Marine Aquarium (trial version) crashes PC when WIN-TV is activiated

mikeneal · 03-02-2003, 10:36 AM

If Marine Aquarium (trial version) is active AND WIN-TV launches to record a program, the entire PC crashes and WINXP-PRO reboots. My system info:

Processor: GenuineIntel Family 15 Model 2 2.4 GHz Stepping 4
Math Support: Present
BIOS: INTEL - 20020529 BIOS Date: 05/29/02 15:48:51 Ver: 08.00.00 BIOS Date: 05/29/
Bus Type: PCI, ISA, USB
Ports: 1 Parallel, 2 Serial
Memory: 511 MB (25% Utilized)
Floppy Disks: 1.44 MB
Hard Disks: 111.79 GB, 111.76 GB, 111.79 GB, 76.33 GB
Multimedia: Sound, CD-ROM
Video: Processor: GenuineIntel Family 15 Model 2 2.4 GHz Stepping 4
Math Support: Present
BIOS: INTEL - 20020529 BIOS Date: 05/29/02 15:48:51 Ver: 08.00.00 BIOS Date: 05/29/
Bus Type: PCI, ISA, USB
Ports: 1 Parallel, 2 Serial
Memory: 511 MB (25% Utilized)
Floppy Disks: 1.44 MB
Hard Disks: 111.79 GB, 111.76 GB, 111.79 GB, 76.33 GB
Multimedia: Sound, CD-ROM
Video: NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4600 Ver. 6.13

< Operating System >
Windows: 5.1 (Build 2600)
Net Clients:
Microsoft Terminal Services
Microsoft Windows Network
Web Client Network
WIN-TV-PVR - PCI II

feldon34 · 03-02-2003, 11:27 AM

WinTV is competing with the Aquarium for DirectX resources. Can WinTV be programmed to run a task before launching?

Jim Sachs · 03-02-2003, 11:33 AM

Sounds like WinTV doesn't know what to do if the video card is already busy. If the Aquarium tries to launch and the resources are tied up, it simply exits with a message that it couldn't create the DirectDraw Surface. WinTV should handle it the same way.

feldon34 · 03-02-2003, 11:47 AM

/me *hugs* his TiVo.

mikeneal · 03-02-2003, 11:54 AM

Feldon:
Win-TV cannot be programmed to run a task before launching. I presume one would do this to kill the screensaver before the WIN-TV Launch, right?

Jim: It seems like it should be the other way around to me. If a screen saver is running, it should get out of the way of any activity, be it a mouse move or key stroke or of a scheduled task launching. I have several scheduled tasks that run (nightly tape backup for example). If any of them would compete for Direct X resources, as Feldon suggests, they would be gonners, as would the entire system!

I have tested this problem with several other screen savers included with WINXP-PRO and none of the others crash the system, but rather exit when WIN-TV launches for recording a program.

Jim Sachs · 03-02-2003, 03:57 PM

I don't know how this would be done, But maybe Prolific does. Crashing seems like a rather severe reaction to the hardware being busy. It seems kind of like this: When I use the restroom on an airliner, I turn the little knob that displays an "Occupied" sign. I have no idea who looks at that sign while I'm in there, but I assume that they will wait, not jump out of the airplane.

Are you sure that the Aquarium is running as a screensaver when this happens, and not as an app (double-click)?

mikeneal · 03-02-2003, 04:38 PM

Jim:
I have it running as the selected screen saver in windows XP. I did't even know it could be run as an .exe (app). Now, I am talking about the demo version here - I have not bought it yet as I am trying to sort out it's compatability issues.

Jim Sachs · 03-02-2003, 05:27 PM

The demo version is the real version - all it needs is a Key Code to unlock it. This is the main reason we encourage people to download and try it before buying.

Ironically, in the early days of the program, most of the customers had just the opposite complaint -- that nearly everything would kick out the Aqaurium. These have abated since Prolific took over the code. There will soon be a 2.0 version which uses an entirely different code base, so maybe you'll have better luck with that one. In the meantime, I'll ask Prolific about it and report back with any news.

feldon34 · 03-03-2003, 09:58 AM

More details on 2.0 to come... If you purchased the Aquarium between Sept. 2000 and Aug 2001 (before 1.0/1.1) it is, of course, a free upgrade.

mikeneal · 03-05-2003, 09:22 AM

Feldon:
Regarding upgrade to 2.0 when it is available, am I given to understand that if I buy the current version, I will NOT be able to get the free upgrade to 2.0?

feldon34 · 03-05-2003, 11:35 AM

mikeneal,

I hate to tell people to wait, unfortunately it is still being determined how this upgrade will go forward. Hopefully Reichart will reply to this topic.

