Auto Delete Box Hangs When Downloading

I just upgraded to a fresh install of Windows 11 and the latest version of Sandboxie-Plus v1.13.7. I have it set to always force Edge into a sandbox, and auto delete all contents on close.

It works great, if I'm just browsing (IE: open Edge, close Edge with no other actions). But anytime I download a file (which is to auto recover each time as soon as the file is created), this seems to cause the box auto delete function to hang in the tray (the contents don't delete).

It will delete itself if I restart and load a new instance of Edge and then close it. But in the past, it would always do it automatically no matter what. Now invoking the file recovery window when I download something seems to cause it to hang.

 

Latest is Release v1.14.3 / 5.69.3

 

If you close the window without recovering/deleting the file, the box will not be cleared automatically.

 

Screenshot:
https://i.imgur.com/aEI1Ok7.png

That's not what's listed on the main page (or when I do a manual update check in the app). Is this a beta?

I do recover the file. What I mean is, if I use that function at all, the box hangs (after I've done everything I needed to do). It should delete the rest of the box contents, but it doesn't.

 

I always get it from GitHub. You'll find pre-releases and latest release there.

 

@johnny_castle When you close the browser, do all sandboxed applications terminate?

 

What I will say is not a very substantial information. But I would like to mention that the same or something similar as described by johnny_castle happened to me too a few times during the last weeks or so. I did not pay much attention to it as it occurred only seldom. (But this may have to do with the fact that in general I do not download very often something from the Internet.) Anyway I cannot describe/remember details.

In my case the issue is definitely not connected with Edge (as I do not use it) but either with Firefox or with Google Chrome (which I use from time to time) or with both of them.

My Sandboxie(-Plus) version is the same as johnny_castle's one: 1.13.7.

If the problem occurs again I will try to pay more attention to details and report them.

 

hmm... I'll test that scenario

 

Here a recent example:

1.
I tried to download a file from this site: https://www.drexplain.com/download/
(the green button "Download Dr.Explain 6.8")

2.
After downloading into the sandbox, when I click "Wiederherstellen" ("Recover" in English I assume) or even when clicking somewhere else into the window "Dateiwiederherstellung" (e.g. on its frame) the window becomes greyed out and it appears "Keine Rückmeldung" ("No response" ?):



3.
When trying to close the window (by clicking on "X") appears the message that the Sandboxie Manager does not react:



4.
By closing the program ("Programm schließen") the sandbox is obviously not emptied (as it should according to my settings) because when opening the sandboxed browser again, the file I wanted to download is still in the sandbox, and (only) now I can restore it:



I tried it several times and the issue was always the same. Outside of Sandboxie the downloading worked immediately without any problem.

PS: As mentioned above it occurs with Firefox (v 128.0), Windows 10 and Sandboxie-Plus v 1.13.7.

 

In my experience, all hangs or delays in the file recovery window are caused by anti-virus software. The file can only be recovered when it is no longer locked by the virus scanner. Switch off the virus scanner as a test and check whether the file recovery window still hangs after the download.

 

@APMichael

I did not expect it (because outside of Sandboxie the download works fine with activated anti-virus).

But you are right:

As a test I switched off the virus scanner (Windows Security / Defender). And indeed downloading within Sandboxie worked without hanging of the file recovery window.

That's strange but good to know.

Thanks for your information.

 

I'm glad I could help.

(Unfortunately, you always have to be patient after large downloads in a sandbox and wait until the virus scanner unlocks the file again).

