Problem with latest Jar (63.16.2)

AndrewMBaines · September 3, 2026, 12:33pm

Latest jar is failing to start:

2026-09-03 13:26:01,239 ERROR core.core :: Metabase Initialization FAILED: Illegal char <:> at index 2: /C:/Metabase/metabase.jar
2026-09-03 13:26:01,243 INFO core.core :: Metabase Shutting Down ...

Docker image is working.

dwhitemv · September 4, 2026, 4:38am

I think this is the public issue tracking Windows path issues, your particular error hasn’t been reported there but the issue was reopened today and a new PR is in the works.

github.com/metabase/metabase

Metabase Initialization Fails when Jar is in a path that Contains a Space

opened 08:02PM - 01 Sep 26 UTC

ixipixi

Type:Bug Priority:P1 .Needs Triage .Regression .Escalation .Run Repro Bot

### Describe the bug Metabase fails initialization when metabase.jar sits in a …directory whose path contains a space. (That includes every default Windows install under C:\Program Files\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\). ### To Reproduce 1. Place metabase.jar in a directory whose path contains a space (EX. C:\Program Files\Metabase\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\Path) 2. Start Metabase `java --add-opens java.base/java.nio=ALL-UNNAMED -jar "C:\Program Files\Metabase\metabase.jar"` 3. Observe startup abort during plugin loading. ### Expected behavior Metabase should start from any valid filesystem path (and this used to work). ### Logs `Metabase Initialization FAILED: Illegal character in opaque part at index 20: jar:file:/C:/Program Files/Metabase/metabase.jar!/ ` ### Information about your Metabase installation ```JSON Customer reproduced on 60.26, 61.20 and 63.15 ``` ### Severity blocking upgrades ### Additional context reported by a customer trying to move to a patched released

AndrewMBaines · September 4, 2026, 2:06pm

No spaces in the path - hard to get simpler than c:\Metabase!

I wonder if the problem is case sensitivity?

dwhitemv · September 4, 2026, 4:15pm

No its rejecting the colon in the drive letter, the translation function is probably translating it incorrectly. I’m not familiar with Java on Windows but it may need the path translated to /C/Metabase/… so it looks UNIXy. (that format is common on cygwin.)

Metabase has stated they don’t test on Windows, so its possible the original fix was incorrect.

dwhitemv · September 5, 2026, 3:37am

This issue has been opened about this problem:

github.com/metabase/metabase

Metabase v0.63.16.4 fails on Windows with "Illegal char <:>" error

opened 04:46PM - 04 Sep 26 UTC

LaneZero

Type:Bug Priority:P1 .Needs Triage

### Describe the bug # Metabase v0.63.16.4 fails to start on Windows with `Ille…gal char <:> at index 3` ## Description Metabase v0.63.16.4 fails during startup on Windows with the following error: ```text ERROR core.core :: Metabase Initialization FAILED: Illegal char <:> at index 3: /J:/metabase/metabase.jar ``` The issue appears to be related to how the Metabase JAR path is handled on Windows. The Windows path is being represented as: ```text /J:/metabase/metabase.jar ``` instead of a valid Windows filesystem path such as: ```text J:\metabase\metabase.jar ``` As a result, Java's path handling fails with: ```text Illegal char <:> at index 3 ``` ## Steps to Reproduce 1. Download `metabase.jar` version `v0.63.16.4`. 2. Place the JAR on a Windows 11 system, for example: ```text J:\metabase\metabase.jar ``` 3. Run: ```powershell java --add-opens java.base/java.nio=ALL-UNNAMED -jar metabase.jar ``` 4. Metabase begins initialization but fails with: ```text ERROR core.core :: Metabase Initialization FAILED: Illegal char <:> at index 3: /J:/metabase/metabase.jar ``` ## Environment ```text OS: Windows 11 10.0 amd64 Metabase: v0.63.16.4 Build: aaa92b9 Java: 25.0.4 JVM: Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM ``` The issue was initially reproduced with Java 26.0.2 as well: ```text Java: 26.0.2 ``` However, explicitly running the application with Java 25.0.4 produced the same error, so the issue does not appear to be specific to Java 26. ## Additional Testing The following were tested: * Different Windows drive/path locations * `J:\metabase` * `C:\metabase` * Empty `plugins` directory * Java 26.0.2 * Java 25.0.4 * Explicitly specifying the Java executable * `MB_JAR_PATH` * `JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS` Changing the drive from `J:` to `C:` did not resolve the issue. For example, using: ```text C:\metabase\metabase.jar ``` resulted in: ```text Illegal char <:> at index 3: /C:/metabase/metabase.jar ``` The Metabase CLI commands such as: ```powershell java -jar metabase.jar version ``` work correctly and report: ```text Metabase v0.63.16.4 Build: aaa92b9 ``` The failure occurs during normal application initialization. ## Workaround Downgrading to Metabase `v0.49.3` resolves the issue completely on the same Windows environment. ```powershell java -jar metabase-0.49.3.jar ``` Metabase starts successfully with this version. ## Expected Behavior Metabase should start normally on Windows when the JAR is located on a valid Windows filesystem path, such as: ```text C:\metabase\metabase.jar ``` or: ```text J:\metabase\metabase.jar ``` ## Actual Behavior Metabase fails during initialization because the JAR path is represented using a malformed Windows path: ```text /C:/metabase/metabase.jar ``` or: ```text /J:/metabase/metabase.jar ``` which results in: ```text Illegal char <:> at index 3 ``` ## Possible Root Cause The error suggests that a Windows JAR/file URI or path is being converted incorrectly during initialization. The problematic transformation appears to be similar to: ```text C:\metabase\metabase.jar ↓ file:/C:/metabase/metabase.jar ↓ /C:/metabase/metabase.jar ``` The resulting value is then apparently interpreted as a Windows filesystem path, causing the `:` after the drive letter to be rejected. This is currently a suspected root cause based on the observed stack/error behavior and may require confirmation from the Metabase codebase. ## Impact Metabase `v0.63.16.4` cannot complete startup on the affected Windows environment, making the application unusable without downgrading to an older version. ## Request Please investigate Windows path handling during Metabase initialization, particularly the handling/conversion of JAR URLs and Windows drive-letter paths. A regression may have been introduced in or before `v0.63.16.4`, since `v0.49.3` starts successfully on the same environment. ### To Reproduce 1. Go to '...' 2. Click on '....' 3. Scroll down to '....' 4. See error ### Expected behavior _No response_ ### Logs _No response_ ### Information about your Metabase installation ```JSON Metabase v0.63.16.4 (aaa92b9) Installation type: JAR OS: Windows 11 10.0 amd64 Java: Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM 25.0.4 JVM maximum memory: 7.9 GB Application database: H2 Metabase Enterprise Edition extensions: NOT PRESENT System timezone: Asia/Tehran Language: en File encoding: UTF-8 The Metabase web interface is not available because the application fails during initialization. The CLI `version` command executes successfully and reports the information above, but normal application startup fails with: ERROR core.core :: Metabase Initialization FAILED: Illegal char <:> at index 3: /J:/metabase/metabase.jar The same issue was also reproduced when the JAR was moved to C:\metabase, resulting in: Illegal char <:> at index 3: /C:/metabase/metabase.jar The issue was reproduced with Java 25.0.4. It was initially also observed with Java 26.0.2. Metabase v0.49.3 starts successfully on the same Windows environment. ``` ### Severity Severity: Blocking usage of Metabase entirely ### Additional context _No response_