HCS_E_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT on wsl (ubuntu) startup (80010119 Security must be initialized before any interfaces are marshalled or unmarshalled)
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- C++
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Description
### Windows Version
Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.26100.6584]
### WSL Version
2.6.1.0
### Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?
- [x] WSL 2
- [ ] WSL 1
### Kernel Version
Unable to start ubuntu to find out
### Distro Version
22.04
### Other Software
_No response_
### Repro Steps
In "cmd" prompt:
```
C:\Users\myname>ubuntu
The operation timed out because a response was not received from the virtual machine or container.
Error code: Wsl/Service/CreateInstance/HCS_E_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT
Press any key to continue...
```
This takes approximately one minute to appear after entering `ubuntu`
### Expected Behavior
Expected to start
### Actual Behavior
```
C:\Users\myname>ubuntu
The operation timed out because a response was not received from the virtual machine or container.
Error code: Wsl/Service/CreateInstance/HCS_E_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT
Press any key to continue...
```
### Diagnostic Logs
Logs generated by running:
`wsl --shutdown`
starting the script, then:
`ubuntu`
logging stopped when `Press any key to continue...` displayed.
[WslLogs-2025-10-08_18-27-57.zip](https://github.com/user-attachments/files/22849096/WslLogs-2025-10-08_18-27-57.zip)
Perhaps the most "interesting" error is this one:
```
[-](https://github.com/microsoft/wsl/issues?q=is%3Aissue%20HCS_E_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT#)
[-](https://github.com/microsoft/wsl/issues?q=is%3Aissue%20HCS_E_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT#)
1520
0
2
0
0
0x2000000000000000
1476
DESKTOP[-](https://github.com/microsoft/wsl/issues?q=is%3Aissue%20HCS_E_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT#)J5IE7DM
[-](https://github.com/microsoft/wsl/issues?q=is%3Aissue%20HCS_E_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT#)
-
onecore\vm\dv\host\lib\virtualmachine.cpp(132)\vmdevicehost.dll!00007FFA58B49C7D: (caller: 00007FFA58B47FEB) LogHr(5) tid(5cd8) 80010119 Security must be initialized before any interfaces are marshalled or unmarshalled. It cannot be changed once initialized. Msg:[COM security already initialized]
-
-
32
0x7ffa58b378a1
0x7ffa58b34284
0x7ffa58b3345c
0x7ffa58b44c05
0x7ffa58b49ed8
0x7ffa58b49c7d
0x7ffa58b47feb
0x7ffa58b3cc66
0x7ff7ca217a16
0x7ffa936c3663
0x7ffa936c570e
0x7ffa93606c50
0x7ffa9535db2d
0x7ffa9535da6b
0x7ffa9535cfe6
0x7ffa9535c631
0x7ffa953ba386
0x7ffa95308a2a
0x7ffa9530de98
0x7ffa95366fd3
0x7ffa936780f7
0x7ffa93641ab4
0x7ffa9364287a
0x7ffa9362fc54
0x7ffa9364001c
0x7ffa9364601c
0x7ffa936451a3
0x7ffa93644148
0x7ffa958800ee
0x7ffa9587e213
0x7ffa94fae8d7
0x7ffa95808d9c
6
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
```
Contributor guide
Research direction
Start by reviewing the attached WslLogs archive and the Hyper-V Worker event showing HCS_E_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT and COM security initialization failure. Reproduce with `wsl --shutdown` followed by `ubuntu`; done means determining the cause of the WSL 2 startup timeout and restoring successful Ubuntu startup.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- cpp, linux, ubuntu
- Domain
- operating-systems
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Needs clarification
- Newbie friendliness
- 15/100