03-02-2003, 10:36 AM	#1
mikeneal Registered Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: California Posts: 4	Marine Aquarium (trial version) crashes PC when WIN-TV is activiated If Marine Aquarium (trial version) is active AND WIN-TV launches to record a program, the entire PC crashes and WINXP-PRO reboots. My system info: Processor: GenuineIntel Family 15 Model 2 2.4 GHz Stepping 4 Math Support: Present BIOS: INTEL - 20020529 BIOS Date: 05/29/02 15:48:51 Ver: 08.00.00 BIOS Date: 05/29/ Bus Type: PCI, ISA, USB Ports: 1 Parallel, 2 Serial Memory: 511 MB (25% Utilized) Floppy Disks: 1.44 MB Hard Disks: 111.79 GB, 111.76 GB, 111.79 GB, 76.33 GB Multimedia: Sound, CD-ROM Video: Processor: GenuineIntel Family 15 Model 2 2.4 GHz Stepping 4 Math Support: Present BIOS: INTEL - 20020529 BIOS Date: 05/29/02 15:48:51 Ver: 08.00.00 BIOS Date: 05/29/ Bus Type: PCI, ISA, USB Ports: 1 Parallel, 2 Serial Memory: 511 MB (25% Utilized) Floppy Disks: 1.44 MB Hard Disks: 111.79 GB, 111.76 GB, 111.79 GB, 76.33 GB Multimedia: Sound, CD-ROM Video: NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4600 Ver. 6.13 < Operating System > Windows: 5.1 (Build 2600) Net Clients: Microsoft Terminal Services Microsoft Windows Network Web Client Network WIN-TV-PVR - PCI II

03-02-2003, 11:27 AM	#2
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,947	WinTV is competing with the Aquarium for DirectX resources. Can WinTV be programmed to run a task before launching? "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

03-02-2003, 11:33 AM	#3
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,816	Sounds like WinTV doesn't know what to do if the video card is already busy. If the Aquarium tries to launch and the resources are tied up, it simply exits with a message that it couldn't create the DirectDraw Surface. WinTV should handle it the same way. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-02-2003, 11:47 AM	#4
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,947	/me hugs his TiVo. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

03-02-2003, 11:54 AM	#5
mikeneal Registered Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: California Posts: 4	Feldon: Win-TV cannot be programmed to run a task before launching. I presume one would do this to kill the screensaver before the WIN-TV Launch, right? Jim: It seems like it should be the other way around to me. If a screen saver is running, it should get out of the way of any activity, be it a mouse move or key stroke or of a scheduled task launching. I have several scheduled tasks that run (nightly tape backup for example). If any of them would compete for Direct X resources, as Feldon suggests, they would be gonners, as would the entire system! I have tested this problem with several other screen savers included with WINXP-PRO and none of the others crash the system, but rather exit when WIN-TV launches for recording a program. wannabe Marine Aquarium user

03-02-2003, 03:57 PM	#6
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,816	I don't know how this would be done, But maybe Prolific does. Crashing seems like a rather severe reaction to the hardware being busy. It seems kind of like this: When I use the restroom on an airliner, I turn the little knob that displays an "Occupied" sign. I have no idea who looks at that sign while I'm in there, but I assume that they will wait, not jump out of the airplane. Are you sure that the Aquarium is running as a screensaver when this happens, and not as an app (double-click)? Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-02-2003, 04:38 PM	#7
mikeneal Registered Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: California Posts: 4	Jim: I have it running as the selected screen saver in windows XP. I did't even know it could be run as an .exe (app). Now, I am talking about the demo version here - I have not bought it yet as I am trying to sort out it's compatability issues. wannabe Marine Aquarium user

03-02-2003, 05:27 PM	#8
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,816	The demo version is the real version - all it needs is a Key Code to unlock it. This is the main reason we encourage people to download and try it before buying. Ironically, in the early days of the program, most of the customers had just the opposite complaint -- that nearly everything would kick out the Aqaurium. These have abated since Prolific took over the code. There will soon be a 2.0 version which uses an entirely different code base, so maybe you'll have better luck with that one. In the meantime, I'll ask Prolific about it and report back with any news. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-03-2003, 09:58 AM	#9
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,947	More details on 2.0 to come... If you purchased the Aquarium between Sept. 2000 and Aug 2001 (before 1.0/1.1) it is, of course, a free upgrade. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

03-05-2003, 09:22 AM	#10
mikeneal Registered Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: California Posts: 4	Feldon: Regarding upgrade to 2.0 when it is available, am I given to understand that if I buy the current version, I will NOT be able to get the free upgrade to 2.0? wannabe Marine Aquarium user

03-05-2003, 11:35 AM	#11
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,947	mikeneal, I hate to tell people to wait, unfortunately it is still being determined how this upgrade will go forward. Hopefully Reichart will reply to this topic. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman