Update ROM list hanging

[TexFlood]

Hello all, I would really appreciate some help on a problem I've been having for the last several days that I can't seem to find an answer for:

I installed GameEx a few weeks ago with almost all default settings. I was able to Update my ROM list and display them all in the Mame directory. Well at one point I accidentally click the Update Game List and after it finished it said that I had no games, this happened because I had moved the location of the ROMs. I set the MAME directory in the Advanced Configuration to the new correct location, but I was never able to get the list to show in GameEx from that point on. That was about a week ago, in the meantime I've been using Mame32 to play the games. A few days back I decided to try to get GameEx working and I cleared out my gamelist.ini and gamelist.txt (based off info from a post at www.arcadecontrols.com). That didn't work, but now when I try to update the update process hangs on the following:

Updating Game List:

...

Processing Verify.dat (65%)

and it never gets past this point, I've left it in this state for several hours so it is not for lack of patience. Looking at the Windows Task Manager it looks like the gamex.exe is running the CPU at 100% so I think something is wrong. I eventually have to just End Task from the Task Manager.

How do I go about fixing this? I've already tried reinstalling the most recent GameEx and that didn't seem to help. I had GameEx working for a brief time so I know it will work...

Thanks for any help or advice.

[ourgrace]

TexFlood

Can you post your log?

ourgrace

[TexFlood]

Ok, I fixed the hanging problem listed above. I uninstalled GameEx again, but this time on reinstall I downloaded Mame32 and had that reinstall. Just before the reinstall I renamed the C:\Emulators\Mame32 to C:\Emulators\Mame32OLD to allow the installation of another Mame32. I think it may have been an issue with the Mame32 version I was using - I had set that up prior to getting involved with setting up GameEx.

Now I am able to run the Update Game List without errors and it displays the list of all the MAME games in GameEx. When I attempt to run the games from GameEx (by choosing Play This Game) the screen goes black, then it just goes back to the selected game screen, so something is not working correctly. If I try to run C:\Emulators\Mame32\Mame32.exe (the newly downloaded Mame32) it gives me a Windows error, just your standard error message that asks if you want to send an error report to Microsoft. I can still run the old Mame32 that I have at C:\Emulators\Mame32OLD without any problems., that was working before these changes and it still is working.

What do I need to do to get GameEx working, it seems like I'm close but something is off? Again any help is appreciated!

Here's my log file as you requested:

21:21:30.0 4/13/2007: GameEx: Version 8.03: Starting Log

21:21:30.0 4/13/2007: Operating System Platform: Win32NT

21:21:30.0 4/13/2007: Operating System Name: Windows XP

21:21:30.0 4/13/2007: Operating System Version: 5.1.2600

21:21:30.0 4/13/2007: Checking for versions of .net Framework installed

21:21:30.0 4/13/2007: .net Framework 1.1 Installed

21:21:30.0 4/13/2007: .net Framework 2.0 Installed

21:21:30.0 4/13/2007: x86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 6

21:21:30.0 4/13/2007: 930Mhz

21:21:30.1 4/13/2007: Running Randomize()

21:21:30.1 4/13/2007: Loading PlugIns

21:21:30.2 4/13/2007: Checking for applications to Launch On Startup

21:21:30.2 4/13/2007: Running Misc startup tasks

21:21:30.2 4/13/2007: Setting Menu types

21:21:30.2 4/13/2007: Opening Configuration File

21:21:30.2 4/13/2007: Getting Configuration Values

21:21:30.2 4/13/2007: Using Theme: Default - MCE Glossy

21:21:30.2 4/13/2007: Checking for alternate Image Directory for Theme: Default - MCE Glossy

21:21:30.2 4/13/2007: Launching HideOS.exe

21:21:30.2 4/13/2007: Initialising Video/MNG DLL's

21:21:30.3 4/13/2007: Hiding Taskbar

21:21:30.4 4/13/2007: Is Media Center running?

21:21:30.4 4/13/2007: Checking/Creating LCD Registry values

21:21:30.4 4/13/2007: Check Media Center Exit/Start Mode

21:21:30.4 4/13/2007: Media Center Mode 2

21:21:31.1 4/13/2007: Video previews on. Warning: Only recommended on modern systems

21:21:31.2 4/13/2007: Snap Delay set to: 2

21:21:31.2 4/13/2007: Get other settings

21:21:31.2 4/13/2007: Set: Find emulator artwork on best match basis

21:21:31.3 4/13/2007: Start work for Form

21:21:31.3 4/13/2007: Getting Original Screen Size

21:21:31.3 4/13/2007: Initializing Component

21:21:31.7 4/13/2007: Creating Radio Station Genres

21:21:32.1 4/13/2007: Succesfully created station genres

21:21:32.1 4/13/2007: Initialising Windows Media Player Component

21:21:32.1 4/13/2007: MAME Path is: C:\Emulators\Mame32

21:21:32.2 4/13/2007: MAME EXE file is: mame32.exe

21:21:32.2 4/13/2007: ROM Path is: C:\Emulators\Mame32\roms

21:21:32.2 4/13/2007: Catver.ini is located at: C:\Program Files\GameEx\DATA\catver.ini

