Handle User Cookie Error with WebInstaller

[TehCapn]

Hey folks! I'm posting here on behalf of one of my players who's having trouble installing Fantasy Grounds Classic. She's able to download and run the WebInstaller, but when she goes to login to verify credentials she runs into the Handle User Cookie error. We've already delved through the forums trying to come up with a solution, but have had no luck yet.

Here's what we know:

She's running Windows 10.
ISP is WOW!
Running on a Private network.
PC does not have any anti-virus software.
We tried making exceptions in Windows Defender Firewall.
We tried turning off Windows Defender Firewall.
We tried uninstalling and reinstalling.
We tried logging in with another username/password.


Any help and/or insight you can provide would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! c:

[Moon Wizard]

What error is she getting exactly?

Make sure that her network settings on her machine are set to Private network. Also, any sort of internet filtering setting (parental control, ad blocker, etc.) may be interfering. This can exist on her machine, or on her router.

Regards,
JPG

[TehCapn]

37102
Sorry for the slow reply; busy weekend! I've attached a copy of the error image the player is getting.

They don't have any ad blocker or parental controls on the PC/router. We turned the firewall off on the router and tried again, but still no luck.

Thank you for your help Moon Wizard!

[damned]

Who is your players ISP?

[TehCapn]

Their ISP is WOW! or Wide Open West.

[Moon Wizard]

That means that something is blocking or intercepting the request that is being made to our servers. This can be on the PC or the router.

Did you check that the network is set to Private?
Also, some Internet providers have recently offered an "Advanced Security" option, so you might check the settings on the Internet account. We know that Comcast/Cox does it.

Regards,
JPG

[TehCapn]

Yes, their network is set to private. I'll have them check the internet account settings this evening. I'm not familiar with WOW! personally, and the player is not tech savvy, so I'll have to poke around a bit and see what I find. Thanks again!

[CX360Trunks]

Hello I'm having the same issue. I've been at this for two months. The first month when this issue came up I just couldn't use my updater. This is what it was saying:38385 weird thing that I was able to play with my group. Just recently its at that point were I have to get the update to play D&D with my group. So I tried uninstalling the application and reinstall it again. Its asking for the cd key, the app directory/data directory, and my login info. I get everything setup until I hit a snag with the login. Its saying that "HandleUserCookie Network Timeout". 38386

ISP: Xfinity (I did check the security and nothing was blocking fantasy grounds)
Firewall: Windows Defender (For app permission it is set to private, it was set to public and private)

I hope anyone can help with this so I can get back to my Pub in Waterdeep and figure out this stone of golorr thing. :)

I am running Version 3.3.2 of the installer. I don't know how to update the installer.

[LordEntrails]

Did you go on the Advanced Security webpage and disable it per the thread? Can you attach the updater.log file? Did you delete and re-add any exceptions in Windows Defender, your firewall and other security devices you might have?

[CX360Trunks]

Where is the updater.log file

[CX360Trunks]

i just have the windows firewall

[CX360Trunks]

I did go to the xfinity page it was not listed.38389

[Zacchaeus]

Collectively you have 15 threats although most of them seem to be phones I think. Are you saying that you checked the actual list of what those threats were and none of them came up with FG? Even so I would still disable that advanced security thing since it will have an impact even if it isn't the immediate cause of your issue.

[CX360Trunks]

I disabled the advanced security. I still can't login to the app.

[Zacchaeus]

Can you check windows defender to see if there are multiple rules in there for FG? If so can you delete them all and create a new one.

[CX360Trunks]

Is this what your talking about.38392 but it still not working :(

[Zacchaeus]

Yes. I can’t think of much else. It is something on your computer or network that is the issue.

[CX360Trunks]

Its just weird that my version of the updater went down from 3.3.10 to 3.3.2 on a uninstall and reinstall. Ya my network is running fine. I have two coders in my family they can't find out why this is happening. Nothing changed on my side but my DM got a new router but he opened the 1802 port. Would this effect me? Maybe I did something wrong could you check this out.38393

[Zacchaeus]

Ok, your image shows that you have not installed FG to the default locations and it looks like you are installing both the client and the data to the same folder. That can very easily cause issues and I'd recommend that you accept the default installation locations. It is also possible that you now have two installs if you installed previously and accepted the defaults (or chose your own) so check you computer for that possibility as well.

Edit: Also you have Test ticked. I would change that to Live.

[damned]

Can you run the connection test?
If it fails your Adavanced Security is very likely blocking your comms with the FG servers.
You will need to whitelist them.

[CX360Trunks]

I disabled the advanced security with xfinity. Just for asking how do you run a connection test though FGC?

[LordEntrails]

On the FG Launch screen before you start your campaign their is a Test Connection button.

[CX360Trunks]

I don't have that screen yet. I can't get past the login and install setup.38426 If your talking about the three buttons on the bottom that are Live/test/dev. I tried them all

[Zacchaeus]

No, the test connection button isn't in settings. Did you change your installation folders as I mentioned above?

[CX360Trunks]

I do have it set to "E:/SteamLibrary 2tb/steamapps/common/Fantasy Grounds/" for both app/data directory. I did change steam download location to my E drive. It was originally at the C drive.

[Zacchaeus]

I do have it set to "E:/SteamLibrary 2tb/steamapps/common/Fantasy Grounds/" for both app/data directory. I did change steam download location to my E drive. It was originally at the C drive.

Fantasy Grounds default installation directories are not to the steamapps folder (in fact FG doesn't even run through Steam or download through Steam). I would suggest that you uninstall and try installing using the default locations. Those locations have been chosen to minimize installation and permissions issues. Additionally the installation is in two parts the client and the data. The data and client are not installed into the same locations and doing so again could cause issues. So by choosing the default locations and installing there will at least eliminate a possible cause of your issues. It may not make any difference but we should eliminate the possibility.

