Strange error message

[jyturbo]

I have been using GameEx for years but I got a new pc and just downloaded and installed GameEx from the website. I cannot even get it to run to the title screen. Here is my error log: Any help would be greatly appreciated.

14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  Opening Configuration File
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  GameEx: Version 12.78: Starting Log
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  Operating System Platform: Win32NT
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  Operating System Name: Windows 7
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  Operating System Version: 6.1.7601
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  Aero NOT running
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  Initializing Vista/Windows 7 volume control
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  Getting CPU and RAM info
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-2120 CPU @ 3.30GHz, 6124MB
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  3.29Ghz - 4 Cores or CPU's
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  Running Randomize()
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  Loading PlugIns
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  Checking for applications to Launch On Startup
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  Running Misc startup tasks
14:41:07.8  8/7/2012:  Setting Menu types
14:41:07.9  8/7/2012:  Getting Configuration Values
14:41:07.9  8/7/2012:  --**--
14:41:07.9  8/7/2012:  Error: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
14:41:07.9  8/7/2012:	 at GameEx.GameEx.mainform.a(Boolean A_0, String A_1, Boolean A_2)
14:41:07.9  8/7/2012:	 at GameEx.GameEx.mainform..ctor()
14:41:07.9  8/7/2012:  Disposing Plugins
14:41:07.9  8/7/2012:  GameEx is exiting with errors
14:41:07.9  8/7/2012:  Deleting search cache
14:41:07.9  8/7/2012:  ERRORS DETECTED: EXITING
14:41:08.0  8/7/2012:  Bye

Again this is a brand new install and I can't get past this when I try to launch.

[Adultery]

Do you have a GameEx.ini?

[jyturbo]

I seem to be making a little progress. I looked for the GameEx.ini (which I think is the cfg file??) I made a copy of my old setup from my pld pc and copied it to the new computer. Still not opening but here is my error message now:

