderator
Former moderator
Posts: 565
Joined: 2004-09-20 18:56
Contact:

Post by Ipsec »

The noreg option doesnt put it into the registry.. but the normal DSM plugin... uses the registry for the service / application. All this does is specify what key to use on the computer.

In my case I have two keys. One for my home network and one for my work network. I do a quick registry modification script and change back and forth, as needed.
mathog

Post by mathog »

Yes, I forgot to say that this was the "noreg" plugin, so
registry hacks cannot be used.

Is it possible to define a script which is started as a service,
rather than just run the .exe directly? In that case the
startup script could change to the working directory and
run the .exe manually, at which point it should pick up
the key. Sorry if this is a dumb question
but my experience with "services" and scripting is all
on unix/linux/VMS.

Thanks,

David Mathog
Ipsec
Former moderator
Former moderator
Posts: 565
Joined: 2004-09-20 18:56
Contact:

Post by Ipsec »

http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articl ... le1899.asp

this goes into more scripting options if you like or you can use

http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=197

more of a utility based command line option... you can download the files from him..

This allows you to specify the run in area for the exe :-) hope this helps.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Hello mathog,

do you use the latest version of the DSM plugin or the one that came with UVNC19.5? Today I switched my clients from the version that came with UVNC to the latest Version 1.1.4:

[topic=1852][/topic]

With this plugin, the key can be in the same directory as the server/client executable and it works fine. With the old version that came with UVNC 19.5 I had the same problem as you have right now.

Greets,

Tankred
mathog

Post by mathog »

Guest's post was right on the money but it wasn't entirely
straightforward to convert to the newest plugin.

Downloaded the 1.1.4 plugin into the ultravnc directory.
Changed the server and client to use that plugin.

Still kept getting the same rc4.key error message.
Removed the other two dsm files.
Uninstalled the service.
Reinstalled the service.
Rebooted
The error message went away.

On a clean machine I installed rc19 and before starting it
removed the two dsm files, leaving only the 1.1.4 plugin.
Configured it like the first machine. Rebooted it. This one
came up clean.

So apparently there is a problem getting rid of some setting
once the service has been started with the plugins that come
with RC19, but if you start with the newest plugin and never
load the others it is fine.

For RC20 hopefully it will just have the 1.1.4 plugins and then
all should be fine.

Thanks,

David Mathog
scovel
100
100
Posts: 307
Joined: 2004-07-12 11:56
Location: CT, USA
Contact:

Restart the service

Post by scovel »

You ALWAYS need to restart the service when making changes to your DSM settings. This "By Design" and is enforced by the UltraVNC server. All you needed to do was change the settings then re-start the service.

Sean
Post Reply