Forums Technical Discussion Trouble Installing Houdini on Windows 11

Trouble Installing Houdini on Windows 11

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AnsonSavage
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Joined: Sept. 2021
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Howdy!

When I try to install Houdini on my computer with the new installer, I get this error whenever I try to log in.



Houdini Server (C:\Program Files\Side Effects Software\Houdini Server\hserver.exe) exited with code 1 before it answered the sign-in request.
C:/Program Files/Side Effects Software/Houdini Server/hserver.exe: Invalid options given: unknown escape sequence

When I use the legacy installer, I get this error after installing Houdini and trying to launch it:



This application failed to start because no Qt platform plugin could be initialized. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem.

ERROR: Couldn't open resource file "resources_ui" (No such file or directory)

Here's some of my system info:

OS: Windows 11 Pro (Version 10.0.26200 Build 26200)
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5950X (16 cores, 32 threads)
Motherboard: ASUS ROG STRIX B550-F GAMING WIFI II
RAM: 128 GB
Secure Boot: Off
App Control for Business Policy: Enforced

Any thoughts?
Edited by AnsonSavage - Oct. 16, 2026 15:14:48

Attachments:
error_example.png (237.4 KB)
other_error.png (251.2 KB)

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rushowr
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I am having the same issue. Anyone have any ideas?
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rushowr
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I stopped the houdini server service, and then ran the launcher, it appears to be working
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TheNotepadShow
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You can check the Smart App Control feature... I turned it off and it sorted me out. It is in the security app in your right side taskbar. Just a thought :-) Hope it helps.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-malware-protection/smart-app-control-frequently-asked-questions [support.microsoft.com]
Edited by TheNotepadShow - Oct. 16, 2026 17:01:53
Thanks,
Todd Manus
www.artstation.com/thenotepadshow
www.itodd.net
renderman.pixar.com/the-notepad-show
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Asterix_Us
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I'm having the exact same issue on Windows 11. Turning off Smart App Control didn't work for me.
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evan9
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Joined: Aug. 2017
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Hi Anson, just learned from support that this is fixed in daily build .477 - which you can't get via launcher, but downloads from here: https://www.sidefx.com/download/daily-builds/?show_launcher=true&production=true&daily=true [www.sidefx.com]
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