Oh Poop!!!... Blue Screen of Death on my Win7 Machine - Now Xojo App encountered a fatal problem

Targets Windows
1

I had the dreaded Blue Screen of Death when I started up my PC today. I went through the recommended procedures to “Fix” the issue.

I had to re-install a few drivers, but all-in-all, it seems I’ve got out of it relatively unscathed and all my files look like they’re all there.

The Xojo IDE loads fine with no errors and my current license appears intact, however when I Run the app in the IDE, I get this message:

If I select ignore, Xojo closes out. I can still build my app though - so that’s good.

After testing, I’ve realised that if I ignore the fatal problem message (ie. don’t close that window), then it seems to run in the IDE fine.

I’d like to solve the issue in case something worse happens down the track.

2

Have you reinstalled or repaired Xojo?

I should probably mention that these two events together could be indicative of a failing drive.

3

Thanks for the info Greg.

In the last half hour I’ve uninstalled then reinstalled Xojo, but still get the same error message. Weird.

How do I do a repair? Not sure what to do next.

4

Did you reboot and deleted the caches?

5

Could be one of the plugins.
When my Xojo starts, one of the installed plugins (which I clearly don’t use in my apps), reports a problem due to a missing Microsoft DLL but then I get into Xojo and can run and build just fine.

Does Xojo start cleanly if you empty the plugins folder?

6

Thanks Beatrix, yes I’ve rebooted, but NO, I haven’t deleted the caches.

Sounds like a good idea. Do you know where the caches files are on a Windows PC?

[EDIT] Ok, so I’ve found these instructions for clearing the cache:
https://graffitisuite.com/wiki/doku.php?id=xojo:cache

I may as well give it a go.

@Jeff Tullen
Thanks Jeff, I’ll try that one next.

I’ve got all my Xojo projects and graphic elements backed up so what’s the worst that could happen?

7

Try clicking Report Now and then launch Feedback. It should try to report the problem to us.

8

Thank’s Greg, I did try that but got the message “Feedback is not installed” so I re-installed it, but it will no longer run, and I still get the same error message.

I’ve got an idea of what may be happening.

When I got the crash and after repairing as suggested by the os, I noticed that my PC user account name had reverted back the old account name from when I purchased it (2nd hand), so I renamed the account to a new one. All the apps are still there but some of those don’t work either and ask for re-installation.

So maybe I should be treating this like a new (different) pc and deauthorize my Xojo license first before reinstalling it again on the so-called new device, then re-apply the license. Sounds good in theory :slight_smile:

Well, that’s what I’m about to try.

9

Thank you everybody for your advice, but the time has come to face reality.


(Greg Larson)

My Windows 7 computer has lost its mind (much like the operator).

After many tests, re-installing, un-installing Xojo and trying to launch some other software, some ok, some without success, and then creating a new windows user account, and end up still facing the same problem, then the logical pragmatic side of my brain says “Nupp!!! Steve, it’s time to give it up!”.

I believe the issue lies with “permissions” on a user account which no longer exists. Perhaps knowing exactly what I was doing and editing the registry or any other low level hacks may work, but forget it. If it was a situation where I could lose critical data, then I might go down that path.

Fortunately I’ve been reasonably diligent with backing up my important files, So now it’s time to get another Win7 desktop. Why bother with Win7? well that’s because Win7 is the lowest common denominator that my Xojo app needs to work with.

Lot’s of work to do over the next few days or so just to get back to square one, but sh*t happens.

10

Doh. It’s not fun when stuff like this happens. Might I suggest you get a windows 10 desktop and install a free vm on there (virtualbox), then use the licence from your windows 7 machine inside the vm? You will save a lot of headaches and windows 10 > windows 7 :slight_smile:

11

Well that would be great if I actually owned a Windows 7 license.

Short story long:

I purchased this second hand computer around 3yrs ago. The person I bought it off told me that I needed to upgrade it to Win10 asap. I did so, but didn’t like Win10, and also I wanted Win7 anyway. So I downgraded back to Win7.

After about a month, I got a message when starting windows “This copy of Windows is not genuine”.

I contacted MicroSoft and was told that the license was a fake OEM license. They were nice, and told me that a new Win7 license was unavailable as it’s no longer supported but offered that I could purchase Win10 - or something to that effect. Being a man of limited financial means I declined.

