When launching Radiant 2025.1.1 on Windows, some users encounter a critical error: “Render process crashed with code: -1073741515”. This issue can prevent the application from starting or cause it to crash immediately after opening a project. In certain cases, the error is accompanied by a secondary message: “QtWebEngineProcess.exe - System Error: The code execution cannot proceed because QtWebEngineCore.dll was not found. Reinstalling the program may fix this problem.” These symptoms often point to deeper system-level restrictions, particularly when the application is launched from a network location.
The primary cause of this crash lies in how Windows handles sandboxed processes when the parent executable is located on a network drive (UNC path). Radiant uses Qt WebEngine for rendering certain UI components, including report views and interactive dashboards. Qt WebEngine relies on a sandboxed render process to enhance security and stability. However, Windows enforces strict security policies that block the initialization of sandboxed processes when the main application is running from a network location. This restriction is not a flaw in Radiant or Qt—it is a deliberate security measure implemented by Microsoft to prevent potential exploits through network-mounted executables.
As a result, when Radiant is launched from a network drive, the render process fails to initialize, leading to the crash with error code -1073741515 (which corresponds to 0xC0000142, a common Windows error indicating a missing or inaccessible DLL). The secondary error about QtWebEngineCore.dll not being found is a symptom of this failure, not the root issue. The DLL is present, but the sandboxed process cannot load it due to the security policy.
Several solutions can be applied to resolve this issue, depending on your environment and workflow. The most effective and recommended approach is outlined below.
The most direct fix is to disable the sandbox feature of Qt WebEngine by setting the environment variable QTWEBENGINE_DISABLE_SANDBOX=1 before launching Radiant. This bypasses the Windows security restriction while maintaining functionality for most users.
To apply this fix:
QTWEBENGINE_DISABLE_SANDBOX and the Variable value to 1.After applying this setting, the render process should initialize correctly, and the crash should no longer occur. This solution is particularly effective for users who must run Radiant from a shared network location due to organizational policies or file-sharing setups.
An alternative workaround involves modifying Radiant’s internal behavior. Users have reported success by enabling the “Use Previous Report View (requires restart)” option in the application’s settings. This setting changes how report views are loaded, potentially avoiding the need for the sandboxed render process altogether.
To enable this:
While this method can resolve the crash in some cases, it is less reliable than disabling the sandbox, especially if the application fails to launch in the first place. It is best used as a secondary option when environment variables cannot be set.
The most robust and future-proof solution is to install Radiant on a local drive (e.g., C:\Program Files\Radiant) rather than running it directly from a network path. This avoids the Windows security restriction entirely, as the executable is no longer subject to the sandbox policy.
Benefits of local installation include:
If your organization allows it, this should be the preferred deployment method. For teams using shared projects, consider using a local copy of the project files synced via a version control system or file synchronization tool, rather than launching the application from a network drive.
Some users may assume that the missing QtWebEngineCore.dll error indicates a corrupted installation or a need to reinstall Radiant. However, this is not the case. The DLL is typically present and functional—its failure to load is due to the sandbox initialization being blocked by Windows, not a missing file. Reinstalling the software will not resolve the issue unless the launch location is also changed.
Similarly, enabling the “Use Previous Report View” option may help in some scenarios, but it does not address the underlying cause. It merely changes the rendering behavior to avoid the problematic process. For long-term stability, especially in shared or networked environments, disabling the sandbox via the environment variable is the more reliable solution.
To ensure a smooth and stable experience with Radiant 2025.1.1 on Windows:
QTWEBENGINE_DISABLE_SANDBOX=1 if you must run from a network path.By following these guidelines, users can overcome the “Render process crashed” error and continue using Radiant with confidence. The issue is not a flaw in the software but a known interaction between Windows security policies and sandboxed applications—easily resolved with the right configuration.