SSF and DT Loading Issues

[Zyon2323]

jombee, I have the exact thing happening when I try to run SSF. I've been paying close attention to this thread. My log and ini look identical to yours but SSF keeps closing. I'm going to try to revert back to an older version of GameEx to see if that works. Like you, I have the newest right now and I'm also on windows 7 64 too. This is very strange, I feel like Ive eliminated everything except reverting back to an older version. If that works, I guess I'll stay there till this is figured out.

Edit: Just a question, where can I find older versions of GameEx to download?

[RedDog]

Hey Zyon2323,

Older versions of GameEx are not archived on the GameEx site. However, I think it's likely one of the admins might be willing to help you out.

On a related note, recently I set up SSF for the first time in response to this post. I used Adultry's Virtual Drive Loader plugin instead of batch files. You might consider giving that a try.

Alternately, if you want to stay with batch files, would you mind posting an example of a game that was attempted (gameex.ini, log.txt, custom batch files, game file name and game file location)? I am also running Windows 7 64-bit with Daemon Tools Lite and would be willing to be another set of eyes to look at the problem. I will try to set it up on my rig to see what happens.

[Zyon2323]

I am not using Batch files. I've tried using the virtual loader with DT and with VCD and I even tried without the virtual drive with the start before and after command lines. I confirmed the iso was loaded in the history plus I think SSF would just show the saturn screen till I decided to exit if it wasn't mounted right. I also confirmed the games work outside GameEx. For some reason it is simply starting it and closing right away. I included the files from my last run using the settings from the post. I guess I'll just be without saturn goodness till this is ironed out or someone can share an older GameEx with me. Thanks for all the help from everyone here, I definitely appreciate it. This is just weird quirk, I guess.

GameEx.ini

log.txt

[RedDog]

Hi Zyon2323,

 

Your setup is actually different from jombee's in that he is using batch files. Please do me a favor and provide me with some additional information:

- What version of SSF are you using (for example, I am using SSF_012_beta_R4)?

- What settings are you using for the Saturn emulator in Virtual Drive Loader?

- Please also post your SSF.ini file from the SSf directory

- Lastly, please give me the name of a game that will work outside of GameEx, but fails when run from GameEx. Give me the full file name and location of the file on your PC.

[Draco1962]

All - I went ahead and split this from Jombee's thread as the issues, while similar, are different in that Zyon2323 is not using batch files and should be researched separately.

[Zyon2323]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I am at work right now so I can't post any files but what I will do is list all the things I have tried. it's okay if you make this a separate thread but I think the problem me and Jombee are having are similar and I believe may be the same thing. so I have been trying to eliminate different factors to try and pinpoint what it is. And because of that I am NOT using the virtual loader but I'm using the run before and run after commands. I have confirmed that the ISO is loading the virtual drive. I wonder if someone could do me a favor to totally rule the virtual drive out? Could someone mess up their virtual drive command line on purposes and tell me if the SSF programs quits on them? Because outside of gameeX if an ISO isn't loaded then the Saturn emulator simply stays on with the title screen, it doesn't close. I see no reason why it would close in gameex if the virtual drive isn't loaded properly.

I also have that newest version of SSF, but I have also tried the older version too just to rule that out.

I tried running the exact command line from the gameex.ini in the Windows run and it boots SSF fine.

I tried uninstalling gameex and reinstalling.

When running through gameex, it shows the controller jpeg then I can see SSF starting in background, then it goes black and returns to gameex. It just seems that something is killing it at that point. Exactly like if you would press esc at that point.

I tried messing in the advance config too. Using the mapping off / process close one. I put in to wait for ssf process.

I tried pointing to ssfa.exe instead.

I ran the debugger.

That's all I can think of right now. None of these worked. I can post some files when I get home later, but it seems it's either a gameex background function closing it or not letting it fully boot. Then it's reading that SSF is closed and bringing the gameex game page back up. 

[Adultery]

Can you try moving ssf.ini and your settings.ini files out of the SSF folder and see if it works then? Just to eliminate your settings?

