Selenium & ChromeDriver: session not created, unable to connect to renderer

Question

I am trying to run automated tests via Webdriver.io, Selenium and ChromeDriver on Mac. I am using the latest versions of all involved software:

• Selenium 3.9.1
• ChromeDriver 2.35
• Chrome 64
• OS: macOS High Sierra 10.13.3

When I try to run wdio from the CLI, I get the following output:

$ ./node_modules/.bin/wdio --spec ./test_js/specs/features/aggregated/dataAccessControl.feature.js

----------
selenium-standalone installation starting
----------

---
selenium install:
from: https://selenium-release.storage.googleapis.com/3.9/selenium-server-standalone-3.9.1.jar
to: /PROJECT_PATH/node_modules/selenium-standalone/.selenium/selenium-server/3.9.1-server.jar
---
chrome install:
from: https://chromedriver.storage.googleapis.com/2.35/chromedriver_mac64.zip
to: /PROJECT_PATH/node_modules/selenium-standalone/.selenium/chromedriver/2.35-x64-chromedriver
---
File from https://selenium-release.storage.googleapis.com/3.9/selenium-server-standalone-3.9.1.jar has already been downloaded
---
File from https://chromedriver.storage.googleapis.com/2.35/chromedriver_mac64.zip has already been downloaded


-----
selenium-standalone installation finished
-----
A service failed in the 'onPrepare' hook
Error: Unable to connect to selenium
    at Timeout.hasStarted [as _onTimeout] (/PROJECT_PATH/node_modules/selenium-standalone/lib/check-started.js:17:10)
    at ontimeout (timers.js:475:11)
    at tryOnTimeout (timers.js:310:5)
    at Timer.listOnTimeout (timers.js:270:5)

Continue...
ERROR: session not created exception
from disconnected: unable to connect to renderer
chrome
    at new RuntimeError (/PROJECT_PATH/node_modules/webdriverio/build/lib/utils/ErrorHandler.js:144:12)
    at Request._callback (/PROJECT_PATH/node_modules/webdriverio/build/lib/utils/RequestHandler.js:313:39)
    at Request.self.callback (/PROJECT_PATH/node_modules/request/request.js:186:22)
    at emitTwo (events.js:126:13)
    at Request.emit (events.js:214:7)
    at Request.<anonymous> (/PROJECT_PATH/node_modules/request/request.js:1163:10)
    at emitOne (events.js:116:13)
    at Request.emit (events.js:211:7)
    at IncomingMessage.<anonymous> (/PROJECT_PATH/node_modules/request/request.js:1085:12)
    at Object.onceWrapper (events.js:313:30)

The process then stops. The Chrome icon pops up for a moment on the dock, then disappears immediately.

I have tried starting the Selenium standalone server from the CLI, navigating to http://localhost:4444/wd/hub/static/resource/hub.html and trying to start a Chrome session manually there, but the result is the same: the Chrome icon pops up, disappears, and Selenium throws an error "Unable to create new session."

I have also tried downloading an older version of Chromium and forcing ChromeDriver to use that, but it's just unable to launch the executable.

Answer 1

Found the solution here: https://github.com/Polymer/web-component-tester/issues/573#issuecomment-310828303

Quote:

Finally i got it fixed after lot of struggle. It was happening because my localhost was mapped according to new Ipv6 standard like [::1] but the selenium needed the ipv4 address like 127.0.0.1. so i had to change it using the command in my system like this :

Open a terminal window and type this line:

sudo open -a TextEdit /etc/hosts

You will be prompt to type in your admin password and your host file will open in TextEdit. Add this line in your host file :

127.0.0.1 localhost

Save the file and close. That's it.

(addendum: TextEdit refused to save the file for me, even as superuser, so I used sudo vim /etc/hosts instead)