Report Hoster 5.02 Problems - CLOSED - See 5.03

[TheMusicGeek]

I did a show Tuesday night and hoster shut down twice. Additionally I had some weird issues when using search. Sometimes (usually while adding a file from search) hoster would freeze but the singer display would work fine. The lyrics display on Hoster would stop but the lyrics on the singer display would scroll as normal. Even stayed in sync. I don't know if this is a factor but the song time was off on several songs as well. The song would be over and still show a minute or two left till it kicked over to the next one.

Last week, I tested the memory with both Windows memory check and Memtest 64. I also checked the system files for corruption using sfc /scannow. Neither showed any problems. I also reinstalled the Visual C++ 2005 as suggested.

Originally Posted by MTUSUPPORT

From your post above, there are several reasons why the ntdll.dll can cause a crash as this.

1) It could be bad hardware or ram.
2) Damaged Windows Files
3) Missing redistributable components

Try #3 first, as it is easiest to fix.

Since you're running 64 Bit Windows 7, download the 64 bit version of Visual Studio 2005 SP1 redistributable Package and install it.

Here is the Link to the 64 bit version:
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en....aspx?id=18471


For others with 32 bit Windows here is the Link: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en...ang=en&id=5638


Once you download it, click on Run to install the files to your system. You may need to reboot the system after the installation.

Please post back here if this solves Hoster crashing on your computer, so we know. If this does not solve it #1 or #2 should be your fix.

You can also try this FAQ, to see if it may help clean up your computer: http://www.mtu.com/kb/kb/index.php?a...id=115&relid=1

[admin]

Originally Posted by TheMusicGeek

I did a show Tuesday night and hoster shut down twice. Additionally I had some weird issues when using search. Sometimes (usually while adding a file from search) hoster would freeze but the singer display would work fine. The lyrics display on Hoster would stop but the lyrics on the singer display would scroll as normal. Even stayed in sync. I don't know if this is a factor but the song time was off on several songs as well. The song would be over and still show a minute or two left till it kicked over to the next one.

Last week, I tested the memory with both Windows memory check and Memtest 64. I also checked the system files for corruption using sfc /scannow. Neither showed any problems. I also reinstalled the Visual C++ 2005 as suggested.

First, thank you for reporting you upgraded the Visual C++ 2005 files MTUSUPPORT suggested. We've been waiting about a month for your response.

I don't think I have ever heard a list of so many problems from one user!

Have you re-installed Windows and your Video graphic drivers? I would first suspect these, given all the problems. No one else is reporting these problems with 5.02, which again points to your computer causing the problems, not Hoster.

Understand, I'm not trying to "duck our responsibility", but we don't have anything we can sink our teeth into from your post... especially given no one else is reporting the same problems.

We are now on version 5.03. We have added some fine tuning features in the Search dialog, but our Beta Testers don't report any of your problems either.

[TheMusicGeek]

Sorry I did not report back sooner. I don't do anywhere near as many shows as I used to so I had to wait till I had something to report.

No I have not reinstalled Windows. I see no reason to do that when Hoster is the ONLY program having problems.

I'm not trying to second guess you but this type of behavior seems indicative of a memory leak within the program itself. That would seem logical to as to why it doesn't act up for a couple hours. Of course not knowing how your program handles memory, I may be causing this myself as I usually load 2-4 hour playlists. Additionally my songs.mdb file is 24 MB so maybe I'm just overtaxing Hoster.

I have a very long show today (about 10-12 hours). It's a send off for the local natational guard troops being redeployed. We'll see what happens and I can report back if you wish.

[TheMusicGeek]

Update on Saturdays show. Almost exactly at the 2 hour mark a song started to stutter. The scroller stopped and hoster froze (not responding) but did not shut down. After 30 seconds to a minute hoster would catch up so to speak and continue just fine. This happened several times throughout the night. Quite often when adding a song from search or changing the search from Karaoke to Audio or Video (or visaversa).

Originally Posted by TheMusicGeek

Sorry I did not report back sooner. I don't do anywhere near as many shows as I used to so I had to wait till I had something to report.

No I have not reinstalled Windows. I see no reason to do that when Hoster is the ONLY program having problems.

I'm not trying to second guess you but this type of behavior seems indicative of a memory leak within the program itself. That would seem logical to as to why it doesn't act up for a couple hours. Of course not knowing how your program handles memory, I may be causing this myself as I usually load 2-4 hour playlists. Additionally my songs.mdb file is 24 MB so maybe I'm just overtaxing Hoster.

I have a very long show today (about 10-12 hours). It's a send off for the local natational guard troops being redeployed. We'll see what happens and I can report back if you wish.

[Deeter]

Is there anything set in your screensaver or power settings where the display, or hard drive, or system goes into standby or sleep mode at 2 hours? Or did the 2 hours happen to be coincidentally at the time a virus scan was scheduled to run?

[TheMusicGeek]

None of the above. Virus scan is disabled during shows and power settings are set to preformance with no sleep or standby. It always seems to start with Hoster after about 2 hours of use. Probably just coincidence.

