Product: PowerShell Universal
Version: 5.6.6
Upgrade PowerShell Universal from 3.2.8 to 5.6.6 (IIS), keep getting "PowerShell Universal failed to start. Check the logs for more information.
Please let me know if anyone is aware its resolution.
Thanks
Logs are as below.
======================================================================
2025-09-08 11:56:56.343 +10:00 [INF] Using database connection string: filename=C:\ProgramData\UniversalAutomation\database.db
2025-09-08 11:56:57.610 +10:00 [INF] Starting PowerShell Universal...
2025-09-08 11:56:57.867 +10:00 [INF] PowerShell Universal Version: 5.6.6
2025-09-08 11:56:57.869 +10:00 [INF] OS Version: Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.17763.0
2025-09-08 11:56:57.870 +10:00 [INF] OS Architecture: x64
2025-09-08 11:56:57.870 +10:00 [INF] Process Architecture: x64
2025-09-08 11:56:57.870 +10:00 [INF] Node Name: Engine01
2025-09-08 11:56:57.870 +10:00 [INF] Running startup complete.
2025-09-08 11:56:57.911 +10:00 [INF] Starting PowerShell Universal...
2025-09-08 11:56:57.943 +10:00 [INF] Starting management service...
2025-09-08 11:56:58.349 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Authentication.AppTokenClient: 8
2025-09-08 11:56:58.369 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Authentication.IdentityClient: 6
2025-09-08 11:56:58.376 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Automation.JobInvokerService: 2
2025-09-08 11:56:58.379 +10:00 [WRN] Type cannot be serialized; ignoring: System.IDisposable
2025-09-08 11:56:58.379 +10:00 [WRN] Signature not recognized for PowerShellUniversal.IConfigurationSystemWatcher.Pause; method will not be bound
2025-09-08 11:56:58.379 +10:00 [WRN] Signature not recognized for PowerShellUniversal.IConfigurationSystemWatcher.CheckSum; method will not be bound
2025-09-08 11:56:58.381 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by Universal.Server.Services.Configuration.ConfigurationSystemWatcher: 4
2025-09-08 11:56:58.386 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.ComputerGroupService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.394 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.DeploymentClient: 6
2025-09-08 11:56:58.403 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.EndpointDocumentationService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.409 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.EndpointService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.415 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.EnvironmentConfigService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.420 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.EventHubService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.425 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.FolderService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.433 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.HealthCheckConfigService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.439 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.ModuleConfigService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.467 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.PortalComponentService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.471 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.PortalPageService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.477 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.PublishedFolderCommand: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.482 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.RoleService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.487 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.ScheduleService: 6
2025-09-08 11:56:58.496 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.ScriptService: 7
2025-09-08 11:56:58.501 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.TagService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.506 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.TerminalService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.514 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.TriggerService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.518 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.Configuration.VariableService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.524 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by host.TestExecutionService: 1
2025-09-08 11:56:58.538 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.JobDataService: 13
