I have installed Arduino IDE 2.3.6 from the downloaded installer to replace an earlier version and when I attempt to start it I just get a window with the Arduino logo expanding and contracting in size and nothing else. I have tried various solutions that have been previously posted on this forum but without success.
Hi @jp11. Please add a forum reply here to tell us which operating system you are using (e.g., "Windows")?
I ask for this information so that we can give you the appropriate instructions for your operating system.
@jp11 Welcome to the forum!
After you respond to their question, you will get detailed troubleshooting instructions from @ptillisch.
In the meantime, two quick fixes that you can try are to ensure that you have an internet connection, and that your device system clock is accurate (e.g., synchronize it to a time server).
1 Like
Thank you for your reply, I am using Windows 11
Thank you. I am able to read this forum and I can browse other websites with either Firefox or Edge so I assume that I have an internet connection and my system clock appears to be accurate in that it matches my phone. John
I'm going to ask you to provide some additional information that might help us to identify the problem.
This procedure is not intended to solve the problem. The purpose is to gather more information.
Please do this:
- Close all Arduino IDE windows if the IDE is already running.
- Start Windows "File Explorer".
- Open the Arduino IDE installation folder.
ⓘ The default installation location is at one of the following paths:-
C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE -
(whereC:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Programs\Arduino IDE<username>is your Windows username)
If looking for it with your file manager or command line, note that the AppDatafolder is hidden by default. On Windows "File Explorer", you can make it visible by opening the "View" menu, then checking the box next to "☐ Hidden items".
-
- In the folder listing of the Arduino IDE installation folder, hold the Shift key while clicking the right hand button on the mouse.
A context menu will open - Select "Open PowerShell window here" from the menu.
Windows PowerShell will now open with the current directory set to the Arduino IDE installation folder. - Type the following command in the PowerShell window:
& ".\Arduino IDE" - Press the Enter key.
Debug output should now be printed to the PowerShell window as Arduino IDE starts. - Wait until you are sure the IDE startup has gone into the hang state
(as indicated by no additional output being printed to the terminal). - Switch back to the PowerShell window if the Arduino IDE window took the focus.
- Press the Ctrl+Shift+A keyboard shortcut.
This will select all the text in the PowerShell window. - Press the Ctrl+C keyboard shortcut.
This will copy the contents of the PowerShell window to the clipboard. - Open a reply here on this forum topic by clicking the "Reply" button.
- Click the
<CODE/>icon on the post composer toolbar.
This will add the forum's code block markup (```) to your reply to make sure the error messages are correctly formatted.
- Press the Ctrl+V keyboard shortcut.
This will paste the output into the code block. - Move the cursor outside of the code block markup before you add any additional text to your reply.
- Click the "Reply" button to publish the post.
Please let us know if you have any questions or problems while following those instructions.
I tried to follow your instructions and got as far as this Powershell screen - I think something is wrong here? (see .png attached)
Also, I found that I have Arduino files in both the places you mention: c: Program Files/Arduino IDE and c:/users/my_name/AppData/Local/Arduino 15 but the former location is I think the only one containing Arduino IDE.exe
Should I delete c:/users/my_name/AppData/Local/Arduino 15 ?
Are you sure that you completed steps #3 and #4 as instructed?
In step #3, did you go to C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE and confirm that you see the file Arduino IDE.exe there?
Then, in step #4, did you Shift-right-click in an empty part of the folder contents (i.e., the right pane of the File Explorer) before selecting "Open PowerShell window here"?
If you had done so, you should have seen a PowerShell window with a prompt of the form PS C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE, as shown below:
In your screenshot, the PowerShell prompt is PS C:\WINDOWS\system32, which makes me think that you did not correctly follow the instructions for steps #3 and #4.
Alternatively, you can open a PowerShell window any which way, and then type the following commands:
cd "C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE"
dir "Arduino IDE.exe"
This should produce a result like the following:
Once you've reached this point (with the correct form of the PowerShell prompt), you can proceed with step #6.
