Lightroom Classic v11.3.1 Hangs on Splash Screen - MacOS Monterey 12.3.1

[d.c.woods]

Installed Lightroom Classic on a 24-core 2019 Mac Pro today and couldn't get the app to open past the splash screen.  All other Adobe Apps are up to date and working just fine.  I scoured the net and it seems I am one of many having the same issue.  There was no instance of a previous LRC install - both MacOS and Adobe CC are new fresh "vanilla" installs.  I have tried all the suggested fixes including:

• Manually Deleting Preferences file from /Users/*myname*/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.LightroomClassicCC7.plist by dragging it to the trash, emptying trash and restarting.  When that didn't work I followed by holding shift+option and clicking LRC and "resetting preferences".  I then used multiple combinations of both repair options. I always restart inbetween troubleshooting steps.
• I've added LRC to both SysPrefs>Security & Privacy>Accessibility and given it Full Disk Access within the Security and Privacy system preferences panes.
• I even opened the LightroomClassicCC7.plist in a plist editor to see if there was any corruption and there was none that I could spot.
• I tried installing 10.4 and it opens and runs fine but being forced to use a generation behind is unacceptable IMO at the prices that Adobe charges.  I even tried upgrading from 10.4 to 11.3.1 with a known "working" preference list and library and got the same error.
• I tried signing in and out of Adobe CC.
• Finally, I started rolling back one version at a time and 11.1 seems to work without any startup issues.
  • This is still unacceptable in my opinion.  I get it that bugs happen, especially with Apple's unforwarned wonky security practices but it seems that Adobe takes their time releasing patches and is hesitant to publish advanced tutorials on how to fix these issues.  MacOS 12.3.1 has been out since March 14th and LRC v11.3.1 has been out for a month.  This is plenty of time to institute a patch on a simple plist error - if indeed that is what it is.
  • I read that a few users had luck with letting Adobe technicians remotely repair the pref list issue but in my opinion this seems like a step too far.  I don't want some tech remotely digging around within the core MacOS libaries on my personal machine.

Any suggestions would be welcome.  I am very familiar with the workings of MacOS and command line as I'm an ex-Apple retail technician.  I'm certainly NOT a coder or dev but I know a bit more than the average user.  Is this a common issue on Intel Macs?  How large is this problem? Are there any advanced steps that one might take to mitigate the issue?

Best,

Danny

[John R Ellis]

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"I've added LRC to both SysPrefs>Security & Privacy>Accessibility and given it Full Disk Access within the Security and Privacy system preferences panes."

Apple changed something in Mac OS 12.3.1 and many users have reported similar symptoms. Granting Full Disk Access has resolved the issue for most or all of them, though.  Adobe belatedly published a "tip" about this:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/quick-tips-how-to-give-full-disk-access...

I recommend triple- or quadruple-checking you've granted Full Disk Access to "Adobe Lightroom Classic.app":

(and beware the difference between "Adobe Lightroom Classic.app" and "Adobe Lightroom.app").

[d.c.woods]

Yes, prior to reading your post I had already come across that link on micellaneous other threads.  However I had already added the app to both Accessibility>Privacy and Full Disk Access>Privacy as seen below but I did 'check my work' so to speak and removed/added LRC again.  Still a no-go... 

 

 

[John R Ellis]

Many others with similar symptoms have resolved it by granting Full Disk Access, but that obviously isn't working for you. That LR 11.1 works and 11.3.1 suggests this isn't a permissions/security issue.   

Re-reading the list of things you've tried, I don't have anything further to suggest, unfortunately.  

I can think of just one troubleshooting step to identify whether this is specific to particular catalogs:

1. In LR 11.1, make a test catalog with just one photo in it.

2. Reinstall LR 11.3.1.

3. In Finder, navigate to the test catalog folder and double-click the .lrcat file. This will cause LR to open that catalog immediately without trying to open another one first.

If you can open other catalogs, this won't help you open your main catalog, but it would narrow the issue down for Adobe.