Also can you verify your DirectX is up to date if you haven't already?

[Zyon2323]

Good idea. But, just tried it, didn't work.

 

Now I totally uninstalled GameEx deleted all files (kept backups though) and installed a totally clean install with one emulator(the SSF ver0.12 beta R4). Used the virtual drive plugin and confirmed in VCD history that it loaded the ISOs. The Same thing is happening. I included the ini and log from the latest run.

I also confirmed everything is running great outside of GameEx. Whichever ISO I pick.

 

I was wondering if someone could upload their .ini from a windows 7 64 user that has SSF working in GameEx so I could compare it with my settings.

 

I'm on Direct X 11

log.txt

GameEx.ini

[Zyon2323]

Would it matter if my OS is on the C: drive and I have GameEx installed on the F: drive? I'm picking at straws at this point.

[RedDog]

Would it matter if my OS is on the C: drive and I have GameEx installed on the F: drive? I'm picking at straws at this point.

Nope. As long as your pathing in the GameEx setup is correct, that should not be an issue.

[RedDog]

Hey Zyon2323,

 

Your configuration shows that the Virtual Drive Loader plugin is installed, but is also disabled. Also, if you were using that plugin along with Daemon Tools, your executable line would read:

SSF.exe [DTLOADER]     or    SSF.exe [DTOOLS]

   instead of

SSF.exe[-VIRTUALDRIVE-]

 

What you are using is one of the commands for GameEx's integrated image mounting, [-VIRTUALDRIVE-]. I have not used integrated image mounting as my mounting solution as Daamon Tools Lite is usually what I set up; and then while setting up one of the other emulators, I came across Adultry's Virtual Drive Loader which worked just fine.

 

If you are interested in trying the Virtual Drive Loader plugin, enable it in the Setup Plugins screen and then configure it per the instructions on the web page. If it still does not work, please give the DT Loader files located in this recent post a try as well (I don't think Adultry integrated this update into the official build yet). Of course, if one of these setups does work, please let us know.

 

As a side note, I have now set up SSF_012_beta_R4 on two Windows 7 64bit machines using Daemon Tools Lite 10.2.0 and the Virtual Drive Loader plugin. However, I do now realize that I ended up using the newer DT loader files from the post.

 

 

I have been tinkering with the GameEx integrated iso support and I am getting the feeling that there very well could be a compatibility issue with it and recent versions of Daemon Tools Lite. I have messaged Tom on this.

[Adultery]

Oh, I hadn't realized that I hadn't put that version out yet. I'll put this out as a stable build soon(although its internally marked as one). Good catch!

[Zyon2323]

I figured out what is killing it!!! I might need help in solving the problem though.

Here's what happened...

I was doing all kinds different configurations to try and get this to run, even having GameEx run a .bat file that would run SSF. Same results. Then one time I was running SSF outside GameEx and it closed. So what happened? Here my screen refreshed because I have an HDMI out connected to the computer and my wife turned it on. When it's turned on the screen refreshes. When it refreshes, it kills SSF. So it must be when GameEx switches resolution or refreshes the screen or whatever it does, that's when SSF closes.

I'm using an AMD Radeon HD 7700 running Catalyst Control Center.

So, what can I try to fix this?

[RedDog]

Zyon2323,

If your believe your premise is true, run GameEx and SSF in Windowed mode with theGameEx Hide Desktop parameter set to No. That should be enough to launch the program without causing video changes. See if it crashes. Hopefully that is not it, because that means your issue is related to the video driver or Windows.

Be aware that some programs just don't like resolution changes while they are running and may crash or stall. You may have found the issue or you may just have found another instance where a crash occurs.

[Draco1962]

It might be good to know the resolution of the monitor and what resolution you are attempting to us for SSF.

[Zyon2323]

1 hour ago, RedDog said:

Zyon2323,

If your believe your premise is true, run GameEx and SSF in Windowed mode with theGameEx Hide Desktop parameter set to No. That should be enough to launch the program without causing video changes. See if it crashes. Hopefully that is not it, because that means your issue is related to the video driver or Windows.