2025-09-08 11:56:58.544 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.CacheService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.546 +10:00 [WRN] Type cannot be serialized; ignoring: PowerShellUniversal.AuthenticationMethod
2025-09-08 11:56:58.546 +10:00 [WRN] Signature not recognized for PowerShellUniversal.IPublicClient.NewAuthenticationMethod; method will not be bound
2025-09-08 11:56:58.546 +10:00 [WRN] Type cannot be serialized; ignoring: PowerShellUniversal.Translation
2025-09-08 11:56:58.546 +10:00 [WRN] Signature not recognized for PowerShellUniversal.IPublicClient.NewTranslation; method will not be bound
2025-09-08 11:56:58.546 +10:00 [WRN] Signature not recognized for PowerShellUniversal.IPublicClient.SyncComponent; method will not be bound
2025-09-08 11:56:58.574 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.PublicClient: 27
2025-09-08 11:56:58.585 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.ComputerClient: 7
2025-09-08 11:56:58.589 +10:00 [WRN] Type cannot be serialized; ignoring: PowerShellUniversal.EndpointProfile
2025-09-08 11:56:58.589 +10:00 [WRN] Signature not recognized for PowerShellUniversal.IStatsService.TrackEndpoint; method will not be bound
2025-09-08 11:56:58.589 +10:00 [WRN] Type cannot be serialized; ignoring: PowerShellUniversal.EndpointProfile
2025-09-08 11:56:58.589 +10:00 [WRN] Signature not recognized for PowerShellUniversal.IStatsService.EndTrackEndpoint; method will not be bound
2025-09-08 11:56:58.592 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.StatsService: 4
2025-09-08 11:56:58.602 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by Universal.Server.Services.DashboardGrpcClient: 7
2025-09-08 11:56:58.606 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by UniversalAutomation.IPublicSecretManagerService: 1
2025-09-08 11:56:58.621 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.IGitSettingsService: 12
2025-09-08 11:56:58.629 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by UniversalAutomation.IPublicGitService: 3
2025-09-08 11:56:58.634 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by UniversalAutomation.IPublicApiService: 1
2025-09-08 11:56:58.641 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by UniversalAutomation.IPublicGitSyncService: 5
2025-09-08 11:56:58.649 +10:00 [INF] RPC services being provided by PowerShellUniversal.IBrandingService: 1
2025-09-08 11:56:58.678 +10:00 [INF] Loading app tokens...
2025-09-08 11:56:58.754 +10:00 [INF] Application started. Press Ctrl+C to shut down.
2025-09-08 11:56:58.754 +10:00 [INF] Hosting environment: Production
2025-09-08 11:56:58.754 +10:00 [INF] Content root path: C:\inetpub\Powershell Universal
2025-09-08 11:56:58.770 +10:00 [INF] Request starting HTTP/1.1 GET http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/first-run - null null
2025-09-08 11:56:58.770 +10:00 [INF] Request starting HTTP/1.1 POST http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/_blazor/negotiate?negotiateVersion=1 - null 0
2025-09-08 11:56:58.808 +10:00 [INF] CORS policy execution failed.
2025-09-08 11:56:58.808 +10:00 [INF] Request origin http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90 does not have permission to access the resource.
2025-09-08 11:56:58.823 +10:00 [INF] Loading app assets...
2025-09-08 11:56:58.850 +10:00 [INF] Initializing database...
2025-09-08 11:56:59.046 +10:00 [INF] Executing endpoint '/_blazor/negotiate'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.047 +10:00 [INF] Executing endpoint '/_FirstRunHost'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.063 +10:00 [INF] Route matched with {page = "/_FirstRunHost", action = "", controller = ""}. Executing page /_FirstRunHost
2025-09-08 11:56:59.075 +10:00 [INF] Executed endpoint '/_blazor/negotiate'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.079 +10:00 [INF] Request finished HTTP/1.1 POST http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/_blazor/negotiate?negotiateVersion=1 - 200 null application/json 315.4119ms
2025-09-08 11:56:59.081 +10:00 [INF] Request starting HTTP/1.1 GET http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/_blazor?id=1h7r7-xxTbbYmjHAKEKJfg - null null
2025-09-08 11:56:59.082 +10:00 [INF] Executing an implicit handler method - ModelState is "Valid"
2025-09-08 11:56:59.089 +10:00 [INF] Executed an implicit handler method, returned result Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages.PageResult.
2025-09-08 11:56:59.096 +10:00 [INF] CORS policy execution failed.
2025-09-08 11:56:59.096 +10:00 [INF] Request origin http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90 does not have permission to access the resource.
2025-09-08 11:56:59.134 +10:00 [INF] Loading configuration files...
