DeskScapes 2.0 Crashing Everytime Graphics API Changes

from Stardock Forums

Hi, I emailed support last Thursday, but have not received any response from them, hence I'm gonna try posting the problem here.

I purchased DeskScapes last Thursday, 19 June 2008. Installed it, and loaded a dream. It does not matter which dream it is, but whenever Vista's UAC prompt pops up, the system would go into a hard lock, where even the num-lock on my keyboard would not respond, forcing me to turn off and on the PC.

Games would crash either before it loads up, or after it exits. The problem with games crashing before or after persists even after I disable the UAC.

I was using official Nvidia drivers 175.16 WHQL.

On Monday, Nvidia released the official 175.19 WHQL drivers and I am using that now. Do note that I completely removed the old drivers, in addition to performing a driver sweep, uninstalled DeskScapes and all its relevant files and registry settings, and did a reinstall.

Right now, when a dream is enabled, everytime the graphics API changes, due to Vista's UAC or games, the PC does not go into a hardlock, but the application/game crashes. Subsequently, the screen will keep going black, and on again, everytime there is a graphical change to the screen, as though the graphic drivers were trying to reset itself. And if I try to load another application which utilises the graphic API in this unstable state, a BSOD with the nvlddmkm.dll error would appear.

I'm using Vista Premium SP1. AMD Athlon FX-57, Nvidia Geforce 8800 GTX, 2 GB RAM.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

deskscapes
22,052 views 24 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've not seen this before.  I'd email support@stardock.com so they can create a case adn start checking things out.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
I opened a ticket last Thursday at esupport.stardock.com and have since not yet received any reply. I've just sent an email to support@stardock.com. I'm hoping there would be some form of response this time. :(
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sounds like it's underpowered and/or overclocked....what's your PSU rated at?
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
PSU is at 550W. This only happens with dreams. When I pause the dream, everything turns back to normal, no crashes, etc. Other applications such as games run flawlessly. I did not overclock any hardware.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If you didn't get an autoresponse form stardock support yoru email may be blocking responses.  You might want to check that out.
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
I got an auto-response. I was referring to any other response from the technical support personnel. Besides, I regularly log-in to the stardock technical account to check for responses.
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
hello

i also have this problem. I have an Ati 3870 with 8.5 Catalyst. Sometime during the run the explorer crashed because of deskcape.dll. When I change resoltion it crashed all the time..
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
When using Deskscape, I cannot watch any videos on Windows Media Player or play video games.

No matter which dreams or videos Im using, regardless of quality settings, Vista locks up and the screen goes blank. Sometimes the screen comes back on with a BSOD saying "The video card drivers attempted to reset but failed" or just doesn't turn back on at all. Sometimes Vista just locks up and doesnt even turn off.

I've tried using deskscape with and without aero, different dream quality settings, and different video card drivers. No matter what I do, Vista locks up if I have a dream or a video being used as the background. If I turn off the dream or video and use an image as a background, it does not crash.

I'm using Windows Vista Home Premium 64bit, Intel Q6700 @ 3.5 ghz, 2 8800GTXs in SLi, and 4GB of DDR2 RAM. My video cards are way about the requirements for something like Deskcape and should run with no problems.
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
I seem to have the same problem as you OmegaNemesis28.

The last reply I had from a technical advisor was on June 28 (2008), and as of now I still have not gotten any answer or fix to this problem.

Thank we can get a refund?
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I am sorry you are having problems but as a general rule if you get a BSOD from your video drivers then you need to contact your video card supplier as clearly there is a bug in the drivers.  No application should be able to crash the drivers as they run at a very different level in the OS.

According to this thread : https://forums.wincustomize.com/317342 you need to roll back to the 169 drivers as nvidia have broken something in their newer drivers.

Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
@ Neil

it is NOT the drivers. I have tested dozens and dozens of drivers just to get this thing working. ALL produce the same results. I get a BSOD upon API change.

I would boot into safe mode, use Driver Cleaner Pro to remove the nvidia drivers COMPLETELY from the computer, install driver, and boot back into normal windows. After doing something that changes the Windows API like turn off a game or swap to full screen in a movie player like WMP or DivX player - it would immediatly BSOD with the same "Driver has failed" message.

