SUMMARY
When installing and starting digiKam 8.7, it crashes on startup when using a remote Database.

This happens with either a local Mariadb or Mysql DB, or a remote DB on a NAS or Server.   I have tried all combinations.  And with Windows 10 or 11.

The error in the event log from Windows 11 system:
Faulting application name: digikam.exe, version: 8.7.0.0, time stamp: 0x68612449
Faulting module name: libmysql.dll, version: 8.0.40.0, time stamp: 0x67f60ab9
Exception code: 0x80000003
Fault offset: 0x000000000006e722
Faulting process id: 0x6AC4
Faulting application start time: 0x1DC07CA34ECBAB7
Faulting application path: D:\digiKam\digikam.exe
Faulting module path: D:\digiKam\libmysql.dll
Report Id: 903a7dfc-b6ec-427f-8870-35bc0b3af5c8
Faulting package full name: 
Faulting package-relative application ID: 

Event log details from Windows 10:
Faulting application name: digikam.exe, version: 8.7.0.0, time stamp: 0x68612449
Faulting module name: libmysql.dll, version: 8.0.40.0, time stamp: 0x67f60ab9
Exception code: 0x80000003
Fault offset: 0x000000000006e722
Faulting process id: 0x1c124
Faulting application start time: 0x01dc0ae87226a7d0
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\digiKam\digikam.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files\digiKam\libmysql.dll
Report Id: 59979679-e40d-46bb-8862-5f6fa167933a
Faulting package full name: 
Faulting package-relative application ID: 

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1.  Install digiKam 8.7
2.  Start digiKam 8.7

OBSERVED RESULT
Splash screen appears
Last view from previous version 8.5 shows up
digiKam crashes

EXPECTED RESULT
digiKam opens and runs like normal.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows:  11 and 10
MySQL 8.4.6 or MariaDB 5 or MariaDB 10

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Installing 8.8 resolves this, but introduces other bugs on facial recognition, etc.   Desire is 8.7 to work with remote DB and not limited to local SQLite.  Stable digiKam version 8.7 is un-usable with the remote DB.