ICP-MS MassHunter Software Will Not Open or Crashes After Opening

Answer

This Information Applies To: Agilent ICP-MS MassHunter Software 4.x and 5.x

Issue

ICP-MS Instrument Control or Data Analysis Software will not open, or crashes shortly after opening.

Background

MassHunter uses configuration files to store software settings and information. Sometimes these files can become corrupt, preventing software operation. Before running the Glitch Resetter (which is a program used to reset all configuration files), it is possible to rename individual files manually to try to resolve the issue.

Caution: Renaming configuration files will reset hardware settings, communication settings, and user interface settings back to default. You will need to re-enter settings after renaming configuration files. Note the software settings for MassHunter 4.x/MassHunter 5.x before continuing. If ICP-MS Instrument Control cannot open, it will not be possible to note these settings.

Requirements

In Windows, enable Hidden items:

• Open File Explorer and click the View tab (Figure 1; Item 1).
• Select the Hidden items check box (Figure 1; Item 2).
  
  

Figure 1. Enable Hidden Items - Windows 10 File Explorer.

Steps to Follow

The specific resolution steps depend on whether the issue happens when opening ICP-MS Instrument Control, or Offline Data Analysis.

Offline Data Analysis will not open.
ICP-MS Instrument Control will not open.

Offline Data Analysis will not open

1. Close all MassHunter software windows/errors and restart the computer.
2. Retry opening Offline Data Analysis. If unsuccessful, close all MassHunter software windows/errors and proceed to the next step.
3. Open File Explorer.
   • For MassHunter 4.x, locate the folder inside C:\Users\[Windows User]\AppData\Roaming\Agilent_Technologies,_Inc\ICPDataAnalysis.exe (Figure 2; Item 2).
     [Windows User] is the current user logged on to the computer. In the example below, the user logged in is "admin" (Figure 2; Item 1).
     If there is an icpmhsuperuser listed under C:\Users, perform this step for icpmhsuperuser, too.
     
     
   • For MassHunter 5.x, locate the folder inside C:\Users\[Windows User]\AppData\Roaming\Agilent_Technologies,_Inc\Agilent.Spectroscopy.IcpDataAnalysis.exe (Figure 3; Item 2).
     [Windows User] is the current user logged on to the computer. In the following example, the user logged in is "admin" (Figure 3; Item 1).
     If there is an icpmhsuperuser listed under C:\Users, perform this step for icpmhsuperuser, too.
     

     Tip: AppData is a hidden folder! If you cannot see the AppData folder, follow the steps under Requirements.

     
     
     Figure 2. MassHunter 4.x - IcpDataAnalysis.exe folder
     1. The windows user logged in is "admin", 2. Folder of interest
     
     

     
     
     Figure 3. MassHunter 5.x - Agilent.Spectroscopy.IcpDataAnalysis.exe folder
     1. The windows user logged in is "admin", 2. Folder of interest
     
     

4. Right click the folder of interest, inside IcpDataAnalysis.exe (Figure 2; Item 2) or Agilent.Spectroscopy.IcpDataAnalysis.exe (Figure 3; Item 2) and select rename. Rename the folder, for example, add a date with the format _DDMMMYYYY to the end of the folder name (Figure 4).
   

   
   
   Figure 4. Folder renamed, _DDMMMYYY added to end of folder name
   
   

5. Retry opening Offline Data Analysis. If unsuccessful, note software settings for MassHunter 4.x/MassHunter 5.x, then run the Glitch Resetter.
   

ICP-MS Instrument Control will not open

1. Close all MassHunter software windows/errors and restart the computer.
2. Retry opening ICP-MS Instrument Control. If unsuccessful, close all MassHunter software windows/errors and proceed to the next step.
3. Open File Explorer.
   • For MassHunter 4.x, locate the folder inside C:\User\[Windows User]\AppData\Roaming\Agilent_Technologies,_Inc\ICPInstControl.exe (Figure 5; Item 2).
     [Windows User] is the current user logged on to the computer. In the example below, the user logged in is "admin" (Figure 5; Item 1).
     If there is an icpmhsuperuser listed under C:\Users, perform this step for icpmhsuperuser, too.
     
     
   • For MassHunter 5.x, locate the folder inside C:\User\[Windows User]\AppData\Roaming\Agilent_Technologies,_Inc\Agilent.Spectroscopy.IcpWorkstation.exe (Figure 6; Item 2).  
     [Windows User] is the current user logged on to the computer. In the example below, the user logged in is "admin" (Figure 6; Item 1).
     If there is an icpmhsuperuser listed under C:\Users, perform this step for icpmhsuperuser, too.
     

     Tip: AppData is a hidden folder. If you cannot see the AppData folder, follow the steps under Requirements.

     
     

     
     
     Figure 5. MassHunter 4.x - IcpInstControl.exe folder
     1. The windows user logged in is "admin", 2. Folder of interest
     
     

     
     

     
     
     Figure 6. MassHunter 5.x - Agilent.Spectroscopy.IcpWorkstation.exe folder
     1. The windows user logged in is "admin" 2. Folder of interest
     
     

4. Right-click the folder inside ICPInstControl.exe (Figure 5; Item 2) or Agilent.Spectroscopy.IcpWorkstation.exe (Figure 6; Item 2) and select rename. Rename the folder, for example, add a date with the format _DDMMMYYYY to the end of the folder name (Figure 7).
   
   

   
   
   Figure 7. Folder renamed, _DDMMMYYY added to end of folder name
   
   

5. Retry opening Instrument Control. If unsuccessful, close all MassHunter software windows/errors and proceed to the next step.
6. Open File Explorer and browse to C:\Agilent\ICPMH\1 (Figure 8).
   

   Tip: If the Agilent folder is not on the C drive, check D:\Agilent\ICPMH\1.

   • There are three configuration files per instrument model that may have become corrupt - the queue task file, hardware config file, and configuration file. Renaming a file will prompt MassHunter to create a new version of the file the next time the software opens. Once the corrupt file is renamed and the software opens successfully, rename the not corrupted files back to their original name to minimize the number of settings lost.
     

     
     
     Figure 8. C:\Agilent\ICPMH\1 folder
     
     

7. Rename the QueueTask.xml file (for example, add a date with the format _DDMMMYYYY to the end of the file name)
8. Retry opening Instrument Control. If unsuccessful, close all MassHunter software windows/errors and proceed to the next step.
9. Rename the HardwareConfig file applicable to your instrument model (Table 1).
10. Retry opening Instrument Control. If unsuccessful, close all MassHunter software windows/errors and proceed to the next step.
11. Rename the Configuration file applicable to the instrument model installed (Table 1).
    
12. Retry opening Instrument Control. If unsuccessful, run the Glitch Resetter.
    

Table 1. Files applicable for each instrument model number

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