Instances fail to start, Settings not retained

**Describe the bug**
Multipass instances often fails to start.
Settings (Mounts & Driver) are either not retained or not properly displayed between reboots.

**To Reproduce**
How, and what happened?
1. `I launch Multipass and instances are stuck on Starting indefinitely`
2. `When I look at settings the 'Allow privileged mounts' option is unset and the driver field is blank.`

**Expected behavior**
I understand that the instances have to launch, but even after allowing extra time the instance isn't available.
Changing the settings and then closing and relaunching Multipass should show the updated settings when relaunched.

This is the status after nearly 30 minutes:

**Logs**
Please provide logs from the daemon, see [accessing logs](https://canonical.com/multipass/docs/accessing-logs) on where to find them on your platform.
[Windows Event Logs for today (no major errors)](https://tulsaschools-my.sharepoint.com/:u:/g/personal/beaslmi_tulsaschools_org/IQDL75IshGVYQ4gFniJHw_DRAex3HM7aPx0CDvx_YuhKtD8?e=mQCJiX)

**Additional info**
- OS: Windows 11 Enterprise 26200.8390
- CPU architecture or model: Intel x86
- Multipass Version: `1.16.2`
- `multipass info` ?!?
- Intended driver: `Hyper-V`

**Additional context**
My org uses geo-fencing for IP addresses and blocks access to sites outside North America, I am starting to wonder if there is an attempt to connect to a site for an update check that never times out.

In the past, if I restart the service and then launch Multipass the instances launch and work normally.

Reproduce on Windows 11 with the Hyper-V driver, then collect the daemon logs using the linked accessing-logs guidance and review the provided Windows Event Logs. Compare behavior after restarting the service and relaunching Multipass. Done means instances start successfully and the Allow privileged mounts and driver settings remain displayed after relaunch.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.