21:21:32.3 4/13/2007: controls.ini is located at: C:\Program Files\GameEx\data\controls.ini

21:21:32.3 4/13/2007: History.dat is located at: C:\Program Files\GameEx\DATA\history.dat

21:21:32.3 4/13/2007: nplayers.ini is located at: C:\Program Files\GameEx\DATA\nplayers.ini

21:21:32.3 4/13/2007: MAMEinfo.dat is located at: C:\Program Files\GameEx\DATA\mameinfo.dat

21:21:32.3 4/13/2007: Loading Controls.ini map file

21:21:32.4 4/13/2007: Snap Path is: C:\Emulators\Mame32\snap

21:21:32.4 4/13/2007: AVI Snap Path: Not Found

21:21:32.4 4/13/2007: Flyer Path is: C:\Emulators\Mame32\flyers

21:21:32.4 4/13/2007: Cabinet Path is: C:\Emulators\Mame32\cabinets

21:21:32.4 4/13/2007: Title Path is: C:\Emulators\Mame32\titles

21:21:32.4 4/13/2007: Panel Path is: C:\Emulators\Mame32\cpanel

21:21:32.4 4/13/2007: Manual Path: Not Found

21:21:32.4 4/13/2007: Icon Path is: C:\Emulators\Mame32\icons

21:21:32.4 4/13/2007: Marquee Path is: C:\Emulators\Mame32\marquees

21:21:32.5 4/13/2007: Loading Custom Emulators

21:21:33.0 4/13/2007: Using 2D Animations

21:21:33.0 4/13/2007: Using General Font: Times New Roman

21:21:33.0 4/13/2007: Using Title Font: Times New Roman

21:21:33.0 4/13/2007: Initialising DirectDraw

21:21:33.2 4/13/2007: Applying GameEx is Loading Image

21:21:33.7 4/13/2007: Creating DirectDraw Device

21:21:33.7 4/13/2007: Using Device: Primary Display Driver

21:21:34.0 4/13/2007: 29mb video memory available

21:21:34.0 4/13/2007: Setting Resolution to 800x600 32 bit color

21:21:35.3 4/13/2007: Creating DirectDraw Surfaces

21:21:35.4 4/13/2007: Creating Primary Surface - Full Screen Mode

21:21:35.4 4/13/2007: Creating Back Buffer

21:21:35.5 4/13/2007: Loading graphic Surfaces

21:21:35.6 4/13/2007: Creating Surfaces Misc and Dialogs

21:21:35.8 4/13/2007: Creating Surfaces Volume

21:21:35.8 4/13/2007: Creating Surfaces Arrows

21:21:35.8 4/13/2007: Creating Surfaces GameEXlogo Text

21:21:35.8 4/13/2007: Creating Surfaces Toolbar

21:21:35.9 4/13/2007: Creating Surfaces Backgrounds

21:21:36.4 4/13/2007: Creating Surfaces Toolbar Controls

21:21:36.5 4/13/2007: Creating Surfaces GameEx Logo

21:21:36.5 4/13/2007: Creating Surfaces Home & Exit

21:21:36.5 4/13/2007: Creating Surfaces Snaps

21:21:36.5 4/13/2007: Creating Surfaces Menu and List Bars

21:21:36.8 4/13/2007: Creating Fonts

21:21:36.8 4/13/2007: Creating Menu Font

21:21:36.9 4/13/2007: Restoring Menu Font From Cache

21:21:37.3 4/13/2007: Creating Game Font

21:21:37.6 4/13/2007: Creating Font Black

21:21:38.0 4/13/2007: Creating Font Black Small

21:21:38.3 4/13/2007: Creating Game Font Faded

21:21:38.5 4/13/2007: Creating Title Font

21:21:38.7 4/13/2007: Restoring Title Font From Cache

21:21:39.0 4/13/2007: Fonts Created Succesfully

21:21:39.0 4/13/2007: 1mb video memory left available

21:21:39.1 4/13/2007: Starting GameExtender Publisher

21:21:39.1 4/13/2007: Text/Language: English

21:21:39.1 4/13/2007: Applying Language/Text

21:21:39.4 4/13/2007: Initialising Bass Audio Library

21:21:40.0 4/13/2007: MAME CMD options: -triplebuffer -nowindow -joy

21:21:40.0 4/13/2007: Attempting to load game list

21:21:40.6 4/13/2007: Loading last used Game List

21:21:40.6 4/13/2007: Setting Music Volume

21:21:40.6 4/13/2007: Creating DirectSound Device

21:21:40.7 4/13/2007: Trying: Primary Sound Driver

21:21:40.7 4/13/2007: Loading Sound Files

21:21:41.5 4/13/2007: DirectSound Device Created Successfully

21:21:41.5 4/13/2007: Creating ICONS

21:21:41.7 4/13/2007: Recreating ICONS

21:21:43.2 4/13/2007: Initialising DirectInput for Gamepad support

21:21:43.5 4/13/2007: Using Device Ultimarc Ultra-Stik Player 1

21:21:43.6 4/13/2007: Playing intro sound file

21:21:43.6 4/13/2007: Initializing MCE Remote

21:21:43.6 4/13/2007: Initialization OK! Starting GameEx!