Be aware that some programs just don't like resolution changes while they are running and may crash or stall. You may have found the issue or you may just have found another instance where a crash occurs.

Okay I tried this to no avail. But I got some new info. I turned off all mounting in the gameex setup then mounted an image. I started gameex in the windowed mode and still crashes. So while gameex was running in a window I went to my SSF folder and tried to run SSF. It would pop up and close. I tried a couple times. Then I closed the gameex running in the window, and SSF ran fine. So it seems while gameex is running at all that emulator refuses to run. It must be some game ex background function that is refusing to let it run on my computer.

[RedDog]

Zyon2323,

I will need some help from you. It is good that you feel comfortable trying things out, but I am having some difficulty keeping up with the things you are doing. I would appreciate it if you would slow down so we can take this step by step. That would mean taking the instructions and reporting back what you have done, what the results were, how the files look now, etc etc.

Now, I have two Windows 7 64-bit PCs running Daemon Tools Lite, GameEx, and SSF without the issues you are having. It is difficult for me to believe that there is a blanket issue related to GameEx when my two PCs work without a problem. I don't know why SSF acted the way it did in your test above. I would not rule out a GameEx cause, but that is a worse case scenario since it would most likely mean that it is a problem specific to your PC. Hopefully that isn't it . . . so if you are willing to continue, I would like to start with confirming that the config in GameEx, SSF, and possibly Daemon Tools is good and then make any adjustments as needed.

Here is what I would like to see:

• If you still have the Virtual Drive Loader plugin installed, please give me the parameters you have set up for SSF. If you do not, please install it using the files from the link in this post and these instructions.
• With Daemon Tools Lite running, manually mount an image. Then go into the SSF options and make sure CD Drive is set to DiscSoftVirtual. Unmount the image.
• Reconfigure GameEx for SSF using Virtual Drive Loader and attempt to run a game.
• Repost the gamex.ini and GameEx log.txt
• Post the SSF.ini and Settings.ini from SSF
• Post the runitgame.bat from the GameEx\Data directory . . . (you will have to zip this to post it)
• Post the lastmount.bat from the GameEx\Plugins\DT Loader directory . . . (you will have to zip this to post it)
• From previous posts, you stated you are using SSF_012_beta_R4. If that has changed, please let me know what you are using.
• From previous posts, you stated you are using Deamon Tools Lite 10.2.0. If that has changed, please let me know what you are using.
• I assume your GameEx is at 14.43. If not, please update before testing.
• Also, is your PC up to date?

I know it's a lot of stuff to ask for, but I am trying to cover everything I can think of.

Also, for the time being, please hold off on your own troubleshooting until we have a config that I believe should work.

Thanks.

[Zyon2323]

Ok, sorry for going a million miles a minute, but I've been trying tons of things to narrow down the problem and I haven't had time to type it all. I think I narrowed the problem down, but it's something beyond my pay grade. I have tried everything suggested, and I'm 99% sure it has nothing to do with the Iso loading. I'm going to insert a video to show what is happening, Here's what is going on:

SSF opens fine.
Then I run Gameex in a window.
Obviously I try to start it with Gameex, SSF crashes.
Now with Gameex running, SSF won't even open outside Gameex. Just starts verysmall and crashes.
1:55 - Now I run SSF first and leave it running while opening Gameex.
If opened first SSF stays running. I can even close it and open it again without crashing.
Plus, it works fine in Gameex now, if I run it through it. And you can see the Iso loading fine.
Now if I would close everything down and run Gameex first again, SSF would crash if opened after, In and outside Gameex.

I have the latest Gameex, win 7 64 all updated, and latest video drivers. I'm using the newest SSF, but It does the same with any older version I try.  Also, I have been using V Clone Drive because Deamon has feed back in their software. I have tried it though, when it was suggested. This seems like bug, but not sure what info I can give to squash it cause it seems others with the same setup have it working. I'm going to run Windows Debugger on SSF and I guess post the results later.

