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NovaBACKUP 22 Opens with a Blank Window

If NovaBACKUP 22 opens to an empty window after you install or upgrade it, security software is most likely blocking the new desktop application. Here is how to fix it.

Applies to: NovaBACKUP PC Agent and NovaBACKUP Server Agent, version 22.

If NovaBACKUP 22 opens to an empty window after you install it or upgrade to it, security software on the computer is most likely blocking the new desktop application. This article explains how to recognize the problem and how to fix it.

Symptom

  • NovaBACKUP opens, but the window stays empty. There is no menu, no Dashboard, and no content, only the window frame.
  • Closing and reopening NovaBACKUP shows the same empty window.
  • The problem starts right after the installation of, or the upgrade to, NovaBACKUP 22.

Note: If the window shows the menu but no data, and the icon beside Dashboard reads Disconnected, the application cannot reach the NovaBACKUP service. See NovaBACKUP 22 Cannot Connect to the NovaBACKUP Service instead.

Cause

The NovaBACKUP 22 window consists of two programs that work together on the computer: NovaBACKUP.exe shows the window, and BackupClient.Desktop.exe provides its content. Both are new in version 22. Security software that does not recognize them yet can restrict them or block the local connection between them, and the window then stays empty.

We have seen this with Webroot SecureAnywhere. Other antivirus and endpoint detection and response (EDR) products can cause the same problem.

Solution

Step 1: Open NovaBACKUP once as administrator, then restart

  1. Close NovaBACKUP.
  2. Right-click the NovaBACKUP shortcut on the desktop or in the Start menu and select Run as administrator. Confirm the User Account Control prompt.
  3. Wait until the window shows its content, then close NovaBACKUP.
  4. Restart the computer.
  5. Open NovaBACKUP the usual way and confirm that the window shows its content.

With Webroot SecureAnywhere, this step alone has resolved the problem. Continue with Step 2 so the problem does not return, for example after a NovaBACKUP update.

Step 2: Allow NovaBACKUP in your security software

Webroot SecureAnywhere

  1. Open Webroot SecureAnywhere and select PC Security > Block/Allow Files.
  2. Click Add File, select C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\App\NovaBACKUP.exe, and set it to Allow.
  3. Repeat for C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\App\resources\bin\BackupClient.Desktop.exe.
  4. Select Identity Protection > Application Protection, add the same two files, and set them to Allow.

Note: If Webroot is managed centrally, for example by your MSP, local changes can be overwritten by the policy. Add the two files as allow overrides in the Webroot management console instead.

Other security software

  1. Check the security software's log or console for blocked or quarantined NovaBACKUP files and processes, and restore anything that was quarantined.
  2. Add the folder, process, and network exclusions listed in Antivirus and EDR Exclusions for NovaBACKUP 22. Make sure local connections between programs on the same computer are allowed for NovaBACKUP.exe and BackupClient.Desktop.exe.
  3. Close NovaBACKUP and open it again.

Step 3: If the window is still empty

  1. Check that the Backup Client service is running, as described in NovaBACKUP 22 Cannot Connect to the NovaBACKUP Service.
  2. Collect the logs: run LogCollector.exe from C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\ as an administrator. It saves an archive of all logs on your desktop.
  3. Open a support ticket and attach the Log Collector archive. Include the name and version of your security software.

Note: Scheduled backups run in the NovaBACKUP service, not in the window. They keep running while the window is empty, as long as the service is running.

Best practices

  • Add the NovaBACKUP exclusions to your antivirus or EDR policy before you upgrade to NovaBACKUP 22.
  • Recheck the exclusions after each NovaBACKUP update. Some security products tie an allowed file to its exact version.
  • When you deploy NovaBACKUP 22 to many computers, add the exclusions centrally in your RMM or security management console.

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