iScreensaver Forums

posted 09-19-2007 12:43 PM            

I have successfully made a couple of test screen savers BUT I have also had a few crashes, each time at a different point in the program! I have had Vista for 6 months and this is the first time in all that period that it has crashed, so the finger does point at the latest installation - iScreensaver.

Once it crashed when I was trying to load images, another time it crashed when I wanted to edit the picture for the Control Panel, another time it crashed after I'd saved the files and wanted to test it. I clicked on the file name, then on 'Preview' and it crashed :-(

Each time I see the 'blue screen of death' that I thought I'd left behind when I bought a Vista machine!

posted 09-19-2007 01:38 PM            

But obviously, that's not what you are seeing. Based on your description of when you see it crash, it sounds like you are always doing something with images. Since iScreensaver uses QuickTime for image loading / displaying, and since QuickTime does install a fair amount of system-level software, I'd suspect QuickTime is causing the problem. First thing to check is what version you have, and update it if it's not the latest. To do this on Vista, run the Apple Software Update tool.

If this doesn't fix things, you should try un-installing then re-installing QuickTime.

It's also possible this is neither our fault nor QuickTime's fault, and it's just a Vista bug (probably having to do with display drivers). You might check with your PC's video manufacturer to see if any updated video drivers are available -- video drivers can crash the whole system if buggy.

posted 09-19-2007 02:48 PM            

Another strange thing has happened, though. I made a screensaver with 18 images that will preview correctly. I then added a soundtrack, which is the only difference, but when I click on Install ... .EXE I get the message that the colour scheme has changed to Windows Vista Basic.

posted 09-19-2007 03:09 PM            

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If the application crashes, Vista should just terminate it and give you a warning.

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It does, I get "Preparing for System Dump", then a rapid count from 1 to 100, then it re-boots.

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You might check with your PC's video manufacturer to see if any updated video drivers are available -- video drivers can crash the whole system if buggy.

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I just checked and I have the latest version.

I'll make a couple more screensavers tomorrow and see how it goes.

Basically I like the program a lot. I was using Step 3, which is excellent, but doesn't run on Vista and doesn't make MAC files, so your program comes out tops there - providing I can cure the crashes!!!!

posted 09-20-2007 04:09 AM            

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If this doesn't fix things, you should try un-installing then re-installing QuickTime.

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posted 09-20-2007 10:07 AM            

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Originally posted by iScreensaver Support:
Is every "crash" a full windows BSOD (blue screen of death)? Or do you sometimes get regular application crashes, where iScreensaver Designer quits, but Vista keeps running?

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posted 09-20-2007 10:46 AM            

• First, try to find the crash log and either post a copy here, or email it to us at support at iscreensaver.com.
  Error reporting is controlled by the new Problem Reports and Solutions control panel. In this control panel, if you click "See problems to check", you can select the appropriate crash by process name and timestamp. You can then view the details which gets a crash signature and there's a button at the bottom left "Copy to clipboard" that can you can use to copy the text into your report.

  
  

• Another method:
  http://windowsir.blogspot.com/2006/09/vista-rc1-install.html

• Another method:
  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315263

If you do find the BSOD crash log to contain useful information, please feel free to post portions of it here, and/or email us at support (at) iscreensaver.com

posted 09-20-2007 12:34 PM            

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First, try to find the crash log and either post a copy here, or email it to us at support at iscreensaver.com.
Error reporting is controlled by the new Problem Reports and Solutions control panel.
<snip>
If you do find the BSOD crash log to contain useful information, please feel free to post portions of it here, and/or email us at support (at) iscreensaver.com

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Well, that was interesting - they all say "Program Compatibility problem"! I'm sending you the error reports be e-mail as they do go on a lot!

posted 09-21-2007 07:13 AM            

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Error reporting is controlled by the new Problem Reports and Solutions control panel. In this control panel, if you click "See problems to check"

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Oh dear, there are no entries under "See problems to check" but digging around a bit further I have found this: "This problem was caused by NVIDIA Graphics Driver. This program was created by NVIDIA Corporation. NVIDIA Corporation does not currently have a solution for the problem that you reported."

So it seems I have to wait for Nvidia to get its act together as I have already checked that I have the most up-to-date driver? Lets you and Quick Time off the hook, doesn't it? ;-))