On the two Windows 7 64-bit PCs, the Ignition client reaches its startup screen and then freezes because its configured client memory limit is too low for the startup display load; raising the client maximum initial memory to 1 GB and the Gateway maximum memory to 8 GB resolved the reported freeze.
Where does the launch path stop?
Trace the launch from the PC toward the Gateway and note the last stage that responds. In this case, the PC can open the Gateway web page, launch the client, pass the Java splash screen, and pass the Ignition startup screen. It then remains on a gray screen with a loading indicator while Java and the client stop responding.
- Open the Gateway web page from the affected PC. If it does not load, troubleshoot the PC-to-Gateway network path before investigating client startup.
- Launch the client. If it never passes the Java splash screen, investigate Java launch and local permissions as a separate branch.
- If it reaches the gray loading screen and then freezes, compare the client’s startup workload and configured memory limits with the working PCs. That is the branch that led to the fix here.
Reaching the Gateway page proves that basic access to that page works; it does not prove that every later client-startup operation succeeds. But when the client has already launched and fails while loading, a Gateway page load alone does not identify the cause. In this case, the decisive evidence came from comparing startup display load and memory settings, rather than repeatedly changing Java versions.
Which comparison separates a client problem from a Gateway problem?
Take the same readings on one affected PC and one PC that launches successfully. Record the Ignition version, Java version, client startup configuration, client memory setting, Gateway memory setting, and the point at which each client stops or completes startup. Keep the comparison on the same application and Gateway where possible; otherwise, a different application workload can distort the result.
| Reading or observation | What it indicates | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Gateway page opens, but client freezes after its startup screens | The initial PC-to-Gateway access works; the client’s later startup path remains the failure point. | Compare client memory allocation and startup display load. |
| Designer and Gateway work, but the client does not | Those successful components do not rule out a client-specific launch or resource issue. | Record the last client startup stage and inspect client settings. |
| Ignition 7.7.4 clients work on the affected PCs, while the reported Ignition 7.8.3 client freezes | The behavior differs by client/application context; it does not by itself prove that the registry or Java version is the cause. | Compare the startup displays and memory settings used by the failing client. |
| Other office PCs run the client successfully | The failure is not reproduced on every client PC. | Compare the affected PCs’ local client configuration and memory limits with a working PC. |
The affected setup used Ignition 7.8.3 and Java 8_101. Different Java versions were tried on the two affected PCs without solving the freeze. An older Ignition 7.7.4 application ran on those PCs. Treat those facts as comparison points, not proof that a specific Java release or Ignition version caused the behavior.
What memory readings determine the next branch?
Read the client’s configured maximum initial memory, the Gateway maximum memory, the client’s reported memory use during startup, and the number of displays configured to open at startup. In the failing setup, the default client maximum setting was 256 MB, while reported client use during loading was about 356–518 MB. The startup configuration attempted to open eight or nine main displays.
Those values point to a resource mismatch: reported use during loading exceeded the configured client maximum, while multiple displays were being opened at once. A startup client must load its configured screens and associated content before it becomes usable. More simultaneous startup content raises the load the client must handle during that interval. The reported fix increased the client maximum initial memory to 1 GB and the Gateway maximum memory to 8 GB.
| Observed reading | Decision | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| Client maximum is 256 MB; reported startup use reaches 356–518 MB | Raise the client allocation, then test with the existing startup display set. | Confirm whether the client completes startup. |
| Many main displays open at startup | Reduce the startup workload if the operator workflow permits it; test whether fewer initial displays change startup behavior. | If the freeze remains, compare memory settings and the client log. |
| Client allocation is raised, but startup still freezes | The memory change alone did not resolve this test. | Capture the full client/Java log and continue with launch, configuration, or resource diagnostics. |
The account changed both the client and Gateway limits, so it does not isolate which setting was independently necessary. Do not treat 1 GB and 8 GB as universal sizing values. Check available system memory and the relevant product configuration before raising limits; then change one setting at a time in a controlled test if you need to determine which allocation controls the failure.
Does the Java preferences warning explain the freeze?
The Java console reported that it could not create the preferences root node under software\javasoft\prefs. Creating the Prefs registry key removed that warning, but the client still did not start. That separates a corrected preferences warning from the remaining startup failure: clearing the warning was not the fix for this freeze.
