[RESOLVED] PinballX Loading some VPX Issue- Please Help!!!

[xxxrhc3xxx]

Hello,

I have spent hours/days trying to fix this issue myself.  All my 300 games open fine in VPX when I open them through VPX.  My problem is when I launch via PBX many games either freeze up on the loading screen or the backglass and dmd opens and the table opens but is in the background.  I have recently chose the  fullscreen exclusive hack mode in PBX and the games that opened in the background now open and are playable but when I exit the VPX program comes up instead of the standard PBX menu then PBX crashes and I need to close everything through the VPX screen on the table,  One good example is escape from mars Bigus mod which is a great game I dont want to live without.  This only happens with 20% of my games.  Games like Lord of the Rings opens and plays perfect and exits the way it should as do the other 80% of the games.  Apollo13 was recently upgraded to VPX and that too opens in VPX but freezes the system every time through PBX- computer restart needed.  I absolutely could never open 4k games through PBX at all so I dont install them or even try anymore even though they too open through VPX.

HERE ARE MY SPECIFICS:

Running a high end OMEN computer with i7, Windows 10 64bit, Nvidia GTX 1060, 4k table tv and 1080P backscreen tv and 3rd screen DMD which runs perfect

No 3rd party add ons that I know of

Problems are with PBX only, the last time everything worked great was version 3.73 but even then no 4k

Have updated PBX as they are released. Now running 4.18 in 32 bit version

I listed some specific tables:  Escape from Mars Bigus Mod, Apollo13, any 4k game(all open and run in VPX)  I never get lag or delays in any game whether through VPX or PBX (when they open)

This only happens when launching: loading screen comes up 70% of the time then backscreen and dmd opens no table, the other 30% no loading screen then PBX freezes and computer needs restart 

As mentioned above, I just today selected full screen exclusive hack mode in the visual pinball section of pbx setup and now the Escape from Mars opens as it should but exits to VPX and Pinballx crashes in the background.

Config file attached.

I AM HOPING YOU SEE A WEIRD SETTING OF SOMETHING THAT WILL FINALLY FIX MY ISSUE, I REALLY LIKE PBX WHEN IT WORKS I THINK ITS A GREAT FRONT END.  TRYING TO SHARE WHAT I CAN TO HELP YOU DIAGNOSE MY ISSUE, I HAVE READ AND REVIEWED DOZENS OF SIMILAR POSTS BUT NOTHING HELPS. i could live without the 4k games if i need to but I would like the games I have to open.  THANKS IN ADVANCE!

PinballX Config.txt

[Mike_da_Spike]

File looks good,but name is incorrect. Must be pinballx.ini. Can you post your log file as well ?did you try the 64 bit version of pinballx as well ?

[xxxrhc3xxx]

I should add that my resolution settings are 3840x2160 on the table monitor and 1920x1080 on the backscreen.  Reading the config txt seems confusing to me as I dont see the monitor 1 at 3840x2160.  I dont know exactly what Im reading there but is that a concern?  Also I didnt really see in PBX any resolution settings so where are those numbers coming from in the config file?  

 

[xxxrhc3xxx]

I searched for Pinball.ini in PBX and cannot find it.  The only file that comes up when I search Pinball.ini is that config file.  I did try the 64 bit version but had nothing but problems even with the good tables so i reverted back.  I am open for any advice.  Thanks for the reply. Log file coming in a few minutes.

[xxxrhc3xxx]

Log file attached.  sorry, the pinball is in the basement and I am communicating from my main computer upstairs hence the multiple replies.   Should I rename the config file pinball .ini or save it as such?  not sure why I cant find it.

 

log.txt

[scutters]

I used to run a 3 screen setup with 4k playfield on gtx1060 (6GB) without any real issue before i upgraded to a 1080. Always loaded fine through pinballx. Might be different with a 1060 3GB though.

I'd turn off use B2S in front end for starters, and install pinballx 64bit as @Mike_da_Spike suggested.

Post the log file after launching/closing one of the problem tables.

Other stuff to let us know..  are you running any antivirus / defender, does it have exclusions set for pinball folders, and what is (and isn't) set to run as admin (or any other weird compatibility settings)

(and don't worry too much about the monitor numbers in the config compared to windows, they'll be off by 1. Monitor 1 in the config file is your backglass, playfield would be 0)

 

edit : pinballx.ini should be in your pinballx\config\ folder

[xxxrhc3xxx]

Ok, so should I just save that config file in the pinballx config folder as pinballx.ini?  That config file is the only txt in the config file.  

