Virtual Desktop 1.99d(rc).002 - cannot add more than 3 desktops

Reply #1 September 14, 2005 8:05 PM from Stardock Forums Top

Same here. I like to have 10 desktops. In addition, the settings I had previously (bitmaps, hot keys, desktop names) were lost. This is the second time of the last 3 updates where the previous settings were lost and I've had to reenter them. Except this time, nothing beyond the first 3 desktop stick and the bitmaps don't appear at all.

Reply #2 September 15, 2005 7:14 AM from WinCustomize Forums Top

Just installed the new beta, same problem here only 3 desktops Max.

Reply #3 September 16, 2005 2:39 AM from Stardock Forums Top

Me too, just upgrade to new version, can't add more than 3 desktop, change color or background.
Same thing after de-install, re-install.

HaZe

Reply #4 September 16, 2005 4:19 PM from WinCustomize Forums Top

I didn't have that problem (I had 9 desktops running), but after a couple of hours explorer.exe would freeze and the screen would lock up. I would have to CTRL-ATL-DEL to kill explorer.exe and then reboot...only to have it happen again and again.

I resort to rolling back to the archived 1.95 version which doesn't have the Exclusions bells and whistles but is more stable. I actually searched the Net for other Virtual Desktop software at lunch today (Blasphemy!)...did not find anything. Maybe someone will take a look at it as I can't predict when it will be re-producable enough to enter a support case through the e-mail address. I've used it as Virtual Desktop Manager, BandVWM, in the old Object Bar and way back in the day in Control Center (seems like eons ago!).

Reply #5 September 16, 2005 5:14 PM from WinCustomize Forums Top

I've used it as Virtual Desktop Manager, BandVWM, in the old Object Bar and way back in the day in Control Center (seems like eons ago

Like you I've used VD in all it's incantations (including on OS/2 way back when!) and it's the first thing I load on any new PC I get. I'm lost without it (typically run 8 desktops). I hope someone from support is watching!

I made the classic mistake of not archiving the previous beta as it was so stable for me that I thought this latest beta couldn't possibly stuff it all up. And now I can't go back (unless someone has a archive they can send me

Reply #6 September 17, 2005 5:32 PM from Stardock Forums Top

The same thing here. Not only can you not add more than 3 desktops, you cannot delete any of the 3 desktops either!
Also you can't use custom wallpapers as mini-backgrounds or display window replicas. This is the same on winxp and win2k.

Reply #7 September 17, 2005 6:38 PM from WinCustomize Forums Top

Good news - I've found a solution (for me at least)

I watched what SVD is doing in the registery(HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Stardock\BandVWM) and it appears to be ignoring the value in numDesktops DWORD- if it exists and has any value other than 3 it changes it back to 3 when exiting. If I manually change the value when SVD is unloaded (toolbar not enabled) to say 8, then SVD changed it back to 3 again. You delete the DWORD and it gets recreated (with a value of, you guessed it, 3). You even delete the complete BandVWM key and it gets recreated with all the defaults (and numDesktops DWORD value = 3).

Soooo, next step was to uninstall SVD completely, again, but... (This the solution that worked for me, read on).

NOTE: All your SVD customisations will be lost, but hey, if you're at this stage...

1. Archive the current version of SVD (just so you don't have to download it again).
2. Uninstall SVD using Stardock Central.
3. Reboot.
4. Edit the registery using regedit - usual WARNINGS apply!!
a) Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Stardock\, and
Delete the complete BandVWM key.
5. Resintall SVD using Stardock Central from the archive (or download it again).
6. Add the toolbar again as normal.

SVD will start up with a complete new set up defaults AND will now keep additional screen definitions.

Yeah!

Good luck!

Reply #8 September 19, 2005 11:51 AM from WinCustomize Forums Top

That did not work for me. I still have the problem and it is quite irritating as the previous one had all the features too but worked. I even edited the registry by hand with it shut down and then re-started it and it wiped out my old registry settings for the key shown.

Vince

Reply #9 September 19, 2005 3:24 PM from WinCustomize Forums Top

Did you do a full uninstall of SVD? Just unloading the toolbar and deleteing the key is not enough...

