[JENKINS-42724] Windows Slaves Plugin: agent is not starting after upgrade to Jenkins 2.50

[jenkins-infra-bot]

After upgrading the master to Jenkins v2.50, the Windows slave (working before) does not start any more, but only reports the following error:

[2017-03-13 17:57:58] [windows-slaves] Connecting to dewxxxdev-bn02
Checking if Java exists

java -version returned 1.8.0.
[2017-03-13 17:58:00] [windows-slaves] Installing the Jenkins slave service
[2017-03-13 17:58:00] [windows-slaves] Copying jenkins-slave.exe
[2017-03-13 17:58:00] [windows-slaves] Copying slave.jar
[2017-03-13 17:58:00] [windows-slaves] Copying jenkins-slave.xml
ERROR: Unexpected error in launching an agent. This is probably a bug in Jenkins
java.lang.NullPointerException
	at java.io.Reader.<init>(Reader.java:78)
	at java.io.InputStreamReader.<init>(InputStreamReader.java:113)
	at org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils.copy(IOUtils.java:1906)
	at org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils.toString(IOUtils.java:778)
	at org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils.toString(IOUtils.java:803)
	at hudson.os.windows.ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.generateSlaveXml(ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.java:520)
	at hudson.os.windows.ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.createAndCopyJenkinsSlaveXml(ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.java:456)
	at hudson.os.windows.ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.launch(ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.java:301)
	at hudson.slaves.SlaveComputer$1.call(SlaveComputer.java:262)
	at jenkins.util.ContextResettingExecutorService$2.call(ContextResettingExecutorService.java:46)
	at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:266)
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)

the config.xml for that slave is (with sensitive info X'ed out)

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<slave>
  <name>dewxxxdev-bn02</name>
  <description>Windows 64-bit (x86_64) release build machine</description>
  <remoteFS>D:\Jenkins</remoteFS>
  <numExecutors>12</numExecutors>
  <mode>EXCLUSIVE</mode>
  <retentionStrategy class="hudson.slaves.RetentionStrategy$Always"/>
  <launcher class="hudson.os.windows.ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher" plugin="windows-slaves@​1.2">
    <userName>DOMAIN\username</userName>
    <password>{xxx}</password>
    <account class="hudson.os.windows.ManagedWindowsServiceAccount$Administrator"/>
  </launcher>
  <label>kernel windows x86_64 release</label>
  <nodeProperties/>
</slave>

Any advice is greatly appreciated. - Thanks.

---

Originally reported by fillenseer, imported from: Windows Slaves Plugin: agent is not starting after upgrade to Jenkins 2.50

• assignee: oleg_nenashev
• status: Closed
• priority: Blocker
• component(s): core, windows-slaves-plugin
• label(s): regression
• resolution: Fixed
• resolved: 2017-03-27T09:57:17+00:00
• votes: 1
• watchers: 6
• imported: 2025-11-24

Raw content of original issue

After upgrading the master to Jenkins v2.50, the Windows slave (working before) does not start any more, but only reports the following error:


[2017-03-13 17:57:58] [windows-slaves] Connecting to dewxxxdev-bn02
Checking if Java exists

java -version returned 1.8.0.
[2017-03-13 17:58:00] [windows-slaves] Installing the Jenkins slave service
[2017-03-13 17:58:00] [windows-slaves] Copying jenkins-slave.exe
[2017-03-13 17:58:00] [windows-slaves] Copying slave.jar
[2017-03-13 17:58:00] [windows-slaves] Copying jenkins-slave.xml
ERROR: Unexpected error in launching an agent. This is probably a bug in Jenkins
java.lang.NullPointerException
	at java.io.Reader.<init>(Reader.java:78)
	at java.io.InputStreamReader.<init>(InputStreamReader.java:113)
	at org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils.copy(IOUtils.java:1906)
	at org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils.toString(IOUtils.java:778)
	at org.apache.commons.io.IOUtils.toString(IOUtils.java:803)
	at hudson.os.windows.ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.generateSlaveXml(ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.java:520)
	at hudson.os.windows.ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.createAndCopyJenkinsSlaveXml(ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.java:456)
	at hudson.os.windows.ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.launch(ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.java:301)
	at hudson.slaves.SlaveComputer$1.call(SlaveComputer.java:262)
	at jenkins.util.ContextResettingExecutorService$2.call(ContextResettingExecutorService.java:46)
	at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:266)
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1142)
	at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:617)
	at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)


the config.xml for that slave is (with sensitive info X'ed out)

