Failed multiple attemps to start server (127.0.0.1 ) utf-8 codec cant decode byte 0xf8 : invalid sta...

[soebybegravelse]

Describe the bug
A clear and concise description of the issue:

openshot can't start and gives an error:

11:08:26 INFO main_window: Quiting OpenShot due to failed local HTTP thumbnail server: ('127.0.0.1', 61643) 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xf8 in position 1: invalid start byte

I have a name with Danish characters. c:\Users\Michael Sø Erik\ .openshot_qt\ maybe this is the problem. ?

I have tried to create a new other account with simple username 'Michael' on my PC, but it gives the same error
c:\Users\Michael. openshot_qt\

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Go to '"C:\Program Files\OpenShot Video Editor\openshot-qt.exe"'
2. Click on 'Run > OK'
3. Scroll down to '....'
4. See error

Expected behavior
A clear and concise description of what you expected to happen.

System Details

• OpenShot Version: 3.4.0
• libopenshot Version: 0.5.0
• Platform: Windows-10-10.0.26100
• Processor: Intel64 Family 6 Model 183 Stepping 1, GenuineIntel
• Machine: AMD64
• Python version: 3.8.9
• Qt5 version: 5.15.2
• PyQt5 version: 5.15.4
• Qt Detected Languages: ['da-DK', 'en-US']
• LANG Environment Variable:
• LOCALE Environment Variable:
• Daily Build: Verified issue still exists in daily build: http://github.com/OpenShot/openshot-qt/releases/download/OpenShot-v3.4.0-release-candidate-14658-3723fbd9-0b018e34-x86_64.exe

Log Files

• openshot-qt.log (3 KB)
• libopenshot.log (3 KB)