That would not be advisable.
type or paste code here
```Windows PowerShell
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Install the latest PowerShell for new features and improvements! https://aka.ms/PSWindows
PS C:\Users\j_per> cd "C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE"
PS C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE> dir "Arduino IDE.exe"
Directory: C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE
Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
-a---- 09/04/2025 12:34 176745200 Arduino IDE.exe
PS C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE> & ".\Arduino IDE"
PS C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE>
Arduino IDE 2.3.6
Checking for frontend application configuration customizations. Module path: C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\electron-main.js, destination 'package.json': C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\package.json
Setting 'theia.frontend.config.appVersion' application configuration value to: "2.3.6" (type of string)
Setting 'theia.frontend.config.cliVersion' application configuration value to: "1.2.0" (type of string)
Setting 'theia.frontend.config.buildDate' application configuration value to: "2025-04-09T11:26:55.498Z" (type of string)
Frontend application configuration after modifications: {"applicationName":"Arduino IDE","defaultTheme":{"light":"arduino-theme","dark":"arduino-theme-dark"},"defaultIconTheme":"none","electron":{"windowOptions":{},"showWindowEarly":true,"splashScreenOptions":{},"uriScheme":"arduino-ide"},"defaultLocale":"","validatePreferencesSchema":false,"reloadOnReconnect":true,"uriScheme":"theia","preferences":{"window.title":"${rootName}${activeEditorShort}${appName}","files.autoSave":"afterDelay","editor.minimap.enabled":false,"editor.tabSize":2,"editor.scrollBeyondLastLine":false,"editor.quickSuggestions":{"other":false,"comments":false,"strings":false},"editor.maxTokenizationLineLength":500,"editor.bracketPairColorization.enabled":false,"breadcrumbs.enabled":false,"workbench.tree.renderIndentGuides":"none","explorer.compactFolders":false},"appVersion":"2.3.6","cliVersion":"1.2.0","buildDate":"2025-04-09T11:26:55.498Z"}
Starting backend process. PID: 2136
Showing main window early
Using browser-only version of superagent in non-browser environment
Configuration directory URI: 'file:///c%3A/Users/j_per/.arduinoIDE'
Configuring to accept webviews on '^.+\.webview\..+$' hostname.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.404Z root INFO Backend u.initialize: 17.0 ms [Finished 0.352 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.405Z root INFO Backend Object.initialize: 16.1 ms [Finished 0.352 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.405Z root INFO Backend a.initialize: 1.0 ms [Finished 0.352 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.405Z root INFO Backend a.initialize: 0.9 ms [Finished 0.352 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.405Z root INFO Backend u.initialize: 1.1 ms [Finished 0.352 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.406Z root INFO Backend l.initialize: 17.0 ms [Finished 0.353 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.410Z root INFO configured all backend app contributions
2025-06-22T12:00:26.410Z root INFO Backend l.onStart: 0.7 ms [Finished 0.359 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.411Z root INFO Backend d.onStart: 0.1 ms [Finished 0.359 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.411Z root INFO Backend a.onStart: 0.2 ms [Finished 0.360 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.411Z config INFO >>> Initializing CLI configuration...
2025-06-22T12:00:26.411Z root INFO Backend x.onStart: 0.2 ms [Finished 0.360 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.411Z config INFO Loading CLI configuration from c:\Users\j_per\.arduinoIDE\arduino-cli.yaml...
2025-06-22T12:00:26.411Z daemon INFO Starting daemon from C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\resources\arduino-cli.exe...
2025-06-22T12:00:26.411Z root INFO Backend w.onStart: 0.2 ms [Finished 0.360 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.411Z discovery-log INFO start
2025-06-22T12:00:26.411Z discovery-log INFO start new deferred
2025-06-22T12:00:26.411Z root INFO Backend v.onStart: 0.1 ms [Finished 0.360 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.411Z root INFO Backend a.onStart: 0.0 ms [Finished 0.360 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.414Z root INFO Theia app listening on http://127.0.0.1:51557.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.414Z root INFO Finished starting backend application: 2.9 ms [Finished 0.363 s after backend start]
Restoring workspace roots: d:\Docs\Arduino\sketch_jun13a\sketch_jun13a.ino
isTempSketch: false. Input was d:\Docs\Arduino\sketch_jun13a\sketch_jun13a.ino
2025-06-22T12:00:26.415Z root WARN The local plugin referenced by local-dir:/c%3A/Users/j_per/.arduinoIDE/plugins does not exist.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.415Z root WARN The local plugin referenced by local-dir:/c%3A/Users/j_per/.arduinoIDE/deployedPlugins does not exist.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.415Z root WARN The local plugin referenced by local-dir:C:\Users\j_per\.arduinoIDE\plugins does not exist.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.423Z config INFO Loaded CLI configuration: {"board_manager":{"additional_urls":["https://espressif.github.io/arduino-esp32/package_esp32_index.json"]},"directories":{"builtin":{"libraries":"C:\\Users\\j_per\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\libraries"},"data":"c:\\Users\\j_per\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15","user":"d:\\Docs\\Arduino"},"locale":"en"}
2025-06-22T12:00:26.423Z config INFO 'directories.data' and 'directories.user' are set in the CLI configuration model.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.423Z config INFO Loaded the CLI configuration.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.424Z config INFO Mapped the CLI configuration: {"dataDirUri":"file:///c%3A/Users/j_per/AppData/Local/Arduino15","sketchDirUri":"file:///d%3A/Docs/Arduino","additionalUrls":["https://espressif.github.io/arduino-esp32/package_esp32_index.json"],"network":"none","locale":"en"}
2025-06-22T12:00:26.424Z config INFO Validating the CLI configuration...