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<slave>
  <name>dewxxxdev-bn02</name>
  <description>Windows 64-bit (x86_64) release build machine</description>
  <remoteFS>D:\Jenkins</remoteFS>
  <numExecutors>12</numExecutors>
  <mode>EXCLUSIVE</mode>
  <retentionStrategy class="hudson.slaves.RetentionStrategy$Always"/>
  <launcher class="hudson.os.windows.ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher" plugin="windows-slaves@1.2">
    <userName>DOMAIN\username</userName>
    <password>{xxx}</password>
    <account class="hudson.os.windows.ManagedWindowsServiceAccount$Administrator"/>
  </launcher>
  <label>kernel windows x86_64 release</label>
  <nodeProperties/>
</slave>


Any advice is greatly appreciated. - Thanks.

environment

master: Jenkins v2.50 on openSUSE 42.2<br/>
slave: Windows 8.1 x64

[jenkins-infra-bot]

• Remote link associated with this issue:

  • jenkins/pull/2803

[jenkins-infra-bot]

dan_mcfarlane:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  It appears https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/pull/2765/commits removed the jenkins-slave.xml file, but something is still trying to read the file, failing to find it and blowing up
  

It appears https://github.com/jenkinsci/jenkins/pull/2765/commits removed the jenkins-slave.xml file, but something is still trying to read the file, failing to find it and blowing up

[jenkins-infra-bot]

oleg_nenashev:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Right. I have removed this file after the initial testing, but it didn't blow up for me. 
  Though I didn't pay much attention to the Windows Slaves Plugin
  

Right. I have removed this file after the initial testing, but it didn't blow up for me.
Though I didn't pay much attention to the Windows Slaves Plugin

[jenkins-infra-bot]

fillenseer:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Thanks for finding it so quickly and taking actions! - Very much appreciated!
  
  Can you say anything, when this will be available for download or what I can do in the meanwhile to get my slave(s) working again?
  

Thanks for finding it so quickly and taking actions! - Very much appreciated!

Can you say anything, when this will be available for download or what I can do in the meanwhile to get my slave(s) working again?

[jenkins-infra-bot]

oleg_nenashev:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Hi,
  
  As a workaround you can pick the jenkins.war file from https://ci.jenkins.io/job/Core/job/jenkins/job/PR-2803/1/artifact/war/target/linux-jenkins.war
  
  I will discuss the out of order release with kohsuke today. If he is available, we will try to spin an release before this weekend.
  

Hi,

As a workaround you can pick the jenkins.war file from https://ci.jenkins.io/job/Core/job/jenkins/job/PR-2803/1/artifact/war/target/linux-jenkins.war

I will discuss the out of order release with kohsuke today. If he is available, we will try to spin an release before this weekend.

[jenkins-infra-bot]

fillenseer:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Thanks again!
  
  I can confirm that with the abovementioned WAR file (i.e. Jenkins ver. 2.51-SNAPSHOT (private-03/13/2017 21:14 GMT-jenkins) then showing as version) my Windows slave starts again.
  

Thanks again!

I can confirm that with the abovementioned WAR file (i.e. Jenkins ver. 2.51-SNAPSHOT (private-03/13/2017 21:14 GMT-jenkins) then showing as version) my Windows slave starts again.

[jenkins-infra-bot]

oleg_nenashev:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  I also created JENKINS-42743 in order to update the Windows Slaves plugin.
  I will try to deliver a fix today just to have a temporary solution.
  