2025-09-08 11:56:59.166 +10:00 [INF] Reading configuration for Vault
2025-09-08 11:56:59.228 +10:00 [INF] Executed page /_FirstRunHost in 153.4041ms
2025-09-08 11:56:59.228 +10:00 [INF] Executed endpoint '/_FirstRunHost'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.250 +10:00 [INF] Request starting HTTP/1.1 GET http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/_framework/blazor.server.js?v=5.6.6 - null null
2025-09-08 11:56:59.256 +10:00 [INF] Request finished HTTP/1.1 GET http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/first-run - 200 null text/html; charset=utf-8 492.3925ms
2025-09-08 11:56:59.257 +10:00 [INF] Request starting HTTP/1.1 POST http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/_blazor/disconnect - multipart/form-data; boundary=----WebKitFormBoundaryYKoEgAAGmBQmGk9Q 359
2025-09-08 11:56:59.260 +10:00 [INF] CORS policy execution failed.
2025-09-08 11:56:59.260 +10:00 [INF] Request origin http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90 does not have permission to access the resource.
2025-09-08 11:56:59.270 +10:00 [INF] Reading configuration for LoggingTarget
2025-09-08 11:56:59.306 +10:00 [INF] Executing endpoint 'Blazor static files'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.306 +10:00 [INF] Executing endpoint '/_blazor'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.306 +10:00 [INF] Executing endpoint 'Blazor disconnect'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.309 +10:00 [INF] The file /_framework/blazor.server.js was not modified
2025-09-08 11:56:59.311 +10:00 [INF][UniversalAutomation.Services.UniversalConfigurationService] Reading configuration for Tag
2025-09-08 11:56:59.311 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Routing.EndpointMiddleware] Executed endpoint 'Blazor static files'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.325 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Routing.EndpointMiddleware] Executed endpoint 'Blazor disconnect'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.328 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.Diagnostics] Request finished HTTP/1.1 GET http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/_framework/blazor.server.js?v=5.6.6 - 304 null text/javascript 84.3474ms
2025-09-08 11:56:59.328 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.Diagnostics] Request finished HTTP/1.1 POST http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/_blazor/disconnect - 200 null null 71.4339ms
2025-09-08 11:56:59.336 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.Diagnostics] Request starting HTTP/1.1 GET http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/_blazor/initializers - null null
2025-09-08 11:56:59.341 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Routing.EndpointMiddleware] Executed endpoint '/_blazor'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.344 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.Diagnostics] Request finished HTTP/1.1 GET http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/_blazor?id=1h7r7-xxTbbYmjHAKEKJfg - 101 null null 262.6799ms
2025-09-08 11:56:59.347 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Routing.EndpointMiddleware] Executing endpoint 'Blazor initializers'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.354 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Routing.EndpointMiddleware] Executed endpoint 'Blazor initializers'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.355 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.Diagnostics] Request finished HTTP/1.1 GET http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/_blazor/initializers - 200 null application/json; charset=utf-8 18.7073ms
2025-09-08 11:56:59.360 +10:00 [INF][UniversalAutomation.Services.UniversalConfigurationService] Reading configuration for Variable
2025-09-08 11:56:59.477 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.Diagnostics] Request starting HTTP/1.1 POST http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/_blazor/negotiate?negotiateVersion=1 - null 0
2025-09-08 11:56:59.486 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Cors.Infrastructure.CorsService] CORS policy execution failed.
2025-09-08 11:56:59.486 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Cors.Infrastructure.CorsService] Request origin http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90 does not have permission to access the resource.
2025-09-08 11:56:59.494 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Routing.EndpointMiddleware] Executing endpoint '/_blazor/negotiate'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.496 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Routing.EndpointMiddleware] Executed endpoint '/_blazor/negotiate'
2025-09-08 11:56:59.499 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.Diagnostics] Request finished HTTP/1.1 POST http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/_blazor/negotiate?negotiateVersion=1 - 200 null application/json 22.8965ms
2025-09-08 11:56:59.505 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Hosting.Diagnostics] Request starting HTTP/1.1 GET http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90/_blazor?id=eq2-xFmQ_l6KyXNObljHIw - null null
2025-09-08 11:56:59.510 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Cors.Infrastructure.CorsService] CORS policy execution failed.
2025-09-08 11:56:59.510 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Cors.Infrastructure.CorsService] Request origin http://davkapu.davkabeauty.com.au:90 does not have permission to access the resource.
