Troubleshooting

General Troubleshooting Checklist

1. Check Service Status: Ensure the Signotaur service is running. On Windows, open Services and confirm that Signotaur Server is running.
2. Restart the Service: Restarting can resolve issues caused by temporary system or network errors.
3. Check Configuration File: Verify the Signotaur.Server.config.json configuration file is correctly formatted and that all required values are set.
4. Examine Logs: Review the logs for detailed error information. Logs are typically located in %ProgramData%\VSoft\Signotaur\Server\Logs. On Windows, errors may also be logged to the Windows Event log. For more detailed information, enable a lower log level such as Debug in the configuration file.

Common Issues and Solutions

1. Site Access Issues

Problem: Cannot Access Signotaur Web Interface

• Possible Cause: Network, port, or certificate issues.

• Solution:

  • Confirm that the Port setting in the Site section of the configuration file matches the port you’re using to access the site.
  • If HTTPS is enabled (UseHttps is true), verify that a valid certificate is specified either with a file path (PfxPath) or Subject and StoreName in the configuration file. Ensure a password is provided if required.
  • Check firewall settings to ensure the Signotaur server’s port is open for access.

  You can check for open ports by running netstat -aon | findstr :<port_number> in Command Prompt, replacing <port_number> with the port you wish to check.

Problem: Invalid or Self-Signed Certificate Warnings

• Possible Cause: Certificate validation issues.
• Solution:
  • If using a self-signed certificate, set AllowInvalid to true in the Certificate section.
  • Ensure the certificate is correctly installed and the PFX file is valid.

2. Database Connection Issues

Problem: Unable to Connect to Database

• Possible Cause: Incorrect database path or permissions.
• Solution:
  • Verify the ConnectionString path in the Database section of the configuration file points to the correct location.
  • Ensure the service account running Signotaur has read/write permissions to the database file.

3. Email Sending Issues

Problem: Emails Not Sent (Verification, Password Reset, etc.)

• Possible Cause: Misconfiguration in SMTP settings.
• Solution:
  • Check the Email settings in the Admin section of Signotaur. Ensure that the Email Server, Port, Username, and Password are set correctly.
  • Ensure that the email server is accessible through any firewall or proxy.
  • Verify using the "Send a Test Message" button.

4. Authentication Issues

Problem: Users Cannot Log In with Google or GitHub

• Possible Cause: Misconfiguration in the OAuth credentials.
• Solution:
  • Check the External Authentication settings in the Admin section of Signotaur.
  • Verify that the ClientId and ClientSecret for Google or GitHub are entered correctly, and that authentication is enabled.

5. Logging Issues

Problem: Logs Are Not Generated or Missing

• Possible Cause: Incorrect logging configuration or permissions.
• Solution:
  • Verify the LogLevel settings under the Logging section in the configuration file. Set LogLevel to Information or Error for relevant log outputs (File, Console, Windows Event Log).
  • Ensure the file path specified in LogFileLocation (if set) is accessible and has the necessary write permissions.

6. Encryption Key Issues

Problem: Encrypted Data Cannot Be Decrypted

• Possible Cause: Incorrect encryption key or vector.
• Solution:
  • Ensure that the Key and Vector values in the Encryption section have not been modified since the encrypted data was created.
  • Do not modify these settings unless migrating to a new server and copying both values exactly.

7. MSI Signing — UAC Shows Random or Cryptic Program Name

Problem: After Signing an MSI, Windows UAC Displays an Incorrect Program Name

• Possible Cause: The -d / --description option was not provided when signing the MSI file. Without a description in the Authenticode signature, Windows UAC has no display name and falls back to showing a cryptic or random identifier.

• Solution:

  • Add the -d option to your signing command to specify the product name:

  signotaurtool sign -d "Your Product Name" --du "https://yourcompany.com" [other options] yourfile.msi
  

  • The -d parameter sets the signed content's description, which is what Windows UAC displays as the program name.
  • To confirm this is the cause, inspect your currently signed MSI's signature properties — if the "Description" field is empty, this is the issue.

Advanced Troubleshooting

Debugging Network Issues

If you suspect network issues are causing problems:

• Ping the Signotaur Server: From a client machine, ping the Signotaur server’s hostname or IP address.
• Check Firewall Rules: Ensure all necessary ports (e.g., 80 for HTTP, 443 for HTTPS, or a custom port defined in the configuration) are open.
• Review Proxy Settings: If Signotaur is deployed behind a reverse proxy, ensure it is configured to forward gRPC traffic correctly — a standard HTTP proxy rule will prevent SignotaurTool from signing. See Running Behind a Reverse Proxy for details.

Resetting the Configuration

If the configuration file is corrupted or incorrectly set up:

1. Restore from Backup: Restore the configuration file from a known working backup.
2. Reinstall Signotaur: Run the Signotaur installer, which can reset the configuration file to default values without impacting your data.

Contacting Support

If these steps do not resolve your issue, please contact Signotaur support. Include:

• A copy of the configuration file (with sensitive information redacted).
• Recent log files.
• A description of the issue and steps taken to troubleshoot.