[BUG] Chromium not launching on Windows

[arjunattam]

Context:

• Playwright Version: 1.1.1
• Operating System: Windows
• Browser: Chromium

@JYC-99 is running into an issue launching Chromium on Windows. Reporting on his behalf.

Code Snippet

const playwright = require("playwright");

(async () => {
  const browser = await playwright.chromium.launch();
  const context = await browser.newContext()
  const page = await context.newPage();
  await page.goto('https://example.com');
  await page.screenshot({ path: `example.png` });
  await browser.close();
})();

Running with DEBUG=* reveals missing dlls (find lines with ERROR:dxva_video_decode_accelerator_win.cc). Relevant for #2745

pw:api => chromium.launch started +0ms
pw:browser <launching> C:\Users\yucongj\AppData\Local\ms-playwright\chromium-775089\chrome-win\chrome.exe --disable-background-networking --enable-features=NetworkService,NetworkServiceInProcess --disable-background-timer-throttling --disable-backgrounding-occluded-windows --disable-breakpad --disable-client-side-phishing-detection --disable-component-extensions-with-background-pages --disable-default-apps --disable-dev-shm-usage --disable-extensions --disable-features=TranslateUI,BlinkGenPropertyTrees,ImprovedCookieControls,SameSiteByDefaultCookies --disable-hang-monitor --disable-ipc-flooding-protection --disable-popup-blocking --disable-prompt-on-repost --disable-renderer-backgrounding --disable-sync --force-color-profile=srgb --metrics-recording-only --no-first-run --enable-automation --password-store=basic --use-mock-keychain --user-data-dir=C:\Users\yucongj\AppData\Local\Temp\playwright_chromiumdev_profile-UX5hK7 --remote-debugging-pipe --headless --hide-scrollbars --mute-audio --no-startup-window +0ms
pw:browser <launched> pid=8524 +408ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":1,"method":"Target.setAutoAttach","params":{"autoAttach":true,"waitForDebuggerOnStart":true,"flatten":true}} +0ms
pw:protocol ◀ RECV {"id":1,"result":{}} +895ms
pw:api <= chromium.launch succeeded +1s
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":2,"method":"Target.createBrowserContext","params":{"disposeOnDetach":true}} +2ms
pw:protocol ◀ RECV {"id":2,"result":{"browserContextId":"1F3605F4D9FE27D4DBE82D3E85E1099F"}} +2ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":3,"method":"Browser.setDownloadBehavior","params":{"behavior":"deny","browserContextId":"1F3605F4D9FE27D4DBE82D3E85E1099F","downloadPath":"C:\\Users\\yucongj\\AppData\\Local\\Temp\\playwright_downloads-XaSJEs"}} +1ms
pw:protocol ◀ RECV {"id":3,"result":{}} +2ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":4,"method":"Target.createTarget","params":{"url":"about:blank","browserContextId":"1F3605F4D9FE27D4DBE82D3E85E1099F"}} +2ms
pw:protocol ◀ RECV {"method":"Target.attachedToTarget","params":{"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE","targetInfo":{"targetId":"CE1D0D93B69A01B41224728C1137F38B","type":"page","title":"","url":"","attached":true,"browserContextId":"1F3605F4D9FE27D4DBE82D3E85E1099F"},"waitingForDebugger":true}} +2ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":5,"method":"Page.enable","sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +3ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":6,"method":"Page.getFrameTree","sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +1ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":7,"method":"Log.enable","params":{},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +1ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":8,"method":"Page.setLifecycleEventsEnabled","params":{"enabled":true},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +1ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":9,"method":"Runtime.enable","params":{},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +0ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":10,"method":"Page.addScriptToEvaluateOnNewDocument","params":{"source":"\n//# sourceURL=__playwright_evaluation_script__0\n","worldName":"__playwright_utility_world__"},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +1ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":11,"method":"Network.enable","sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +1ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":12,"method":"Target.setAutoAttach","params":{"autoAttach":true,"waitForDebuggerOnStart":true,"flatten":true},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +1ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":13,"method":"Emulation.setFocusEmulationEnabled","params":{"enabled":true},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +0ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":14,"method":"Emulation.setDeviceMetricsOverride","params":{"mobile":false,"width":1280,"height":720,"screenWidth":1280,"screenHeight":720,"deviceScaleFactor":1,"screenOrientation":{"angle":90,"type":"landscapePrimary"}},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +0ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":15,"method":"Emulation.setGeolocationOverride","params":{},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +2ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":16,"method":"Network.setExtraHTTPHeaders","params":{"headers":{}},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +0ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":17,"method":"Network.emulateNetworkConditions","params":{"offline":false,"latency":0,"downloadThroughput":-1,"uploadThroughput":-1},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +2ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":18,"method":"Emulation.setEmulatedMedia","params":{"media":"","features":[{"name":"prefers-color-scheme","value":"light"}]},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +1ms
pw:protocol SEND ► {"id":19,"method":"Runtime.runIfWaitingForDebugger","sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +1ms
pw:protocol ◀ RECV {"id":4,"result":{"targetId":"CE1D0D93B69A01B41224728C1137F38B"}} +1ms
pw:protocol ◀ RECV {"id":15,"result":{},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +1ms
pw:browser:err [0710/094000.057:ERROR:dxva_video_decode_accelerator_win.cc(1368)] DXVAVDA fatal error: could not LoadLibrary: mf.dll: The specified module could not be found. (0x7E) +0ms
pw:browser:err [0710/094000.058:ERROR:dxva_video_decode_accelerator_win.cc(1368)] DXVAVDA fatal error: could not LoadLibrary: mfplat.dll: The specified module could not be found. (0x7E) +1ms
pw:browser:err [0710/094000.059:ERROR:dxva_video_decode_accelerator_win.cc(1368)] DXVAVDA fatal error: could not LoadLibrary: msmpeg2vdec.dll: The specified module could not be found. (0x7E) +1ms
pw:browser:err [0710/094000.060:ERROR:dxva_video_decode_accelerator_win.cc(1376)] DXVAVDA fatal error: could not LoadLibrary: msvproc.dll: The specified module could not be found. (0x7E) +0ms
pw:protocol ◀ RECV {"method":"Network.loadingFailed","params":{"requestId":"189AFF5D97B7DD4C922DFB96E1BB34CD","timestamp":1773229.832268,"type":"Document","errorText":"net::ERR_ABORTED","canceled":true},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +805ms
pw:protocol ◀ RECV {"id":12,"result":{},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +1ms
pw:protocol ◀ RECV {"method":"Inspector.targetCrashed","params":{},"sessionId":"B27E73BB6CB069E1BE874710D51203FE"} +1m

[pavelfeldman]

Relevant code https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/src/+/master/media/gpu/windows/dxva_video_decode_accelerator_win.cc

[pavelfeldman]

Looks like Windows 10 N is missing the media pack:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4475817/media-feature-pack-for-windows-10-n-may-2019

Chrome is probably bundling something proprietary, while Chromium fails here.

[JYC-99]

Thanks @arjun27 @pavelfeldman for the investigation. We encountered with the same issue on windows server 2012 and windows server 2016 as well.

[yury-s]

@JYC-99 did installing Media Pack resolve the problem or it's still failing on some of the windows server instances?

[pavelfeldman]

We have some hints landed that should help resolving dependencies now. Closing for now, please file with additional details if the issue is still there.