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Known Issues and Workarounds 4Q2025

Known Issues and Workarounds 4Q2025

Description of known issues, workarounds, and solution plans.

PreVeil Express

The manual download of Drive files is stuck at 71% and does not complete

October 24, 2025

This issue typically affects larger files, such as those around 700 MB or more. Full PreVeil users might face the same problem, with the download progress stuck at 50%. The matter is currently under active investigation.

Workaround

PreVeil Express users can upgrade to full PreVeil and enable sync on the parent folder to download the file to the local PreVeil sync directory.

Drive

Sync badges are inaccurate

Aug 20, 2025

image-20250820-140626.png

The sync badges may show that folders are synced (green checkmark) when files are still syncing to a folder. The sync badges may show a red cross when sync is finished and all files are found in the local sync directory. The sync badges are occasionally delayed or in conflict with sync badges used by other applications such as Microsoft OneDrive.

Workaround

PreVeil is working on transitioning away from a file sync service to a files-on-demand hydration model.

Moving a file generates a copy of the file in the original location

When moving a file in a synced folder to another location, such as in a drag and drop, the moved file is recreated in the original location, making for a file in both the destination and original locations.

Workaround

Do a copy and paste and then delete the source file.

Move the file in the PreVeil app.

image-20250717-182444.png

 

A folder unsync fails to remove the local folder

Unsyncing a folder, whether on the folder details or the selective sync module, does not withdraw the folder on the file system

Workaround

Check the sync tree database for the sync rule on that folder and if it is considered unsynced then stop PreVeil services and manually delete the folder(s).

  1. Open PowerShell.

  2. Navigate to C:\PreVeil\filesync.

    cd C:\PreVeil\filesync

  3. Run the following command and replace <user_id> with your PreVeil identifier.

    .\preveil_client.exe print-sync-tree -u <user_id>

  4. In the output table, locate the folder by name and identify its sync type. If the sync type is OFF then the application considers the folder unsynced, despite the failed action.

    1. If the sync type is ON then reset the local store node for that particular collection

      1. On the browser app navigate to the top-level parent folder and copy the URL
        Example: http://127.0.0.1:4003/drive/7c8e677b-2ca2-735c-9653-c468f1bf3cff/16bcdb0c-d28a-4a80-ae3e-814dd7a62cd2/l
        Copy the collection ID found in the second code segment, between the last two slashes of the URL
        http://127.0.0.1:4003/drive/7c8e677b-2ca2-735c-9653-c468f1bf3cff/16bcdb0c-d28a-4a80-ae3e-814dd7a62cd2/l

      2. Go to the Key Menu in the System Tray, right-click on it, and hover over Power Options, click Stop PreVeil Services.

      3. On File Explorer, go to %localappdata%\preveil\data\<user_id> and search for the folder named the collection ID and delete it

      4. Return to the Key Menu and click Start PreVeil Services

      5. Allow time for the sync rule to re-process

      6. Skip the remaining steps

  5. Go to the Key Menu in the System Tray, right-click on it and hover over Power Options, click Stop PreVeil Services.

  6. Open File Explorer, navigate to the folder, right-click on it and delete

  7. Return to the Key Menu and click Start PreVeil Services

If the sync state is on then reset the local node store for that collection.

File added to sync directory fails to upload sync

A file is added to a synced directory and after a reasonable period of time the file is not found in the cloud view.

Workaround

Run a Key Menu diagnostic.

Check the sync toggle in the browser app is on.

Reboot the computer.

See Reset the local storage node.

Test web uploading the file (drag and drop) to tease out a problem.

Copy and paste the file to a non-PV folder, delete the problem file in PV folder, and copy the file back in.

Unsyncing a folder sends files to trash

Files that are not synced with the cloud will be sent to the local file system’s trash in part of the folder removal.

Workaround

Ensure the folder to be unsynced is fully synced by reading the sync badge or querying the CLI Doctor Tool.

Renaming a Top-Level Parent Folder in a Collection

In PreVeil, a Collection is a shared folder. Collections may either be:

  • Root-level folders in Drive, or

  • Subfolders nested within an existing folder hierarchy.

When a subfolder within a hierarchy is shared with another user, the recipient receives an invitation to access the Collection. This results in the appearance of a top-level folder in their Drive, representing the Collection—though their actual access is limited only to the subfolder that was explicitly shared.

Example

Consider the following folder structure:

A/ └── B/ └── C/

If subfolder C is shared:

  • The recipient sees A as a top-level folder in their Drive.

  • However, they can only view and access C.

  • Folders A and B are not directly shared and thus remain inaccessible, aside from forming the structure of the Collection.

Important Notes on Renaming

  • The top-level folder (e.g., A) is not editable through PreVeil because it was not part of the original share operation.

  • Even though the Collection can be synced to the local file system and renamed locally, doing so will result in erratic behavior.
    This is because the PreVeil file system does not recognize local file system-level changes to unshared parent folders.