[Roy Dennis]

Is it a heat problem ? could your cpu be getting overheated ?

[Lonman]

This is something i've not noticed before, but when I pause a song at the beginning and then hit play, it will sometime start with the lyrics swipe so far off that it is unsingable. I have to restart the song then it will play fine. It seems the only time it does it is when I hit pause in the beginning while waiting for the next singer. It does seem to have just started as I always pause songs. Any clue what may be causing this?

[Telecaster]

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

[tonysjungle]

Not sure I chose the most efficient way to do this...but when I've imported various cd's or zips (always to kma), I've often put them into separate folders to be able to easily print a songbook JUST for the songs within that folder (for example: I made a large digital purchase from a manufacturer and wanted all of those songs to remain in one folder...wanted them in my database quickly, but also wanted to be able to print a songbook of JUST those songs so I could edit the various mistakes).

Anyway, what keeps happening....over and over...is that when I go to "Add Folder" within the Build Songs Database (after already having a database with most of my songs), Hoster crashes after indexing for about 10 seconds and without adding any songs. It's not folder specific. For example, If I start with no database...then add folder 1, then 2, then 3, (and this usually happens after I've added 2 or 3 folders), while importing folder 4 it will crash. But again, it's not specific to folder 4. I can add folder 1, then 4, then 2, then it'll crash while adding folder 3.

Didn't have this problem in version 4, but am consistently having it with version 5.

ALL folders contain kma's only.

I'm generally very satisfied with 5.01/5.02. Less crashes during show. This seems to be the only thing I'm running into. And there are no folders within the "excluded folders" area...

[admin]

Originally Posted by TheMusicGeek

Update on Saturdays show. Almost exactly at the 2 hour mark a song started to stutter. The scroller stopped and hoster froze (not responding) but did not shut down. After 30 seconds to a minute hoster would catch up so to speak and continue just fine. This happened several times throughout the night. Quite often when adding a song from search or changing the search from Karaoke to Audio or Video (or visaversa).

Greet feedback!

You're facts are DEFINITELY helping us drill down as to what to look for.

The problem that tkelly3 in post #13, #15, #17, and Dale Douglass in post #14 are reporting may be related to yours. We caused an error in 5.01 when adding a song from the Search dialog to the Playlist. Instead of adding the correct DiscID-Track format (ex: "SC1234-12"), we were adding only "SC1234". This was fixed, but may have left something broken in the Search dialog.

Your point that Hoster would freeze for 30-60 seconds MAY explain a similar crash MTUSUPPORT is working on in a Support Ticket. Our user has 4 new Dells with Hoster Quad and reports all are "crashing". Bryan (MTUSUPPORT) will ask them today to wait over 60 seconds to see if Hoster is just frozen and not crashed.

Today, we'll check for a memory leak, testing adding songs from the Search dialog, and switching between the Karaoke, Audio and Video "filter switches". There may be something wrong with the SQL code accessing into the Songs Database. Database searches that "don't return quickly" can cause delays you are indicating; i.e. a prime suspect for us to research first.

We'll also build and run a "debug" version and watch for any freezes or stopping while adding songs and shifting "filter switches".

Know that we are on this today. I'll try to post our results back here later, but please don't "burn me" if I forget. My platter is very full right now...

[jcsings]

Originally Posted by admin

First, thank you for reporting you upgraded the Visual C++ 2005 files MTUSUPPORT suggested. We've been waiting about a month for your response.

I don't think I have ever heard a list of so many problems from one user!

Have you re-installed Windows and your Video graphic drivers? I would first suspect these, given all the problems. No one else is reporting these problems with 5.02, which again points to your computer causing the problems, not Hoster.

Understand, I'm not trying to "duck our responsibility", but we don't have anything we can sink our teeth into from your post... especially given no one else is reporting the same problems.

We are now on version 5.03. We have added some fine tuning features in the Search dialog, but our Beta Testers don't report any of your problems either.

I've been having the same problems. I am running a 64 pentium 4 500 GB hard,plus 500 GB external, 4 GB ram. CPU 7450 @2.13 GHZ I downloaded the
2005++ and that didn't fix it. I took my computer in to see if there was issues with the hard drive, it's working fine. I'm very very frustrated with the constant skipping, and stalling. If I open singer's data base while running a song it stops and starts over... I've never had an issue with hoster before and I am at my wits end.

[admin]

Originally Posted by jcsings

I've been having the same problems. I am running a 64 pentium 4 500 GB hard,plus 500 GB external, 4 GB ram. CPU 7450 @2.13 GHZ I downloaded the
2005++ and that didn't fix it. I took my computer in to see if there was issues with the hard drive, it's working fine. I'm very very frustrated with the constant skipping, and stalling. If I open singer's data base while running a song it stops and starts over... I've never had an issue with hoster before and I am at my wits end.

Your comments are noted, and appreciated!

We are diagnosing these problems right now. We are finding a few "minor" gremlins in how we defined fields in the Songs.mdb that may have some impact.

