I am using gpg4win with windows 11 and have an issue with starting up kleopatra. The first time I start it up,i get the message “loading certificate cache” and it can take at least 30 seconds to complete. Once it does load, it seems to be ok. I can even shutdown kleopatra from the task bar and it will re open right away without delay, however when I reboot the computer, the “loading certificate cache” delay happens again. I have one certificate and only use this for encrypting files on my pc. I tried another laptop and it experiences the same issue.
Related thread: Loading Certificate Cache
Hi solechisel,
which version of Gpg4win are you using?
Regarding the “loading certificate” issue we have introduced some changes aimed at avoiding deadlocks between competing gpg and gpgsm processes trying to connect to the gpg-agent.
So my advice is to update to Gpg4win 4.4.0 if you are not already on it.
Please report back if you already are on that version, then we’ll try to figure out the cause in your case.
I have tried both version 4.4.0 and the beta version 5.0.0 with the same results. I also don’t have s/mime setup.
OK, there is one observation which can be done easily:
Open a task manager before starting Kleopatra, and see what happens when you start Kleopatra.
There should - among other processes - be one gpg and one gpgsm process. But they should finish fast, if everything goes as planned.
My guess is that you see these 2 processes the whole loading time until some timeout kicks in after 30 seconds.
In that case try killing the gpgsm process (as you do not have S/MIME certificates to load, it won’t return anything anyway).
Does loading then finish immediately?
There are 4 processes with gpg when I start up Kleopatra. They are GnuPGs OpenPGP tool, GnuPGs private key daemon, GnuPG’s config tool and GnuPG’s X.509/CMS tool. Once everything is loaded the only process that remains is GnuPG’s private key daemon. Which process should I end?
If there is only the gpg-agent process remaining, you are fine.
Which of the other processes is running the full 30 seconds?
Do you use any firewall system?
Another helpful info would be what the exact version of the 5.0.0.-beta was, as there have been some fixes trying to solve the issues with long loading.
Which gpg version is included in the version you have tried that had no improvement?
I’m having what I think is the same problem - except I have never gotten past the hang.
Even if I kill processes for a while and Kleopatra stops loading the certificate cache, it will freeze up again if I try doing anything.
I’m on latest Windows 11 and gpg4win 4.4.0.
And looks like I’m getting the same with 5.0.0 beta32
Hello Uxorious,
thanks for your report!
Do the self tests in Kleopatra (Settings → Perform Self-Test) show any fails? If so, which?
If there are no fails, could you try the latest published 5.0 Beta-103, too?
Hi eebb,
I can’t even run the self test.
Basically, I install gpg4win (4.4.0 or 5.0.0.beta32).
Install goes fine. Then I double klick on Kleopatra, and icon shows up in the Tray.
If I click once on the icon in the tray, they GUI comes up, but “Loading certificate cache” will spin forever (I have let it sit for a couple hours).
If I go kill gpg processes in the task manager, then at some point Kleopatra will get past the Cert loading, but no matter what I try in the UI it will either do nothing or lock up again (until I go kill processes again).
If instead I right click on the tray icon and select Configure, then sometimes I have been successful in getting the settings screen up (only after killing processes again). I can navigate around in here generally, but sometimes the Smartcard screen has frozen up.
Any ideas for me to help diagnose?
(I have VS 2022 installed, so I can attach and do stuff if you need)
Please start a new post for this, I’m pretty sure this has nothing to do with the recurring issue of long loading times. Your installation seems to be broken somehow.
In the new ticket please include the following configuration info:
Open a command line and enter:
gpgconf -X > gpgconf-output.txt
Have a look at the resulting output which is your configuration and replace things you don’t want to publish, like maybe your username, before attaching the file to the new post.