Are you looking for a solution to fix Kodi startup crashes? Kodi is one of the most powerful streaming platforms, but sometimes it creates issues that cause startup crashes. Today, we’re moving deep down into the possible fixes as it leads to instability at startup, and walk you through troubleshooting and fixing them.
Not all things are more frustrating than Kodi startup crashes. The Kodi open-source nature opens the door to anyone who likes to create a new add-on. Well, all programmers have different debugging skills, as it leads to problems upon startup.
If you want to boot, Kodi should interact with the device OS on which it is running. As they are not necessarily and bug-free as any other software. And at last, Kodi can also share the PC resources with lots of other software executing on your PC, another possible cause for issues.
In this guide, you’ll learn some tips on how to find the cause of Kodi startup crashes and resolve them. We’ll start off after discussing some generic solution you can try that might solve lots of issues. Then, we’ll also review some common reasons behind Kodi crashes. Well, lots of issues are caused by add-ons, we’ll also discuss how to do some systematic add-on debugging, helping you to check which add-on creates the issue. Then, we’ll discuss how to reinstalling Kodi and much more stuff. So stay with us till the end!
Also See: Unblock Solar Movie with Best VPNs – Steps
Contents
Use VPN While Streaming On Kodi
Staying safe on the Wi-Fi is like many people are getting concerned about. While ISPs tracking and selling user information, governments notice citizens and hackers searching for any weakness they can exploit. This is also an issue when it comes to streaming videos. The software set off red flags on all industry thanks to its many third-party add-ons that source pirated content. ISPs react by monitoring user traffic and also strangling download speeds.
If you wish to keep your online activities private then it is quite difficult. ISP gathers user information and then selling it to government agencies, advertisers engage in mass surveillance programs.
If you want to keep your activity secure, then you should try a solid virtual private network.
VPN can helps to keep you safe from all the above threats. VPNs also encrypt chunks of data before they leave your device. However, making it impossible for anyone to take your identity or view what you’re installing. This base level of security is amazingly powerful for a lot of tasks. It includes breaking through censorship firewalls, accessing geo-restricted content, and making your portable devices safe on public Wi-Fi.
Simply run a VPN in the background whenever you stream. However, the software takes care of everything else, and you should stay safe no matter what.
Why We Use a VPN?
Using a VPN service has lots of advantages, but the overall benefits are enhanced security via data encryption between you and the target’s server. After using a VPN, you can enhance security, privacy, stay unknown on the Web, and allows you to access Geo-restricted content.
Don’t forget, that being free VPNs makes them somewhat restrictive or bounded. Either the weak data encryption, speeds are slow limited monthly data caps, or the ads spoil the browsing experience. Hence we highly recommend using a fully featured VPN service if you are a power user.
Nord VPN:
NordVPN offers a robust privacy solution and provides all the tools you want to unblock ESPN Live from abroad. Yes, it supports Firestick and offers low-latency connections or snappy performance. Also, with 256-bit AES encryption through NordLynx on your side, you’ll simply hide all your activities from internet service providers, safeguarding you from outright content blocking or unfair throttling.
Well, there are lots of servers to select from, you can “spoof” a new virtual IP address from any corner of the world. So, you’ve got the past geoblocks to access international content so you’ve no alternative way of streaming on Kodi.
There are some easy things you must try to resolve Kodi startup crashes.
- Make sure you are running the new variant of Kodi. Also, it can be caused by updates to add-ons that are not compatible with older variants of Kodi.
- You can also verify that the new OS patches have been installed on your PC. Well, it becomes true when Kodi starts crashing after you’ve successfully installed a new variant.
Also See: How to Fix Ares Wizard Script Failed Issue in Kodi
Kodi Startup Crashes – Fixes
If Kodi suddenly starts crashing on startup, there can be a major reason that something has recently changed. Besides a car or any other mechanical device, the software doesn’t eventually break
Kodi Startup Crashes – Causes
There are two major types of Kodi startup crashes:
- It can be caused by changes to Kodi, its extensions/components
- The issues can be caused by the interaction of Kodi or external factors with the device where it’s running and/or other software executing on that device
Recent Kodi Upgrade
A recent Kodi upgrade is the major reason for Kodi startup crashes. You can also check that the Kodi development team spends the amount of time testing or debugging their code. But there is no alternative way they can test every possible combination of software or hardware on each and all compatible platforms. That is why beta testing exists.
If you’ve just upgraded Kodi to the latest new version and then it crashes on you. Then you have a few options. Initially, you’ve to reboot the device. It could be all that you want.
After a reboot, you can then find that your recently upgraded Kodi still crashes, you can’t revert back to the earlier version. But don’t do that right now. The issue might be somewhere else. Well, there is an add-on that supports the newer model of Kodi and causing it to crash.
Newly Installed & Updated Add-on
Well, it becomes another cause of Kodi startup crashes. And it is simplest to debug if you’re careful with the way you install or download add-ons. For your practice, all you need to do is to restart your Kodi after upgrading or installing any add-on. Well, if Kodi crashes after restarting, then you should know which add-on is to blame. Alternatively, if you’ve successfully upgraded or installed a handful of add-ons and find that Kodi crashes on startup, you’ll have to move through the Systematic add-on debugging process.
