Slow browser startup [Reason found, Potential Bug? Pls dev]

[TheDuke203]

Description of the issue:
Launching the browser can take 5-7 seconds every single time after a random period of time.

How can this issue be reproduced?

1. Open the browser
2. wait 5-7 seconds

Expected result:
Opens quick just like when first installed.

Brave Version( check About Brave):

Version 1.77.97 Chromium: 135.0.7049.84 (Official Build) (64-bit)

Additional Information:
Disabling all extensions doesn’t fix the issue nor clearing all past data like cookies and login information etc.

The only way I could fix this was to delete the entire Profile folder which just resets the browser.

EDIT - FIX for anyone
Go to
C:\Users<Your Username>\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Sync Data\LevelDB

And delete all the files from there
They are typically used to sync the browser to the cloud but that doesn’t really exist in brave so it’s fine

Then go to this flag in chrome://flags
#tab-groups-save-v2
@ Any devs here
This flag is considered highly experimental is it worth just disabling it to fix the problem?

[289wk]

@TheDuke203

Anti-Virus application? Internet Security application?

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Test:

In a Brave Browser New Window go to: brave://settings > Get started and set as follows:

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Monitoring:

Open the Windows OS Task Manager window and observe what is happening before, and during, Brave Browser startup.

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Windows OS Event Viewer

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-event-viewer-windows-10

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Check Brave Components - see if any are not being updated

brave://components/

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IF you create a new Profile, exit / quit Brave Browser and then start up Brave Browser - using that new Profile, is the issue is resolved?

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[TheDuke203]

Hi,
I don’t use any other anti-virus other than windows defender, no internet security application
Disabling defender doesn’t make any difference.
The open a specific page suggestion didn’t make any difference.
Updated components that didn’t make a difference

On the top bar I see like an old-school navbar for a program and then it goes back to the new chrome one.
When I open the browser it’s like it’s not responding for 5 seconds and then just starts to run

[TheDuke203]

I was previously using the workspaces extension but I’ve uninstalled that extension and the slowness is still happening

[TheDuke203]

Yes if I create a new profile and startup the browser using that new profile the slowness goes away

[289wk]

@TheDuke203

For the system level installation of Brave Browser, the brave.exe file will be at:

64 architecture
"C:\Program Files\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\Application\brave.exe"

x86 architecture
"C:\Program Files(x86)\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\Application\brave.exe"

For the user level installation of Brave Browser (you DO NOT have administrative privileges, during installation), the brave.exe file will be at:

"C:\Users\[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\Application\brave.exe"

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Investigate: Do you have 2 separate installations of Brave Browser?

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[TheDuke203]

I only have one which is the user level installer

[289wk]

@TheDuke203

OK. Then, I would stick with the successful Profile.

With Brave Browser not running, you can copy the old Bookmarks file, from the old Profile to the new Profile.

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In the following, skip the initial, brief part re where the brave.exe file is, and proceed with the information about the Brave Browser user Profiles . . . so you know where things are . . .

Brave Browser installation location on Windows OS

Application “brave.exe”

64 architecture

C:\Program Files\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\Application\brave.exe

The initial Brave Browser Profile is, by default, named “Profile 1” (unless you change that name → brave://settings/getStarted).

The folder that contains the initial Brave Browser Profile, is the Default folder (a name that you must not change):

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\

That path may also be written:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\

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If you create 1 additional Profile (aka “Profile 2”), it will be stored in folder Profile 1:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 1\

If you create a 2nd additional Profile (aka “Profile 3”), it will be stored in folder Profile 2:

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Profile 2\

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IMPORTANT - Replacing Profile folders

When replacing Brave Browser Profile folders:

Folder named Default (including its contents) can only replace its likeness: the folder named Default.

Folder named Profile 1 (including its contents) can only replace its likeness: the folder named Profile 1.

Folder named Profile 2 (including its contents) can only replace its likeness: the folder named Profile 2.

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IMPORTANT - Brave Browser Preferences

Some Brave Browser Preferences are stored in the Preferences file:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Preferences

The contents of that Preferences file, are not exactly the contents of, brave://prefs-internals/.

Some Brave Browser Preferences are stored in the Local State file:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Local State

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Bookmarks and Bookmarks.bak files:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Bookmarks
%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Bookmarks.bak

Cache (folder):

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Cache\

Cookies (file):

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\Cookies

History (file - usually lots of data):

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data\Default\History

Crash Reports:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\BraveSoftware\CrashReports\

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[TheDuke203]

That’s just a temporary fix though

It’ll happen again to the new profile.
I’ve had this happen before and reset my entire profile so I don’t feel like going through all that again.

[289wk]

@TheDuke203

With Brave Browser not running, have you moved the User Data folder out of the path(?):

C:\Users[UserName]\AppData\Local\BraveSoftware\Brave-Browser\User Data

Restarted the Windows OS PC, and then launched Brave Browser?

An entirely new User Data folder would be generated.

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[TheDuke203]

I’ve done some digging

After a binary search I found out that deleting the sync data folder inside of Default fixes the issue.

sync data contains these ldb files

Deleting any single one of them causes a regeneration with no more ldb files.

I’m not sure exactly what these files are and what they contain
Reading in text form it’s got some website information there

Perhaps there is a bug in syncing?

I’m using this workspaces feature which opens a new window with a new tab group I’m not sure if it’s exactly duplicates but I do see the same tab group multiple times but they have the same windows shown when hovering

[289wk]

@TheDuke203

You discovered a solution of sorts, that I suspect will interest @Mattches and @Saoiray .

[TheDuke203]

Yes, this issue was induced by the extension causing excessive logging.
But it didn’t do anything wrong.
Perhaps over years this could happen normally to a user causing degradation, and I’ve not tested but it may be gradual as well.
It really depends on how much brave uses this feature to sync, as far as I can tell outside of the mobile sync feature not at all.
Perhaps disable when the mobile sync thing is off if it’s related?