2025-06-22T12:00:26.424Z config INFO The CLI config is valid.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.424Z config INFO <<< Initialized the CLI configuration.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.442Z root INFO Resolve plugins list: 29.4 ms [Finished 0.391 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:26.456Z daemon INFO time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="arduino-cli version 1.2.0"
2025-06-22T12:00:26.456Z daemon INFO time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Using config file: c:\\Users\\j_per\\.arduinoIDE\\arduino-cli.yaml"
time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Executing `arduino-cli daemon`"
2025-06-22T12:00:26.463Z daemon INFO Daemon is now listening on 127.0.0.1:51558
{"IP":"127.0.0.1","Port":"51558"}
2025-06-22T12:00:26.463Z daemon INFO Daemon is running.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.474Z daemon INFO time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Starting download" url="https://downloads.arduino.cc/libraries/library_index.tar.bz2"
2025-06-22T12:00:26.503Z root ERROR Detected an error response during the gRPC core client initialization: code: 3, message: Error downloading index 'https://downloads.arduino.cc/libraries/library_index.tar.bz2': Get "https://downloads.arduino.cc/libraries/library_index.tar.bz2": dial tcp [2606:4700::6812:a15]:443: connectex: An attempt was made to access a socket in a way forbidden by its access permissions.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.503Z root ERROR Detected an error response during the gRPC core client initialization: code: 9, message: Loading index file: loading json index file c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_index.json: open c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_index.json: The system cannot find the file specified.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.503Z root ERROR Detected an error response during the gRPC core client initialization: code: 9, message: Loading index file: loading json index file c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_esp32_index.json: open c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_esp32_index.json: The system cannot find the file specified.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.503Z daemon INFO time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Loading hardware from: c:\\Users\\j_per\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages"
time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Loading libraries index file" index="c:\\Users\\j_per\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\library_index.json"
time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Adding libraries dir" dir="C:\\Users\\j_per\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\libraries" isSingleLibrary=false location=ide
time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Adding libraries dir" dir="d:\\Docs\\Arduino\\libraries" isSingleLibrary=false location=user
2025-06-22T12:00:26.503Z root ERROR Detected an error response during the gRPC core client initialization: code: 9, message: Error loading hardware platform: discovery builtin:serial-discovery not found
2025-06-22T12:00:26.504Z root ERROR Detected an error response during the gRPC core client initialization: code: 9, message: Error loading hardware platform: discovery builtin:mdns-discovery not found
2025-06-22T12:00:26.504Z root ERROR Detected an error response during the gRPC core client initialization: code: 9, message: Loading index file: reading library_index.json: open c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\library_index.json: The system cannot find the file specified.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.548Z root ERROR The primary packages indexes are missing. Running indexes update before initializing the core gRPC client The index of the cores and libraries must be updated before initializing the core gRPC client.
The following problems were detected during the gRPC client initialization:
[platform-index] - code: 9, message: Loading index file: loading json index file c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_index.json: open c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_index.json: The system cannot find the file specified.
[platform-index] - code: 9, message: Error loading hardware platform: discovery builtin:serial-discovery not found
[platform-index] - code: 9, message: Error loading hardware platform: discovery builtin:mdns-discovery not found
[library-index] - code: 9, message: Loading index file: reading library_index.json: open c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\library_index.json: The system cannot find the file specified.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.553Z root INFO core-client-provider [platform-index] Downloading index: package_index.tar.bz2
2025-06-22T12:00:26.554Z root INFO core-client-provider [library-index] Downloading index: library_index.tar.bz2
2025-06-22T12:00:26.554Z daemon INFO time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Updating index" url="https://downloads.arduino.cc/packages/package_index.tar.bz2"
time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Starting download" url="https://downloads.arduino.cc/packages/package_index.tar.bz2"
time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Starting download" url="https://downloads.arduino.cc/libraries/library_index.tar.bz2"
time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Updating index" url="https://espressif.github.io/arduino-esp32/package_esp32_index.json"
2025-06-22T12:00:26.556Z root ERROR Failed to update platform, library indexes. Error: 13 INTERNAL: Error downloading index 'https://downloads.arduino.cc/libraries/library_index.tar.bz2': Get "https://downloads.arduino.cc/libraries/library_index.tar.bz2": dial tcp [2606:4700::6812:a15]:443: connectex: An attempt was made to access a socket in a way forbidden by its access permissions.