 

UPDATE:

I'd like to provide some clarity on this, just so it's understood that this issue still persists (and this is not related to anti-virus). Here is what my recent test found:

1. I uninstalled my previous version of Sanboxie, and reinstalled the latest version from the preview builds (v1.14.4).
2. I set Sandboxie to force Microsoft Edge to open sandboxed every time (as I always do). I opened Edge, browsed around a bit, then closed it, and the box auto deletes instantly and clears (just as I've set it to do). This is the desired behavior. I tested this several times successfully.
3. I then tested it by opening Edge sandboxed, and downloading a single file (that is instantly recovered to my downloads folder, as I have it set to do). Now when I close my browser, the sandbox DOES NOT clear. It will just sits there, with the full contents still present. It won't auto clear as before. This only happens when I download something.
4. I have BitDefender antivirus disabled, and this does not help. However, I can't see why that would be an issue, as I ran this same Sandboxie/BitDefender combo for years, and this has never occurred until now. And I can't disable my antivirus each time I need to download a file anyway.
5. And just to add, it also hangs depending on what sites I visit (without downloading anything). Tonight I was watching some things on YouTube, and the box didn't auto delete when I closed the browser. It even happens when just replying to this post. So something is definitely getting hung up.

This is the issue I'm still dealing with. Please help or let me know if there is a setting I can further tweak. Thanks.

 

Johnny, the AV locking files in the sandbox while doing its work is an old problem, like forever. Bit defender and SBIE having compatibility issues also is an old problem. Consider yourself lucky if you haven't experienced this issue in the past.

Consider this. A simple daily AV update can create the problem. And another update days later can fix it.

Also, sometimes to check and test properly if indeed the AV is triggering the problem, disabling it is not enough. When that happens the only way to make a real good test is to uninstall the AV. I am sure you dont like reading this but is the truth.

Bo

 

Thanks for the info. Seeing this behavior from the box as of late, I'm thinking now it's not even necessarily tied to the downloads. There are random times that the box just hangs and does not auto delete (even under normal browsing).

BitDefender is a necessity to my setup, and I have to find a way to get these two programs playing nicely together.

Is there something I can tweak in the Sandboixie setting, or perhaps some process I can make sure it terminates, to free this "auto delete" feature up?

 

Johnny, I don't believe there is really anything in Sandbox settings that will help, but take a look at this old link about BitDefender and SBIE compatibility issues.

https://sandboxie-website-archive.github.io/www.sandboxie.com/KnownConflicts.html#Bitdefender

That solution if it ever worked, likely it worked for a week or a month, no more than that.

You said both programs worked fine together for you for a long time, perhaps the issue gets fixed by just waiting. You can disable in BitDefender whatever feature it has that is similar to what "Active Threat Control" did years ago but you said that you tested disabling BD and the result was still bad. So, probably that wont help either. The only good test can be done after uninstalling BD.

Bo

 

Solution (maybe):

Thanks to all who tried to lend a hand above.

After nothing worked for me, I decided to dig in and try to figure out something that would, by experimenting with some different settings. And I landed on what works (at least for me). I added Edge to the "Stop Behavior" menu under "Program Control," which is something I had previously tried. But the trick this time was to uncheck the box at the bottom that says "Use Linger Leniency." That seems to have removed any delays/hanging of the box under all circumstances (and BitDefender antivirus is still on). Perhaps this setting should be re-examined during the next update (not sure)? But I've had a 100% success rate thus far, and have tested it over the last few days. Hope that helps

 

@johnny_castle do you get an error mesage like this: "Error deleting sandbox folder: C:\Sandbox\...." when your issue happens?

 

Nope, no message at all. But that was mainly because the box would hang so long I had to manually delete it (or open/close the browser again, then it would).

 

Still having the problem described above (presumably plus the one described by @johnny_castle in his post #14 - in my case with Firefox and Google Chrome as browsers).

So I would like to try out johnny_castle's solution (post #18 ). But I would need a little help to do so:

I can find no "Stop Behavior" menu under "Program Control" (using Sandboxie-Plus, version 1.14. ).

That's how the "Program Control" looks for me:



Is the "Stop Behavior" a feature in certain of the paid versions of Sandboxie only, or has it been transferred in the meantime to some other place in the settings?

 

Ah, thank you, stapp. Here I found it.

________

I tried it but unfortuntately in my case it did not work. (Hanging when downloading continues.) - But thanks for presenting us your solution.