Also... we are using the older Microsoft Access 97 DB Manager, which MAY be a growing problem, or the root cause, for your skipping, etc. When you think about the SLOOOOOOOW computers Hoster flawlessly runs on with Win XP, and compare the LIGHT SPEED processors you probably have today, there is no logical reason why Hoster won't work without dropping audio.

We have our audio player and CDG renderer player set to HIGHER thread priority than Hoster, which SHOULD prevent a DB search from interrupting audio or lyrics. So much for these "advanced" windows we are stuck with!

Windows Vista and Windows 7 s*** and we continually... CONTINUALLY are finding code sections that have worked for years that now malfunction on these OS's. It's frustrating to try and shoot at this moving target.

In the past week, we have discovered that by using DirectSound (Microsoft's method to access the audio hardware), our Microstudio, Songverter and Hoster's "Build Database" won't open and use MP3 songs under Windows 7 64-bit. Runs FINE under Windows 7 32-bit. ANd what is really confusing is we have an "older" Win 7 64-bit Laptop (quite powerful) that WON'T process MP3's as stated, and then a brand new LC Laptop we just received and it WILL process MP3's. Now that was an interesting find. So what's wrong with our Hoster code that performs FINE on one Win7, and NOT on another?

Oh yes, Keyrite, Vogone, and Hoster's "Index HD Files" screen open and use MP3's fine on Win7 64-bit.

Just got a notice from engineering they have now bypassed Windows' DirectSound for audio and all seems to be working. You'll see a new Microstudio and Songverter soon, and Hoster 5.03 is well under way, now including this "fix".

[tkelley3]

Hoster Admin…thanks for working so hard to make Hoster better. I would guess that a less reputable company would have “thrown in the towel” long ago. I applaud your efforts and I am determined to stick with you through thick and thin. My frustration does boil but at least you are listening and attempting to fix all of our problems. Thank you.

[admin]

Originally Posted by tkelley3

Hoster Admin…thanks for working so hard to make Hoster better. I would guess that a less reputable company would have “thrown in the towel” long ago. I applaud your efforts and I am determined to stick with you through thick and thin. My frustration does boil but at least you are listening and attempting to fix all of our problems. Thank you.

Thanks for your words of encouragement!

I started MTU March 1, 1977. We love designing what makes your life easier, and hate problems; i.e. we fix 'em as fast as we can!

The problem is ALWAYS to identify what the real culprit is. It may be a bug in our code, or a change caused by a Windows Update, or a user's specific computer, or a myriad of other causes... not always our code.

MTUSUPPORT (Bryan) is the best I've ever known at staying with a problem until he identifies and can re-create it. He's a pit bull and won't let go.

That's why we ask for facts; step-by-step what you were doing, or ARE doing if you can re-create the problem. Once WE can re-create a problem at MTU, we'll nail it quickly.

My main concern right now, as stated in my thread above, is Microsoft Windows 7 may not be fully supporting Microsoft's Access 97. That... will require months of time to convert to Access 2000 or 2003, and test so there are as few a problems as possible.

It's like taking your car in and you're told they have to replace the ENGINE. It can be done but it'll take time to do and test; i.e. a LOT of our resources. (sigh.....)

[jcsings]

Originally Posted by admin

Your comments are noted, and appreciated!

We are diagnosing these problems right now. We are finding a few "minor" gremlins in how we defined fields in the Songs.mdb that may have some impact.

Also... we are using the older Microsoft Access 97 DB Manager, which MAY be a growing problem, or the root cause, for your skipping, etc. When you think about the SLOOOOOOOW computers Hoster flawlessly runs on with Win XP, and compare the LIGHT SPEED processors you probably have today, there is no logical reason why Hoster won't work without dropping audio.

We have our audio player and CDG renderer player set to HIGHER thread priority than Hoster, which SHOULD prevent a DB search from interrupting audio or lyrics. So much for these "advanced" windows we are stuck with!

Windows Vista and Windows 7 s*** and we continually... CONTINUALLY are finding code sections that have worked for years that now malfunction on these OS's. It's frustrating to try and shoot at this moving target.

In the past week, we have discovered that by using DirectSound (Microsoft's method to access the audio hardware), our Microstudio, Songverter and Hoster's "Build Database" won't open and use MP3 songs under Windows 7 64-bit. Runs FINE under Windows 7 32-bit. ANd what is really confusing is we have an "older" Win 7 64-bit Laptop (quite powerful) that WON'T process MP3's as stated, and then a brand new LC Laptop we just received and it WILL process MP3's. Now that was an interesting find. So what's wrong with our Hoster code that performs FINE on one Win7, and NOT on another?

Oh yes, Keyrite, Vogone, and Hoster's "Index HD Files" screen open and use MP3's fine on Win7 64-bit.

Just got a notice from engineering they have now bypassed Windows' DirectSound for audio and all seems to be working. You'll see a new Microstudio and Songverter soon, and Hoster 5.03 is well under way, now including this "fix".

I look forward to this! I love this program and can't wait for the "gremlins" to get the boot!