at t.callErrorFromStatus (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:3089094)
at Object.onReceiveStatus (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:6681994)
at Object.onReceiveStatus (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:2571739)
at C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:4307911
at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:77:11)
for call at
at s.makeServerStreamRequest (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:6681761)
at s.updateLibrariesIndex (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:3088187)
at C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:6284984
at C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:6285177
at new Promise (<anonymous>)
at y.doUpdateIndex (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:6285156)
at y.updateLibraryIndex (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:6284956)
at y.updateIndex (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:6284230)
at y.initInstanceWithFallback (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:6282462)
at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
2025-06-22T12:00:26.556Z root INFO core-client-provider [platform-index] Downloading index: package_esp32_index.json
2025-06-22T12:00:26.557Z daemon INFO time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Starting download" url="https://espressif.github.io/arduino-esp32/package_esp32_index.json"
time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Starting download" url="https://downloads.arduino.cc/libraries/library_index.tar.bz2"
2025-06-22T12:00:26.564Z daemon INFO time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Loading hardware from: c:\\Users\\j_per\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages"
time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Loading libraries index file" index="c:\\Users\\j_per\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\library_index.json"
time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Adding libraries dir" dir="C:\\Users\\j_per\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\libraries" isSingleLibrary=false location=ide
time="2025-06-22T13:00:26+01:00" level=info msg="Adding libraries dir" dir="d:\\Docs\\Arduino\\libraries" isSingleLibrary=false location=user
2025-06-22T12:00:26.564Z root ERROR Detected an error response during the gRPC core client initialization: code: 3, message: Error downloading index 'https://downloads.arduino.cc/libraries/library_index.tar.bz2': Get "https://downloads.arduino.cc/libraries/library_index.tar.bz2": dial tcp [2606:4700::6812:a15]:443: connectex: An attempt was made to access a socket in a way forbidden by its access permissions.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.564Z root ERROR Detected an error response during the gRPC core client initialization: code: 9, message: Loading index file: loading json index file c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_index.json: open c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_index.json: The system cannot find the file specified.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.564Z root ERROR Detected an error response during the gRPC core client initialization: code: 9, message: Loading index file: loading json index file c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_esp32_index.json: open c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_esp32_index.json: The system cannot find the file specified.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.564Z root ERROR Detected an error response during the gRPC core client initialization: code: 9, message: Error loading hardware platform: discovery builtin:serial-discovery not found
2025-06-22T12:00:26.564Z root ERROR Detected an error response during the gRPC core client initialization: code: 9, message: Error loading hardware platform: discovery builtin:mdns-discovery not found
2025-06-22T12:00:26.564Z root ERROR Detected an error response during the gRPC core client initialization: code: 9, message: Loading index file: reading library_index.json: open c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\library_index.json: The system cannot find the file specified.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.585Z root ERROR Uncaught Exception: Error: The index of the cores and libraries must be updated before initializing the core gRPC client.
The following problems were detected during the gRPC client initialization:
[platform-index] - code: 9, message: Loading index file: loading json index file c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_index.json: open c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_index.json: The system cannot find the file specified.
[platform-index] - code: 9, message: Error loading hardware platform: discovery builtin:serial-discovery not found
[platform-index] - code: 9, message: Error loading hardware platform: discovery builtin:mdns-discovery not found
[library-index] - code: 9, message: Loading index file: reading library_index.json: open c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\library_index.json: The system cannot find the file specified.
2025-06-22T12:00:26.585Z root ERROR Error: The index of the cores and libraries must be updated before initializing the core gRPC client.
The following problems were detected during the gRPC client initialization:
[platform-index] - code: 9, message: Loading index file: loading json index file c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_index.json: open c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\package_index.json: The system cannot find the file specified.
[platform-index] - code: 9, message: Error loading hardware platform: discovery builtin:serial-discovery not found
[platform-index] - code: 9, message: Error loading hardware platform: discovery builtin:mdns-discovery not found
[library-index] - code: 9, message: Loading index file: reading library_index.json: open c:\Users\j_per\AppData\Local\Arduino15\library_index.json: The system cannot find the file specified.
at C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:6283973
at y.evaluateErrorStatus (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:6283989)
at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
at async a.<anonymous> (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:6283659)
2025-06-22T12:00:26.698Z root INFO Deploy plugins list: 285.7 ms [Finished 0.647 s after backend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:27.346Z root INFO creating connection for 1
2025-06-22T12:00:27.837Z root WARN A command editor.action.toggleStickyScroll is already registered.
