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NovaBACKUP 22 Shows "A JavaScript error occurred in the main process" (ERR_INTERNAL_ASSERTION) When It Opens

If NovaBACKUP 22 shows an ERR_INTERNAL_ASSERTION message about Node.js when it opens, your backups are not affected. Here is what the message means and how to stop it.

Applies to: NovaBACKUP PC Agent and NovaBACKUP Server Agent, version 22.0.

If NovaBACKUP 22 shows an error message mentioning ERR_INTERNAL_ASSERTION and Node.js each time you open it, your backups are not affected. This article explains what the message means and how to stop it from appearing until the permanent fix is released in a NovaBACKUP update.

Symptom

When you open NovaBACKUP, a message box titled Error appears with the heading A JavaScript error occurred in the main process and this text:

Uncaught Exception:
Error [ERR_INTERNAL_ASSERTION]: This is caused by either a bug in Node.js or incorrect usage of Node.js internals.
Please open an issue with this stack trace at https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues

    at assert (node:internal/assert:14:11)
    at internalConnectMultiple (node:net:1118:3)
    at afterConnectMultiple (node:net:1667:5)
  • After you click OK, the NovaBACKUP window opens and works normally.
  • On some computers the message appears every time NovaBACKUP opens. On others it appears only occasionally.

Note: The message mentions JavaScript and Node.js, but it is not related to Java and does not require installing anything.

Cause

The NovaBACKUP 22.0 window is built on Electron, which includes the Node.js runtime. When the window starts, it checks whether a local port on the computer is free. On some computers this check runs into a known bug in the version of Node.js that ships with NovaBACKUP 22.0, and Node.js reports it with this message.

The bug only affects the window. The NovaBACKUP services that run your backup jobs are separate programs and are not affected. Scheduled backups keep running whether or not the message appears.

We have not yet identified what makes the problem appear on some computers and not on others. Security, firewall, VPN, or web-filtering software is the most likely trigger.

Solution

A NovaBACKUP update will include a newer Node.js version that fixes the problem. Until then, choose one of the following options.

Option 1: Click OK

If the message appears only occasionally, click OK and use NovaBACKUP as usual. No further action is needed.

Option 2: Apply the workaround script

If the message appears every time, a small PowerShell script stops it. The script changes one line in the startup code of the NovaBACKUP window so that the port check no longer runs into the bug. It saves a copy of the original file first, and the change can be undone.

Prerequisites:

  • NovaBACKUP 22.0 is installed in the default folder, C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\.
  • You are signed in to Windows with an account that has administrator rights.
  1. Download Fix-NovaBackupStartupError.zip and save it in your Downloads folder.
  2. Right-click the zip file, select Extract All, and click Extract. This creates the folder Downloads\Fix-NovaBackupStartupError.
  3. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin). On some computers, this item is called Windows PowerShell (Admin). Confirm the User Account Control prompt.
  4. Copy the following command, paste it into the window, and press Enter: 
    powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\Fix-NovaBackupStartupError\Fix-NovaBackupStartupError.ps1"
  5. Check that the window shows The workaround was applied.
  6. Open NovaBACKUP as usual. The message no longer appears.

Note: The script closes the NovaBACKUP window if it is open. Your backup jobs, schedules, and the NovaBACKUP services are not affected.

Note: If the script reports that this version of NovaBACKUP doesn't contain the expected startup code, it has not changed anything. Your version does not need the workaround, or it was installed in a different folder. In the second case, add -Path followed by the full path of App\resources\app.asar in your NovaBACKUP installation folder to the command.

Undo the workaround

To restore the original file, run the same command in an administrator terminal with -Undo at the end:

powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\Fix-NovaBackupStartupError\Fix-NovaBackupStartupError.ps1" -Undo

You do not need to undo the workaround before you install a NovaBACKUP update. The update replaces the file and includes the permanent fix.

Help us find the trigger

If the message appears every time on your computer, please open a support ticket and tell us which security, firewall, VPN, or web-filtering software is installed. This helps us confirm the permanent fix on the same setup.

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