Thanks to all who are reading and offer help. I would love to try an older version of Game ex if someone would send it to me, just to see if that would make a difference.

 

GameEx.mp4

[Draco1962]

Did you follow the detailed instructions that RedDog posted and provide him with the requested files noted in the steps?  

[Zyon2323]

2 hours ago, Draco1962 said:

Did you follow the detailed instructions that RedDog posted and provide him with the requested files noted in the steps?  

I have followed the instructions posted here and the ones linked also. A lot of it is concerning loading the ISOs. I'm thinking that's a dead end, I've used all methods of mounting, different mounting programs and different command lines in Gameex. Most of which should have worked and a lot of them I confirmed worked. I will post the files requested, It's just been taking a lot of time to get everything straight. My last run has been using the Before and after Command lines and I confirm it loaded correctly by running only when SSF was opened before Gameex. Here's all the files zipped in both a successful run, when I had SSF open then ran Gameex, closed SSF, and one where I ran it in Gameex and the failure when gameex is started normally and the emulator run after.

Success. SSF ran first.zip

Failure. Gameex started first(normal).zip

[nullPointer]

That's somewhat helpful.  Assuming that this hypothesis is correct SSF should run properly if you start it using Run Last Game.  So as a test attempt to start SSF through GameEx (sounds like it will probably crash).  Now exit SSF (or whatever) and exit GameEx.  Now go to your start menu and do the following:

Start > All Programs > GameEx > Utilities > Run Last Game

This completely divorces GameEx from the process and only executes the commands GameEx is using to run SSF.  If this works then it probably is an indication that GameEx is somehow intercepting SSF at runtime.  If it doesn't work, then it's likely that you still have some issues with the way you have SSF configured in GameEx.

On a completely unrelated note, have you tried toggling the Show Desktop setting on the Advanced Emulator Setup screen?

[Zyon2323]

Thanks for the suggestion, I shall try that when I get home later. To answer your question I have tried toggling that option, same results. On a side note I did have this working in a previous version of gameex, although I can't say what version it was exactly because I didn't mess with anything for about a year and a half. That's why I thought my problem was related to that other thread, which it may well be yet.

[Zyon2323]

6 hours ago, nullPointer said:

That's somewhat helpful.  Assuming that this hypothesis is correct SSF should run properly if you start it using Run Last Game.  So as a test attempt to start SSF through GameEx (sounds like it will probably crash).  Now exit SSF (or whatever) and exit GameEx.  Now go to your start menu and do the following:

Start > All Programs > GameEx > Utilities > Run Last Game

This completely divorces GameEx from the process and only executes the commands GameEx is using to run SSF.  If this works then it probably is an indication that GameEx is somehow intercepting SSF at runtime.  If it doesn't work, then it's likely that you still have some issues with the way you have SSF configured in GameEx.

On a completely unrelated note, have you tried toggling the Show Desktop setting on the Advanced Emulator Setup screen?

Okay, I did that. Ran gameex, tried Saturn game, crashed back to game screen like normal, then ran the last game from utilities and it brought up SSF and ran the game perfectly. What does that mean?

[RedDog]

17 hours ago, Zyon2323 said:

A lot of it is concerning loading the ISOs. I'm thinking that's a dead end...

My last post was an attempt to get a baseline to work from for the entire setup (including GameEx, Daemon Tools Lite, and SSF) instead of simply taking shots in the dark.

However, I am sorry to say that I feel like I am spinning my wheels on this one, so I shall bow out. I hope you are able to figure it out.

[Zyon2323]

46 minutes ago, RedDog said:

My last post was an attempt to get a baseline to work from for the entire setup (including GameEx, Daemon Tools Lite, and SSF) instead of simply taking shots in the dark.

However, I am sorry to say that I feel like I am spinning my wheels on this one, so I shall bow out. I hope you are able to figure it out.

I appreciate all the help, it definitely help to widdle down the variables and pinpoint what it is(not that we did yet).