[CX360Trunks]

I purchased the game through Steam. I did try downloading FGC through the website also. Do you know the path for both App and Data directory? Whenever I try to uninstall and reinstall FG it is set to those locations already.

[Zacchaeus]

See here for installation information https://fantasygroundsunity.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FGU/pages/819212/Installing+Fantasy+Grounds+Unity

(https://fantasygroundsunity.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/FGU/pages/819212/Installing+Fantasy+Grounds+Unity)The default locations for Classic are

Client C:/Program Files (x86)/Fantasy Grounds/

Data C:/Users/<Name>/AppData/Roaming/Fantasy Grounds/

[CX360Trunks]

I can't find AppData under that folder. I had to make a new folder for the client. This is for a fresh install with FGWebInstall. With the fresh install it used steamapps folder??

[Zacchaeus]

I can't find AppData under that folder. I had to make a new folder for the client. This is for a fresh install with FGWebInstall. With the fresh install it used steamapps folder??

AppData is by default a hidden folder. In any window look up at the top and find the View tab. Click on that and then on the tick box beside 'Hidden items' and then you'll see it.

If you told FG to install in the steamapps folder previously it will continue to default to that since the location is stored in the Registry. You can override that (and therefore set a new install folder) by telling FG to install in the locations mentioned above.

[CX360Trunks]

When I did this for some reason it erased the user file all together. I do not know why so I looked online and its a rare issue. So I had to reinstall windows. This did fix the issue of the APP/Data folders being in the right locations. But unfortunately I'm still having the same issue where its not getting packages from FG server. I will back track and make sure FG is whitelisted and my firewall is not giving me any issues.

[CX360Trunks]

I tried Everything still nothing is working. I love use Fantasy Grounds. If anyone has anymore ideas on how I can fix this it would be great. My DM suggested to try Roll20 But we have all our assets in FG. We have been using FG since the COVID-19 pandemic. Before this we would handout every Sunday and we would play D&D all day. If I can't get Fantasy Grounds up in running. Our last hope would be Roll20. I don't want to use Roll20.

[Zacchaeus]

Sorry CX I don’t know what else to suggest. I still think it is something to do with the security settings used by your ISP, but I can’t say what that is since I have no direct experience with it.

[CX360Trunks]

Lets do a quick recap just to make sure. Crazy move on my part and reinstalled windows. Then I disabled my firewall and my anti-virus. I went to Xfinity and disabled the Advanced Security. I installed the steam version, it gave me the 3.3.2 version of the updater. Inputted my CD key and my credentials for FG. This is what message I got. 38430. So I uninstalled all the steam files for FG. Downloaded the Webinstaller from the FG website. I got the same result. I Made sure I had the right locations for the Client and Data on the installer. Thank you again for dealing with this madness Zacchaeus

[Zacchaeus]

I think your best bet here might be to consider a VPN or upgrade to Unity. Whatever is causing your issue lies somewhere on your computer or on your router (the error is caused by something blocking FG from accessing the servers it needs to access in order to update). In the past the two main culprits have been Malwarebytes and Comcast et al when they introduced 'advanced security' measures.

A couple of other points - switching off AV can often mean that it isn't fully switched off. Some AVs still operate in the background even when disabled. As I said on Discord the updater issue and the failed connection test issues are separate (although somewhat related) but both could be caused by the same set of circumstances. One thing I never asked; have you checked that your anti virus software hasn't quarantined FG? Even if you made a rule in it if that was done after FG was installed it will be too late if the software has already been quarantined.

[damned]

If you would like me to have a quick look at your setup via a remote support session send me your email via PM.

[CX360Trunks]

Yes please I did reinstall windows So I have nothing installed. But yes.

[new_vision]

@Damned and @Zacchaeus - Is there a solution for this problem? I have a new player i wanted to intruduce to FG Classic, but after running the WebInstaller he get HandleCookieError. Stock Win10, no special settings in his router or Windows, standard windows firewall. And he is not from the US so it can't be an ISP problem (i am using the same ISP and everything works fine for me).

Ideas?

[Moon Wizard]

If it's a Network time out error message; then something between the updater program and the FG update web site (patch.fantasygrounds.com) is being blocked. It can be ISP-based, it can be router settings, it can be machine/OS firewall settings, etc.

In this case, make sure that the user's network settings are set to Private (not Public); and that they explicitly have allowed FGUpdaterEngine to access the Internet in Windows Defender and any other security software being used.

Regards,
JPG

[new_vision]

I rule out ISP issues, I have the the same company and not an issue there.

The strange thing is: player downloads the web installer and runs it, the admib windows comes up and he okays it. Then the Updater starts immediately, so there isn't even an install process happening that triggers Defender or makes it possible to allow traffic.
We tried Unity, which installs just nicely and all, but there we run into the folder permissions problem. All in all it is quite a frustrating situation and I have a hard time convincing them of how great FG is, when even the installation doesn't work properly. :(

[damned]

Its very hard to guess at what else it could be.
You can set up 2 identical computers on the same network and it takes very little time for them to have a significant number of differences.
When you have two different computers on different networks with different sets of software on them with different networking equipment and different users then the differences are massive.

I would offer to have a look with your friend but my German is very limited.

[new_vision]

@damned Wow, that offer is really generous. �� I am not sure how his English is, but we will take a closer look at the network settings. What makes me wonder is that this issue doesn't happen with Unity.

Anyway, thanks for the offer! I will keep you posted how this turns out.

[damned]

Unity and Classic have different update servers.
They use (I presume) a similar update process but they have different servers.

I woudl also check AV on the PC and Content Filters, Parental Controls, Protection of Minors settings on router.