15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Opening Configuration File
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  GameEx: Version 12.78: Starting Log
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Operating System Platform: Win32NT
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Operating System Name: Windows 7
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Operating System Version: 6.1.7601
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Aero NOT running
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Initializing Vista/Windows 7 volume control
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Getting CPU and RAM info
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-2120 CPU @ 3.30GHz, 6124MB
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  3.29Ghz - 4 Cores or CPU's
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Running Randomize()
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Loading PlugIns
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Checking for applications to Launch On Startup
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Running Misc startup tasks
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Setting Menu types
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Getting Configuration Values
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Using Theme: Default - BlueEx - MCE1024x768
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Checking for alternate Image Directory for Theme: Default - BlueEx - MCE1024x768
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Launching HideOS.exe
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Initialising Video/MNG DLL's
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  GameEx will check for media insertion (may affect performance)
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Hiding Taskbar
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Is Media Center running?
15:50:55.0  8/7/2012:  Checking/Creating LCD Registry values
15:50:55.1  8/7/2012:  Check Media Center Exit/Start Mode
15:50:55.1  8/7/2012:  Media Center Mode 2
15:50:55.1  8/7/2012:  Video previews on. Warning: Only recommended on modern systems
15:50:55.1  8/7/2012:  Snap Delay set to: 2
15:50:55.1  8/7/2012:  Get other settings
15:50:55.1  8/7/2012:  Desktop set to Hide ICONS and set Background to Black
15:50:55.1  8/7/2012:  Set: Find emulator artwork on best match basis
15:50:55.1  8/7/2012:  Start work for Form
15:50:55.1  8/7/2012:  Getting Original Screen Size
15:50:55.1  8/7/2012:  Opening Database Connection
15:50:55.7  8/7/2012:  Initializing Component
15:50:55.7  8/7/2012:  MAME Path is: C:\Emulators\Mame32
15:50:55.8  8/7/2012:  MAME EXE file is: Mame32.exe
15:50:55.8  8/7/2012:  Cannot Find Mame.exe
15:50:55.8  8/7/2012:  Searching for MAME executable..
15:50:55.8  8/7/2012:  Found MameUI32.exe. Setting.
15:50:55.8  8/7/2012:  Invalid ROM Path:
15:50:55.8  8/7/2012:  Loading Controls.ini map file
15:50:55.8  8/7/2012:  Applying Language/Text
15:50:55.8  8/7/2012:  Text/Language: English
15:50:55.8  8/7/2012:  Loading Language/Text
15:50:55.9  8/7/2012:  Loading Custom Emulators
15:50:55.9  8/7/2012:  Using 2D Animations
15:50:55.9  8/7/2012:  Retrieving resolution setting
15:50:56.0  8/7/2012:  Using General Font: Trebuchet MS
15:50:56.0  8/7/2012:  Using Title Font: Joystix
15:50:56.0  8/7/2012:  GameEx will try to reduce CPU usage
15:50:56.1  8/7/2012:  Initialising Direct3D
15:50:56.2  8/7/2012:  Applying GameEx is Loading Image
15:50:56.3  8/7/2012:  Setting Resolution to 1024x768 32 bit color
15:50:56.3  8/7/2012:  Creating Surfaces
15:50:57.1  8/7/2012:  Creating Primary Surface - Full Screen Mode
15:50:57.1  8/7/2012:  Creating Back Buffer
15:50:57.1  8/7/2012:  Loading graphic Surfaces
15:50:57.1  8/7/2012:  Display is running at: 1024x768 32bit color, 85hz
15:50:57.1  8/7/2012:  Adapter: ATI Radeon HD 5670
15:50:57.1  8/7/2012:  Max texture size: 16384x16384
15:50:57.1  8/7/2012:  Available texture memory: 736MB
15:50:57.1  8/7/2012:  Initialising Bass Audio Library
15:50:57.2  8/7/2012:  Creating Surfaces Misc and Dialogs
15:50:57.3  8/7/2012:  --**--
15:50:57.3  8/7/2012:  Error: Parameter is not valid.
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:	 at System.Drawing.Bitmap..ctor(String filename)
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:	 at Direct2D.Direct2d.Surface.a(String A_0, Device A_1)
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:	 at Direct2D.Direct2d.Surface..ctor(String Filename, Device Device)
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:	 at GameEx.GameEx.mainform.e(Boolean A_0, Boolean A_1, Boolean A_2)
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:	 at GameEx.GameEx.mainform.a(Boolean A_0, Boolean A_1, Boolean A_2, Boolean A_3, Int32 A_4, Int32 A_5, Int32 A_6, Boolean A_7, Boolean A_8)
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:	 at GameEx.GameEx.mainform.a(Boolean A_0, Boolean A_1, Boolean A_2, Boolean A_3, Int32 A_4, Int32 A_5, Int32 A_6, Boolean A_7)
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:	 at GameEx.GameEx.mainform.a(Boolean A_0, Boolean A_1, Boolean A_2, Boolean A_3, Int32 A_4, Int32 A_5, Int32 A_6)
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:	 at GameEx.GameEx.mainform.f(Boolean A_0, Boolean A_1, Boolean A_2)
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:	 at GameEx.GameEx.mainform.a(Boolean A_0, String A_1, Boolean A_2)
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:	 at GameEx.GameEx.mainform..ctor()
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:  Closing database connection
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:  Disposing Plugins
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:  GameEx is exiting with errors
15:50:57.4  8/7/2012:  Deleting search cache
15:50:57.8  8/7/2012:  ERRORS DETECTED: EXITING
15:50:57.9  8/7/2012:  Bye

[u-man]

GameEx is as far as i know, not portable. you can NOT copy GameEx from one location to another and expect that it will work. on your new pc, i would get rid off of all the Game-Ex installations you have and start with a new, clean and fresh GameEx.

after this, start "SetupWizard.exe" (its inside the GameEx folder) and configure your GameEx to your likes.

in your first post it seems that nothing was configured and in your second post, you screw up GameEx, by copy or over-install or mixed up different versions of GameEx.

f.e. your rom path is not defined, etc.

[Tom Speirs]

It looks like you are missing an image file. Installing GameEx over the top of your copied installation should fix the issue.

[Tom Speirs]

If its not that, I notice Aero is not running which could indicate that video drivers aer not installed correctly.

[jyturbo]

OK, I got this issue resolved. I uninstalled everything and I had saved an older version of the gameex setup (ver 12.55). I installed that and it worked fine. I dropped in my old config file and all of my emulators are working fine. Then I let GameEx do the auto update and it all works! Not sure why I was getting this when I tried to download a new copy of GameEx. But it doesn't really matter to me now since it is working fine.

Tom - Awesome product, but I did notice that Aero is not running and I didn't recall seeing that before in my log file. You think it could be a video card issue and I did seem to have some problems when installing my video card so I will try to re-install those drivers. I have no idea what that is..... Anyways, thanks for the help!!

[u-man]

if Aero is not running, i would say its a direct X driver thing. maybe you have a outdated direct x installed.

[Tom Speirs]

If GameEx is working you probably just have to change the theme to windows 7/aero (right click on desktop). Its normal for it not to be turned on with new installs.

Edited September 26, 2012 by Draco1962
This thread is now closed. If the problem re-occurs, please start a new thread.