[RESOLVED] GroovyUME 0.147 random crashes on game start

[repetto74]

Hi,

I am posting here on the Gameex forum even if I am not sure the problem is coming from it.

I am using GroovyUME 0.147 with Gameex into a mamecab. This is working really good but sometimes after a game start (usually as of the second game selected), screen will turn to black and I can hear the game sound throttle going up very fast like a tape rewind and then it will go back to the gameex menu. Any action on the control panel buttons and joysticks will have no effect and the only way to get out is hit the ESC to go back to the desktop.
From the time this issue pops up it will come back again for any game I want to run until I turn off the system and back on.

I did not have this problem before and remember running gameex and GroovyUME for hours without any issue. I just remember having disabled some of the XP services to speed up boot and shut down processes so maybe something is wrong with that...

I have enclosed the Gameex.ini and the log.txt

Anyone had the same problem???
Cheers
Rick

GameEx.ini

log.txt

[Draco1962]

Have you run into the same issues when running the same game ROMS via GroovyUME outside of GameEx? Does it appear to be happening randomly (not always the same ROM selected and not always at the same time or sequence)?

[repetto74]

Hi,

I suspect it is not really random. When Gameex is loaded on the first mamecab boot up, the first game selected will play fine. Then as of the second game selected (whatever game is) the issue will pop up once the game loaded.

I will try to run a game from the game.bat command and revert..

[repetto74]

HI,

I have tried to play some games directly from the GroovyUME UI and confirm no issue. All games selected play fine.

[repetto74]

Any ideas on this issue?

[Draco1962]

Per Tempest's troubleshooting instructions Please post your "Run Last Game" or "Runitgame.bat"

Every once in awhile, someone will ask to post the contents of "Runitgame.bat" RunitGame.bat, Is the batch file that GameEx uses to start the emulator, it will show the actual command lines that GameEx is using to start the emulator.

To view it, Go to: Start Menu > Program Files > GameEx > Utilities> Run Last Game, and Right click on the icon, and choose "Edit". If Windows wants to know what program to use to open the file, Choose "Select a Program From a List of Installed Programs" Choose "Notepad" from the list. (You may want to make sure that "Use This Program Everytime" is checked.)

Copy and paste the text from Notepad into your next post, by using the keys:
Ctrl + "A" (select all)
Ctrl + "C" (copy)
Ctrl + "V" (paste)

[repetto74]

Hi,

Sorry for the late reply. I made some testing but unfortunately I am still having this really annoying issue as explained above.

What I can say is that :

-The issue will pop up when a second game is loaded from the Mamelist (whatever the game is) and I have then to quit Gameex.

-Running Gameex again after a crash will not solve the issue and the first mame game loaded will fail after a few seconds

-Shutting off and turning on the system again will make me play only the first game selected then back to trouble as of the second game selected

-Changing the Gameex Theme will not resolve the problem nor deleting the cache files

-The issue is affecting only Mame emulator as I tried to launch several Laserdisc games with Daphne and they all play fine (I am currently running the GroovyUME 0.147)

-Running games directly from the Mame built-in GUI will work good

So for an unknown reason Gameex is forcing Mame to exit during gameplay....

Below the runitgame of the last game

@ECHO OFF

C:

CD "C:\Groovyume147"

mess.exe galaga88 -rompath "C:\1Roms147" -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo

[Tom Speirs]

Please check if mess.exe (not sure why this is mess and not mame.exe) is still running in task manager.

[repetto74]

Hi,

When a crash occurs and I exit from Gameex to the Windows desktop I can see that the task manager is blank under the "processes" tab. So I assume nothing is running in the background...

The executable is named mess because this is a compiled version including both the mame and the mess emulation all in one.

[repetto74]

Below is the last part of the log where you can see what Gameex is doing when the first game is launched and then when the second game is selected

I think the problem is where I highlighted in Bold....

************************************************************************************************

12:43:07.2 4/16/2013: Running: cmd.exe /c C: C:\Groovyume147\mess.exe zaviga -rompath C:\1Roms147 -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo

12:43:07.3 4/16/2013: Shutting down display

12:50:11.7 4/16/2013: Exiting game

12:50:12.1 4/16/2013: Shutting down RawInput Hook

12:50:12.1 4/16/2013: Writing MAME stats

12:50:12.2 4/16/2013: Plugin: Game Exit

12:50:12.2 4/16/2013: Plugin: Process Commands

12:50:12.3 4/16/2013: Restoring Window

12:50:12.3 4/16/2013: Reinitializing Graphics System

12:50:13.4 4/16/2013: Returning to GameEx

12:50:45.6 4/16/2013: Setting Up RawInput Hook

12:50:45.6 4/16/2013: Launching RawInputHook.exe

12:50:46.7 4/16/2013: Running: cmd.exe /c C: C:\Groovyume147\mess.exe youjyudn -rompath C:\1Roms147 -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo

