First Notation software run stalls on file load

[NotationUser]

If possible test on Vista 64 please.

Win 64bit has some more protection mechanisms than the 32bit versions so maybe the secret is hidden with 64bit only.

[NotationUser]

Hi Mark.

It seems that I found the issue today!

For short, the problem is not Vista but Vista OEM installations.

I guess a clean Vista installation may not show up the problem I struggled with.

I use an Acer PC with pre-installed Vista 64 home premium OEM - which adds a lot of useless stuff I try to eliminate since I have that...

Accidentally I stumbled across a process called "pcmmediasharing" which annoyed me for long as it is also knocking on my firewall all the time.

When I terminated that process in task-manager prior to starting Composer the first time opening files worked!

To deactivate this process permanently I did the following:

1. run "msconfig" (simply type this in the Vista search in the start menu)
2. confirm security request
3. a system dialog opens
4. click tab "systemstart"
5. remove check at entry "pcmmediasharing".
6. confirm dialog (click OK button)
7. reboot Vista


I still don't know how this process is related to Notation Software but removing it seems to fix the issue!

Hope this did it and I do not find something else...

[Mark W]

Hello NotationUser,

Wow, your digging into nasty technical problems is quite impressive!

You research into Composer's File / Open problem very strongly suggests that the problem arises only in very unusual circumstances. That is consistent with the fact that, as far as I know, this problem has not been reported by the many of 1000s of users who have purchased Composer in the recent past.

Your research also saved me probably several hours trying to further pin down the problem, because I would not have been able to reduce the problem at all, given the very specific conditions on your Windows setup.

Thanks!!

Cheers
-- Mark

[NotationUser]

Hi Mark.

Well, that's my other dark side... resistance is futile and the force is with me...

Probably you can add a hint in the knowledge base for Acer users... As far as I could retrieve from the web "pcmmediasharing" seems to be contained in most or all current Acer OEM windows installations.

I don't know in which circumstances or why this interferes with Notation Software... but it's as with bitter medicine, what counts is if it helps or not...

To be honest, I was annoyed by this effect. Finanally both my suspicions turned out to be true, it was no Vista issue and no Notation Software issue.

Now I am completely happy with my installation...

[Mark W]

Hello NotationUser,

This is probably greedy of me to ask, but here it is: Would you be willing the write up the Knowledge Base (KB) article about this Acer-specific problem?

It would be difficult for me to write it up well without have the Acer machine here.

Our KB articles are usually very concise. You can look at a few to see the style. The KB article usually starts with the specific computer configuration where there is a problem, if the configuration is relevant. Then it describes the symptom. Then it describes the fix, if the user can do that at his end. Or, if the problem is in Composer and it has been fixed, then we tell the user to upgrade to a current maintenance release of Composer. Or, if there is a work-around, we describe the work-around. And, if it is a bug in Composer and there isn't a work-around, then we apologize and let the user know it's a known bug that we'll fix.

Cheers
-- Mark

[NotationUser]

I'll look into that. Maybe I can do it tomorrow.

[NotationUser]

Hi Mark.

I've sent a ticket containing a raw article text and some hints.

Hope this helps.