Opening channel for service path '/services/electron-window'.
Opening channel for service path '/services/ide-updater'.
2025-06-22T12:00:27.896Z root INFO Start frontend contributions: 163.2 ms [Finished 1.470 s after frontend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:27.896Z root INFO Changed application state from 'init' to 'started_contributions'.
2025-06-22T12:00:27.910Z root INFO Changed application state from 'started_contributions' to 'attached_shell'.
2025-06-22T12:00:27.910Z root INFO >>> Restoring the layout state...
2025-06-22T12:00:27.923Z root INFO [70554e12-72a0-4de9-9c6d-2eb5080645b7] Waiting for backend deployment: 34.5 ms [Finished 1.502 s after frontend start]
2025-06-22T12:00:28.183Z root INFO [hosted-plugin: 4460] PLUGIN_HOST(4460) starting instance
[Object: null prototype] {}
2025-06-22T12:00:28.511Z root INFO [70554e12-72a0-4de9-9c6d-2eb5080645b7] Sync of 23 plugins: 589.3 ms [Finished 2.091 s after frontend start]
isTempSketch: false. Input was d:\Docs\Arduino\sketch_jun13a\sketch_jun13a.ino
Marking workspace as a closed sketch. Workspace URI: file:///d%3A/Docs/Arduino/sketch_jun13a/sketch_jun13a.ino. Date: 1750593643752.
Closing channel on service path '/services/electron-window'.
Closing channel on service path '/services/ide-updater'.
Storing the sketch as a workspace root: <d:\Docs\Arduino\sketch_jun13a\sketch_jun13a.ino>.
Stored workspaces roots: d:\Docs\Arduino\sketch_jun13a\sketch_jun13a.ino
No sketches were scheduled for deletion.Thank you very much for your prompt help. I first tried repeating steps 3 & 4 carefully and got the same result as before. Then I tried your second method, opening Powershell from the Windows 11 search bar and obtaining a directory listing for the C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE folder and that did produce the output that is displayed in my post above sent a few minutes ago.
Probably best to wait for @ptillisch to provide a definitive diagnosis, but I see a few error messages of the form shown below, and I'm guessing it might have something to do with your firewall settings blocking the required downloads:
dial tcp [2606:4700::6812:a15]:443: connectex: An attempt was made to access a socket in a way forbidden by its access permissions.
I concur with @grb. Arduino IDE must download some files from the Internet, but the file download is failing. This causes the hang on startup.
The inability to connect to the download server is likely caused by something unusual about how you are connecting to the Internet, which could be something like the firewall configuration, use of a proxy server, or perhaps the configuration of a VPN.
1 Like
I had a Firewall enhancement called 'Tinywall' installed on my computer so having seen your last message I thought that might be the problem although it should not be since I had the Arduino IDE on the list of programs that Tinywall allows to get access past the firewall. So, just to be sure |I uninstalled Tinywall using the uninstaller from the settings menu and Arduino IDE still would not start so I dont think Tinywall was the problem.
I then tried turning off Microsoft Defender Firewall from the Settings menu, ignoring the warning messages, but Arduino IDE still would not start. I then turned Microsoft Defender Firewall back on and I think it was at that stage that I got a dialogue asking whether I wanted to allow something, sorry I did not get a screenshot and I dont seem to be able to reproduce this. I clicked on the allow box and then Arduino IDE started normally and displayed my most recent sketch.
I do wonder if it might be possible for the Arduino IDE to display some message about there being an internet connection/firewall problem rather than just a blank screen with the Arduino logo expanding and contracting?
If I get this problem again I suppose my first action should be to turn the Windows Defender Firewall off and on again.
Thank you very much for your very prompt and useful help with this matter!
John
Thanks for the update. I'm glad it is working now.
I agree completely that Arduino IDE should more effectively communicate to the user about the problem. The current situation where we must perform a complex procedure to obtain the logs and then sift through hundreds of lines of cryptic content in order to get a clue about why the IDE is hanging on startup is far from ideal.
Something like this was actually implemented, where the relevant error is displayed in a notification in the Arduino IDE window. For example:
Unfortunately there was later a regression that causes it to hang before the application can load up to the point where it would normally display that message. The Arduino IDE developers are tracking that bug here:
A post was split to a new topic: IDE hangs on startup: "Error verifying signature: signature expired"