After the unistall and a reboot also check that the registery key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Stardock\ObjectDesktop\BandVWM ("global setting") is gone (was for me). If not, delete it AND the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Stardock\BandVWM ("personal settings"). Might be worth rebooting again at this stage just to make sure that SVD is really, really gone.

Good luck - I know what you mean about being frustrated...

Reply #10 September 19, 2005 3:37 PM from WinCustomize Forums Top

I wish one of the Stardock folks would jump in and 'moderate' this thread and review the Virtual Desktop install or the latest version.

Reply #11 September 19, 2005 6:20 PM from WinCustomize Forums Top

Agreed! I actually emailed support in an effor to get some sort of response from Stardock (I don't often ask for help, as I can fix most things myself). From past observation updates to SVD are fairly infrequesnt and I'd hate this one to hang around unresolved.

That said I've usually had good support form Stardock (one reason I've kept my OD subscription going for years now.) Mayeb there's been a backlog to get through after the weekend (and being in Australia you get used to timezone delays... )

Reply #12 September 19, 2005 8:31 PM from WinCustomize Forums Top

I'm having trouble with it freezing with 3 desktops, too. Am fairly new & thought maybe my video card was too weeny. I'm glad this forum is here

The other problem I have is that the screen doesn't refresh when I close aps. The images just pile up until I change desktops or turn off SVD

Reply #13 September 20, 2005 5:31 AM from WinCustomize Forums Top

Hmmm, the redraw/refresh problem doesn't really sound like SVD induced behaviour to me - are you running something else like WindowsBlinds? That has cause me problems in the past on lower spec laptops with small amounts of RAM.

As for freezing - running the MS Antispyware beta with active monitoring enabled will cause a longish delay in switching between desktops. I'd be looking for something else along those lines possibly interacting with SVD. The current SVD is running fine for me now and I have heaps of stuff running (antivirus, zonealarm WindowsBlinds, etc, etc.) on a 1GB RAM 1.8GHz Pentium M with ATI Radeon 9700 graphics laptop.

Not much help, I know...

Reply #14 September 20, 2005 8:40 AM from Stardock Forums Top

I don't have the answers, but I've reported this thread to the development team so that they can test and fix.

Reply #15 September 20, 2005 9:12 AM from WinCustomize Forums Top

Thank you...

P.S. Somehow when I deleted my archived version yesterday, and re-installed, I too am having the strange behavior that was reported above and followed the steps from 'Kra' to fix.

Reply #16 September 20, 2005 9:44 AM from WinCustomize Forums Top

Yes I did a full un-install. I re-booted and removed the key. I could see that it was not there and that the SVD was no longer installed. I did another re-boot (just for fun) and still it was not there and the key was still gone.

I re-installed the latest and when I went to change things (add another desktop, change images) it would never keep them. I even tried editing the registry by hand to no avail.

Vince

Reply #17 September 20, 2005 11:10 AM from WinCustomize Forums Top

I re-tract my prior statement...

"P.S. Somehow when I deleted my archived version yesterday, and re-installed, I too am having the strange behavior that was reported above and followed the steps from 'Kra' to fix."

...as this did NOT fix my problem and I am currently running with only the 3 desktops. Is there a 'very frustrated' smileyI could have inserted?

Reply #18 September 20, 2005 3:32 PM from WinCustomize Forums Top

Looks like I got lucky and I'm not going to risk it by experimenting at the moment !

The reply count is getting up into the "noticable" range now! Com'n Stardock - how about a little bit of support? What's the point of a beta program if the feedback isn't gathered and reported problems worked through? This not really the place for us to go into detailed analysis of hardware and software variations and other detailed debugging to try and resolve problems - that's best done off-line between the beta testers and the developers.

At the very least please supply the ability for beta users to go back to a supported version of the product if they find they have real problems with the current beta.

Reply #19 September 21, 2005 1:41 PM from Stardock Forums Top

Hi everyone, I'm Jeff the developer of SVD. Well! This thread was brought to my attention yesturday, so I spent time looking through the code looking for anything that could cause this to happen. No results thus far, so I'll ask for some more detail if I could.

Now being "unable to add desktops"... if you click "Add" when on the desktops configuring pane of the configuration it should immediatly add a desktop to the list above. From there you can configure it, changing its color or wallpaper. Upon pressing OK or apply, you'll see the changes.

