I am running a dual core vista 64 ultimate rig with an Nvidia card. No issues with crashing at all. I am also not forcing a previous windows compatibility.

Data points:

I have a fairly-low-powered system that dual-boots Vista 32 and the Release Candidate Windows 7 - 32 bit. The graphics is builtin Intel 82945G Express Chipset.

(Vista Ultimate and Windows 7 Ultimate)

Installer version 10a, and Beta 10d, work fine, without the problems described here, on Vista and Windows 7 - without Compatibility turned on.

Actually, XP Mode works on almost all modern AMP processors - the only ones missing AMD-V, as they call it, are the budget models Sempron, Turion K8 (rev.E) and pre rev. F Athlons. Not including *all* the bells and whistles of the regular models in the budget line is IMO excusable.

Intel, on the other hand, have been more restrictive with this (Intel VT they call it) and even mid-range processors are cut out of that particular loop.

I can confirm MA3 works fine for me on Vista Home Premium 64-bit, no compatibility mode needed to run the program, no User Access Control prompts, it all works smooth and simple.

Is it possible that my install somehow installed in a manner that triggered this compatibility mode issue???

Is this an adjustable setting in the Registry?? Perhaps it was just some install glitch on my machine...

Why are some people having no issue but others are having the same issue, or at least, they can reproduce the issue.

As of right now, it runs fine - the only issue I have is when I go into the Screen Saver Settings window from the Personalize Window.....but in "X" days my trial will be up...

Hi,

Back to one of my sort of same questions - I want to run the Beta as it is much better graphically...how to I unlock all the fish - I am happy to pay now on the assumption that this will ultimately get fixed and for the most part, it works....

Hi Guys,

Just noticed part of this response - if someone walks me through loading/turning on a debugger I am happy to do that and send you the results if that will help -

Many thanks again to everyone -!!

Either version looks for the paid for keycode. If you purchase a keycode from http://www.serenescreen.com/ and install it, either version will then run.

HI Jay,

Will that code, entered into the Beta, then unlock all the fish...

Thanks -!

If you buy MA3 from SereneScreen.com, then you will have a keycode that works on MA3 Beta (installer or ZIP file download).

There may be some future extra upgrades like a creature pack, or some special fish pack down the road. But the core MA3 you will have paid for.

A valid MA3 keycode will unlock everything in any MA3 version, including the Betas.

[That may not be the case for feature packs, but that's far-future]

Hi Jay,

Just purchased - unlock worked fine - still crashes when closing Settings Panel

Looks great with all the fish!!

sca - The debugger is part of the Visual C++ suite, a very expensive package for programmers from Microsoft. With the C programming language, the source code (human readable) is compiled into an executable file (binary machine language), and that is what gets distributed to end users. In order for a debugger to work, it must be running in the development environment, with the source code available. When an error occurs, the program stops and the offending line of code is highlighted in the source.

Regarding time limits - there is no time limit on the version of MA3 which can be downloaded from SereneScreen.com. My test versions which I place on fish-byte.com typically have a 28-day time limit, but are usually replaced before that. A Key Code will work on either one and unlock all the fish, but the temp versions will still have a time limit.

HI Jim,

I bought the program and so the time issue went away - the other now-added fish look great. If some has the debugger, and want to send it to me I am happy to run and delete from my system afterward. No need nor interest in keeping it afterward.

As I have said, it activates and runs just fine, it's only when entering or exiting the Settings Panel that this occurs, which is not very often after the initial set-up.

Otherwise, I linked to the new release page - some of the beta updates....B, C, D....are SCR files, not exe files - how to I point or incorporate those?? Or do I need to wait until you release a new exe version to really use it as a screen saver....

Thanks...

Hi SCA

The "debugger" that Jim uses would only work on his system.

The EXE files are generally a composition of other files.. similar to the contents of a "ZIP" file and when you execute it the thing does what it is designed to do.. typically install or run itself. The SCR files are ready to run.. Jim keeps posting these as zipped "betas" and are ready to go as soon as they are un-zipped. Most (me anyway) have it download into any folder and I have a shortcut to that file on my desktop. When a new beta is available I download.. extract it.. say yes to overwriting the original.. and thus my desktop shortcut still works.

If.. you copy this "scr" file into the windows/system32 folder it will show in your screen saver selection that is available where you would find your other screen savers and can be used just like the rest... until it expires. Essentially this is what the "exe" does or when you right click and say install.

Let's clear up a few points.

1. The time issue was never an issue. The versions downloaded from SereneScreen.com will not expire. The versions downloaded from fish-byte.com will expire after 28 days, Key or no Key.

2. The debugger is part of the entire Visual C development suite. Even if someone sent you an illegal copy, installing it and setting it up would be a major job, and it wouldn't work without the MA3 source code, anyway. Thanks for your offer to help, but the problem would need to happen here on my machine within the development environment, while I try a thousand different things to fix it.

3. Screensavers are .scr files. You can put them anywhere you want on your computer and double-click them to run them, just like an .exe file. You can also put them in your Windows/System32 folder and have them come up automatically as screensavers. The installer is an .exe file which contains both the MarineAquarium3.scr file and some extra code to unpack it and place it in the proper directory. The .zip files on fish-byte.com are just a WinZipped copy of MA3, which you can unpack anywhere you wish on your computer.

(Note: Some of the weird new operating systems, like Vista64, use a different folder from the traditional Windows/System32 for screensavers.)

Using Vista Ultimate x64 and the newest beta of MA3 and have had no crashes at all. I used to have Vista Business x64 which is the same as Vista Ultimate minus a few extra things. No reason why it should work on Ultimate and not Business except for local configuration.

Are you using UAC on Vista?

Hi Mikey,

Yes,, definitely using UAC.. Will try turning off over the weekend and see if the App Crash goes away and let you know. It requires a reboot to turn off and to then turn on, and I have to much open right now....

Hi, Finally rebooted - turned off UAC but it did not seem to make a difference- got this App Crash going into the Windows Screen Saver link from the Personalize window..l

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: MarineAquarium3.scr
Application Version: 0.0.0.3
Application Timestamp: 4a275e53
Fault Module Name: MarineAquarium3.scr
Fault Module Version: 0.0.0.3
Fault Module Timestamp: 4a275e53
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 000068f6
OS Version: 6.0.6002.2.2.0.256.6
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 0d7e
Additional Information 2: a54b787cb67361c2346fdb00971f7f88
Additional Information 3: 3565
Additional Information 4: d8ded49561023649a045190de38734aa

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Very strange indeed. The only other thing I can think of is a software conflict going on. This is often caused by antivirus software or even driver software. Does this happen with any of the beta versions of MA3?

Try booting into safe mode and try accessing the settings panel (obviously the screensaver itself will run poorly if at all in this mode). This will tell us if it is possibly linked to either drivers or a software conflict.

Good luck!