12:50:46.8 4/16/2013: Shutting down display

12:51:09.9 4/16/2013: Exiting game

12:51:10.3 4/16/2013: Shutting down RawInput Hook

12:51:10.3 4/16/2013: Writing MAME stats

12:51:10.4 4/16/2013: Plugin: Game Exit

12:51:10.4 4/16/2013: Plugin: Process Commands

12:51:10.5 4/16/2013: Restoring Window

12:51:10.5 4/16/2013: Reinitializing Graphics System

12:51:10.5 4/16/2013: Warning: Display is running in full screen compatibility mode.

12:51:11.1 4/16/2013: 21 Consecutive Exceptions Occured

12:51:11.1 4/16/2013: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

12:51:11.2 4/16/2013: at Direct2D.Direct2d.Device.BeginScene(Boolean Clear, Color ClearColour)

12:51:11.2 4/16/2013: at GameEx.GameEx.mainform.c(Boolean A_0)

12:51:11.2 4/16/2013: at GameEx.GameEx.mainform.d4()

12:51:11.2 4/16/2013: Trying reinitialising the display after sleeping for 4 seconds

12:51:11.2 4/16/2013: Exception count will be dropped to 15

12:51:31.7 4/16/2013: Exiting GameEx!

12:51:31.7 4/16/2013: Disposing all videos

12:51:31.7 4/16/2013: Deleting temporary Karaoke videos

12:51:31.7 4/16/2013: Disposing Image List

12:51:31.7 4/16/2013: Disposing Fonts

12:51:31.7 4/16/2013: Disposing Surfaces

12:51:31.7 4/16/2013: Saving Settings

12:51:31.7 4/16/2013: Shutting down Bass

12:51:31.8 4/16/2013: Closing HideOS.exe

12:51:32.0 4/16/2013: Disposing Plugins

12:51:32.0 4/16/2013: Disposing Plugins

12:51:32.0 4/16/2013: Closing database connection

12:51:32.0 4/16/2013: Checking for applications to Launch On Exit

12:51:32.0 4/16/2013: Bye

[repetto74]

I Have made again some extra testing and notices that changing the Gameex theme will solve the problem for a certain period of time then the issue is back again.

I will try another built of Groovymame and revert...

[repetto74]

Hi again,

Switching to another built of Mame will have no effect. Same problem

This issue is for sure Gameex related. I tried to run Mame from it's built in GUI and all games play fine!

I asked to the creator of the GroovyMame built and he told me this could be a video issue where Groovymame is loosing the exclusive access to the screen. There is somewhere a video screen conflict between Gameex and GroovyMame or with any other application which kicks in and crashes Mame...

Any idea???

[Draco1962]

Can you please provide your log files from the other MAME build? Also, is the other MAME build and authorized build from MAMEDev or modified?

[repetto74]

It's the GroovyMAME built (so not official) optimized for mamecab running a CRT original monitor.

I am 100% sure both GroovyMAME and GroovyUME were working perfectly before. If they are run from their GUI no problem at all.

I made some more testing and find out that the crash will kicks in after a certain amount of time whatever the number of games run in between will be.

When Mame exits I am taken back to the Gameex Menu...sometimes I can still scroll up and down the menu and sometimes the menu is stuck and I need to quit to the desktop. What I noticed is also that the Win XP desktop is somewhat corrupted after the crash....for example I cannot grab and slide the icons on the desktop.

Here enclosed the log using the GroovyMame built

log.txt

[repetto74]

If this may help, note that I set the gameex screensaver to run Mame games randomly and they all play fine...

[nullPointer]

In addition to the log, I'd be interested to see whether GroovyMAME is providing any additional information in the form of an error message. Do you encounter any issues when running directly from Run Last Game (i.e. runitgame.bat)? You may be able to determine whether GroovyMAME encounters any errors by following the steps delineated in Step B (specifically the part about adding a pause to runitgame.bat). It might turn up nothing, but if your game(s) runs fine from runitgame.bat, it would lend additional evidence suggesting that GroovyMAME simply isn't getting along with GameEx.

4. "Run Last Game",or "RunitGame.bat"

It is important that the last emulator run in GameEx is the one that you are having problems with!