So out of this, where does it all fall apart? Does nothing happen when you press "Add"? When you configure, can you configure it fine but then when you press OK are the changes not displayed/saved? If you remove one of the desktops (e.g. just go with 2), does that setting stick?

That's very very odd that modifying the number by hand in the registry while the virtual desktops aren't being displayed is resulting in the number being reset back to 3....very confusing. Anyways, if I could find where exactly where it's all going haywire it might be a nice clue as to whats happening. Thanks!

-Jeff Bargmann
Stardock

Reply #20 September 21, 2005 1:44 PM from WinCustomize Forums Top

Just to extend what I said before to help.

I add a desktop and it does show up in the config dialog. I can change all of the desktop images and such and they look fine in the dialog box. When I apply though you only get three no matter how many you add. I can see if flash in my taskbar and show four or five (whatever I chose) but then 3 come back.

Images stay OK for the three that stick but after a re-boot the original images with the base install for desktops 2 & 3 come back. I've tried tracking all of the registry changes as they happen but haven't been able to find a true pattern.

I did edit it all by hand in the registry. Tried it with the app running and with it shut down and no good. I can only get 3 and the images get re-set.

The previous version did work as expected.

Vince

Reply #21 September 21, 2005 1:57 PM from Stardock Forums Top

Update! I figured it out. Small glitch involving the new defaults we put in. Sorry for keeping you in limbo for a few days.

I'll get a fix out ASAP. In the mean time you can fix it for yourself by creating a "vwmfix.reg" file with what i'll show below as its contents. Load it into your registry and the problem will be fixed. The problem occurs for this group of people: (1) SVD was already installed before this new version was updated (2) The new Stardock Virtual Desktops toolbar was loaded *without* having the "Welcome Screen" program having ran first. (The "Do you want to run this program now?" upon updating in Stardock Central, or the link in the start menu for SVD)

Sorry for the inconvenience, let me know if you have any troubles with it!


-------------------------------------
vwmfix.reg:
-------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Stardock\BandVWM]
"DefaultHotkeysEnabled"=dword:00000001
"NotFirstRun"=dword:00000001
-------------------------------------


-Jeff

Reply #22 September 21, 2005 2:39 PM from WinCustomize Forums Top

Jeff,

What about the other problem noted, that it doesn't display any bitmaps for the desktops at all in this build?

Reply #23 September 21, 2005 3:27 PM from WinCustomize Forums Top

That works for me!

Is SVD still supposed to be added to RightClick menus? I'm currently on version 1.10a.006 of RightClick and the latest version of SVD...

Thanks Jeff!

Reply #24 September 21, 2005 3:51 PM from WinCustomize Forums Top

Hi Jeff, thanks for getting back to us on this. Is there a better way for us to notify you of any problems with future builds, or is this discussion board the best place? Cheers, Kent.

Reply #25 September 21, 2005 5:12 PM from Stardock Forums Top

KenF: the problem of not being able to change the background from the default was part of the same problem as "only 3 desktops". It would constantly overwrite the background for desktops 2 and 3 with the default. If you're having a problem of the background not changing at *all*, you'll want to (1) do the registry update I mentioned above, and then (2) ensure that the options for Stardock Virtual Desktops is setup to do what you want it to do. Specifically, there is a new option wherein you can enable/disable not just the mini-wallpaper, but you can seperatly disable just the applying of the wallpaper to the desktop. Check it out in the options...and once you make the registry update, the changes will actually stick.


kra: best place to have this kindof stuff go would be these newsgroups, yeah. Alternativly, the newsgroup stardock.bandvwm over on news://news.stardock.com, but the web one is just as good.

The only reason I didn't see this immediatly is that I had missed the message for when it had actually been posted. Thankfully our support system's pretty good here so I got word within a few days and now today was able to figure it out. Normally, after new releases of any of the products I work on (ObjectDock, ObjectBar, etc) I spend plenty of time making sure everything is well and good on the boards. For times that its outside of a couple weeks since the last release, I don't check the boards all the time, but it becomes a great place for me to reference to make improvments or small fixes for the next release.


thanks everyone i'm glad the fix works and hope you're all getting great use out of the virtual desktops