Boot Error on Windows 11

[Remifa2]

Hi

I tried to install Sonic-Pi-for-Win-x64-v4-6-0.msi on a fully updated and a few months old Windows 11 laptop with an AMD Ryzen 7 processor and it can’t boot.

Sonic Pi says there is a Boot Error and it cannot connect to a Ruby server.

I switched off the entire Windows Firewall Defender, ran the software as Administrator, restarted the laptop several times, repaired (reran) the software installation but that didn’t help.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Kind regards
Remifa

PS : I've attached a complete log file : Sonic Pi Boot Error 2.txt

[ethancrawford]

@Remifa2 - it's possible you are experiencing the same issue as #3472, but not guaranteed. If you read through the conversation there, there may be a few things you can test.

[Remifa2]

Thanks for your feedback.

I already read that thread. It refers to #3475 that refers back to #3472. A nice loop.

I can't find anything specific about why the the GUI is unable to connect to the Ruby server. As I wrote, I switched off all firewall defences and tried to run the software as Admin. What could be another cause of the connection problem?

I asked https://copilot.microsoft.com/chats/

I get an error from the Sonic Pi boot process. The GUI can't conect to the Ruby server. What could be the causes?

That error—“GUI was unable to connect to the Ruby server”—is a common hiccup in Sonic Pi, and it can stem from a few different sources. Let’s break down the usual suspects:

### 🛠️ Common Causes

- **Port Conflicts**  
  Sonic Pi uses specific ports (like 4557–4559) to communicate between the GUI and the Ruby server. If another app is hogging one of these, the connection fails.

- **Permissions Issues**  
  On some systems (especially in school or corporate networks), Sonic Pi may need admin rights to launch properly. Running it as a regular user might block access to required resources.

- **Antivirus or Firewall Interference**  
  Security software can block Sonic Pi’s internal communication. Temporarily disabling or whitelisting Sonic Pi might help.

- **Audio Device Conflicts**  
  Sonic Pi relies on SuperCollider for sound synthesis. If your audio setup is complex (e.g., multiple devices, virtual audio drivers like BlackHole or Loopback), it might confuse the boot process.

- **Corrupted Configuration or PID Files**  
  Leftover process ID files from a previous crash can prevent Sonic Pi from booting. Clearing the temp folder or reinstalling might resolve this.

- **Version Compatibility**  
  Some users report persistent issues with newer versions (like v4.x.x) on certain OS setups. Rolling back to an earlier version (e.g., v3.3.1) has helped in some cases.

---

If you’re up for a bit of troubleshooting, I can walk you through checking your ports, clearing temp files, or tweaking your audio setup. Just let me know your OS and Sonic Pi version, and we’ll get you composing again in no time. 🎶

The only thing I didn't try yet, is to go back to an older version of Sonic PI. I'll try Sonic-Pi-for-Win-x64-v4-5-1.msi during the WE and report back next week.

[ethancrawford]

It's perhaps not much of a clue, but I see in your error log, as well as those in #3472, all show C:\Program Files\Sonic Pi\app\server\beam\tau\_build\prod\rel\tau\erts-15.2.5\bin\erl.exe as the version of Erlang present when the app faults (and being the specific cause of the crash at least definitely in @rbnpi's case). As Sam mentioned in the other issue, it may be worth trying to upgrade the Erlang/OTP component of Sonic Pi to see if there's an improvement. Other than more possible advice from him or @samaaron, I don't have many other ideas at the moment...

[Remifa2]

The previous version 4.5.1 of Sonic Pi runs fine under Windows 11. When it's launched the first time Erlang is blocked by the Windows Defender Firewall, but when I allow it, it boots fine. The next time the firewall has remembered the setting and no longer blocks the app.

This dialogue didn't appear in the current version.

I'll wait for further feedback from the forum or an update of the current version 4.6.0 before I try something different.

[ethancrawford]

I can't say for sure of course but you might be waiting a little while. Sam is probably focussing heavily at the moment on preparing to debut an early demo of Tau5... Hopefully though he might be able to suggest further ideas or work towards a fix for 4.6 stability if needed after that 🤞

[rbnpi]

As far as my problem is concerned this was trying to run the windows release version of version 4.6 on a MS native arm release of windows 11 installed as a virtual machine on my Mac. Sadly I can’t try our Sam’s suggestion of using a later  version of erlang (and associated elixir) as I don’t’ have the necessary windows build tools installed and some of them eg Qt are not easily installable in this environment.  The 4,5.1 release runs perfectly. Sent from my iPhoneOn 26 Aug 2025, at 12:19, ethancrawford ***@***.***> wrote:ethancrawford left a comment (sonic-pi-net/sonic-pi#3483) I can't say for sure of course but you might be waiting a little while. Sam is probably focussing heavily at the moment on preparing to debut an early demo of Tau5... Hopefully though he might be able to suggest further ideas or work towards a fix for 4.6 stability if needed after that 🤞 —Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe.You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>