PCLINK crashes regularly still

[mattj]

I thought I solved this issue when I changed the program installation location on the hard drive, but I'm still experiencing many random crashes of the software.  I'm running on Windows 10 with a mostly up-to-date OS.  I find that the software program crashes whether or not I'm online with the ECU or not.  Are there some known issues about OS updates that might be causing this?

[Adamw]

No we are all on latest Win 10 here and PC Link is generally pretty stable.  Is there any specific event that you've noticed causing the crash?  I vaugley remember it could crash when some monitors go to sleep or wakeup but generally it is not something i see.  

[mattj]

10 minutes ago, Adamw said:

No we are all on latest Win 10 here and PC Link is generally pretty stable.  Is there any specific event that you've noticed causing the crash?  I vaugley remember it could crash when some monitors go to sleep or wakeup but generally it is not something i see.  

I continue to watch it and remember what I'm doing when it crashes.  Sometimes it's when I unplug from the USB cable, or maybe the external monitor.  It does it quite a bit if I try to run more than one session of the software at the same time (to compare previous files).

I'll keep an eye on it.

[Monsterbishi]

If you're running multiple instances of the software it could be crashing from a contention issue if they're both trying to access the USB/serial ports at the same time?

We have issues with PCLink here if I have things like the Arduino IDE open that polls the USB ports continuously like how PCLink does.

Could be worth a try, start up multiple copies of PCLink, turn off auto-connect and see if it stabilises?

[mattj]

On 8/4/2021 at 3:17 PM, Monsterbishi said:

If you're running multiple instances of the software it could be crashing from a contention issue if they're both trying to access the USB/serial ports at the same time?

We have issues with PCLink here if I have things like the Arduino IDE open that polls the USB ports continuously like how PCLink does.

Could be worth a try, start up multiple copies of PCLink, turn off auto-connect and see if it stabilises?

Thanks!  It seemed to help a lot yesterday, but today the program is crashing, while simply offline, reviewing log files.  Not sure what is going on???

 

[Adamw]

I have not heard of regular crashing with G4+ PC Link.  My first thought since it is happening when offline would be something graphics driver related, PC Link uses Open GL quite a lot.  

I believe some of the microsoft graphics drivers have pretty poor support for Open GL since microsoft sell a competing product, so it is generally best to use the graphics driver direct from the graphics vendors website (Intel or AMD) rather than the default windows supplied one.  Try installing the latest vendor driver.

[mattj]

On 8/9/2021 at 3:35 PM, Adamw said:

I have not heard of regular crashing with G4+ PC Link.  My first thought since it is happening when offline would be something graphics driver related, PC Link uses Open GL quite a lot.  

I believe some of the microsoft graphics drivers have pretty poor support for Open GL since microsoft sell a competing product, so it is generally best to use the graphics driver direct from the graphics vendors website (Intel or AMD) rather than the default windows supplied one.  Try installing the latest vendor driver.

Ok.  Thanks!  I'll try switching the drivers.  I am seeing more crashes just while sitting offline and looking at logfiles.

[mattj]

On 8/9/2021 at 3:35 PM, Adamw said:

I have not heard of regular crashing with G4+ PC Link.  My first thought since it is happening when offline would be something graphics driver related, PC Link uses Open GL quite a lot.  

I believe some of the microsoft graphics drivers have pretty poor support for Open GL since microsoft sell a competing product, so it is generally best to use the graphics driver direct from the graphics vendors website (Intel or AMD) rather than the default windows supplied one.  Try installing the latest vendor driver.

I installed the latest drivers for my Intel Graphics 4600 and checked for latest drivers (already had them) for my AMD Radeon HD 8790M.  Retested the issue last night and it's still crashing.   It crashed yesterday while I was driving (online) and logging data.  I've tried two other laptops too.  One that is nearly identical, and one that is a small 10" tablet running windows 10.  Completely separate graphics system.

I was gonna say maybe it's a USB port thing, until I tested the other laptops.  That can't be it.  Maybe be something in my settings?  The original file came from the "Restore to Factory Settings" file that was onboard the Thunder unit in the very beginning.

The other thing I noticed is that the software won't let me change the directories for Basemaps and Log Files, while it will let me change the directory for Layout Files.  When I click on the three little dots (ellipsis) in the box to the right of the current Directory path, it simply doesn't open the dialogue box to select a new direcectory.  When I do this for Layout Files, it opens the dialogue box and allows me to change the directory, however, when I save and close the basemap file, and attempt to reopen it (File->Open), it seems to think I'm opening a layout file, not a basemap file?  Is this expected behavior?

I'd really love to sort out these issue to give me better confidence that I'm not at risk of software issues while on the dyno.

 

[Adamw]

4 hours ago, mattj said:

The other thing I noticed is that the software won't let me change the directories for Basemaps and Log Files, while it will let me change the directory for Layout Files. 

This suggests you still have something messed up in your install.  Did you uninstall PC Link and re-install when we told you you had it in the wrong directory? Did you delete all the old PC Link directory from program files?  Does it do the same on all 3 laptops?  

[ClintBHP]

I was having crashing issues - but all disappeared when I upgraded to windows 11 - go figure Microsoft fixed something ! 
my old win 10 machine still buggy will update that ones soon and report back.

[JMP]

Is anything recorded in Windows Event Logs when it crashes?  I'd expect something to be logged in either the Application or System Event logs which will point you in the right direction

[mattj]

5 hours ago, Adamw said:

This suggests you still have something messed up in your install.  Did you uninstall PC Link and re-install when we told you you had it in the wrong directory? Did you delete all the old PC Link directory from program files?  Does it do the same on all 3 laptops?  

