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Why can't I see my workstations in the Deep Freeze Enterprise Console?
Posted by Richard Z, Last modified by Richard Z on 20 December 2017 04:34 PM
Workstations failing to display in the console can have a number of underlying causes.  This document outlines a basic troubleshooting step by step you can use to self-diagnose the cause.  If at any point, you are unclear of what to do next, please contact Faronics Technical Support for further assistance.  

1)Deep Freeze Client Service Timeout

The DFServ service will stop attempting to attempting to contact the management Console after approximately 2 hours if it's unable to reach the background service.  Start by rebooting the machine when you are able to confirm the Deep Freeze Enterprise Console is up and running on the network.  


2)Network Communication Issues

a)Windows clients may have the firewall turned on 

Deep Freeze could require either TCP or UDP protocols; either the firewall can be turned off, or an exception should be added for each protocol type for the Deep Freeze communication port being used (default is 7725). In Windows Vista or higher, it may be necessary to set outbound port exceptions if there are outbound restrictions set in the firewall. 

Note, that Windows updates can enable the firewall even when it was previously disabled.  Both inbound and outbound exceptions can be set under the firewall 'Advanced Settings' in Windows Vista and higher.

b)The Console and clients do not have the correct network settings

Login to the Deep Freeze client, and check the network tab.  

i)Confirm that the client and console are using the same port number.  This port must be available on the Deep Freeze Enterprise Console under 'Tools>Network Configuration'. 
ii)Confirm what communication mode is configured on the client itself:  LAN vs LAN/WAN

LAN mode broadcasts on the configured Deep Freeze port within the local subnet to find what IP address the console has.  There are many things that might block this type of communication: firewalls, logical segmentation of the network (VLANs) to name a few reasons.  If you are configured for LAN mode, switch a machine to use LAN/WAN mode by:
  • Selecting WAN mode radial button
  • Fill in the hostname or IP address of the console 
  • Hit 'Apply and Restart' once completed to apply the changes
c)Something on the network is blocking the communication between the Console and the clients

Try to connect to the Deep Freeze Console by using the built-in Windows Telnet client. This is installed by default in Windows XP, but will needs to be added through 'Programs and Features>Turn Windows features on or off' in Windows Vista and higher.  Please note, the command requires elevated privileges in Windows Vista and higher.
  • Click on the start menu
  • Type 'cmd' in the search bar
  • Right click on 'Command Prompt' to find the 'Run as Administrator' option and select it
In the Command Prompt window, type:

Telnet <IP or Hostname of Console Machine from the 'Network' tab in Deep Freeze> 7725
Note: 7725 is the default port, but please make the appropriate substitution if you're using an alternate port number

If it connects properly, you will see a random splash of ASCII characters since the communication is encrypted.  If you are unable to connect, you will need to verify things on the Deep Freeze Enterprise server.


3)Deep Freeze Enterprise Server Service Issues

a)Verify the port exists on the console

The port is configured in the Deep Freeze Enterprise Console under the 'Tools>Network Configuration' menu.  Verify the port your client is attempting to connect to is configured in the Deep Freeze Console.

b)The Deep Freeze Console is unable to connect to the background service

This is indicated by a lack of polar bear icon in the console.  You will see a polar bear with C beside 'localhost:7725' if there are no connection issues. If this is an icon of two computer monitors:
  • Go under the 'Tools' menu, and enter the 'Network Configuration'
  • Uncheck 'Enable Local Service' and select 'Ok'
  • Once more, enter the 'Tools>Network Configuration' dialog
  • Check the option to 'Enable the local service' and select 'Ok'
The service will restart.  You can determine success or failure if the icon changes to the familiar Polar Bear with a small red 'C' in the bottom left corner within 30-60 seconds.  If it still persists, something is preventing the service from communicating on the port you are using.  Typically, this is a port conflict.  You can test by:
  • Search 'cmd' in the search bar, right click on 'Command Prompt' to find the 'Run as Administrator' option and select it
  • Run 'netstat -vonba > log.txt' to export the current list of ports in use on the system
  • Search the file for your Deep Freeze port (ex. 7725) 
  • If any other programs aside from 'DFConsole.exe', or 'DFServerservice.exe' are using this port, there is a conflict and will prevent correct Deep Freeze Console functions

4)Verify the Customization Code Matches Between the Client and Server

What is the customization code and why is it important?
https://faronics.kayako.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/4/0/what-is-the-customization-code-and-why-is-it-important

How do I test if I have the right Customization Code?
https://faronics.kayako.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/187/0/how-do-i-test-if-i-have-the-right-customization-code

When upgrading to certain versions of Deep Freeze, you may be prompted to re-enter your customization code.  Additionally, in some rare instances, if the Deep Freeze Console or Administrator applications were still running in memory when Deep Freeze was re-initialized, they may be configured with different codes.  You can test this by:

  • On the client, hold the 'Shift' key and double click on the Polar Bear icon (alternatively you can use the hotkey combination of Ctrl-Alt-Shift-F6)
  • On lower left side of the the login screen, the OTP token will be listed - note down this token number (XXXXXXXX:XXXXXXXX)
  • There will be options to generate a temporary access password based off this provided token using either the Deep Freeze Enterprise Console or Administrator
    • In the Deep Freeze Console, go to 'Tools>One Time Passwords'
    • In the Deep Freeze Configuration Administrator, go to 'File>One Time Passwords'
  • Enter the token provided into the dialog box, and press the button to 'Generate Password' 
  • Note the provided password and attempt to login to the Deep Freeze workstation
If the Customization Code matches between the client and server, this will allow you to access Deep Freeze controls.  Otherwise, the password space will blank itself and you will be forced to re-enter a password.  If this fails, the steps below will allow you to reset the Customization Code on the Console/Server only:
 
  • Close all Deep Freeze management applications (ensure the network services are shut down): Deep Freeze Enterprise Console (DFConsole.exe), Configuration Administrator (DFAdmin.exe), and the Console Communication Service (Dfserverservice.exe).  Double check they are not running using Windows Task Manager (taskmgr.exe) by checking under 'Processes' or 'Details'
  • Run the following utility to initialize all Deep Freeze components with the appropriate Customization Code:
    • "C:\Program Files\Faronics\Deep Freeze Enterprise\DFInit.exe"   (32-bit)
    • "C:\Program Files (x86)\Faronics\Deep Freeze Enterprise\DFInit.exe"  (64-bit)

This should give you some points to check on.  If you are unable to resolve the issue, please contact Faronics Technical Support for further assistance.  
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