Server Version#: 1.43.0.10492
Player Version#: 1.112.0.359
Plex HTPC takes 22 seconds to display the interface on every cold start. The log shows a 22 second gap between these two events: [Widevine] Version list request returned code 404 [Widevine] Failed to update CDM: Bad response code on version list. …22 seconds later… ERROR - myPlexAccessToken is not in BasicVolatileStorage
The issue disappears when Plex HTPC is launched as Administrator.
System: Windows 11, NVIDIA RTX 5080, Plex HTPC installed as Win32 app (not Store). The token cannot be read from BasicVolatileStorage (QtWebEngine secure storage) when running as a normal user, causing the 22 second timeout before the app continues.
Additional investigation performed:
- Confirmed the delay is exactly 22 seconds, matching a network timeout
- Verified DNS resolution is instant (ping to plex.direct resolves to 127.0.0.1 in <1ms) - Verified SSL connection to plex.direct is instant (curl confirms immediate TLS handshake)
- Verified WinHTTP proxy: none configured
- Verified Windows Firewall: all Plex rules are Allow
- Verified WebClient service: running
- Verified plex.tv connectivity: instant from browser
- Tested with Tailscale disabled: same behavior
- Tested with relay disabled in Plex Server settings: same behavior
- Tested clearing QtWebEngine cache (Cache, GPUCache, Code Cache): same behavior
- Tested resetting Plex HTPC preferences: same behavior
- Tested disconnecting/reconnecting Plex account: same behavior
The delay occurs specifically during the QtWebEngine initialization phase, before any UI is displayed. The exact sequence in the log is:
1. 23:30:33.024 - Widevine version list request returns 404
2. 23:30:33.024 - Widevine CDM update fails
3. [22 seconds of silence]
4. 23:30:54.999 - myPlexAccessToken is not in BasicVolatileStorage
5. UI appears immediately after step 4
When launched as Administrator, steps 3 and 4 do not occur and the UI appears within 2-3 seconds. This strongly suggests that BasicVolatileStorage requires elevated permissions to function correctly on this system configuration.
