Instacrash on startup

[iamcrazyjoe]

Hi, I am trying to GameEX setup on my Surface Book. I tried before and had problems but just gave up, trying again and asking for help. I have tried uninstalling and deleting folders to attempt to start from scratch, but GameEX just instacrashes when trying to open. Log file is below.

Spoiler

19:23:31.47  2017-12-24:  Opening Configuration File
19:23:31.49  2017-12-24:  GameEx: Version 15.08: Starting Log
19:23:31.55  2017-12-24:  Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
19:23:31.55  2017-12-24:  Aero running
19:23:31.55  2017-12-24:  Tablet PC detected
19:23:31.55  2017-12-24:  Initializing Vista/Windows 7 volume control
19:23:31.55  2017-12-24:  Getting CPU and RAM info
19:23:31.57  2017-12-24:  Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6600U CPU @ 2.60GHz, 16310MB
19:23:31.57  2017-12-24:  2.81Ghz - 4 Cores or CPU's
19:23:31.57  2017-12-24:  Running Randomize()
19:23:31.58  2017-12-24:  Loading PlugIns
19:23:31.58  2017-12-24:  Checking for applications to Launch On Startup
19:23:31.58  2017-12-24:  Setting default net connection limit to 15
19:23:31.64  2017-12-24:  Running Misc startup tasks
19:23:31.64  2017-12-24:  Setting Menu types
19:23:31.66  2017-12-24:  Getting Configuration Values
19:23:31.66  2017-12-24:  Touchscreen support enabled
19:23:31.67  2017-12-24:  Using Theme: Default - Default
19:23:31.69  2017-12-24:  Checking for alternate Image Directory for Theme: Default - Default
19:23:31.69  2017-12-24:  Launching HideOS.exe
19:23:31.70  2017-12-24:  Initialising Video/MNG DLL's
19:23:31.71  2017-12-24:  GameEx will check for media insertion (may affect performance)
19:23:31.71  2017-12-24:  Hiding Taskbar
19:23:31.72  2017-12-24:  Is Media Center running?
19:23:31.74  2017-12-24:  Checking/Creating LCD Registry values
19:23:31.74  2017-12-24:  Check Media Center Exit/Start Mode
19:23:31.75  2017-12-24:  Media Center Mode 2
19:23:31.75  2017-12-24:  Video previews on. Warning: Only recommended on modern systems
19:23:31.77  2017-12-24:  Snap Delay set to: 4
19:23:31.77  2017-12-24:  Get other settings
19:23:31.77  2017-12-24:  Set: Find emulator artwork on best match basis
19:23:31.79  2017-12-24:  Start work for Form
19:23:31.79  2017-12-24:  Getting Original Screen Size
19:23:31.81  2017-12-24:  Opening Database Connection
19:23:31.81  2017-12-24:  Data Source=C:\GameEx\DATA\data.db3;Pooling=true;FailIfMissing=true
19:23:31.87  2017-12-24:  Initializing Component
19:23:31.91  2017-12-24:  MAME Path is: C:\Emulators\Mame32
19:23:31.92  2017-12-24:  Cannot Find MAME Path: MAME Disabled
19:23:31.92  2017-12-24:  Loading Controls.ini map file
19:23:31.94  2017-12-24:  Applying Language/Text
19:23:31.95  2017-12-24:  Text/Language: English
19:23:31.95  2017-12-24:  Loading Language/Text
19:23:31.97  2017-12-24:  Loading Addins
19:23:31.99  2017-12-24:  Using Version 3 Themes Animations
19:23:32.00  2017-12-24:  Retrieving resolution setting
19:23:32.01  2017-12-24:  Using General Font: Trebuchet MS
19:23:32.02  2017-12-24:  Using Title Font: Trebuchet MS
19:23:32.02  2017-12-24:  GameEx will try to reduce CPU usage
19:23:32.10  2017-12-24:  Initialising Direct3D
19:23:32.21  2017-12-24:  Applying GameEx is Loading Image
19:23:32.21  2017-12-24:  Setting Resolution to 800x600 32 bit color
19:23:32.22  2017-12-24:  Creating Surfaces
19:23:34.34  2017-12-24:  Creating Primary Surface - Full Screen Mode
19:23:34.35  2017-12-24:  Creating Back Buffer
19:23:34.36  2017-12-24:  Loading graphic Surfaces
19:23:34.38  2017-12-24:  Display is running at: 800x600 32bit color, 60hz
19:23:34.39  2017-12-24:  Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M
19:23:34.40  2017-12-24:  Max texture size: 16384x16384
19:23:34.41  2017-12-24:  Available texture memory: -9MB
19:23:34.46  2017-12-24:  Initialising Bass Audio Library
19:23:34.91  2017-12-24:  Creating Surfaces Misc and Dialogs
19:23:34.96  2017-12-24:  Creating Surfaces Volume
19:23:34.96  2017-12-24:  Creating Surfaces Arrows
19:23:34.97  2017-12-24:  Creating Surfaces GameEXlogo Text
19:23:34.97  2017-12-24:  Creating Surfaces Toolbar
19:23:34.99  2017-12-24:  Creating Surfaces Toolbar Controls
19:23:35.01  2017-12-24:  Creating Surfaces Backgrounds
19:23:35.01  2017-12-24:  Creating Surfaces GameEx Logo
19:23:35.04  2017-12-24:  Creating Surface Unselected
19:23:35.06  2017-12-24:  Creating Surfaces Snaps
19:23:35.06  2017-12-24:  Creating Surfaces Menu and List Bars
19:23:35.14  2017-12-24:  Creating Fonts
19:23:35.16  2017-12-24:  Creating Game Font
19:23:35.21  2017-12-24:  Creating Game Font Faded
19:23:35.24  2017-12-24:  Creating Title Font
 

 

[Draco1962]

Please attach copies of both your gameex.ini and log.txt files for review.

