Folder %AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA filled up with hundreds of small files

[Sonja_Bauernfeind]

The folder %AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA (Example: C:\Users\qliksense.services\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\S-1-5-21-116657702-4158495111-16012) fills up with hundreds of small files.

These files can be safely deleted. 

Environment:

Qlik Sense Enterprise on Windows 

The files are created each time .NET services controlled by Qlik Sense Service Dispatcher service are started. At the time this article is updated those are:

• [hybriddeploymentservice]
• [appdistributionservice]
• [qib-webchat-service]
• [qdc-catalog-service]

 Each time Qlik Sense Service Dispatcher service is (re)started, 7 new files are created. There might be more .NET services in future releases of Qlik Sense Enterprise on Windows.

Workaround:

If you are a customer currently not using a Multi-Cloud/Hybrid setup, meaning you are not distributing apps from Client Managed into SaaS, you can disable the following two services:

• [hybriddeploymentservice]
• [appdistributionservice]

If you are a customer currently not using Qlik Webchat and\or QDC Catalog service, you can also disable the following services:

• [qdc-catalog-service]
• [qib-webchat-service]

To do this:

1. Make a backup of services.conf file. It is typically located at C:\ProgramFiles\Qlik\Sense\ServiceDispatcher.
2. Open the file services.conf file.
3. Find the section defining the service in question by searching its name and add the row "Disabled=true". In example:
   

   [hybriddeploymentservice]
   Disabled=true
   Identity=Qlik.hybrid-deployment-service
   DisplayName=Hybrid Deployment Service
   ExePath=dotnet\dotnet.exe UseScript=false
   
   [appdistributionservice]
   Disabled=true
   Identity=Qlik.app-distribution-service
   DisplayName=App Distribution Service
   ExePath=dotnet\dotnet.exe
   UseScript=false

4. Qlik Sense Service Dispatcher service needs to be restarted for the setting to take effect.
   
   Note: In rare instances, the operating system will need to be restarted. If you experience service communication issues (apps not leading, unexpected errors), restart the windows host.

Cause:

If the total number of these files is excessively large, this may indicate that the related .NET services are crashing. You can review the Windows Application events and log files of the affected services to locate additional details. Use the timestamps provided by when the excess files are created, and review the following logs (located under C:\ProgramData\Qlik\Sense\Log😞

• Hybriddeploymentservice
• Appdistributionservice
• QdcCatalogService
• QibWebchatService

However, please note that often when the service crashes, it does not produce any logs, leaving the only trace in Windows Application events.

Resolution:

Apply a suggested workaround or remove the files – they can be safely deleted. In case of an excessive number caused by the .NET service crashing, investigate the .NET service crashes by using the Windows Event log as well as the service logs (see Cause). 

[anderseriksson]

Had this exact problem with a Sense server, folder %AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\..\ filling up with files,
but not hundreds but miljons of files filling up the C-drive and making the system unstable.
That's when we detected it and found that folder while searching for what was taking space on the C-drive.
By then they took more than 10 GB of disk space.
Removing the files and updating Service Dispatcher services.conf according to above.
Could only find hybriddeploymentservice and appdistributionservice, not entitlementprovisioningservice.
Added Disabled=true to those two then rebooted the server.
It still creates files in folder %AppData%\Roaming\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\..\, about 10 files per minute while running!
Left alone this will again fill the C-drive.

There are other entries in the services.conf file referencing dotnet.exe: qdc-catalog-service and qib-webchat-service
Should these also have Disabled=true?

What is the cause of this problem and is it not possible to fix the problem instead of trying to fix the symptom?

[anderseriksson]

Corresponds with dotnet.exe crashes logged in Event log.
WindowsCryptographicException.

[anderseriksson]

Server is Amazon EC2 r5.4xlarge with Windows Server 2019 Datacenter.