Windows 7 update broke some deskscapes yesterday

from Stardock Forums

Everything was working fine yesterday. I forget the exact name of the master skin I use but it's a close up of the earth turning. So, yesterday afternoon I notice there's a new Windows 7 update available. I install it and after the computer reboots my master dream stops working. When I open Deskscapes (3) and click on the scape it tells me something about a missing mpeg2 codec. Every other dreamscape seems to work.Tried reinstalling the dream and nothing happens. It just refuses to install. Checked the windows application logs and no errors anywhere.

I don't know what the windows update did but it appears to have broken a codec.

deskscapes
15,512 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I've got the same problem. I had the LCARS Star Trek dream running fine. Then upgraded to V8 and worked fine initially but after shut down and then booting up today have this same message. I did install all windows updates on Tuesday but that didn't seem to affect anything until the update to Deskscape 8.

Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

 I uninstalled IE10 along with update KB2670838 and got all my dreams running again. Using DS8 on Win7/64. To be honest, I saw no gains in IE10 over IE9 anyway.

Elemental: Reforged
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

IE10 apparently installs everything KB2670838 does. So people who did not install KB2670838 but did install IE10 are having this issue too. The problem is KB2670838 improves video performance so a lot of people will want it. Googling KB2670838 reveals all kinds of people are having issues with it, not just Deskscapes so Microsoft will probably fix this eventually.

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top

:grin:   Thanks for the help guys. I uninstalled KB2670838 update and this has solved the problem. Hopefully Microsoft will sort the bug eventually.

Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I also have this problem. It seems that half of MasterBaron's dreams won't run. No problems with all the other dreams I have.

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

This update does not seem to exist on win 8 (or it got removed with my ie 10 deinstall?). At least it was not listed under my installed updates. It looks like I have to deal with it, or just switch back to my still installed win 7.

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Kinger, reply 6

I also have this problem. It seems that half of MasterBaron's dreams won't run. No problems with all the other dreams I have.
End of Kinger's quote

Many dreams will not run on Win8 if they use a codec that Win8 does not support.

 

You can find certified Win8 dreams at https://www.wincustomize.com/explore/dream/readywin8/pagesize/60/sort/popular

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Should have said I'm runnung Win 7 pro 64bit. Not win 8.

Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top

Yeah, masterbarons scapes didn't work for me either after the windows update but the rest did. I did as someone else already did and just uninstalled the update and everything works again. Do not do a system restore unless uninstalling the update doesn't work.

Microsoft has since moved that update from recommended to the optional list. I wonder why...

Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top

I'm not sure about the Windows 7 update that broke your scapes, but in windows 8, they removed the mpeg2 codec, which some dreams/scapes use.

But you can download standalone mpeg2 codecs.

I use klite codec pack which worked for me.  I have windows 8 pro x64 so I had to download the x64 codec pack as well.

Please be careful if you choose to install the klite codec pack as it will change how video/audio files are played on your computer!

You can look up "mpeg2 codec" in google and start your research there.

 

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I ran into something similar and fixed it by uninstalling and re-installing Microsoft Silverlight.

Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top

I had a problem where Desktop Windows Manager (dwm.exe) would not run.  I uninstalled KB2670838 and it works like a charm now.