[iamcrazyjoe]

attached.

GameEx.ini

log.txt

[Draco1962]

Can you give the suggested solution in the thread below a try and report back? Thanks!

 

[iamcrazyjoe]

I can't seem to find any .ttf files in the GameEX folder.

[Draco1962]

Have you tried performing a search within the GameEx main folder by typing .ttf within the search field of Windows Explorer? You should see a few in the \GameEx\Media folder for starters. Often, you will find others if running a specific user-created theme.

[iamcrazyjoe]

Yeah, it doesn't seem like there are any fonts, which could be the problem? 

[Draco1962]

Did you search in \GameEx\Media? You may need to drill down one more folder, however, you could just go to that folder and sort by file type and locate the font files that way.

[iamcrazyjoe]

no ttf in any GameEx subfolders, including \Media

[Draco1962]

Do you have another PC you can download and install GameEx to?

[RedDog]

Is it the Trebuchet MS font that is the issue? The log doesn't say, but it is the only one listed in his GameEx.ini.

[iamcrazyjoe]

On 1/3/2018 at 8:23 PM, Draco1962 said:

Do you have another PC you can download and install GameEx to?

Not easily, if there is another way it would be much preferred.

[Draco1962]

2 hours ago, iamcrazyjoe said:

Not easily, if there is another way it would be much preferred.

Just wanted to see if the installer places the font files when installed on another PC. Can you also confirm that you do not have GameEx installed in two different places on your Surface  Book?

[Draco1962]

I have attached copies of the joystix.ttf and HANDGOTN.ttf files for manual placement in your GameEx\Media folder.

Fonts.zip

[iamcrazyjoe]

I can't find any other GameEx stuff anywhere, and I don't recall installing anywhere else, so I am pretty sure not

[Draco1962]

Not sure if you saw this - our posts crossed through time.. 

 

[iamcrazyjoe]

I put those in the folder but still get this, what is strange is it stopped at different times when i tried to open

log.txt

log-2.txt

[Draco1962]

You have to do more than place them in the folder. Please refer to the steps noted in the following post for proper installation in Windows 10:

 

[iamcrazyjoe]

sorry, duh, of course. Joystix was already installed, but I installed the other, same thing still happening.

[RedDog]

@iamcrazyjoe Could you post a new log.txt so we can see if anything changed?

[iamcrazyjoe]

log.txt

[RedDog]

So, nothing new in the most recent log.txt. If anything, the log shows the latest run did not get as far.

When it instacrashes, what actually happens?
Is there an error message displayed or does the program just sort of do nothing?

Also, which executable are you using? GameEx.exe or GameEx_Lite.exe.
Are you using arguments such as run as admin, compatibility, etc?

Also, this last log shows the following, though I doubt it is the cause of your issue:
    Display is running at: 3000x2000 32bit color, 60hz
Do you recall setting anything to such a high resolution? Thats a bit much for a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M. Your gameex.ini shows 800x600.

[iamcrazyjoe]

I had tried reinstalling so the gameex.ini might have defaulted to 3000x2000 as that is the resolution of the display?

The loading screen pops up but then it experiences fatal error and must close, standard Windows crash.

 

I have tried both GameEx and Lite, haven't run with any arguments 

[Draco1962]

Is it possible to try a different lower display resolution? Taking a stab here that may not pan out. 

[RedDog]

1 hour ago, iamcrazyjoe said:

I had tried reinstalling so the gameex.ini might have defaulted to 3000x2000 as that is the resolution of the display?

The default resolution at GameEx install is 800x600. You will find it in the Display Settings. I was worried that this 3000x2000 resolution might be outside what your CPU can support and might be a different reason for a crash. Your GPU supports 3840 x 2160 and even though 3000x2000 is a really wired value, at least it is in range. The thing is that the log should say the resolution that GameEx is currently using, so for some reason GameEx tried to use 3000x2000 for that particular instance. Oddly, your config shows it configured for fullscreen at 800x600, so I am not sure what happened there. You might at least recheck your Display Settings to be sure nothing has changed since you posted your gameex.ini file.

The challenge here is that your log.txt isn't giving much to go on. It basically reads like "oh, everything is loading just great and..." then it stops with no errors captured.

I can see why Draco suggested the work with the fonts. The log peters out around the time the fonts are loaded and we did have an issue after a Windows 10 update and fonts not too long ago...but since you installed the fonts he provided and the log doesn't look a hole lot different, my guess is that is not the cause.

I ran your gameex.ini config on my Win 10 Home desktop PC with zero changes and it loaded just fine, so we can probably assume there are no errors or bad data in the config file. It is more likely some resource on your PC that GameEx cannot interact with or some incompatibility. The tough part is narrowing it down.

 

At this point, I suggest that if you have any plugins installed, disable them or move the files out of the PLUGINS folder. Also set your Touchscreen/Tablet > Enabled from Auto to No. Occasionally this feature does not agree with some PCs. Next, try disabling various features such as GameEx Online, Netflix (which no longer works anyway, BTW), steam, Radio Stations, News Feeds, etc and then try to run GameEx. If you can get GameEx to actually load, start enabling things again to try and figure out what it is crashing on.

Of course, I also suggest making sure Windows 10 is up to date. If I recall correctly, Pro gives you some options that we pitiful Home users don't have as far as holding off on updates.  Maybe its Meltdown or Spectre...he he...jk.

If you happen to come across anything else that looks like an error, please take a snap and post it...Heck, if the standard Windows Crash has a report, post that as well. Maybe there is something we can use. Any...little...tidbit...