Tor browser stopped being able to connect

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1

Hey, I’ve been using Tor for a while now and had it open and left the pc running. When I returned I got the notification that it had unexpectdly failed/excited. THis has happened before when I turned on vpns etc. so not too surprised, restarted Tor and this is where the main issue happens. Tor now consistently fails to connect to the network. It tries for a while, then asks me to maybe try a bridge, will fail to recognize my location and on manual selection of the location will still fail with “”. The logs are empty, but the console is full of two repeating errors (see at the bottom, will try and attach as a text doc too not sure how this forum works). I’m using Windows 10.

Steps I’ve tried:

  1. tried in 2 networks, 1 ethernet, 1 wifi. In the wifi network tor works on phone, but not on this desktop
  2. Turned off windows defender and firewall
  3. Uninstalled and reinstalled tor
  4. Run as administrator
  5. Restarted PC
  6. Probably other Stuff I forget.

Does anybody know how I can fix this issue? Between Tor working and not working, there was no update, not of the browser nor the OS (failed while pc was running). I hope I provided all the necessary information but if not just ask.

Repeating Errors in console:
TorProtocolService: Cannot get a connection to the control port

Exception { name: “NS_ERROR_CONNECTION_REFUSED”, message: “Component returned failure code: 0x804b000d (NS_ERROR_CONNECTION_REFUSED) [nsIScriptableInputStream.available]”, result: 2152398861, filename: “resource://torbutton/modules/tor-control-port.js”, lineNumber: 138, columnNumber: 0, data: null, stack: “onInputStreamReady@resource://torbutton/modules/tor-control-port.js:138:45\n”, location: XPCWrappedNative_NoHelper }

TorProtocolService.jsm:582

TorProtocolService: Error stopping bootstrap

Exception { name: “NS_ERROR_CONNECTION_REFUSED”, message: “Component returned failure code: 0x804b000d (NS_ERROR_CONNECTION_REFUSED) [nsIScriptableInputStream.available]”, result: 2152398861, filename: “resource://torbutton/modules/tor-control-port.js”, lineNumber: 138, columnNumber: 0, data: null, stack: “onInputStreamReady@resource://torbutton/modules/tor-control-port.js:138:45\n”, location: XPCWrappedNative_NoHelper }

TorProtocolService.jsm:189

Error: Event monitor connection not available

1 Like
2

Hi,

it seems Windows Defender recently decided to flag Tor.exe, part of TorBrowser as a trojan. You said you disabled that, but did you check it hadn’t already deleted/quarantined that file before? It should be inside <path to your TorBrowser installation>\Browser\TorBrowser\Tor\

p.s.:

  1. Run as administrator

Please don’t do that, a browser (or most software, actually) shouldn’t need to run as administrator, and doing so can represent a security risk.

7 Likes
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Thanks, that was indeed the issue. Tor.exe wasn’t in the folder and reinstalling tor without defender on fixed it. As for running as administrator, I know. Still sometimes with windows that fixes the issue and while I wouldn’t run tor as administrator consistently, it was off a fresh install and it can sometimes help pinpoint the issue. TBH I probably do other things that pose a greater risk to my security.

Thank you anyways.

P.S. Can I whitelist tor.exe somehow?

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I think there is some way to tell Windows Defender to ignore a directory, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you how :confused:

1 Like
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yep, found it. In fact I’d already found it by the time my reply posted, but since every post needs to be approved it takes ages to fix it.

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the same thing happened to everyone now. if you can’t put the executable file (Tor.exe) on the allowed files, you can’t run TOR.

The question is why would i have to do so ? don’t you think that what Windows AV telling us is TRUE! something is wrong. maybe Tor.exe is compromised by the FBI/CIA and they try to catch whomever they are after ?

This is not quite normal. People should be very worried about their own privacy. Maybe Leave TOR until this shit is no longer here. the thing with it’s just a false positive is nothing but a lie.

Folks! be careful.

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