I also created JENKINS-42743 in order to update the Windows Slaves plugin.
I will try to deliver a fix today just to have a temporary solution.

[jenkins-infra-bot]

oleg_nenashev:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Also JENKINS-42746 as a very hotfix
  

Also JENKINS-42746 as a very hotfix

[jenkins-infra-bot]

scm_issue_link:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Code changed in jenkins
  User: Oleg Nenashev
  Path:
   src/main/java/hudson/os/windows/ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.java
   src/main/resources/hudson/os/windows/configsamples/jenkins-slave.xml
   src/test/java/hudson/os/windows/ManagedWindowsServiceLauncherTest.java
  http://jenkins-ci.org/commit/windows-slaves-plugin/0872fc38409a7efe05f239650e944aef4e174456
  Log:
    JENKINS-42746 - Make the plugin independent from the XML sample in the core
  
  In Jenkins 2.50 we have got JENKINS-42724, which has been caused by the usage of the old resource file located within the Jenkins core.
  It is likely a leftover from the migration of the windows-slaves-installer module.
  
  Since the Windows Slaves plugin has its internal macro resolution logic, the sample should be also inside plugin. A longer-term fix is to make the plugin depent on the Windows Agent Installer module
  
  
  

Code changed in jenkins
User: Oleg Nenashev
Path:
src/main/java/hudson/os/windows/ManagedWindowsServiceLauncher.java
src/main/resources/hudson/os/windows/configsamples/jenkins-slave.xml
src/test/java/hudson/os/windows/ManagedWindowsServiceLauncherTest.java
http://jenkins-ci.org/commit/windows-slaves-plugin/0872fc38409a7efe05f239650e944aef4e174456
Log:
JENKINS-42746 - Make the plugin independent from the XML sample in the core

In Jenkins 2.50 we have got JENKINS-42724, which has been caused by the usage of the old resource file located within the Jenkins core.
It is likely a leftover from the migration of the windows-slaves-installer module.

Since the Windows Slaves plugin has its internal macro resolution logic, the sample should be also inside plugin. A longer-term fix is to make the plugin depent on the Windows Agent Installer module

[jenkins-infra-bot]

oleg_nenashev:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  I have released Windows Slaves 1.3.1 with a workaround. - JENKINS-42746
  

I have released Windows Slaves 1.3.1 with a workaround. - JENKINS-42746

[jenkins-infra-bot]

scm_issue_link:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Code changed in jenkins
  User: Oleg Nenashev
  Path:
   content/_data/changelogs/weekly.yml
  http://jenkins-ci.org/commit/jenkins.io/7d2678f8c7efa0580d106ba4e7fbbb023c61a91c
  Log:
    Reference the JENKINS-42724 regression in Jenkins 2.50
  
  
  

Code changed in jenkins
User: Oleg Nenashev
Path:
content/_data/changelogs/weekly.yml
http://jenkins-ci.org/commit/jenkins.io/7d2678f8c7efa0580d106ba4e7fbbb023c61a91c
Log:
Reference the JENKINS-42724 regression in Jenkins 2.50

[jenkins-infra-bot]

scm_issue_link:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Code changed in jenkins
  User: Oleg Nenashev
  Path:
   content/_data/changelogs/weekly.yml
  http://jenkins-ci.org/commit/jenkins.io/525a918e2646fcc2a106d363b0c42af4112a7f46
  Log:
    Merge pull request #754 from oleg-nenashev/changelog/JENKINS-42724
  
  Changelog: Reference the JENKINS-42724 regression in Jenkins 2.50
  
  
  Compare: jenkins-infra/jenkins.io@82fa1dd...525a918
  
  

Code changed in jenkins
User: Oleg Nenashev
Path:
content/_data/changelogs/weekly.yml
http://jenkins-ci.org/commit/jenkins.io/525a918e2646fcc2a106d363b0c42af4112a7f46
Log:
Merge pull request #754 from oleg-nenashev/changelog/JENKINS-42724