The registry locations mentioned during diagnosis were HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\JavaSoft\Prefs and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\JavaSoft\Prefs. The Gateway server/licensing PC did not have those keys. Their absence on that machine, and the fact that a key could silence the warning on a client PC, do not establish that registry-key differences caused the client freeze. Do not delete or add registry keys as a substitute for checking the memory branch.
If the preferences warning is the only symptom, treat it as a separate Java preferences or permissions issue and follow the organization’s approved registry and Java administration process. If the warning disappears but the client still hangs at the gray screen, return to the client memory and startup-load checks rather than repeating registry changes.
When should you test another launch method?
A downloaded .JNLP file run as administrator was suggested as a launch test, and the Native Client Launcher on the Gateway page was also raised as an alternative. The reported outcome does not establish that either route fixed the problem. Use them to isolate how the client is launched only after recording the current settings and startup behavior.
- Save or record the existing client and Gateway memory settings, then test one launch route at a time.
- For a
.JNLPtest, compare whether the client gets beyond the same gray loading screen. Do not interpret a changed warning alone as a successful client start. - If testing the Native Client Launcher, record whether it reaches the Gateway selection and whether it then completes the same application startup.
- If the launch route changes but the freeze remains, return to the memory allocation and startup display comparison. If it advances or succeeds, record the route and settings so the behavior can be reproduced.
How do you apply the memory correction?
Use this branch when the client launches, hangs during application loading, and the reported startup load approaches or exceeds the configured client maximum. In the affected setup, the client was set to 1 GB maximum initial memory and the Gateway to 8 GB maximum memory; the eight or nine main displays opening at startup were also recognized as a substantial load. The client completed startup after the memory changes.
- Record the current client maximum initial memory, Gateway maximum memory, and startup display count.
- Reduce the number of displays opened at startup if the operating workflow allows it. The affected setup opened eight or nine main displays, and this also contributed to long switch-user and logout operations.
- Raise the client maximum initial memory from the reported default of 256 MB to a value appropriate for the client workload. The successful reported value was 1 GB.
- Set the Gateway maximum memory based on the Gateway’s available resources and workload. The successful reported value was 8 GB; verify that the host can support the configured allocation.
- Restart or relaunch the affected client using the normal launch route, then observe the gray loading stage and whether all configured startup displays finish opening.
For a controlled diagnosis, preserve the original settings and make one change per test where operationally safe. Because both memory limits changed in the reported resolution, a test that changes only one limit can distinguish the client-side allocation from the Gateway-side contribution. Avoid increasing either limit beyond what the host can provide.
What confirms the client is fixed under its normal workload?
Verify the client using its intended startup configuration, not only a reduced test configuration. Confirm that it passes the gray loading screen, opens the required startup displays, and remains responsive afterward. Compare its startup time and responsiveness during switch-user and logout with the prior behavior; these functions had been unusually slow when eight or nine displays opened at startup.
Record the final client maximum initial memory, Gateway maximum memory, startup display count, Ignition version, Java version, and launch method. If the same freeze returns, capture the complete client and Java console output before the launcher stops responding and record the client’s reported memory use during loading. If memory no longer approaches the configured limit, proceed to other client configuration and launch diagnostics instead of assuming the Java preferences warning is the cause.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Java preferences warning freeze an Ignition client?
In this case, creating the Prefs key removed the warning but did not restore client startup. The freeze cleared after raising client and Gateway memory settings, so diagnose the warning separately from a hang at the gray loading screen.
Does raising Ignition client memory fix a gray startup screen?
It fixed this reported setup: the default client maximum was 256 MB, reported use during loading was about 356–518 MB, and the client maximum initial memory was changed to 1 GB. Check the startup workload and available host resources before applying those values elsewhere.
Can I open eight or nine displays when the client starts?
The affected application opened eight or nine main displays at startup, increasing startup load and contributing to long switch-user and logout functions. Reduce the initial display count if the workflow permits, then test the required display set with suitable client memory allocation.
How do I verify the Ignition client startup fix?
Launch the client with its intended startup displays and confirm it passes the gray loading screen, opens the required displays, and remains responsive. Record the client and Gateway memory settings, startup display count, and reported memory use if the freeze returns.