Should I turn off use b2s in front end then try it or do you want me to install 64bit version first?

I am running Norton but the PBX files are all allowed.  I recently added run as admin but the user Im logged in as is admin anyways so I dont think that made a difference.  I did modify PBX, VPX and VP9 to run in admin mode just in case.  I also think by default defender runs in the background but only covers what norton does not.  

Please advise before I go install 64bit, etc...

[xxxrhc3xxx]

Picture of the whole config file.  just trying to be complete.  

[xxxrhc3xxx]

Due to file size limitations I had to post 1/2 at a time.  Here is the right side of the screen that shows the file type 

[xxxrhc3xxx]

I installed 64bit, kept all the same settings.  If i go straight to a game that always worked it opens and runs fine, I can exit then open another game that worked.  If I open Attack from Mars Bigus version it freezes then I need to reboot.  If I re-boot then go straight to Attack From Mars it ties to open, the backglass comes up, dmd opens then it freezes and still says "loading", if I alt/tab the table is in the background, I click on pinballx it crashes then the game opens in VPX.  Pinballx gone.  If I re-boot, open a game that works, then go to attack from mars the game freezes with nothing in background except for the black frozen pinballx and backglass screens.  At this point everything is frozen and I need to reboot.  

I attached the log file after opening games that work and after opening attack from mars with the crash.  AHHHH im going crazy here.  lol

log-64bit installed.txt log with 64 bit just after crash.txt

[xxxrhc3xxx]

This time I turned off full screen exclusive hack in pinballx, opened pinballx and went straight to attack from mars.  Game opened and played fine, I tried to exit back to pinballx main game menu but when I hit exit the vpx opened game came up and pinballx crashed in the background.  I was able to close those screens this time so I went straight to the log which is attached.  

After opening Attack from mars and having issues, if I re-open pinballx and go to the games that work they wont open until I reboot.  If I only open and play and exit the games that I know work all continues to be fine as in I can exit, scroll game and choose another and play.  If I happen to open a bad game all is dead until reboot.  I hate to say it again but they all work 100% if opened direct through VPX.

Another thing I notice is when a table is not going to load properly it keeps playing the launch audio in extended form, when they work correctly the launch audio fades out just before the tables open.

You probably think I'm a nut by now...I really want these to work.  It has to be a what we will say is a simple setting once we find it.  

log game opened but in vpx via pinballx.txt

[xxxrhc3xxx]

Same exact complaint here, kind of old but still the same issue, here is the link:

https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showtopic=39532

 

I am trying to provide ALL the facts so someone who really knows this stuff can resolve.  Sorry for all of the individual posts.  I have been trouble shooting for hours, lots of time on my hands with this corona virus shutdown.

[Mike_da_Spike]

Wow. Long story. And still you have issues. Sorry to hear.

Did you try toaunch your tables outside pinballx with the command line of virtual pinball ?

Like:

 C:\Visual Pinball\VPinballX.exe /play -"C:\Visual Pinball\Tables\Attack from Mars(Bally 1995)_Bigus(MOD)1.0.vpx"

Is this working fine everytime ?

I think I had this issue in the past too, and need dig into my memory what the fix was.

[scutters]

Also, are there any errors in windows event viewer at the time of crashes (Windows Logs -> Application)?

 

 

[Tom Speirs]

Try disabling use b2s in the front end.

[xxxrhc3xxx]

Wow, errors recorded every time pinballx crashes.  Apparently it says Pinballx stops communicating with windows...see attached, i have no idea why.  

reliability history.XML event fault log.txt

[xxxrhc3xxx]

for apphangb1 errors they suggest running the program in compatibility mode, does this make sense knowing that PBX has been upgraded so many times?  You would think they would have worked out this issue by now.

Here is a cut/paste from microsoft site:

Sometimes it happens that programs created on earlier versions of Windows 10 refuse to work on the latest versions. This problem is caused by great changes in the features of the operating itself.
So, I’d recommend that you run the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter. It will allow you to run older/incompatible programs.

