Error "Tableau Prep Stopped Running Because an Underlying Process Stopped Unexpectedly" When Starting Tableau Prep

Issue

When starting Tableau Prep, the following error might occur:

Tableau Prep stopped running because an underlying process stopped unexpectedly. If this problem continues, try reinstalling the product.

Or, no error message occurs, but Tableau Prep becomes unresponsive on the loading pane (splash screen.)

Environment

Tableau Prep Builder

Resolution

Option 1

Ensure Tableau Prep Builder is not installed on any Tableau Server nodes. As stated in our Deployment Guide, Tableau Prep Builder should not be installed on the same computer running Tableau Server.

Option 2

Ensure that localhost (127.0.0.1) is added to the exception list in your computer's proxy settings. To do so, follow the steps below with the help of your IT team:

In Internet Explorer, navigate to the Tools menu (cog icon), and select Internet Options.
On the Connections tab, click LAN Settings.
If a proxy server is enabled, check the box marked Bypass proxy server for local addresses.
If Automatically detect settings or Use automatic configuration script is enabled, work with your local IT team to bypass 127.0.0.1 addresses in the local proxy by clicking Advanced and manually add 127.0.0.1 in Exceptions field.

Option 3

In the Windows environment follow these steps.

Review the hosts file on the machine and ensure it contains the below lines:

127.0.0.1 localhost
::1 localhost

In the Mac OSX environment follow these steps.

Open Finder (magnifying glass on the top right)
Type in (without quotes) "Terminal"
Type in the following command in the terminal (case sensitive)
- sudo nano /etc/hosts
Then enter the following (hit the TAB key once between 127.0.0.1 and localhost)
- 127.0.0.1 localhost
- ::1 localhost
Hold the CTRL key and hit X --> This will prompt the user to save
Hit the Y key
Hit the Enter key to finalize the edits

If the hosts file does contain the above lines, then work with your local IT team to configure the machine so that it can resolve localhost as a hostname.

Option 4

Free CPU, Memory and Read/Write Disk usage by stopping unused applications or processes. For more information about this topic, see the Tableau Prep Technical Specifications.

Option 5

Uninstall the current Tableau Prep Builder on D drive, then reinstall it on C drive where enough disk space is available.

Option 6

The User variable may be changed and has no permission for the new path. Change it back to %user_profile%\AppData\Local\Temp

Cause

Option 1

Depending on the difference in version between Prep Builder and Tableau Server, libraries used by each product can be incompatible with one another. Additionally, Tableau Server Resource Manager (SRM) can't distinguish between Tableau Server protocol server process and Tableau Prep Builder protocol server process. If the computer resources are exhausted, SRM may terminate the protocol server process belonging to Tableau Prep Builder, which has no recovery mechanism.

Options 2-4

Localhost is not added as a proxy exception, or the computer where Tableau Prep is installed cannot resolve localhost as a host name.

-If the My Tableau Prep Repository is not able to be fully accessed by the computer, Tableau Prep will fail to launch with the above error.