I tried drivers all the way back from early January 2008. None of them work.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
169 drivers are from 12/07. Give them a shot, it may fix your problem.
Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top
Hello

i have been getting the same issue with a radeon card. This happenes under Vista 32 and 64 and unter catalyst 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6. I doubt very much that this is a driver problem. basically it happends after i switch back to the desktop from running a game etc. it than crashed the explorer etc..
Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top
within 10 min of turning on deskscapes i get the following errormessages

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: Explorer.EXE
Application Version: 6.0.6001.18000
Application Timestamp: 47918e5d
Fault Module Name: DesktopEarth32.dll
Fault Module Version: 0.0.0.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 47ead256
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 000037a6
OS Version: 6.0.6001.2.1.0.768.3
Locale ID: 2057
Additional Information 1: fd00
Additional Information 2: ea6f5fe8924aaa756324d57f87834160
Additional Information 3: fd00
Additional Information 4: ea6f5fe8924aaa756324d57f87834160










Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: NMIndexStoreSvr.exe
Application Version: 1.5.13.0
Application Timestamp: 458d61a6
Fault Module Name: NMIndexStoreSvr.exe
Fault Module Version: 1.5.13.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 458d61a6
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 0001bf03
OS Version: 6.0.6001.2.1.0.768.3
Locale ID: 2057
Additional Information 1: 42e2
Additional Information 2: d4444c8527f7eff2f27525b046fc831f
Additional Information 3: b480
Additional Information 4: 27bdb806b511625329ec0d382396fb3b

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
screetch- Disable Nero Scout
Reply #18 from Stardock Forums Top
I had the same type of problem, have you tried going in to all programs, right click on dreams, click on properties, then compatibility, then put a check in run as administrator. That should stop the problem with UAC which seems to be starting your problem , I had the same issue with a games download manager too, same solution worked.
Reply #19 from Stardock Forums Top
I have a quad core CPU and Nvidia 8800gxt vid card. A 800watt power supply and 4 gigs of memory.
I use the latest drivers and am always up to date. I have the same problem. No matter what dream I use it works for a while but will all the sudden go to black screen and lock up. I could be going to the control panel or using explore on line. I have a very stable computer before deskscapes. This is for sure a deskscapes issue. We need a fix or money back.
This is with windows 64 bit.
Reply #20 from Stardock Forums Top
Has any one got an emial back after emailing them for support on this issue? I have sent two and have had no replies. TICs me off!
Reply #21 from Stardock Forums Top
thesaucier, I assume you got the automated response email which is sent immediately after you create your ticket. If not, you supplied the wrong email address or the email is caught in a SPAM filter.

But even then, normal turn-around time for a ticket seems to be around two to three business days currently, even for the simple close message after a problem is solved. So be patient. Be very patient  ;) 
Reply #22 from Stardock Forums Top
 
thesaucier, I assume you got the automated response email which is sent immediately after you create your ticket. If not, you supplied the wrong email address or the email is caught in a SPAM filter.But even then, normal turn-around time for a ticket seems to be around two to three business days currently, even for the simple close message after a problem is solved. So be patient. Be very patient   
End of quote


I did get an automated response email. I sent the email the 22nd I think and have had no responce. No it is not in my spam folder. X-(
Reply #23 from Stardock Forums Top

There is actually another possibility besides DeskScapes and nVidia... Vista.  You might try the hotfix at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953186 to see if it helps.  Be warned, though, Microsoft Hotfixes are NOT run through the normal testing gaultlet.  The link for the download is in the upper right section of the page.

I'm hoping this hotfix gets tested out and put into Windows Update sometime soon.  It sure helped me a ton with City of Heroes getting "driver has stopped" messages.

Reply #24 from Stardock Forums Top

D'oh!!!  That last post was supposed to go to another topic (https://forums.wincustomize.com/317342) but I posted in the wrong window.  The forum won't let me edit or delete the post, either.  Can I get a little help from on high?