[xxxrhc3xxx]

Tom, I will disable use b2s in the front end and try it.  But doesnt this simply open the b2s file to the backscreen in the pbx menu mode?  I like that when scrolling through the games it shows the actual back glass associated with the game vs the downloaded images.  Just a question.  

[Draco1962]

1 hour ago, xxxrhc3xxx said:

for apphangb1 errors they suggest running the program in compatibility mode, does this make sense knowing that PBX has been upgraded so many times?  You would think they would have worked out this issue by now.

Here is a cut/paste from microsoft site:

Sometimes it happens that programs created on earlier versions of Windows 10 refuse to work on the latest versions. This problem is caused by great changes in the features of the operating itself.
So, I’d recommend that you run the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter. It will allow you to run older/incompatible programs.

Do not run in compatibility mode. PinballX is not a legacy program with no current support or compatibility with the latest OS.

[xxxrhc3xxx]

Disabled b2s in front end- no change

Changed to 64bit PBX

Changed vpinmame to 64bit

Damn attack from mars game still wont open, but now most of the time the table does open but its in the background and cant bring up.  I can see it and lights are flashing, PBX is dead at this point.  It opens in one second when launched through VPX and runs perfect 100% of the time with no lag no issue.  It is definitely a PBX issue I would donate to find and fix it!

Still completely freezes 30% of the time and doesnt do anything, needs reboot.  

Attack from mars bigus is just an example, there are a few others.  Most all Bigus mods which are great do work and run fine.  Keep in mind I do have over 300 games that do work, it seems to be the good ones that dont like apollo13 bigus vpx, same issues.  Apollo 13 also opens fast and runs 100% through VPX.  

There has to be a fix.  I have tried many variations with no success.  for a while it would open as it should but when exiting it would go to VPX instead of PBX menu, it has not done that in a while.  

VP9 games also work fine.

I could just delete these games but I cant seem to want to give up.   Its not a hardware issue, when they are not going to open the back screen stays on and the launch music keeps playing which eventually stops and does nothing Perhaps a dll need update?  

All I can say at this point is AHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Tom Speirs]

This is odd but I notice you have the in built visual pinball set for VPX and also a custom system set for VPX. Also another system for visual pinball. Which one are you using?

[Tom Speirs]

Also, perhaps try running PinballX windowed see if there is something going on that cant otherwise be seen.

[xxxrhc3xxx]

Hi Tom, I am not sure I understand your first question but if you are referring to the second installation on another drive I set that up today with a fresh install to see if possibly a file was corrupted and not being updated.  It acted the same so that will be deleted.   To answer your question I am using the built in set on drive c.    I installed the newly released apollo13 v5 and it actually opened like it was supposed to( no other version would open) but I had script errors.  I backed out of apollo13 and opened attack from Mars and it opened correctly and exited correctly.  I was afraid to try it again. Today because I felt good that it worked.  More to follow.  Not sure if opening the new apollo13 tweaked something but that's the only explanation.  Apollo13 is 4k too and they have never opened so I know I'm close.

[Tom Speirs]

No problem. Again, please set PinballX to windowed mode and report back.

Thanks.

[xxxrhc3xxx]

Hey Tom,

I changed to windowed mode and everything was windowed as it was supposed to be, I switched back to full screen and all of a sudden everything opens as it should!!!  Perhaps the change helps modify all the tables?  I was having some more issues with some not opening but all the 4k tables were fine.  I then found a b2s script file in my tables folder that was old and outdated, I didn't even know it was there as it should be in the scripts folder where there already was a current file with the same name so I deleted the old one in tables.   This fixed 95% of my remaining problem tables. 

I now have about 8 tables left where I am getting a script error "Index was out of range.  Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection"  Parameter name: index

This error never came up before on 7 of the 8 tables and the 8th table is the new Apollo13 v.1.5 which actually opens(it did not before)but eventually gets this error message.  This ONLY happens through PBX, if opened via VPX it they work fine.  Your advice so far has been much appreciated, I'm almost there.  What should I do?  I read somewhere about changing to just in time debugging but I dont know how to do that.  Is enabling just in time debugging the answer?  Are there instructions on how to do this in both windows and the application?  Or do you have other advice?    Please advise and thank you again!

I just noticed that in the past 24 hours you are now up to version 4.26, wow you guys have been busy.  I always try to stay up to date with the most current version but I'm a bit nervous after fixing so many issues, do you recommend the update?