WPM transaction is slow or fails during playback in the SolarWinds Platform Web Console but works in Deprecated WPM Recorder

10/25/2018 3:58 PM

4/8/2025 10:29 PM

Before proceeding, SolarWinds recommends the following basic troubleshooting steps:  

• Use a different browser.
• Flush the browser cache.
• Disable screenshot capture during transaction recording.
• Verify that the user had local administrator rights on the SolarWinds server.
• Restart WPM services. For details, see Start, Stop, or Restart Orion Services with the Orion Service Manager

Web Performance Monitor

The following Windows registry key is missing, resulting in slow or failed playback:

HKCU:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Connections\DefaultConnectionSettings 

To create the registry key, a user must:

• Log into the SEUM-Users account explicitly on the player machine.
• Disable the Automatically Detect Settings option in Internet Explorer.

Note: WPM was originally called Synthetic End User Monitor (SEUM).

Note: The following steps apply to WPM 2.2 through 2020.2.5. The way passwords are handled was updated in WPM 2020.2.6.

To disable the Automatically Detect Settings option in Internet Explorer for SEUM-Users.

1. Run a PowerShell script to decrypt the SEUM-Users password.
   1. Open an RDC session to the machine that hosts the WPM Player machine.
   2. Click the Start menu and run the Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE).
   3. Run the following script:

      /* Scripts are not supported under any SolarWinds support program or service. Scripts are provided AS IS without warranty of any kind. SolarWinds further disclaims all warranties including, without limitation, any implied warranties, of merchantability or of fitness for a particular purpose. The risk arising out of the use or performance of the scripts and documentation stays with you. In no event shall SolarWinds or anyone else involved in the creation, production, or delivery of the scripts be liable for any damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use of or inability to use the scripts or documentation. */
      
      
      Clear-Host
      Add-Type -assembly System.Security
      $ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
      
      $agentSettingsDatfile = "$env:ProgramData\SolarWinds\SEUM\Data\AgentSettings.dat"
      
      if(Test-Path $agentSettingsDatfile) {
          $xmlData = [xml](Get-Content $agentSettingsDatfile)
      
          $encryptedPassword = ($xmlData.settings.userPassword)
      }
      else {
          throw [Exception]("File $agentSettingsDatfile doesn't exist.")
      }
      
      [Byte[]] $encryptedBytes = [Convert]::FromBase64String($encryptedPassword); 
      
      [Byte[]] $passwordBytes = [System.Security.Cryptography.ProtectedData]::Unprotect($encryptedBytes, $null, [System.Security.Cryptography.DataProtectionScope]::LocalMachine);
             
      $enc = [System.Text.Encoding]::UTF8;
             
      Write-Host -NoNewline "Decrypted: <password>" -ForegroundColor Red
      Write-Host -NoNewline ($enc.GetString($passwordBytes)) -ForegroundColor Green
      Write-Host "</password>" -ForegroundColor Red

The script returns a decrypted password for all SEUM-Users on this particular WPM machine.

Decrypted: <password>Password1</password>

The green part of the returned message is a decrypted password

2. Add SEUM-Users to the Administrators group.
   1. Press the Windows logo key + R to open the Run window.
   2. Type compmgmt.msc and click OK.
   3. In the Computer Management window, navigate to Local Users and Groups > Users.
   4. Right-click SEUM-User-1 and select Properties in the shortcut menu.
   5. Switch to the "Member of" tab.
   6. Click Add and enter the local Administrators group name for this user.
   7. Click OK twice to accept changes.
   8. Repeat this sequence for each SEUM-User.
3. Disable the “Automatically detect settings” for each SEUM-User.
   1. In Task Manager, stop the SolarWinds WPM Playback Player Service and the SolarWinds WPM Playback Proxy service.
   2. Repeat the following steps for each SEUM-User account.
      1. Log into the player machine explicitly as a SEUM-User account with the known password.
      2. Start Internet Explorer.
      3. Click Tools > Internet options.
      4. Switch to the Connections tab, click LAN settings.
      5. Clear the “Automatically detect settings” checkbox.
      6. Click OK twice to save your changes.
4. Restart the machine.
5. Log into the Orion Web Console and navigate to the relevant Transaction Details page.
6. Click "Play now" and observe playback.