Empty MDS file
Hi, wondering if anyone ran into this. We have a test suite that has been in use for years but we found that we haven't been able to open TestComplete. Looking at the event viewer, we have this: The...
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Hassan_Ballan
Champion Level 3
Champion Level 3The key issue here is the .MDS file being 0 KB.
The .MDS file stores the project suite metadata. If it becomes empty, TestComplete cannot load the project and will typically hang during startup (which matches the Cross-thread hang you're seeing).
A 0 KB file usually means the file write was interrupted while TestComplete was saving. Common causes include:
- Application closed or terminated during save
- System restart while open
- Disk interruption
- Antivirus locking/scanning the file during write
Antivirus is a common culprit — real-time scanning can lock the file mid-write and leave it truncated.
Recovery
If you have a backup, restore the .MDS file (or the project folder). Unfortunately, a 0 KB .MDS file cannot be rebuilt manually.
Prevention
- Exclude the project folder from antivirus real-time scanning
- Avoid forced shutdowns while TestComplete is open
- Maintain regular backups or use version control
If this happens again without interruption or AV involvement, consider opening a Support ticket for further investigation.
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