Changelog: Reference the JENKINS-42724 regression in Jenkins 2.50

Compare: jenkins-infra/jenkins.io@82fa1dd...525a918

[jenkins-infra-bot]

scm_issue_link:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Code changed in jenkins
  User: Oleg Nenashev
  Path:
   core/src/main/resources/windows-service/jenkins-slave.xml
  http://jenkins-ci.org/commit/jenkins/4ac7c0850bb316db82637e7652bc97fd6aad2418
  Log:
    JENKINS-42724 - Restore the windows-service/jenkins.xml resource to restore compatibility with windows-slaves 1.2 (#2803)
  
  
  	
  JENKINS-42724 - Restore the jenkins-slave.xml file
  
  
  
  Windows Slaves plugin performs a direct access to the resources bundled into the core.
  Hence the file removal was a bad idea though I have not seen the issue in automatic tests and ATH.
  
  This change also was a last-minute change in Update Windows Agent Installer to 1.7 and WinSW to 2.0.2 #2765 in order to address suggestions from @daniel-beck, hence I didn't test it properly
  
  
  	
  JENKINS-42724 - Update the Windows Agents plugin dependency to 1.3.1
  
  
  
  
  	
  JENKINS-42724  -Revert the war/pom.xml upgrade
  
  
  
  
  

Code changed in jenkins
User: Oleg Nenashev
Path:
core/src/main/resources/windows-service/jenkins-slave.xml
http://jenkins-ci.org/commit/jenkins/4ac7c0850bb316db82637e7652bc97fd6aad2418
Log:
JENKINS-42724 - Restore the windows-service/jenkins.xml resource to restore compatibility with windows-slaves 1.2 (#2803)

• JENKINS-42724 - Restore the jenkins-slave.xml file

Windows Slaves plugin performs a direct access to the resources bundled into the core.
Hence the file removal was a bad idea though I have not seen the issue in automatic tests and ATH.

This change also was a last-minute change in #2765 in order to address suggestions from @​daniel-beck, hence I didn't test it properly

• JENKINS-42724 - Update the Windows Agents plugin dependency to 1.3.1

• JENKINS-42724 -Revert the war/pom.xml upgrade

[jenkins-infra-bot]

scm_issue_link:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Code changed in jenkins
  User: Daniel Beck
  Path:
   content/_data/changelogs/weekly.yml
  http://jenkins-ci.org/commit/jenkins.io/7a6c0722e7c6c6d0d01c2563bcd9beceabaad993
  Log:
    JENKINS-42724 Add changelog entry
  
  
  

Code changed in jenkins
User: Daniel Beck
Path:
content/_data/changelogs/weekly.yml
http://jenkins-ci.org/commit/jenkins.io/7a6c0722e7c6c6d0d01c2563bcd9beceabaad993
Log:
JENKINS-42724 Add changelog entry

[jenkins-infra-bot]

scm_issue_link:

• Original comment link
• Raw content of original comment:

  Code changed in jenkins
  User: Daniel Beck
  Path:
   content/_data/changelogs/weekly.yml
  http://jenkins-ci.org/commit/jenkins.io/4e5e16d1915a7fd1bcea12f34e7315c96e5c6f31
  Log:
    Merge pull request #766 from daniel-beck/JENKINS-42724
  
  JENKINS-42724 Add changelog entry
  
  
  Compare: jenkins-infra/jenkins.io@7079cbd...4e5e16d
  
  

Code changed in jenkins
User: Daniel Beck
Path:
content/_data/changelogs/weekly.yml
http://jenkins-ci.org/commit/jenkins.io/4e5e16d1915a7fd1bcea12f34e7315c96e5c6f31
Log:
Merge pull request #766 from daniel-beck/JENKINS-42724

JENKINS-42724 Add changelog entry

Compare: jenkins-infra/jenkins.io@7079cbd...4e5e16d