I’ve still been able to use Win7 regardless, except for the “Nag message” that came up all the time - I just ignored it. But still knowing that a penalty would have to be paid in the end if I had to re-install the OS.

I don’t blame anyone for this but myself - although the prick that sold it too me did the wrong thing, and I should have known better.

What to do now? Dunno.

I could buy a second hand pc running Win10, then still be in the position of needing a Win7 license. That would a financial burden that I simply cannot justify.

Meanwhile, I can still use this pc. I’m still able to do most things, but there is some weird slowdown “hang” situations that will likely end in a huge KaPlunk!! and I won’t be able to use it at all. Therefore I haven’t been working on my Xojo project just in case it all turns to sh*t.

There are a few boxes that people are selling on ebay etc. but are pieces of crapp and overly priced.

I’m really not sure what to do next. All I want to do at this point is continue with my Xojo app. using a legitimate OS.

12

SoftwareGeeks.co.uk ?

13

Unless you absolutely need Windows, Linux is an attractive solution in your case. You would be running a totally legit OS. There are tools to convert your existing physical disk to a VM, which could then be used on top of Linux when you positively require Windows. I like Linux Mint with Cinnamon. There are countless other distros and one surely will be good for you. (just make sure it also runs Xojo )

On Windows 10: it does take a bit of getting used to especially for someone coming from Windows 7, but it generally “just works”. I just wish that I did not have to resort to geeky methods to remove the cr*ap that MS insists on installing with the OS. I don’t care for XBOX stuff etc.

14

Thanks for the advice Louis. I did think about Linux at one stage but I’ve got too much invested software that requires Win7.

Anyway, I’ve finally got my self another 2nd hand Win7 box. I did think about Win10 but decided against it for the same reasons of existing software. I think I can still upgrade to 10, then run 7 in a virtual machine (or boot from another disk), but I’ll leave that for now.

The guy I purchased it off did a fresh install of the OS, and I sat there with him whilst we both activated it via the key label stuck to the side of the box, so all is legit and good.

Got home and booted it up, changed the admin user name, changed the computer name, changed the workgroup name, installed the wifi adapter driver for internet access, downloaded firefox and re-booted. The OS downloaded 4 or 5 updates, re-started all good.

It was getting late by this stage and time to go to bed. So I shut down, then got the message “downloading 1 of 127 updates - don’t turn off your computer” (something to that effect). This is not uncommon and it looked like it was going to take hours, so I left it on and went off to bed - dreaming of the promise the new day may bring.

The next morning, it had shut down after the updates, so all good and I troddled off to work.

I left from work early to pick up another keyboard which means I don’t have to swap keyboards, therefore making the migration phase (from this computer) much easier. I was happy, I felt like a little girl skipping through the fields with flowers in his hair. I was looking forward to sorting out the issue and getting back to working on my Xojo app. Tra lala la lah… Tra lala la lah… Tra lala la lah…

So I get home, plug in the new keyboard, boot up the computer, and I get the message “Configuring Updates etc…” Yep, that’s fine, I’ve seen it before, that’s what it does.

I watched it for a while and it looked like it was doing it pretty quickly so I went about my usual daily activities - washing the dishes, vacuuming the floor, polishing the silverware and buffing the champagne glasses etc. as you do. Had a look to see how it was going, and oh dear, I see the message “Failure configuring Windows updates - Reverting changes. Do not turn off your computer.” Well, that’s indeed not happiness! I felt very flat.

I’ve done some research and found that this (although not common) can happen. One option is to just leave it alone (which may take hours) or you can force re-boot into safe mode and make some changes. So I just left it to do its thing whilst writing this post.

About 3hrs+6 beers later, I hear that little “jingle chime” that windows does to indicate “something good has happened”. Yippeee!!!.. I jumped of my chair and ran across to the other side of the room and slipped over on some of the empty beer cans and unpolished silverware which somehow had been inadvertently placed on the floor previously. I got up just in time to read the message: “Please Wait”… “Please Wait…”

The tension in the air was palpable mixed with the pleasant aroma of hops, barley and silver polishing solution… Please Wait… Please Wait… the anticipation reminded me of witnessing the birth of my first child… Please Wait… Please Wait… Oh the joy, the pure joy. Only to see the next message: “Failure configuring Windows updates - Reverting changes. Do not turn off your computer.”

