Windows 7 + MediaLab v2008.1.33c = freeze?

[elair2007]

Hi, we are having the same problem as well. Our lab just got new LENOVO desktop 64-bit Professional computers with Windows 7 on them and we installed Media Lab 2008 1.33c and Direct RT version 2008 that works with Windows 7 compatability this fall. We have been experiencing a crashing/screen goes blank problem that is similar to others had before the 1.33c fix that I was reading about on another thread. The difference, however, is that it does not happen after 150 responses, it seems to happen at random times during the session. We are running two different experiments in our lab and both experiments are having the same problem in all conditions and on all 4 computers that our lab has. Sometimes the problem happens 4-5 minutes into the experiment, and other times it happens in the middle, or with only 5-6 questions before the end. When the screen goes blank we need to use the task manager to break out of Media Lab as well.

We toggled the windows xp compatability mode in the properties for medialab, but there has been no change in frequency of crashing in the last 3 days. We tried to use windows XP mode to run the media lab out of, but the application within xp mode prompted us to license those versions as well, as if they were running on a different computer.

We were wondering if there was a fix that we could install for the crashing problem in Windows 7. Alternatively, we were wondering if we can't get this issue fixed, if there was a way to import our license on media lab over to the xp mode version on the computers, or receive codes from the sales department that would work in that fashion.

[jarvis24]

First off Kristenlindgren--five stars (or 200 points, you can pick) for your initiative in trouble shooting this--you've clearly got a grip on how we get started on issues like this!! Can I ask that you try one last thing before we go deeper--does this happen with the samples that come with MediaLab (e.g., like the simple self-esteem questionnaire)? Also, the "making changes" question I think is inconsequential--we've been seeing it with many programs now running on Windows 7.

Elair2007, if you take the simple sample that comes with ML and run it over and over again, can you get the same error?

In both cases, we're trying to see here if it is something about MediaLab on these systems, or an interaction of the systems and the experimental content.

Blair

[jarvis24]

Bonus question for all here--anybody happen to be including videos in their designs here? I ask because the 2008.1.33c install package (vs. the 2008.1.33 install package) involved changes exclusively regarding video usage. In the older version, playback was eating memory in Vista and Windows7 and causing crashes so we re-wrote the code that plays videos (via a file called eVideo.ocx). Other than that there were virtually no changes in the packages. Just another potential piece of the puzzle.

[kristenlindgren]

Hi Blair,
The samples do not work -- weirdly enough, they worked initially on one machine -- i.e., when we first installed Media Lab. And then they stopped working (i.e., within 20 minutes of installation and trying to test experiments I've used in my old lab). On one of the other machines, the samples didn't work at all. We're not using any video in the experiments.
Thanks for your help.
Best,
Kristn

[elair2007]

Hi Blair,

The sample experiment file crashed after only a few run thrus and we had to use task manager to quit out but did not have to restart windows (we used sample 3 in our test). In regard to your other question about experiment content, we are currently running two different experiments, one has videos and one does not, but both have experienced this crashing problem. The videos have worked well for the most part, since we have toggled the enhanced video setting. We have had one problem with only audio playing and no video, but that was only once and may have been a fluke.

Best,

Elicia

[jarvis24]

Supremely useful to know that the samples are showing the same problem--nice to rule out any experiment specific causes. Thank you both. This clearly seems for what both of you have reported that this is a different issue than the old 150 item limit issue supposedly fixed with the 2008.1.33c release. So..

Elair2007, with regard to moving your licenses to XP machines, that is no problem at all. Just send John an email to service@ and let him know what you need (no cost of course for this). This goes for you too Kristen if that would offer a short term fix for you.

Elair2007 and Kristen, do either of you happen to have a NON-Lenovo machine (other than your MacBook Pro, Kristen) with Windows 7? We can get you license codes if you want to try it out on them. It would be very useful to know that there is some v2008 x Lenovo, 2-way interaction happening here. If that's the case, it would be helpful to see the dxdiag.txt files from one of each of your Lenovo machines that are crashing. Lenovo makes good machines--I'm quite curious and eager to see this resolved for you.

Please let us know if there is ANY thing else we can do to help in the short term such as getting you codes to use on other machines immediately so that you don't get held up in running your subjects.

Blair

[jarvis24]

One other question--Elair, how has your experience been with using the Windows7 compatible version of DirectRT?