Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

ok version 5.02.07 installed fine but .08 still has the same problem and the same **** error message arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

I just tried it myself and had no trouble. If you go to the downloaded Hoster setup.exe file, right click it and select properties mine shows 24.3MB, if yours is less it has not downloaded the complete file in which case I would delete it and download again.
There is something mentioned in the instalation procedure about an error message, can't remember now though what is say's but I think basically ignore.

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

That is for the 1706 error Roy. Doesn't stop the install though.

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

I am using Windows 7 home edition. Also checked the downloaded file and it is 24.3MB. I uninstalled the previous version and tried to install the newest (.08) and still get the same error. I then installed the previous (.07) and installed fine.

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

Mike, it helps if you can provide us with the error message text, instead of pure emotions. We can use the facts to help isolate and solve the problem. We suspect the message included "is_mtu.dll", which is our code to communicate with our web site during registration. Without any clue to your error message text, we are assuming this in our diagnosis.

We had to re-install the program we use to create the Hoster Installation file you download. We suspect that re-installing it disabled a required component, possibly "is_mtu.dll". We used the identical "hoster.exe" code from 502.07, so we know that's not the problem.

We're on it this morning.

We released 503 Beta 2 last night, hopefully the last beta version. We must solve this installation problem before releasing 503.08 (or .09 if we skew to next month).

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

Hi Admin
I did state what the error was but I shall repeat it for you.
The error is as follows

Error number 0x80040702
Description: Failed to Load DLL: _ismtu

Set up will now terminate

Hope this helps you

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

We FIXED the problem of 5.02.08 not installing on Win7 64-bit systems.

Simply download the Hoster 502.08 Installation file again and run it as an Upgrade.

We re-created this problem on one of our Win7 64-bit Laptops and dignosed what was wrong.

If for any reason it doesn't install, post here as many facts as you can.

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

Thanks guys installed with no problems

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

It seems to have worked. Thanks again. I do have a question though. When running 5.02.07 (before I upgraded) I noticed that after searching for a song and then hitting the add button the extended desktop karaoke screen would go black (not the entire screen, just the words). They then would highlight accordingly with the music from black to say.. yellow. Once the words finished to the bottom and the screen was refreshed with new words it went back to normal. This has never happened to me before and I wasn't sure what would cause this. It also does it when playing videos, but is black until the video ends. Any help would be appreciated :)

MTU I do have to say that your support is unparalleled to any support I have ever encountered. Thanks again!

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

Gents, thank you for replying so quickly. As with any complex bug related to Windows, it always helps to have confirmation that we fixed it. :)

Thank you Chad for working with us, AND... for reporting the problem! :w


Whenever "black" is appearing on the Show Display or Preview Display, we "usually" find there is an NVidia graphics card/chip being used.

Does your computer have an NVideo card/chip?

More importantly, does this blacking out still happen with Hoster 502.08?

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

I know you guys are working on the fix for the skipping and stalling, I was so frustrated last night because it seemed like every other song had to be restarted because it would skip right at the beginning of the song and then the lyrics would be off. I just want you to know I anxiously await your fixes!:r

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

I wanted to update you on our latest directions to fix Hoster's problems.

1. It appears that Microsoft has turned Windows 7 64-bit into a VIRTUAL MACHINE. They call it WOW (Windows on Windows). Hoster is a 32-bit app, so it would be run in WOW mode, not 64-bit mode or the Vista "32-bit emulation mode" on a 64-bit OS.

Virtual machines give each Application a limited amount of system resources (which would explain why Search dialog is choking), and may also prevent the App from getting to hardware resources as we could do in the past. WOW may run Hoster in the equivalent of a fractional GigaByte of RAM, and the CPU power "your guess is as good as mine" a fraction of the processor speed. This is now starting to make sense why Hoster runs fine on a good 'ole XP or even a (gag) Vista system, or Windows 7 32-bit.

What the heck! Why didn't Microsoft warn everyone that if you buy a Windows 7 64-bit system (the standard shipped today), you would see performance of ALL your "old programs" equal to some shamefully slow system, WAY INFERIOR to XP?

So, you may want to wait for 5.03 to come out, but if we can't find a way to programmatically allocate RAM/CPU power to the Hoster WOW, we will suggest you install Win7 32-bit. :r :e :m :f May God have mercy on us all!



