Selenium test fail when browser is minimized on windows server 2016

Question

I do have this application that I wrote in selenium (java). When I deploy the test to my (windows 2008) remote server, it works fine. When I say fine, I can run the test and minimize the browser, even minimize the rdp and all my test would run complete and successful. Since I moved to Windows 2016, I have been experiencing lots of issues and none of my tests passes when I minimize the browser or rdp.

selenium: 3.11.0
IEDriverServer (32bits) 3.9.0.0
Browser - IE 11 (That is my company allowed browser)
Java 1.8

Here is the error message I do get.
Note: I did not use this selector in my application (css selector == *), I only used By.name("form_data[username]") and i'm sure the element is visible. I'm confused as to where it got the cssSelector.

Unable to find element with css selector == *[name='form_data[username]']
For documentation on this error, please visit: http://seleniumhq.org/exceptions/no_such_element.html
Build info: version: 'unknown', revision: 'unknown', time: 'unknown'
System info: host: 'SELENIUM-TEST', ip: '172.27.0.27', os.name: 'Windows Server 2016', os.arch: 'x86', os.version: '10.0', java.version: '1.8.0_191'
Driver info: org.openqa.selenium.ie.InternetExplorerDriver
Capabilities {acceptInsecureCerts: false, browserName: internet explorer, browserVersion: 11, javascriptEnabled: true, pageLoadStrategy: normal, platform: WINDOWS, platformName: WINDOWS, proxy: Proxy(), se:ieOptions: {browserAttachTimeout: 0, elementScrollBehavior: 0, enablePersistentHover: false, ie.browserCommandLineSwitches: , ie.ensureCleanSession: false, ie.fileUploadDialogTimeout: 3000, ie.forceCreateProcessApi: false, ignoreProtectedModeSettings: true, ignoreZoomSetting: false, initialBrowserUrl: http://localhost:35190/, nativeEvents: true, requireWindowFocus: true}, setWindowRect: true, timeouts: {implicit: 0, pageLoad: 300000, script: 30000}, unhandledPromptBehavior: accept}
Session ID: 0046aa00-8401-49f6-bc73-734b9a36fdaf
*** Element info: {Using=name, value=form_data[username]}

Answer 1

I ran into an issue while using the Microsoft WebDriver (for Edge) where if there was no RDP session, then the tests would fail and throw an exception that Selenium couldn’t get the window handle after opening the browser. Official issue ticket logged here.

Solution

Credit goes to Olena F. from the same issue ticket linked above.

1. RDP into your Grid Node
2. Open cmd
3. Type qwinsta and press [Enter]
4. Get the ID of the current RDP process
5. Create a .bat file with the following content: %windir%\system32\tscon.exe # /dest:console
   1. Replace # with the ID from step 4
6. On the desktop, create a shortcut to you .bat file
7. Right-click on the shortcut and select “Properties”
8. Select “Advanced…”
9. Select “Run as administrator”
10. Select “OK” to close the Advanced options window
11. Select “OK” to close the Properties window
12. Double-click the shortcut
    1. You will be kicked of the machine if it works