But in case if you’ve only upgraded or installed a single add-on before Kodi started crashing, how do you erase it when Kodi won’t start? It is very easy or simple, you should erase the add-on’s directory. Come let’s check how to do that.
You want to start from the Kodi userdata folder. As it varies depending on your OS. These are the locations for the most common ones:
- Android: Android/data/org.xbmc.Kodi/files/.kodi/userdata/
- iOS: /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/Kodi/userdata/
- Linux: ~/.kodi/userdata/
- Mac: /Users//Library/Application Support/Kodi/userdata/
- OpenELEC: /storage/.kodi/userdata/
- Windows: Click the Start button – Type %APPDATA%\kodi\userdata – hit Enter
From the userdata folder, head over to the addon_data folder and then find the suspicious add-on’s folder. Well, the folder names are cryptic, you can then recognize the one you’re searching for. In our example, the folder is known as plugin.video.bob.unleashed.
Just remove the folder to ease the add-on from Kodi. Whenever you restart Kodi you’ll check two things. Initially, it can’t crash, and secondly, the add-on is not there anymore.
Antivirus Live Protection
Your antivirus is the main issue and causes Kodi startup crashes. However, the problem will sometimes materialize as systematic crashes right on startup but also when it happens within a minute or two after startup.
Resolving this issue is beyond the scope of the guide as the method differs from software to software. Sometimes, real-time protection can be easily turned off, either permanently or temporarily. You might want to contact your antivirus provider’s support.
Systematic Add-on Debugging
If for whatever reason, you don’t know which extension creates the issue then all you have to do some systematic debugging. This is very simple, especially when you follow our directions, but you’ve to wait for a while. Well, it totally depends on the amount of add-ons added to your Kodi installation.
At first, make sure Kodi is no longer executing. You can then locate the userdata folder. Do you want help while locating the userdata folder? Simply head over to the previous section, we’ve provided you the most common places where you’ll easily find it. Whenever you’ve located it simply rename it.
After this simply start Kodi. If it starts properly, it means that something within your userdata folder causing Kodi to crash. Now exit from Kodi.
As it takes some time to copy every folder from the OLD_userdata folder to the new one. Pay proper attention to the addon_data folder where each subfolder should be individually copied. After you successfully copying each folder, try to start Kodi. If it crashes, the folder you just copied is the major reason for the crash.
You can now identify the main cause, erase the folder and copy the userdata folder content EXCEPT the suspicious one. Then try to again start the Kodi. If it works properly, you’ve confirmed the crash cause. Just stop using the corresponding add-on until the new version is available.
Also See: Krypton Vs Kodi Jarvis: Why We Upgraded
If Nothing Works To Fix Kodi Startup Crashes, Reinstall
If you can’t find the major cause of your Kodi startup crashes and you can’t fix it. Then you have the option but to download or install a new copy of Kodi and then start a complete reinstall from scratch.
After you do that, you probably want to make a proper list of all the add-ons you have on your current Kodi installation. That way, you can easily reinstall everything.
The best method to list your current add-ons is to initiate from the Kodi Home screen and then tap Add-ons in the left pane.
Next, you want to tap My add-ons.
As it’ll bring up the add-on types menu. Of major interest are the Add-on Repositories, the Video Add-ons, or the Program Add-ons sections. But now it’s up to you to check if you want to copy the names manually of all the add-ons. Keep in mind that you have a list.
Also, before you reinstall Kodi from the start, make sure you either delete or rename the userdata folder.
After reinstalling your add-ons, you can then install them one-by-one and then restart Kodi after each. That way, whenever you install the add-on that was causing your installation to crash, you can then restart the install from scratch process, eliminating the defective add-on.
Additional Tips To Fix Kodi Startup Crashes:
Turn Off Auto Updates
Well, many Kodi startup crashes happen after you successfully updating add-ons. Certainly, these updates happen without our knowledge. The best method to prevent this is to simply control the whole update process. It means that you have to turn off automatic updates. It is quite easy, just follow these instructions below:
- Head over to the Kodi home screen, tap the Settings Icon. It is the only one that seems like a little gear located at the top left of the screen.
- Then, tap System settings. Then head over to the system settings page, tap Add-ons on the left pane.
- Tap the first line, the one that says Updates. You’ll then view a selection dialog box from which you can select one of three options.
We’ll recommend you to choose the second option: Notify but don’t install updates. This way, you should know whenever updates are available but still you’ll be able to select when you like to install them.
Restart Kodi & Upgrade
Another best choice that will help you instantly identify the cause of Kodi Startup crashes is to take the habit to restart Kodi after you successfully install any new add-on, build, repo, etc., or after updating the earlier one.
As it’ll allow you quickly know what is the reason behind the crash. As we’ve explained, some crashes are caused by some changes.
Conclusion
Well, Kodi startup crashes can have lots of various causes, we’ve gone through the major ones and explained how you can find the crashes cause and fix them. Well, there are many causes of crashes to list them all in here.
Have you ever experience a Kodi startup crash? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. Waiting for your valuable feedback!
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