DirectX error when loading GameEx at same time as MCE

[jimbo6846]

I've searched around this board and saw this error a LOT, but I haven't found a solution yet... so I created an account in order to make my own thread and see if anyone knows of a way to fix this problem.

What's happening is I have my computer set to load both Media Center (Vista Ultimate x64) and GameEx at Windows startup. GameEx will randomly (though more often than not) error out and not load. I get a generic DirectX error. If I close the GameEx crash window and then try to load GameEx again, it will work fine. This happens no matter what theme I use, and only when I have Media Center (and GameEx) set to load at startup. If I don't load Media Center at startup, GameEx loads fine.

Now, the reason I have Media Center set to load at Windows startup instead of through the Launch on Exit command inside GameEx is because I also want to load an Xpadder profile to use my Xbox 360 controller to navigate through Media Center. So, I'd need to load the Xpadder profile AND Media Center through Launch on Exit. The only way I've been able to do that successfully is through a batch file I created that just runs both commands. However, this creates a CMD window in the background, and it won't close by itself until I close Media Center. To my knowledge, this is just how batch files work (ie, they won't move onto the next command until the system finishes processing the last command the batch file launched, in this case: Media Center). Normally, I wouldn't care about this CMD window in the background, but unfortunately it is stopping GameEx from loading if I try to click on the "My Games - Mame" option in Media Center.

Anyone have any solutions/suggestions?

[gryhnd]

What about an app that delays loading of programs during startup? That way you can just have gameex load a little later in the queue.

A quick google search turned up http://www.jockersoft.com/english/startupdelayer_index.php

Never tried it, no connection.

[jimbo6846]

gryhnd,

thanks for the suggestion. I think I may end up toying around with AutoHotKey and see if I can have it close the CMD window after a certain amount of time after closing GameEx.

Now I have a different, but related, problem though. I have GameEx installed on a PC that I have connected to my HDTV in my living room. The PC is connected to the TV via a DVI-to-HDMI cable that is running to a cheap little HDMI switch that I just bought (since I have more HDMI devices than my TV has HDMI ports). What's happening is that when I'm playing on the PC with GameEx and change the HDMI switch input to one of the other devices connected to the switch, and then switch back to the PC, I'm (yet again) receiving another generic DirectX error. Sometimes it happens (most times), sometimes it doesn't. I've tried it with my theme of choice (Acidbrain Vision) and also with the Default - Default theme. The error just seems to come randomly when switching back to the GameEx PC.

What I've noticed happening is that sometimes the PC's desktop resolution gets changed when GameEx crashes in this manner. I've seen the desktop resolution set to 800x600 afterwards, as well as 1024x768, both at 16-bit color. I believe the 16-bit color change is at least part of the cause of the crash, because I have yet to see GameEx crash like this when it's set to 16-bit color from the config file. Due to the choppy text display in 16-bit color though, I'd rather put up with the occasional crash when switching inputs on the switch while waiting for an update to fix this problem, since switching inputs on the switch while playing will be rare for me (I'll be reading the text/browsing through the games MUCH more than switching between the inputs on the switch).

Does anyone know of a way to fix this... to keep GameEx from crashing because of it changing the desktop resolution?

EDIT: DirectX error is reproduceable with 16-bit color enabled as well. Which is a shame, because at 1080p resolution, the text wasn't choppy anymore. Any thoughts anyone?

[gryhnd]

I'm 99 44/100% certain this is caused by the same root issue many people have with HTPC setups and HDMI, and it royally ticks them off.

When the connection is severed to the video card, whether it is because you switched sources or left the PC on and turned the display off, the video card no can longer tell what it is connected to. One of three things happens: 1) nothing, the video card doesn't care 2) resolutions/color depth changes...often to a default level 3) black screen that won't recover until reboot.5

I personally get #3 on rare occasion with my nVidia card runniing DVI-to-HDMI, but most of the time I have no issues because I try and remember to turn off my PC first, then power everything else down. Then the reverse, with the PC being last.

In your case the mid stream res change is probably causing Dx to barf. This is my semi-educated guess. Did you make sure all your drivers are up to date too for video. Are you behind on Dx patches, .Net update, etc?

Anyway, there are gizmos out there that learn the resolution, etc of your display and then continue to fool the video card into thinking it is attached. I can't remember what it is called at the moment...DVI-something or other.

[bkenobi]

Sounds like a similar problem with ATX keyboards. If you unplug the keyboard and then plug it back in, the stupid thing won't work (or at least early ATX systems wouldn't recognize it any more). I had a non powered keyboard/mouse switch back in the day (P1 era). I bought a new computer and tried hooking up the switch to it only to find that it wouldn't work right. That's around the time that KVM switches became popular.

My suspicion is that you will want a better quality switch that keeps the source thinking it's still connected (like gryhnd said). These are typically much more expensive, so perhaps they sell an inline device that you can use for that one connection?

[jimbo6846]

gryhnd and bkenobi, thanks for the replies.

I googled "DVI device that fools the video card into thinking it's attached" and found the DVI Detective. The cheap version is $45+ and the expensive version is $95+. Unfortunately, I think I'd need the expensive version because HDCP pass-thru is mentioned in its tech specs (not mentioned in the $45 version) and I will eventually put a Blu-Ray drive into this PC

I think for now I will just try to deal with this as best I can with what I already have. Luckily, this problem doesn't crop up when I'm simply changing the inputs on the TV itself, and I have the cable box plugged into the TV's other HDMI port.

Once again, thank you very much for the help.

[bkenobi]

Sounds like it could be a lot worse. A couple years ago when HDMI was new, the switches weren't available that readily, so people were selling them for $400+ many places on the web. I'm glad to see that the prices are down quite a bit at this point. The product you are looking for is a bit of a nitch item, so it's going to cost way too much just because they can... If you can wait or get a different video card or just live with it, that's the cheapest route. Glad you figured out something anyway!

[jimbo6846]

  bkenobi said:

Sounds like it could be a lot worse. A couple years ago when HDMI was new, the switches weren't available that readily, so people were selling them for $400+ many places on the web. I'm glad to see that the prices are down quite a bit at this point. The product you are looking for is a bit of a nitch item, so it's going to cost way too much just because they can... If you can wait or get a different video card or just live with it, that's the cheapest route. Glad you figured out something anyway!

Do you think a different(newer) video card would make a difference? Right now, I'm using an older card: ATI Radeon x1900xtx. I was looking at newer models, which already have HDMI ports, like HD4000 cards. Are you saying that not all video cards have this problem?

[bkenobi]

I don't know anything about video cards any more. My newest card is an ATI X1300pro which is ~2 years old now. The last 2 systems I've built just have on board NVidia cards in them. The aren't fancy, but they work fine and can even support a bit of gaming. I haven't fired up a PC game since Doom3 and Far Cry which is over a year back.

My guess though is that as the technology becomes more main stream, the manufacturers will have to fix these types of nagging problems or face massive ridicule. Look at Vista for an example of a company that didn't act quick enough when the demand increased. You might have more luck with a newer video card than you will getting that fancy switch. You might even save some money and get a better video card at the same time!