I did delete the application and reinstall.  I just checked and the old Link G4/PCLink G4+ files are all still there.  I'll delete them and try it again.  I didn't try changing the directories on the other two laptops.  I'll see if it fixes it on this laptop once I delete those old files and uninstall/reinstall again.  

4 hours ago, ClintBHP said:

I was having crashing issues - but all disappeared when I upgraded to windows 11 - go figure Microsoft fixed something ! 
my old win 10 machine still buggy will update that ones soon and report back.

Interesting...I didn't even know about Windows 11!  I'll look into that?  Is PCLink supported on Windows 11?

[mattj]

4 hours ago, JMP said:

Is anything recorded in Windows Event Logs when it crashes?  I'd expect something to be logged in either the Application or System Event logs which will point you in the right direction

I found a variety of events in the Windows Sys Log.  Not sure what the next step would be.  Any idea?  
Files attached.

[JMP]

I'd be running a system file scan and then applying all pending windows updates as a start.
If it persists after that analysis of the crash dump file will give more clues

 

a) Press Windows key + X, select Command prompt (Admin) to bring up elevated command prompt.

b) In the command prompt type the following command: sfc  /scannow and press enter.

c) After the scan, restart the computer and check if the issue persists.

Once the scan is done, restart the computer and ensure that the computer is up to date with the latest Windows Updates.

[mattj]

4 hours ago, JMP said:

I'd be running a system file scan and then applying all pending windows updates as a start.
If it persists after that analysis of the crash dump file will give more clues

 

a) Press Windows key + X, select Command prompt (Admin) to bring up elevated command prompt.

b) In the command prompt type the following command: sfc  /scannow and press enter.

c) After the scan, restart the computer and check if the issue persists.

Once the scan is done, restart the computer and ensure that the computer is up to date with the latest Windows Updates.

Ok.  I'll try this.  It's crashing this morning, while it's just sitting here.

[remski2]

https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/server/configuration/resolving-0xc0000005-errors/

Malware scan and Mem diagnostics would be the first ones I'd do.

[mattj]

6 hours ago, JMP said:

I'd be running a system file scan and then applying all pending windows updates as a start.
If it persists after that analysis of the crash dump file will give more clues

 

a) Press Windows key + X, select Command prompt (Admin) to bring up elevated command prompt.

b) In the command prompt type the following command: sfc  /scannow and press enter.

c) After the scan, restart the computer and check if the issue persists.

Once the scan is done, restart the computer and ensure that the computer is up to date with the latest Windows Updates.

Appears to be no issue with the scan.

 

8 minutes ago, remski2 said:

https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/server/configuration/resolving-0xc0000005-errors/

Malware scan and Mem diagnostics would be the first ones I'd do.

Interesting.  Ok, I'll try this too!

I'll try reinstalling the software again.

[mattj]

I found there was still two installations of the software somehow.  ??

I deleted both and reinstalled.  Let's see if that worked...

[mattj]

Well, she crashes while it just sits there offline and I'm doing something else in the shop.  Come back and it's crashed.  

[mattj]

I just tested the "third" laptop I have access to, and it is not crashing on that computer.  It was previously "going offline", but I may have confused the software crashing on that machine, with it's ability to stay online.   The connection settings (not reccommended) is keeping the connection stable in the third laptop, but the other two is still crashing the laptop.  Having said that, the "second" laptop is a nearly identical laptop (hardware) to the first laptop, but it has MacOS running on it, so I was just swapping out the hard drive from my first laptop to the second laptop...and those both crash the software.  Problem must be in the OS on the hard drive of this first laptop.  I'll keep digging.

[mattj]

I found a windows update that failed.  I'll try to get that reinstalled.  

[Adamw]

I would say the most suspicious culprit based on the info you have given so far is the odd dual graphics cards set up.  See if there is some option to force an app to use a specific card and also make sure in the advanced windows power plan settings that all settings related to power saving for the display adapter are disabled and/or they are set for "max performance" both on batt and AC.  Also disable power saving on the PCI Express.  

https://www.windowsdigitals.com/force-chrome-firefox-game-to-use-nvidia-gpu-integrated-graphics/

[mattj]

1 hour ago, Adamw said:

I would say the most suspicious culprit based on the info you have given so far is the odd dual graphics cards set up.  See if there is some option to force an app to use a specific card and also make sure in the advanced windows power plan settings that all settings related to power saving for the display adapter are disabled and/or they are set for "max performance" both on batt and AC.  Also disable power saving on the PCI Express.  

https://www.windowsdigitals.com/force-chrome-firefox-game-to-use-nvidia-gpu-integrated-graphics/

Ok.  Thanks.  I'll try this.  

[mattj]

On 8/12/2021 at 3:59 PM, ClintBHP said:

I was having crashing issues - but all disappeared when I upgraded to windows 11 - go figure Microsoft fixed something ! 
my old win 10 machine still buggy will update that ones soon and report back.

Is Windows 11 officially released?  Is there a beta available somewhere?  I might have to try this.

[mattj]

Update.  New laptop all together.  Still crashing.  Freshly install of the software.  I did copy over my options file though.  I was out driving around and logging some data.   Crashes before I can even save the log file.  Pull back into the shop...and I noticed as soon as I plugged in the external monitor, via HMDI, to the laptop...the software crashed again.  I'm testing now to see if it will just crash with nothing attached to the laptop, other than a USB mouse and the power cord.  Also, I brought the laptop home and plugged into a different external monitor, also via HDMI, and it crashed on the home external monitor too.

 

EDIT:  While the laptop just sits here with the program open, no external monitor connected, and viewing a log file...it crashes.