New install Topicscape freezed PC

[herbTea]

Hi,
I haven't been using Topicscape in awhile and I wanted to give it a go.
I installed v2.7 successfully but when it attempts to start it gets as far as the window that tests the graphics capabilities of the system and locks up my PC. The only way out is to do a hard reboot.
I tried running Topicscape (TS) after the reboot with the same results.
I uninstalled and reinstalled, same thing.
I ran msconfig.exe and disabled all non MS services and startup apps, rebooted, started TS and same result.
I unistalled v2.7 and installed v2.51 with services/startup apps disabled, same problem.
My system specs:
Win7 pro x64
two SSDs in RAID0 for the OS/apps and a RAID10 array for data
Intel Q9450 CPU
8 GB RAM
ATI 3870x2 graphics adapter with the following drivers:
Driver Packaging Version    8.861-110524a-119606C-ATI   
Catalyst Version    11.6   
Provider    ATI Technologies Inc.   
2D Driver Version    8.01.01.1162   
2D Driver File Path    /REGISTRY/MACHINE/SYSTEM/ControlSet001/Control/CLASS/{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}/0001   
Direct3D Version    7.14.10.0841   
OpenGL Version    6.14.10.10834   
Catalyst Control Center Version    2011.0524.2352.41027   

I look forward to your assistance.
Herb

[Argey]

Hi Herb,

Sorry to hear you're having this problem. This is characteristic of a graphics issue somewhere.

1. The first thing would be to update to the latest Catalyst. 11.6 is very recent, but there is an even later one, 11.7, here:

http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/aiwhd_vista32.aspx  That may provide an answer.

2. If that doesn't fix it, I'm wondering about the wattage of the power supply on your machine.  The ATI 3870x2 graphics adapter is a beefy unit and the rest of your PC is very high spec but other software that doesn't invoke OpenGL 3D may not draw full power.  Do you have any other software that runs OpenGL?  If so does that run OK?

3. You have a version 1 license for Topicscape, but you purchased within the period for a free upgrade to version 2.  Do not install the version 1 license or you will have to uninstall Topicscape and re-install.  We will send you a new license for version 2.

Argey

[herbTea]

Hi Argey,
thanks for the fast reply.
My PSU is a Thermaltake 1200W and I don't recall off hand the specs for the graphics lines but they were adequate. I've run Crysis without issue though it runs DirectX. I've also provided GPU for folding@Home without issue. I also ran Topicscape on the same box but it may have been under Vista, I'm not sure if I've run it since I move to win7.
Well, I'll install the 11.7 driver and post back how things go.
Thanks,
Herb

[Argey]

Hi Herb,

If that doesn't help, will you try changing Topicscape to run in compatibility mode (right-click Topicscape shortcut on desktop > Properties > Compatibility > Run this program in compatibility mode for Windows XP).

We haven't seen Topicscape need this in Win7 64 tests, but someone did mention that they had to do this once.

Thanks,

 

Argey 

[herbTea]

Hi Argey,
I installed the 11.7 graphics driver but it didn't make a difference. I then enabled XP compatibility mode and, alas, it made no difference either.
Is there some way to disable the graphics card test on the first run? As soon as the window pops up the system freezes. Perhaps if we could bypass the graphics card test and just run Topicscape things might work.
Thanks,
Herb

[Argey]

Hi Herb,

There is no way to disable the test, and doing so would not solve the problem, because it tests for a known bug in some past Intel graphics drivers.  If the thing it tests for were really the cause of the problem, bypassing the test would just delay the hang, probably for just a few milliseconds.  But I don't think it is, because a message would be shown.

The 1200W power supply makes inadequate power an unlikely problem - it must keep you warm in winter!

We are thinking about the comment that you have run Topicscape on this PC before (presumably with the same graphics hardware).  This makes the specific Win7 driver one possible suspect - we have worked with Intel and Nvidia in the past to identify and test fixed drivers, but have not had to do so for a couple of years.  Unfortunately, when we were able to demonstrate a problem with an ATI/AMD driver, they responded that the driver did not support OpenGL (though their hardware spec said it did).

Another possibility is some incompatible software.

The next step will be to try two steps to give us more information.
1. Will you send us some Topicscape logs, please.  See:
http://www.topicscape.com/topicscape-wiki/index.php?title=Sending_log_files
2. And will you run a full test with GLversion, please, and send the diagnostic file it produces in its deeper test? See:
http://www.topicscape.com/topicscape-wiki/index.php?title=Graphics_hardware#A_deeper_check

Thanks,
Argey

[herbTea]

Hi Argey,
Yup, this box does put out enough heat to help keep me warm in the winter and tax my AC in the summer.
You may wish to update the help section for an x64 system as the path to the log files on my box is C:\Program Files (x86)\Topicscape Pro 2\xjre
Attached are the log files. I'll post the diagnostic file in a separate post.
Also, you surmised correctly that when I was running TS at an earlier time under Vista Ultimate x64 it was with the same HW set.
Thanks for your help with this as I would very much like to be able to begin using TS again!
Herb

[herbTea]

Hi Argey,
I attempted to run the GLInfo app and as soon as it launched my box froze :(
Let me know how you'd like to proceed.
Thanks,
Herb

[herbTea]

Success!
I did a clean uninstall of all AMD/ATI drivers and reg entries, reinstalled the latest driver pkg and TS works :)
There are a few settings in CCC, like GPU Scaling, that I had selected previously and are not selected by default. I'll enable these other options I had selected before and see if they cause any issues.
I'll let you know what I find.
Cheers,
Herb

[herbTea]

Hi Argey,
You had mentioned that I had a version 1 lic. and that you would send me a version 2? Did you send that yet? I was checking my inbox and wanted to be sure I haven't missed it.
Thanks,
Herb

[Argey]

This established that it was a driver problem for sure.

More below.

Argey

[Argey]

No I had put this aside until the "won't start" problem was diagnosed.  As it was a clean install on a new OS, you're inside the trial period so we have up to 30 days before the license becomes an issue.

I will have one generated and emailed to you within the next hour.

Argey

[Argey]

Hi Herb,

You should have received the free upgrade license for which you were eligible by now.

So ... we don't know if the driver problem was a corrupted file or similar, or one of the settings you mentioned.

Whether you find a setting like CCC, or GPU Scaling that causes the problem to re-appear, or even if no settings-change causes the problem to come back, we would like to know, please.

Then we can add this information to the Topicscape Wiki to help speed up solving any similar future case.

Thank you for your patience in working through this with us.

Argey

[herbTea]

Hi Argey,
I reconfigured CCC and enabled GPU scaling and TS works fine. It appears that there was an issue with the driver file or remnant from a previous version. The clean uninstall and then reinstall did the trick.
Thanks for your help and for an amazingly useful tool.
Herb