I could reproduce on the desktop too, just took longer for me (and sorry Mike the pinemhi exe rename didn't work for me)
My log ending before i killed PinballX;
11:11:53.24 06/12/2024: Launch System
11:11:53.24 06/12/2024: Hide DMD
11:11:53.24 06/12/2024: Hide Backglass
11:11:53.24 06/12/2024: Waiting for threads
11:11:53.27 06/12/2024: Disposing display
11:11:53.37 06/12/2024: Set Plugin data
11:11:53.63 06/12/2024: C:\Visual Pinball\VPinballX64_RC6_GL.exe /play -"C:\Visual Pinball\Tables\24 (Stern 2009).vpx"
11:11:53.66 06/12/2024: C:\PinballX32\vpauto.exe
11:12:02.01 06/12/2024: Visual Pinball Player window foreground: 8
11:12:02.74 06/12/2024: Found PinMAME ROM: twenty4_150
11:12:15.35 06/12/2024: Exit System Control Pressed
11:12:18.16 06/12/2024: Created DirectX BackGlass Window
11:12:18.17 06/12/2024: Created DirectX DMD Window
11:12:18.76 06/12/2024: Main display running full screen windowed.
11:12:25.69 06/12/2024: Launch System
11:12:25.69 06/12/2024: Hide DMD
11:12:25.69 06/12/2024: Hide Backglass
11:12:25.70 06/12/2024: Waiting for threads
11:12:25.74 06/12/2024: Disposing display
11:12:25.88 06/12/2024: Set Plugin data
11:12:26.14 06/12/2024: C:\Visual Pinball\VPinballX64_RC6_GL.exe /play -"C:\Visual Pinball\Tables\24 (Stern 2009).vpx"
11:12:26.15 06/12/2024: C:\PinballX32\vpauto.exe
From the log it looks like when PinballX hung it hadn't recognised the Visual Pinball Player window after the table had loaded (so it hung and was still showing the Loading screen behind VPX).
In task manager the visual pinball player process was present though, just for some reason PinballX hadn't seen it;
@Tom Speirs Any ideas?
Edit - I haven't seen the problem at with DX or GL versions of VPX RC6 when used under 'Other Systems' with the 'System Type' set to 'Custom' instead of 'Visual Pinball' (as PinballX doesn't then do any foreground window checks etc for VP so that makes sense). It's of no use to people who have all VPX tables under the main Visual Pinball system entry, but if you use Other Systems then it might be worth a go.