Why It Matters

Renaming a parent folder that the system does not control (due to lack of permissions) can cause:

  • Discrepancies between local and cloud folder structures

  • Sync errors

  • Unexpected UI behavior or data display issues in Drive

To avoid these issues, do not rename top-level parent folders of a Collection unless you have confirmed that the folder itself has been shared with you.

An unsynced folder’s files are found in the computer’s trash

Files that remain unsynced to the cloud or enter an unsyncing state are automatically moved to Trash during an unsync job. To prevent this, use the PreVeil Filesync Doctor tool to monitor sync progress and review the filesync logs for additional context. Prioritize unsyncing when sync jobs on a folder are complete.

Renaming Collections Inside Private Folders

In addition to issues with top-level parent folders, renaming a Collection located inside a private folder (i.e., not shared with the user) can also produce erratic behavior, both in the Drive interface and the local file system.

What Happens

When a Collection resides within a parent folder that is private (owned by another user and not explicitly shared):

  • You may still see the Collection as a top-level folder.

  • However, its true position within the folder hierarchy is not fully visible or accessible.

  • Renaming that Collection can cause inconsistencies between the local and cloud representations, triggering sync problems or disappearing folders.

Key Considerations

  • No inherited permissions: You don’t have permission to change the structure of private parent folders—even indirectly.

  • Unrecognized changes: PreVeil’s file system logic may reject or mishandle renaming attempts in this context.

  • Potential impact: May result in duplicate folders, broken links, or sync failures in both the Drive UI and local file system.

To maintain integrity and avoid conflicts, do not rename a Collection—even if it appears to be isolated—unless you know the full folder hierarchy is shared with you.

Cloud Edit Session Over-Hang and File Lock

When cloud editing a file and closing it, the file may not be released from the editing session, despite the local application having closed it. The symptoms of an open cloud edit session are that the file is locked and you and others cannot open it.

Workaround

Use the preveil_client.exe tool to find the edit job and delete it.

  1. Open PowerShell.

  2. Navigate to C:\PreVeil\filesync.

    cd C:\PreVeil\filesync

  3. Run the following command and replace <user_id> with your PreVeil identifier to validate a hanging edit session.

    .\preveil_client.exe list-jobs -t edit -u <user_id>

  4. Run the following command to delete every active edit session.

    .\preveil_client.exe clear-jobs -t edit -u <user_id>

  5. Verify the file is cleared with the list-jobs command and checking file details in the cloud view for an unlocked state

Error viewing Excel files in the Chrome browser

image-20251107-145638.png

When viewing an Excel spreadsheet (.xlsx) file on the Google Chrome browser, an error appears on the screen. This is owing to an incompatibility in the web viewer, but there is a fix in the works.

Workaround

Use a different web browser, such as Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox.

Sync or download the file to your local file system and open it.

Account

Unable to claim a new account using the same user ID in a previously deleted account | Unable to promote a standard user to administrator or delete it

The device may have remnants of the former user’s private key from the deleted account which can cause a key conflict and affect access to the new account. A symptom is a locked device message.

Workaround

Windows Instructions

Dissociate the PreVeilData folder and reset.

  1. Stop PreVeil Services

    1. Go to the System Tray and right-click the Key Menu

    2. Go to Power Options and click Stop PreVeil Services and answer the UAC prompt

  2. In File Explorer, rename the C:\PreVeilData folder to C:\PreVeilData_old
    Optional: the preveildata_old may be deleted

  3. Return to the Key Menu and start PreVeil services

  4. Verify a new C:\PreVeilData folder is created

  5. Open PreVeil by going to http://127.0.0.1:4003 in a web browser

  6. Claim your account

    1. Note that you may need to reset the account claim procedure such as having the org administrator resend an invitation or creating a new individual account

If this doesn’t work, file a support ticket.

Mac Instructions

Dissociate the PreVeilData folder and reset.

  1. Stop PreVeil Services

    • Open the PreVeil Key Menu in the menu bar.

    • Select Stop Services.

  2. Rename the Key Storage Folder

    • Open Terminal.

    • Run the following commands:

      sudo su cd /var/ ls

    • If the preveil folder is listed, rename it:

      mv preveil preveil_old

  3. Restart PreVeil Services

    • Use the Key Menu to start services again.

    • A new /var/preveil folder will be created automatically.

  4. Re-add Your Key or Recover Your Account

If this doesn’t work, file a support ticket.

The Account Recovery PDF (Recovery Code) fails to recover the account

A recovery group was set (or replaced) for the user after creating the recovery code

When a user downloads a recovery code file, it is specifically tied to their current encryption key. If an organization admin later assigns that user to a different recovery group, the user’s private key is regenerated.

Impact:
Any previously downloaded recovery code becomes invalid once the private key changes. Attempting to use the outdated file will result in a generic error message, which does not indicate the underlying cause.

Workaround:
The user must download a new recovery code after being added to a new recovery group to ensure it aligns with the updated key.

The organization has disabled device addition

If an organization has disabled device management, users will be blocked from using a recovery code file to access their account.

