v3.0.2 slow startup on Win10

[lego-blockhead]

I am using Win10 64bit and also experience significant slow start up time for VLC v3.0.2. It takes 4-5 seconds on my system with SSD. I have tried 64bit VLC 3.0.2 and still see this slow down. It always occurs on the first start up of VLC after OS is started/reboot. After that, subsequent start up is fast until the OS is restarted.

This behavior is not observed with VLC v2.2.8 32bit running on Win10 64bit.

What has changed between v2.2.8 and v3.0.x that can explain this behavior? Is there some setting(s) in v3.0.x that can help speed up the startup?

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

That is really not normal. Did you install with the installer?

[lego-blockhead]

No I did not install with installer. I used the 7zip package and just run the "vlc.exe" file after uncompress the package. I have been doing this for years even with v2.2.8 32bit that I mention in my original post. What registry modification would the installer do that would explain away the slowness on first start I am seeing with v3.0.2 64bit?

[jayR]

I installed using the installer. Yes, it takes 4 ~ 5 second to start the first time after booting. After that, instantaneous. I think the VLC base modules are big. So it may take time to read into OS buffer.

[jt-pdx]

I downgraded from 3.0.4 to 2.2.8, and the slow startup problem disappeared. I then upgraded to 3.0.0, and the slow startup problem (3-4 seconds before the video begins playing) reappeared. Same pc, same windows 10 x64 version, only microsoft defender. What changed from 2.2.8 to 3.0 which might explain the delay? It's very easily reproducible.

[ng4ever]

I downgraded from 3.0.4 to 2.2.8, and the slow startup problem disappeared. I then upgraded to 3.0.0, and the slow startup problem (3-4 seconds before the video begins playing) reappeared. Same pc, same windows 10 x64 version, only microsoft defender. What changed from 2.2.8 to 3.0 which might explain the delay? It's very easily reproducible.

VLC Player 2.2.8 is a security risk.

[Thirdeyechai]

I've also got this problem but on my computer VLC can take minutes to load. On version 2.x.x it previously opened almost instantaneously. I have uninstalled and reinstalled and this made it open a bit quicker but after a while it just reverts back to being excruciatingly slow to open.

[elbeasto]

Experiencing the same thing here on the last few versions including the latest (3.0.4).

Win 10 x64 Home

[ng4ever]

No problems here

[fury_jin]

I'v got the same problem with win 7 64 bits. and VLC 3.0.4
VLC is really slow to launch, 5 to 6s... I use the installer 2
VLC 2.2.8 was way faster.

I undersand that there is security issue, but is there something we can tweak to improve the start up speed ?

I have malwarebyte with real time protection.

[gaultiercolleaux]

Same issue here. very slow startup on VLC 3.0.4 on win10 x64
I'd say the issue arised after the latest big windows update (october)

[gaultiercolleaux]

ok, i reseted preferences, solved it.

[fury_jin]

I do not reset all preferences but only change the video output to auto, it was on openGl for windows (the black is nicer).
For now the boot is faster, i will see if it stays like that.

Edit :the long boot up time is back after reboot.
Maybe this is all about windows 7 updates...

[elbeasto]

Same issue here. very slow startup on VLC 3.0.4 on win10 x64
I'd say the issue arised after the latest big windows update (october)

Still running 1803 here.

[PaoloC]

I'v got the same problem with win 7 64 bits. and VLC 3.0.4
VLC is really slow to launch, 5 to 6s... I use the installer 2

VLC 3.0.4
Notebook with Dual Core Processor i3 3217U 1.80GHz with HT, RAM 4GB (59% free), SATA SSD unit, Windows 10pro x64 October Update (1809). Only Windows Defender security suite.
First time startup time: 8-10 Sec
"Cached" startup time: 5-6 Sec
With another active program running in background (like Firefox W one tab opened), startup time rise to over 12-14 Sec.

On a similar PC (i5 460M, 8GB RAM, SATA SSD), I got the same very slow startup time.

Note1: on a so old Fujitsu Celsius W370 workstation (Core 2 Quad, 8GB, 7200rpm HDD) startup time is about 1-2 Sec.

[VLCwin7User]

I have a fairly fast computer, however, I thought that the startup was sluggish.
My VLC is installed in C:\Program Files\VideoLan\VLC which is a directory that requires administrative permissions to modify.
I noticed in C:\Program Files\VideoLan\VLC\plugins that there was no "plugins.dat" unlike any of the 2.x versions.

So, bringing up an administrative command prompt set to the C:\Program Files\VideoLan\VLC directory, I issued...
vlc-cache-gen c:\Program Files\videolan\vlc\plugins
... which generated a plugins.dat that was around 286 KB.

Time will tell if that will speed up the startup. I only see some sluggishness on the first startup of the day.

[PaoloC]

Thanks, I did. I'll see

Edit: It's working fine, now startup is very fast

[VLCwin7User]

I'm back to say that generating the plugins.dat file in the plugins directory has sped up startup. My first startup of the day was noticeably faster.

[Kamakzie]

ok, i reseted preferences, solved it.

That seems to have done the trick for me. Thank you.

[strawbeard]

[...], I issued...
vlc-cache-gen c:\Program Files\videolan\vlc\plugins
... which generated a plugins.dat that was around 286 KB.

Time will tell if that will speed up the startup. I only see some sluggishness on the first startup of the day.

I'm not Time but I can tell you that startup here came down from 40s to 4s Thank you very much for your advice
(VLC v3.0.4 on Win 10 1803 64-bit; only first startup after system re-activation took extremely long.)

[Juice]

I have a fairly fast computer, however, I thought that the startup was sluggish.
My VLC is installed in C:\Program Files\VideoLan\VLC which is a directory that requires administrative permissions to modify.
I noticed in C:\Program Files\VideoLan\VLC\plugins that there was no "plugins.dat" unlike any of the 2.x versions.

So, bringing up an administrative command prompt set to the C:\Program Files\VideoLan\VLC directory, I issued...
vlc-cache-gen c:\Program Files\videolan\vlc\plugins
... which generated a plugins.dat that was around 286 KB.

Time will tell if that will speed up the startup. I only see some sluggishness on the first startup of the day.

I can confirm this works.
Windows 10 Pro - VLC 3.0.4

thanks for the fix. this was driving me crazy.

[aitte]

[fury_jin]

I think that's it, thanks Aitte:

Tools -> preferences -> Show all parameters -> search advanced -> disable scan for new plugins

[vlcme]

Thanks aitte. Worked instantly! 🤩

[tombolini]

Thanks, this solved the problem for me. I'm on Windows 10 build 1809 and was already looking for VLC replacements before I got the idea to google this problem.

We can't be the only ones that have this problem? Is there anything that can be done?