Can't authenticate any more with Batch Explorer

[rfernand2]

Starting about 3 days ago (near the time I changed my Microsoft password), I am no longer able to authenticate with Microsoft Batch Explorer, running on my desktop (Windows 10). I first get the "Microsoft Sign in" window, where I enter my email name. I press the "Next" button and see the "Taking you to your organization's sign-in page" message, and then the error:

**[Window Title]
Error during login

[Content]
Error: Failed to authenticate: Failed to load the AAD login page (-375:ERR_TOO_MANY_RETRIES)

[OK]**

Then, with the error window still being displayed, it goes back to the first window asking for my email address again.

Note: I am still able to login to the Azure Portal website.

[rfernand2]

Hope you guys are able to fix this problem, but I also found a workaround:

• uninstalled Batch Explorer
• deleted all batch explorer folders in "%userprofile"\AppData\Local
• deleted all batch explorer folders in "%userprofile"\AppData\Roaming
• installed Batch Explorer
• during install, it prompted for my email, which I gave it. It then prompted for a "proxy" username and password. I don't get the meaning of proxy in this context (dialog could be improved), but I entered my normal Azure username and password, and then I was authenticated and could see use BatchExplorer again.

But, please don't just close this because I found a workaround; fix the actual problem (probably related to my changing my Microsoft password, which is tied to Azure), so other users don't have to suffer thru this. Thanks.

[dpwatrous]

@rfernand2 Thanks for the detailed report, and glad you were able to find a workaround. That's definitely odd behavior. I don't know of any way this would be related to changing your password (Batch Explorer doesn't store passwords, only tokens), but we'll see if we can reproduce this.

It's likely related to recently switching the authentication library which Batch Explorer uses. If that's the case, you shouldn't see it again on this machine. If you do see it again please let us know as that may help narrow down the issue.

@gingi any ideas here?

[gingi]

Hi @rfernand2: Can you confirm on which versions of Batch Explorer and Windows you're experiencing this?

[rfernand2]

I cannot find an About box for Batch Explorer. Where can I find the version?
I'm running on Windows 10 (20H2, 19042.1466)

[cRui861]

At the bottom left-hand corner you can go into Profile > About and there should be a window that opens with the version.

[rfernand2]

Thanks @cRui861. Why isn't About and about half of these other menu items in the Help menu, where people expect it? In any case, this is version 2.12.0-stable.566.

[KrisJanssen]

@dpwatrous : this logon issue reported here by @rfernand2 persists to this day. I reported on it just now, not yet aware of the issue reported here: #2749

As @rfernand2 reports:

Batch Explorer, under some conditions, prompts the user for 'Proxy Settings' as part of what otherwise appears as a normal Azure AD logon.

If you provide correct AD credentials all is well but if you rotate your AD password after the fact, you need to delete AppData folders related to Batch Explorer or you will no longer be able to run the app/authenticate.

As it turns out, Batch Explorer stores credentials entered through this 'Proxy Dialog' in plain text.

More details in #2749 but could you pleas look into this?