A. Post your "Run Last Game" or "Runitgame.bat"

Every once in awhile, someone will ask to post the contents of "Runitgame.bat" RunitGame.bat, Is the batch file that GameEx uses to start the emulator, it will show the actual command lines that GameEx is using to start the emulator. To view it, Go to: Start Menu > Program Files > GameEx > Utilities> Run Last Game, and Right click on the icon, and choose "Edit". If Windows wants to know what program to use to open the file, Choose "Select a Program From a List of Installed Programs" Choose "Notepad" from the list. (You may want to make sure that "Use This Program Everytime" is checked.)

Copy and paste the text from Notepad into your next post, by using the keys:
Ctrl + "A" (select all)
Ctrl + "C" (copy)
Ctrl + "V" (paste)


B. Troubleshooting with "Run Last Game"

Follow the instuctions above to open "runitgame.bat" It will look something like this, however, the contents will vary depending on the last emulator that was run in GameEx.

@ECHO OFF

C:
CD "C:\Program Files\Mame0127"
mame.exe 005 -rompath "D:\Mame 0.128 roms"

One way to troubleshoot a problem is to add the word "Pause" at the end of the Runitgame.bat file. When Windows asks "Do you want to save the changes..." Click on "Save". Next, double click on the "Run Last Game" Icon in the Start Menu. This will send the commands again, but the command window will remain open. It may show an error that will help you to understand what is wrong.

If you get this error:
'Emulator name.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.
It means that either you have the incorrect name specified for your Emulator.exe, or your working path is incorrect.

If it gives an error that you don't understand, please let us know that you tried this method, and let us know what the error is.

[fRequEnCy]

Hi,

When a crash occurs and I exit from Gameex to the Windows desktop I can see that the task manager is blank under the "processes" tab. So I assume nothing is running in the background...

The executable is named mess because this is a compiled version including both the mame and the mess emulation all in one.

This part is what bothers me. How can the task manager be blank? It should show some processes! Important ones that windows needs to run. First thought is that your OS is having issues due to maybe the tweaks that were made mentioned by the OP.

[Draco1962]

@repetto74 - I would still like to see you test running the same ROMs against a "vanilla" MAME install of the same build. I am not entirely convinced that the issue is necessarily GameEx.

We support and recommend that the members utilize official builds, and while I don't have a problem with trying to lend advice regarding running unofficial builds, I hope you understand that we may be limited in what we can do for you to resolve your issue without some concrete information.

[Tom Speirs]

Please try the attached. (Be sure to post the log).

If it does not work please provide the URL for the exact build you are using. I've tested with UME.

GameEx.7z

[repetto74]

Hi,

Thank you all for your kind help.

@fRequenCy

Sorry my mistake. The applications Tab is blank not the processes one (in which I can see a lot of processes running)

@Draco

What do you mean by "Vanilla" Mame? Is this another non official build? Where can I find a built for the 0.147? I can maybe give it a try...

@Tom Speirs

I have downloaded and run your Gameex executable. When I double click on the icon nothing really happen, is that normal? Is this just a patch? Note that I am running Gameex 12.98 (I did not upgraded to the latest).

Anyway I run this patch but the issue is still here. I enclosed the log...

My mame build is here : https://code.google.com/p/groovyarcade/downloads/list

groovymame32_0147u3.014.rar

groovyume32_0147u3.014.rar

I will test now the Runitgame.bat with the "pause" command and post the result....

log.txt

[Tom Speirs]

Hi, it is not a patch it is a replacement gameex.exe. Extract and replace gameex.exe in the gameex folder.

[repetto74]

Hi,

I run the last game who failed through Gameex using the Runitgame.bat and it was playing fine...

[repetto74]

Hi Tom,

Replacing your executable with the original one will not solve the issue...still the same crash.

Log is enclosed...

I am trying now to set up Gameex with the official Mame built 0.147...let's see what happens...

log.txt

[repetto74]

Hi,

I am using now the official MAME 0.147 built and unfortunately no changes

The first game loaded will play fine then when I exit to gameex and select another game it will run for a few seconds then mame exits and back to Gameex. Any game selected will do the same. All those builds will work fine if used directly without the frontend.

In gameex I can run a mame game through the screensaver without any problem. There is really something wrong when executing mame from the game list I think...

It's a pity..

[Tom Speirs]

Hi Tom,

Replacing your executable with the original one will not solve the issue...still the same crash.

Log is enclosed...

I am trying now to set up Gameex with the official Mame built 0.147...let's see what happens...

I don't see an error in that log and its doing what I meant it to do. It must be an issue with your windows build.