So, if you’re reading this now, it means I’ve already hung myself… a new picture of Bill Gates on the wall and throwing darts at it and laughing in a rather maniacal manner. I reckon I also came up with a few new ways of laughing that I didn’t even think existed. If only it was recorded.

Well, I’ve just heard another little “ding chime” this time asking for my password. This looks even more promising than before.

I guess if this doesn’t work out, I could always take up writing short stories. :slight_smile:

Stay tuned.

15

Ahh windows 7 :slight_smile:

https://blog./2016/05/20/windows-7-fresh-install-wont-update/

16

Ah, Microsoft. I have a Microsoft 365 abonnement and couldn’t find the latest invoice. Got someone to call me back. She was totally astonished that I’m using a Mac. Their screensharing solution only works for Internet Explorer and Edge. Head meets desk.

Oh, and the invoice wasn’t there either. I’ll have to wait a bit. So why did they send me a mail that my invoice is there?

17

Steve, I have very old software, Windows XP era, that still works on Windows 10. When installing, I only had to specify compatibility settings. Sometimes, old VB6 programs may be missing old libraries, but those can be found on the net and then the old stuff works well.

For all its faults, Microsoft is good at one thing: backwards compatibility. There are very few pieces of Windows software (XP era and newer) that cannot work on Windows. Mostly software that relies on specific devices that no longer exists, as far as I could experience, will fail.

Yes, updating Windows 7 was sometimes an adventure. I would suggest to download the manual installer for SP1 if you haven’t installed it yet. Things work (somewhat) better after SP1. And do install the patch recommended by @ . I had forgotten about this one. A very good tip!

18

Beatrix, I use a Mac in my day job as a pre-press professional in the printing industry. It’s an older system Yosemite - but it works fine. Mac OS works in alignment with my way of thinking. To me that means working your way around the system (finder), ie. copying files and knowing where you are in a way that makes sense. All Windows systems that I’ve used fail in that regard.

Nevertheless, my first introduction to programming was through Microsoft Basic, Quickbasic, Visual Basic, etc. but that “soft spot” is becoming eroded.

Forgive me if I get my chronological order incorrect. (brain fade) and apologies for going off topic.

The printing industry was the first industry to really “feel” the effects of computerisation. I’ve been lucky enough to witness a HUGE transition. Hot metal type, Paste-up, bizarre dedicated machines that took 1/2 an hour to boot up.

Back on topic, it seems my “machine” has got itself together after about 5hrs (pathetic). What sort of stupid dumb-arrsed system puts the user through this sort of torture?

I will have to investigate further tomorrow, as I think the silverware has been polished enough. Therefore I dare not turn the computer off, lest it does an un-requested/un-authorised/un-needed update. If you think about that, then this is like crazy-town.

Or, perhaps I’m the Mayor of crazy-town where things just happen. Sort of like quantum physics where two things can happen simultaneously - or maybe one event can happen twice but only proven if you look at the event using Windows 7. How would I know? I’m not that smart, but I’m working towards it.

[EDIT]
Reason for editing: Not telling.

19

This very morning I had a Windows Insider email that shouts compatibility from the rooftops - it goes so far as to say Microsoft will bend over backwards to make your old apps run - either recommending system changes, assisting with coding changes, and that they have even been known to tweak Windows to make it happen.
I’m actually impressed.
Apple sell hardware and it’s in their interest to make the older machines useless.
I wish it wasn’t a yearly event.

Good to hear.

20

I’m torn between two lovers.

I know that apple had a good system. I’m not sure if it’s still there. I mean the fundamental basics in that it “just works” and also looks sexy.

On the IBM PC side, you were able to make your own machine, put bits and pieces together, and that’s a big plus otherwise I would not have been able to do/create some of the things that I’ve done.

In any case, I sit here, and there is NO WAY I’ll be turning off my computer in case there is another 5hr bullshice sceanrio (or worse).

What an absolute “crock”!!!.. So I can’t turn my computer OFF just “in case” it does an update? I’m still just kinking out about it.!!
Arrrrrgggggghhhhrrrruuummmpphhhhumhp!!!

Cheers