2. Over the years of development, all Indices in the Hoster Songs.mdb and Singers.mdb were removed. :e :e :e

This probably happened when we spent 22 man-months to gain compatibility with Vista that allowed Hoster to also run on Win7.

This means that every search was executed as a "string" search, traversing the entire database. TheMusicGeek reported when using the Search button dialog on his 24MB Songs.mdb, the system could "sleep" for 30-60 seconds. That seriously got my personal attention.



3. In 5.03 we are re-engineering the Singer database.
This database has a Singer Table with SingerID and SingerName fields, and a Song Table with SingerID and BookID fields. The Singers button dialog shows columns with Title, Artist, Brand, and DiscID. It doesn't store these fields, but uses the BookID to "string search" the Songs.mdb, then read these fields and populate the dialog columns. It's no wonder why using the Singers database in any way is slow. :r

You may wonder why the heck we did that? Well, when the Singers database was "conceived", we expected maybe 100 "repeat singers" (a lot of "followers") with maybe 50 songs (an extravagant set we thought). Uhh... some of you folks are reporting way more Singers/Songs.

In 5.03, when you add a BookID for a Singer, we will copy the Title, Artist, Brand and DiscID AT THAT TIME from the Songs Database and store them in the Song Table as new fields. Then, we won't need to query the Songs database for them. Changes made in Edit Songs will NOT update your Song Table records, but we'll add a "Refresh" button to re-synchronize the Songs Table when you want.

We also are adding "indexing" on these fields:

1. Songs.mdb - Songs Table BookID, Title and Artist. The "BookID" button to add songs to the Playlist will be lightening fast. In the Search button dialog, searching on BookID, Title or Artist will be MUCH faster, but searching Brand, DiscID, Language, Genre, Karaoke, Audio, Video (versus all) will be as slow as you have now.

2. Singers.mdb - Singer Table SingerName, Song Table SingerID and possible Title.

It is not feasible to index all fields as you would not have enough RAM to hold these "in-memory" index tables. Title and Artist are each 64-Bytes long. A 50,000 record (files) Songs.mdb database would require 50K x (64 B+64 B) = 6.4MB just for these two indices. Given that Win7 64-bit WOW mode seems to STARVE Hoster for RAM,this could drastically affect performance, versus improve it.

Also, the more indices we require, the longer it will take to "Index HD Files" or "Build Database". We are making reasonable tradeoffs.

So, that's where we are this weekend. :)

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

Just an FYI admin but my show comptuer is Vista 64 not Windows 7 64. Don't know if that changes your diagnosis any but I thought I should mention it.

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

Just loaded 5.02.8 and now I cannot change the key.....I tried to load the earlier version and still cannot change the key......would like to avoid a total removal ...any ideas..????
Thanks :?

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

It's working OK on both my XP & Windows 7 computers.

From which version did you upgrade from when you installed the 5.02.8 and was it working OK on the prior version ?

One thing might be worth a try, install again ticking the box in one of the install screens to not keep all your settings, can't remember the exact wording, but you would have to check all your settings again after using this though it won't loose any data.

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

Admin:

Regarding the screen going black, yes it still happens in .08. I also have the following video card NVIDIA GeForce GT 230M.

I also noticed that recently a driver for this card was updated right around the time the black screen started. I have since rolled back the driver to the previous one and believe that has fixed the issue. I have a show tonight so I will be able to put it to the real test instead of a quick check.

thanks again.

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

It turns out that did not fix the problem. :(

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

It turns out that it did fix the problem WITHIN hoster. When i load other programs while hoster is running the screen turns black but only when it is first loaded :))

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

We suspect Vista 64-bit also has WOW, but we haven't verified yet.

Today we're adding new fields into the Singers.mdb Songs Table (Title, Artist, Brand, DiscID) so Hoster doesn't have to query the Songs.mdb for these items shown in the Singers button dialog.

We're also adding indices into the Singers.mdb tables, and the Songs.mdb one table. We may have to require you to trigger a rebuild of these databases. Yes, we will add a "Rebuild Database" in the Singers button dialog so you can do this. :w

Re: Report Hoster 5.02 Problems
 

WOW64 has been a part of 64 bit Windows since Windows 2000 Limited Editition. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WoW64