2025-09-08 11:56:59.585 +10:00 [INF][Microsoft.AspNetCore.Routing.EndpointMiddleware] Executing endpoint '/_blazor'
2025-09-08 11:57:02.438 +10:00 [INF][UniversalAutomation.Services.UniversalConfigurationService] Reading configuration for Translation
2025-09-08 11:57:02.460 +10:00 [INF][UniversalAutomation.Services.UniversalConfigurationService] Reading configuration for Settings
2025-09-08 11:57:08.276 +10:00 [ERR][] Error deserializing C:\ProgramData\UniversalAutomation\Repository\.universal\dashboards.ps1. A parameter cannot be found that matches parameter name 'Framework'.
2025-09-08 11:57:09.655 +10:00 [ERR][UniversalAutomation.GitSyncService] Failed to sync: The input is not a valid Base-64 string as it contains a non-base 64 character, more than two padding characters, or an illegal character among the padding characters. at LibGit2Sharp.Core.Ensure.HandleError(Int32 result) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Core/Ensure.cs:line 154
at LibGit2Sharp.Core.Ensure.ZeroResult(Int32 result) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Core/Ensure.cs:line 172
at LibGit2Sharp.Core.Proxy.git_remote_push(RemoteHandle remote, IEnumerable`1 refSpecs, GitPushOptions opts) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Core/Proxy.cs:line 2246
at LibGit2Sharp.Network.Push(Remote remote, IEnumerable`1 pushRefSpecs, PushOptions pushOptions) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Network.cs:line 469
at LibGit2Sharp.Network.Push(Remote remote, String pushRefSpec, PushOptions pushOptions) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Network.cs:line 414
at LibGit2Sharp.Network.Push(IEnumerable`1 branches, PushOptions pushOptions) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Network.cs:line 338
at LibGit2Sharp.Network.Push(Branch branch, PushOptions pushOptions) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Network.cs:line 299
at PowerShellUniversal.Git.GitService.PushAsync() in D:\a\universal\universal\src\PowerShellUniversal.Git\GitService.cs:line 837
at UniversalAutomation.GitSyncService.TrySync(GitStatus status, GitSettings settings) in D:\a\universal\universal\src\PowerShellUniversal.Git\GitSyncService.cs:line 254
at UniversalAutomation.GitSyncService.Sync(Boolean force, Boolean throwOnFailure) in D:\a\universal\universal\src\PowerShellUniversal.Git\GitSyncService.cs:line 90
2025-09-08 11:57:09.971 +10:00 [FTL][UniversalAutomation.StartupService] Failed to start PowerShell Universal.
System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception (2): An error occurred trying to start process 'Universal.Server' with working directory 'C:\ProgramData\UniversalAutomation\Repository'. The system cannot find the file specified.