Why:
Using a recovery file is treated as adding a new device. When device addition is turned off, recovery via this method is not permitted—even if the file is valid.

screenshot-1754594308887.png
Disabled Device setting in the Admin Console

Workaround:
The user must contact an organization admin to temporarily enable device addition or inquire an alternative recovery method such as a pre-existing recovery group.

Error creating Account Recovery Code PDF on Safari browser

Users may find a general error creating the account recovery PDF on Safari. The workaround is to use PreVeil in Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome browsers to create the file.

Mail

Drive Subfolder Move Shows Success Without Action

Date: August 7, 2025

In some cases, dragging an email into a custom subfolder in the Drive's left navigation panel triggers a "successful" prompt, even though the email does not actually move to the intended folder.

Note: This applies to desktop builds 5.8.5 and 5.8.6

GMT20250807-154957_Clip_Junk Email Not Moved in Left Navigation Bar.mp4

Workaround

Try moving the email a few times and then refreshing the browser. This should eventually result in the email being moved as expected.

Related Issues

Issues marking an email “Read or Unread” such as the email not registering as read or unread, changes being reversed.

Workaround

Try marking the email as read or unread a few times; it should work as expected. If the issue persists, refresh the browser. This should resolve any problems with the email not updating its read or unread status.

Deleting an Email

Workaround

If the email does not delete on the first attempt, even though a green confirmation box appears stating the “deletion was successful”, but the email remains, try deleting it again, and it should then move to the Trash.

 

Starred Emails not loading on Mac in the Starred Section

Emails in the Starred section on a Mac spin indefinitely and never load.

Note: This applies to macOS desktop build 5.8.7

Starred Emails not Loading on Mac in Starred section.png

Workaround

Go to your Inbox to access your regular email or even a starred email within the Inbox, and it will load immediately.

Or you can sign in using Web Preveil with your full account to access your starred emails in your starred section https://preveil.atlassian.net/wiki/x/JYH2EQ

(Update) 9/24/25 : This will be fixed in release 5.8.8

 

Unable to Expand Mail Subfolders

When using the Mail tab in the web interface, for both full and PreVeil Express accounts, users may be unable to expand mail subfolders within main mail folders. The expand (▸) button does not function as expected, preventing users from viewing emails stored in nested subfolders.

image-20251015-121517.png

Workaround

  1. Locate the mail folder that contains subfolders.

  2. Click the three-dot menu (⋯) to the right of the folder name.

  3. Select Create Subfolder. This action will automatically expand the existing subfolders.

    1. image-20251015-122446.png

       

  4. When the Create Mail Folder dialog box appears, click Cancel to close it.

    1. The expanded subfolders will remain visible in the navigation pane until you navigate away from the webpage.

    2. Once expanded, you can view and access emails within the subfolders as normal.

    3. image-20251015-122527.png

       

Other

Version Mismatch Between Key Menu Updater and Website Announcement

The Key Menu may display a version number that does not match the current latest PreVeil release. For accurate version details, refer to the Knowledge Base home page, which reflects the most up-to-date build. Differences between the Key Menu, automatic updater, and published release may result from deliberate rollout timing or sequencing decisions.

Data Export performance is slow

October 4, 2025

Large data exports, such as those involving hundreds of users and spanning multiple years, can take over 24 hours to complete. Even smaller configurations, like 30-day activity log exports, may take 15-30 hours to finish.

Workaround

Break down the Data Exports into smaller segments and ensure the computer remains on with the tab active. The development team is actively reviewing this issue.

Email Gateway messages are only being delivered to the first recipient

November 6, 2025

On builds 5.8.8 and 5.8.9, the email gateway fails to send messages to mail recipients beyond the first. The issue has been escalated and is being reviewed by the development team.

Workaround

Roll back to the PreVeil desktop build 5.8.7

Windows Defender treating Behavior:Win32/Powessere.SB as suspicious

Workaround: Folder Exclusion in Windows Defender

To reduce false positives and allow PreVeil components to operate without interruption, you can configure Windows Defender to exclude the following folders from real-time and behavior monitoring:

Steps to Exclude Folders via Windows Security GUI

  1. Open Windows Security.

  2. Go to Virus & threat protection.

  3. Under Virus & threat protection settings, click Manage settings.

  4. Scroll to Exclusions and click Add or remove exclusions.

  5. Click Add an exclusion → choose Folder.

  6. Add:

    • C:\PreVeil

    • C:\PreVeilData

    • C:\Users[Username]\Preveil-[PreVeil ID]

Note: We are aware of this issue. This behavior is expected during normal PreVeil operation, as the application relies on several PowerShell scripts. These scripts are safe and not malware, which is why the alerts you’re seeing can be safely disregarded.

This concern has already been escalated to our engineering team, as other clients have reported similar triggers. The team is currently reworking how PreVeil services and scripts are executed to prevent these false malware detections in future releases.

PowerShell Alternative (Run as Administrator)

powershell

Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "C:\PreVeil","C:\PreVeilData"

This will whitelist both folders from Defender’s scanning activities, including real-time protection and behavior monitoring.