After playing with this bizarre Google Earth (GE) problem for some time and reading dozens of very frustrated blogers end their threads with “… and the only way I could get it to work was to wipe my PC and perform a fresh Windows install”, I got creative.  Being unable to launch Google Earth past the splash screen is quite annoying.

The solution appears to be linked with the first time initialization getting stuck. Sooo, this is what I did to solve it:

  1. Reboot, Press F8 on Windows startup and select LOW RESOLUTION 640 x 480 MODE.
  2. Start Google Earth First in DIRECT X MODE then in OPEN GL MODE
    1. Direct X will likely lock or error out and that is fine; just END TASK on it and move to OPEN GL
  3. Reboot your windows into normal mode and start Google Earth
  4. OPTIONAL (FOR CORPORATE PCs ONLY) Go to C:\PROGRAM DATA\GOOGLE and on the SECURITY TAB, set AUTHENTICATED USERS to have FULL CONTROL

I have seen this twice now and both times the GE issue was resolved using the Boot the LOW RES 640×480 MODE process above.  In my case this was on Windows 7 64Bit Enterprise but I seen many references to Win XP, Windows Vista and 32 bit operating systems.


7 Comments

frits · July 10, 2019 at 1:43 pm

Same: Google earth hangs in splash screen in Linux Mint 19 (64bit) the splash stays on top.

    Ian Matthews · July 12, 2019 at 3:53 pm

    Hi Frtis, we don’t have much information on Linux. Sorry.

Nawaz · October 2, 2018 at 1:18 pm

My one Isn’t loading in Google Earth Because its stuck at Loading 0

Paul Stejskal · February 27, 2018 at 7:46 am

Google Earth Pro still gets stuck at initialisation – everything tried, updated drivers, repair tool, re-installations and low resolution mode. What IS IT with GE!!???
27 Feb 2018

    Ian Matthews · March 15, 2018 at 5:27 pm

    Hi Paul;

    That is odd. I have used this technique several times in the past to resolve the GEarth is Stuck problem. If you cannot get past it, I suggest you try three things:
    1: Update your video card drivers
    2: Uninstall GEarth, reboot, then delete the Google folders in C:\PROGRAM FILES C:\PROGRAM DATA C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES, then use use the free CCleaner (https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/download) to remove any orphaned registry entry
    3: Try an older version of Google Earth http://www.oldversion.com/windows/google-earth/

    I hope this helps

LadyInMaine · April 14, 2013 at 12:54 pm

You’re fortunate that it fixed your problem, as it did nothing for mine. Google Earth is still getting hung up.

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