at System.Diagnostics.Process.StartWithCreateProcess(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
at PowerShellUniversal.Automation.JobProcessManager.StartProcessAsCurrentUser(String powerShellPath, String commandLine, Variable credential, Action`1 onAgentOutput, Dictionary`2 environmentVariables, String verb) in D:\a\universal\universal\src\PowerShellUniversal.Automation\JobProcessManager.cs:line 791
at PowerShellUniversal.Automation.JobProcessManager.StartProcess(ExecutionEnvironment environment, Variable credential, String powerShellPath, String commandLine, ProcessType type, Action`1 onAgentOutput, Dictionary`2 environmentVariables) in D:\a\universal\universal\src\PowerShellUniversal.Automation\JobProcessManager.cs:line 645
at PowerShellUniversal.Automation.JobProcessManager.StartSecurityProxy(Int32 port, ExecutionEnvironment environment) in D:\a\universal\universal\src\PowerShellUniversal.Automation\JobProcessManager.cs:line 954
at Universal.Server.Services.SecurityProxy.StartAsync() in D:\a\universal\universal\src\Universal.Server\Services\Authentication\SecurityProxy.cs:line 69
at UniversalAutomation.StartupService.RunStartup(CancellationToken cancellationToken) in D:\a\universal\universal\src\Universal.Server\Services\StartupService.cs:line 445
at UniversalAutomation.StartupService.TryRunStartup(CancellationToken cancellationToken) in D:\a\universal\universal\src\Universal.Server\Services\StartupService.cs:line 280
2025-09-08 11:57:13.519 +10:00 [ERR][UniversalAutomation.GitSyncService] Failed to sync: The input is not a valid Base-64 string as it contains a non-base 64 character, more than two padding characters, or an illegal character among the padding characters. at LibGit2Sharp.Core.Ensure.HandleError(Int32 result) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Core/Ensure.cs:line 154
at LibGit2Sharp.Core.Ensure.ZeroResult(Int32 result) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Core/Ensure.cs:line 172
at LibGit2Sharp.Core.Proxy.git_remote_push(RemoteHandle remote, IEnumerable`1 refSpecs, GitPushOptions opts) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Core/Proxy.cs:line 2246
at LibGit2Sharp.Network.Push(Remote remote, IEnumerable`1 pushRefSpecs, PushOptions pushOptions) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Network.cs:line 469
at LibGit2Sharp.Network.Push(Remote remote, String pushRefSpec, PushOptions pushOptions) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Network.cs:line 414
at LibGit2Sharp.Network.Push(IEnumerable`1 branches, PushOptions pushOptions) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Network.cs:line 338
at LibGit2Sharp.Network.Push(Branch branch, PushOptions pushOptions) in /_/LibGit2Sharp/Network.cs:line 299
at PowerShellUniversal.Git.GitService.PushAsync() in D:\a\universal\universal\src\PowerShellUniversal.Git\GitService.cs:line 837
at UniversalAutomation.GitSyncService.TrySync(GitStatus status, GitSettings settings) in D:\a\universal\universal\src\PowerShellUniversal.Git\GitSyncService.cs:line 254
at UniversalAutomation.GitSyncService.Sync(Boolean force, Boolean throwOnFailure) in D:\a\universal\universal\src\PowerShellUniversal.Git\GitSyncService.cs:line 90
2025-09-08 12:23:31.787 +10:00 [ERR][Universal.Server.Services.Configuration.ConfigurationSystemWatcher] Error processing configuration change notifications
System.ObjectDisposedException: Cannot access a disposed object.
Object name: 'System.Collections.Concurrent.BlockingCollection`1[[System.String, System.Private.CoreLib, Version=9.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=7cec85d7bea7798e]]'.
at Universal.Server.Services.Configuration.ConfigurationSystemWatcher.ProcessNotificationQueue(CancellationToken cancellationToken) in D:\a\universal\universal\src\PowerShellUniversal.Configuration\ConfigurationSystemWatcher.cs:line 127
at Universal.Server.Services.Configuration.ConfigurationSystemWatcher.<StartAsync>b__18_0() in D:\a\universal\universal\src\PowerShellUniversal.Configuration\ConfigurationSystemWatcher.cs:line 58
I’d say this is most likely expected. v3 to v5 a LOT has changed and there’s probably many breaking changes.
You will likely have to consult the v5 documentation and revisit configuration and revise code for it to work. Certainly between V4 and V5 there was a lot of effort put in to improve major upgrades like this and it’s pretty seamless for most people but I’d doubt it’s as simple for v3 users with it being 3 years ago (and out of support).
Personally, and it depends on how much stuff you have in your instance, but I would look at building out a clean instance of v5, getting that up and running, understanding the new features/differences when it comes to the security model, permissions, etc, and then try to migrate my code bit by bit from there. I’m sure somethings will work fine, others will need tweaking, but i’d step through things a bit at a time, start with a clean instance, know that your appsettings is fine and the server is running, then try adding some scripts, then dashboards/apps etc. Don’t try do too much in one go as it’s sometimes hard to identify what’s causing an issue.
Potentially useful:
Question about upgrade from v3.8 to v5 - PowerShell Universal - Ironman Software Forums