21:21:43.7 4/13/2007: Testing Main Loop Once: Processing Frame

21:21:45.0 4/13/2007: Testing Main Loop Once: Main Loop ran successfully

21:22:06.1 4/13/2007: Running: cmd.exe /c C: C:\Emulators\Mame32\mame32.exe 1943 -rompath C:\Emulators\Mame32\roms -triplebuffer -nowindow -joy -bezel -artwork_directory artwork

21:22:45.6 4/13/2007: Writing Game List to disk

21:22:46.5 4/13/2007: Updating MAME Game List

21:22:46.6 4/13/2007: Running: C: C:\Emulators\Mame32\mame32.exe -listxml > C:\Emulators\Mame32\listinfo.dat

21:23:31.8 4/13/2007: Opening Listinfo.dat

21:23:33.3 4/13/2007: Reading ListInfo.dat

21:26:41.1 4/13/2007: Reading ListInfo.dat - DONE

21:26:41.1 4/13/2007: Running: C: C:\Emulators\Mame32\mame32.exe -verifysets -rompath "C:\Emulators\Mame32\roms" > C:\Emulators\Mame32\verify.dat

21:28:49.3 4/13/2007: Opening Verify.dat

21:28:50.3 4/13/2007: Processing Verify.dat

21:28:51.6 4/13/2007: Processing ListInfo.dat

21:29:19.9 4/13/2007: Listinfo.dat Processing Complete

21:29:19.9 4/13/2007: Sorting MAME Game List

21:29:20.8 4/13/2007: Adding Catver.ini info to gamelist

21:30:51.9 4/13/2007: Writing MAME Game List To File

21:30:57.8 4/13/2007: Adding History.dat info to gamelist

21:32:57.9 4/13/2007: Adding Nplayers.ini info to gamelist

21:33:46.1 4/13/2007: Adding History.dat Series info to gamelist

21:55:23.0 4/13/2007: Adding MAMEInfo.dat info to gamelist

22:08:22.7 4/13/2007: Writing MAME Game List To File

22:08:49.1 4/13/2007: Updating Year List

22:08:49.1 4/13/2007: Updating Manufacturer List

22:08:49.4 4/13/2007: Updating Category List

22:08:49.7 4/13/2007: Updating Custom Folders

22:08:49.7 4/13/2007: Writing Year List To File

22:08:49.8 4/13/2007: Writing Manufacturer List To File

22:08:49.8 4/13/2007: Writing Category List To File

22:08:49.8 4/13/2007: Loading Game List

22:08:51.0 4/13/2007: Importing MAME32 Favorites

22:08:51.0 4/13/2007: Recreating ICONS

22:08:52.0 4/13/2007: Attract Mode Re-Enabled

22:09:58.8 4/13/2007: Running: cmd.exe /c C: C:\Emulators\Mame32\mame32.exe 1943 -rompath C:\Emulators\Mame32\roms -triplebuffer -nowindow -joy -bezel -artwork_directory artwork

22:10:25.5 4/13/2007: Exiting GameEx!

22:10:25.5 4/13/2007: Saving Settings

22:10:28.8 4/13/2007: Disposing Plugins

22:10:28.8 4/13/2007: Checking for applications to Launch On Exit

[scurvy]

mine usually gets stuck at 65% for a good 20minutes but if i let it sit it goes through.. weird yours doesnt.

[TexFlood]

Hah, I've got it working!

I renamed the mame32.exe file in c:\Emulators\Mame32.exe to save it as a just-in-case and copied in the mame32.exe from c:\Emulators\Mame32OLD. Oddly the mame32.exe file I renamed (the one that was crashing) was 38 KBs but the working one is 3 KBs...

Now I can move on to configuring GameEx!

[ourgrace]

TexFlood

Withouut the log file from your first install of mame32 I cant tell what was up with it, but untill you get mame32 working outside of GameEx it won't work with GameEx. If you are still haveing problems with GameEx after you get mame32 working post your log and I'll see what I can do.

Sorry I can't help you yet, but I will help you as much as I can. Also can you post you PC specs? The one line in your log I didn't like was "21:21:39.0 4/13/2007: 1mb video memory left available"

ourgrace

[hansolo77]

Try running game ex in windowed mode and see if a new window pops up under it. I reported this a while back and it may have come back.. It seems the dat files are stored in a compressed/self-extracting 7zip file. However, I noticed the file comes up prompting for end-user action (basically needing you to click [OK]) before it continues. Without direct interaction, the program will just sit there forever, waiting for you. This may be a Vista issue. See if that's the problem...