Exception / Stacktrace

11:45:17 INFO app: ------------------------------------------------
11:45:17 INFO app: Tue Sep 16 11:45:17 2025
11:45:17 INFO app: Starting new session
11:45:17 INFO app: ------------------------------------------------
11:45:17 INFO app: OpenShot (version 3.4.0)
11:45:17 INFO app: ------------------------------------------------
11:45:17 INFO app: openshot-qt version: 3.4.0
11:45:17 INFO app: libopenshot version: 0.5.0
11:45:17 INFO app: platform: Windows-10-10.0.26100
11:45:17 INFO app: processor: Intel64 Family 6 Model 183 Stepping 1, GenuineIntel
11:45:17 INFO app: machine: AMD64
11:45:17 INFO app: python version: 3.8.9
11:45:17 INFO app: qt5 version: 5.15.2
11:45:17 INFO app: pyqt5 version: 5.15.4
11:45:17 INFO app: Frozen version info from build server:
{
"build_name": "OpenShot-v3.4.0-release-candidate-14658-3723fbd9-0b018e34",
"date": "2025-09-15 22:40",
"libopenshot": {
"CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME": "release-20250612",
"CI_COMMIT_SHA": "3723fbd99f1aa4c835cf19bb2af51fc5acf2b118",
"CI_JOB_ID": "45769",
"CI_PIPELINE_ID": "14637",
"CI_PROJECT_NAME": "libopenshot",
"SO": "28",
"VERSION": "0.5.0"
},
"libopenshot-audio": {
"CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME": "release-20250612",
"CI_COMMIT_SHA": "0b018e347c7973e4253e29ec41394f3dfa87df4d",
"CI_JOB_ID": "43311",
"CI_PIPELINE_ID": "13911",
"CI_PROJECT_NAME": "libopenshot-audio",
"SO": "10",
"VERSION": "0.5.0"
},
"openshot-qt": {
"CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME": "release-20250612",
"CI_COMMIT_SHA": "8c7a8805157164a9de6ded1c789002ab0c665e3b",
"CI_JOB_ID": "45865",
"CI_PIPELINE_ID": "14658",
"CI_PROJECT_NAME": "openshot-qt",
"SO": null,
"VERSION": "3.4.0"
}
}
11:45:17 INFO project_data: Setting profile to HD 720p 30 fps
11:45:17 INFO project_data: Apply default audio playback settings: 48000, 2 channels
11:45:17 INFO app: checking babl_ext_path: C:\Program Files\OpenShot Video Editor\lib\babl-ext
11:45:17 INFO app: setting BABL_PATH: C:\Program Files\OpenShot Video Editor\lib\babl-ext
11:45:17 INFO language: Qt Detected Languages: ['da-DK', 'en-US']
11:45:17 INFO language: LANG Environment Variable:
11:45:17 INFO language: LOCALE Environment Variable:
11:45:17 INFO language: OpenShot Preference Language: Default
11:45:17 INFO ui_util: Initializing UI for MainWindow
11:45:17 INFO logger_libopenshot: Connecting to libopenshot with debug port: 5556
11:45:18 INFO version: Found current version: {'trans_rate_unstable': 0.001, 'trans_rate_stable': 0.01, 'error_rate_unstable': 0.05, 'openshot_version': '3.3.0', 'error_rate_stable': 0.1}
11:45:18 INFO sentry: Sentry initialized for 'unstable': 0.05 sample rate, 0.001 transaction rate
11:45:30 INFO main_window: Quiting OpenShot due to failed local HTTP thumbnail server: ('127.0.0.1', 62019) 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xf8 in position 1: invalid start byte
('127.0.0.1', 62020) 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xf8 in position 1: invalid start byte
('127.0.0.1', 62021) 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xf8 in position 1: invalid start byte
11:45:30 INFO main_window: ---------------- Shutting down -----------------
11:45:30 INFO logger_libopenshot: Shutting down libopenshot logger
11:45:30 INFO app: OpenShot's session ended
11:45:30 INFO app: Tue Sep 16 11:45:30 2025
11:45:30 INFO app: ================================================
11:46:02 INFO app: ------------------------------------------------
11:46:02 INFO app: Tue Sep 16 11:46:02 2025
11:46:02 INFO app: Starting new session
11:46:02 INFO app: ------------------------------------------------
11:46:02 INFO app: OpenShot (version 3.4.0)
11:46:02 INFO app: ------------------------------------------------
11:46:02 INFO app: openshot-qt version: 3.4.0
11:46:02 INFO app: libopenshot version: 0.5.0
11:46:02 INFO app: platform: Windows-10-10.0.26100
11:46:02 INFO app: processor: Intel64 Family 6 Model 183 Stepping 1, GenuineIntel
11:46:02 INFO app: machine: AMD64
11:46:02 INFO app: python version: 3.8.9
11:46:02 INFO app: qt5 version: 5.15.2
11:46:02 INFO app: pyqt5 version: 5.15.4
11:46:02 INFO app: Frozen version info from build server:
{
"build_name": "OpenShot-v3.4.0-release-candidate-14658-3723fbd9-0b018e34",
"date": "2025-09-15 22:40",
"libopenshot": {
"CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME": "release-20250612",
"CI_COMMIT_SHA": "3723fbd99f1aa4c835cf19bb2af51fc5acf2b118",
"CI_JOB_ID": "45769",
"CI_PIPELINE_ID": "14637",
"CI_PROJECT_NAME": "libopenshot",
"SO": "28",
"VERSION": "0.5.0"
},
"libopenshot-audio": {
"CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME": "release-20250612",
"CI_COMMIT_SHA": "0b018e347c7973e4253e29ec41394f3dfa87df4d",
"CI_JOB_ID": "43311",
"CI_PIPELINE_ID": "13911",
"CI_PROJECT_NAME": "libopenshot-audio",
"SO": "10",
"VERSION": "0.5.0"
},
"openshot-qt": {
"CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME": "release-20250612",
"CI_COMMIT_SHA": "8c7a8805157164a9de6ded1c789002ab0c665e3b",
"CI_JOB_ID": "45865",
"CI_PIPELINE_ID": "14658",
"CI_PROJECT_NAME": "openshot-qt",
"SO": null,
"VERSION": "3.4.0"
}
}
11:46:02 INFO project_data: Setting profile to HD 720p 30 fps
11:46:02 INFO project_data: Apply default audio playback settings: 48000, 2 channels
11:46:02 INFO app: checking babl_ext_path: C:\Program Files\OpenShot Video Editor\lib\babl-ext
11:46:02 INFO app: setting BABL_PATH: C:\Program Files\OpenShot Video Editor\lib\babl-ext
11:46:02 INFO language: Qt Detected Languages: ['da-DK', 'en-US']
11:46:02 INFO language: LANG Environment Variable:
11:46:02 INFO language: LOCALE Environment Variable:
11:46:02 INFO language: OpenShot Preference Language: Default
11:46:02 INFO ui_util: Initializing UI for MainWindow
11:46:02 INFO logger_libopenshot: Connecting to libopenshot with debug port: 5556
11:46:02 INFO version: Found current version: {'trans_rate_unstable': 0.001, 'trans_rate_stable': 0.01, 'error_rate_unstable': 0.05, 'openshot_version': '3.3.0', 'error_rate_stable': 0.1}
11:46:02 INFO sentry: Sentry initialized for 'unstable': 0.05 sample rate, 0.001 transaction rate
11:46:04 INFO main_window: Quiting OpenShot due to failed local HTTP thumbnail server: ('127.0.0.1', 62041) 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xf8 in position 1: invalid start byte
('127.0.0.1', 62042) 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xf8 in position 1: invalid start byte
('127.0.0.1', 62043) 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xf8 in position 1: invalid start byte
11:46:04 INFO main_window: ---------------- Shutting down -----------------
11:46:04 INFO logger_libopenshot: Shutting down libopenshot logger
11:46:04 INFO app: OpenShot's session ended
11:46:04 INFO app: Tue Sep 16 11:46:04 2025
11:46:04 INFO app: ================================================

Screenshots (Optional)

[Cyborgscode]

check the ascii tables of the "old" iso-8859-x char sets used for danish for "0xf8" ( 0x means hexcode ) . if "F8" (not the key ;) ) is a valid danish letter, you are on the right path.

[Colorjet3]

OpenShot will struggle with any non-standard characters. This includes folder paths, file names, computer name (yes, even computer name). Change all special character with standard characters and OpenShot will start gracefully.

[soebybegravelse]

In ISO-8859-1 , which is an old character set and was used in early computer days, , which was used in Denmark, 0xF8 corresponds to "ø" (the lowercase letter ø). - And I have an ø in my Danish name.

Issues are NOT fixed but I have made it work with a WORK AROUND by

• Go to: https://account.microsoft.com/profile
• Log in
• Click on "Edit name"
• Change "Sø" to "Soe"
• Restart the computer to see the change

Now openshot-qt can start correctly (unfortunately I have had to change my real Danish name to an alias on my entire account.

Thanks for the help with input.

[Colorjet3]

Yeah, it is not the best solution. This is a known issue that requires the lead developers attention. The issue is documented and in the queue. No ETA at this time.