X5 Crashing on Network

[lgc30642]

I tried one more thing. I did a new download and reinstall of X5, and I used the repair option when given multiple choices.

On the first try to open a plan across the network, it seemingly worked, but the instant I used the Perspective Overview camera, it crashed again.

I tried a second plan to open across the network, and it crashed again without going all the way through the opening process.

No more tries until I chat with Support on Monday. I'm totally out of ideas.

[WendyWelton]

I'm by no means an expert, but I'd also say folks should not let this scare them off trying X5. But do always practice Safe Six:

1 - Always try a new version on a SaveAs file.

2 - Never disable your Chief backups. And periodically back up to a location separate from your main box. And then ideally store those off site.

3 - Always test all types of features that you use in a new version before doing billable work. My method is to do my work in the current version - and periodically hop over the new version to try each type of thing in the new one. iow, don't just do hours on construction documents, do a little dimensioning when you do some, then when you do some raytracing, hop over and try that... It's not about time, it's about hitting all the bases.

4 - Always review the available material before doing billable work - the videos, What's New, etc. Things change, settings get moved... You don't want to be under the gun and looking for the directions.

5 - Always practice good computer maintenance - virus updates, deliberate decisions about updating drivers (and know how to roll back if needed)

6 - Always leverage the value of your SSA. If you think it's broken and spend more than an hour trying to find the cure, you should be sending in a Support Ticket. First - you paid for that right, use it. Second - the rest of us need you to do that. If it's beta and it is a problem, the sooner they know, the sooner it gets fixed and/or clearly identified (and someone else might be saved stepping on the same land mine).. And btw, don't assume the weekend is off limits. A Support Ticket doesn't get anybody out of bed on their day off. And, especially when a beta is just launched, I wouldn't assume there isn't somebody in Idaho trolling that thing for serious issues. iow - it can't hurt to send it in immediately.


If it's happening to Louie with every file and started happening immediately, I'm guessing it's some kind of conflict that's both fairly unique and also immediately obvious. I say I think it's fairly unique based on my experience to date with multiple machines on a network on X5. And I say it's immediately obvious because he says it's failing for him immediately. Those two factors lead me to say it's pretty low risk for everybody else.

[WendyWelton]

On the first try to open a plan across the network, it seemingly worked, but the instant I used the Perspective Overview camera, it crashed again.

One last thought - video drivers? I agree you should probably put it aside until Monday, but when I read your last post and saw the part I underlined, my mind immediately went to video drivers. And yes, I've seen a video driver problem subsequently prevent even opening.

If your computer is working just fine otherwise, I would not touch them until tech support is available (I've also seen a video driver update squirrel other software). But in the meantime it wouldn't hurt to look at the dates and see if you are current, maybe post your card and driver details here and the rest of us can compare, see if anyone has the same.

[lgc30642]

Wendy, I appreciate your time and efforts in my circumstance.

I certainly agree with you that no one should be put off about X5 in any way. I know that you have always tried to be as encouraging as possible all the many years I've seen you on here, and I greatly respect your knowledge and input both as to the software as well as your technical input on computer usage.

I'm waiting for Monday and Technical Support. I was tempted to do a complete file deletion and full reinstall, but I decided against that so that I can preserve whatever is happening in the hopes TS can help me find the answer.

Chief X5 is running fine on the machine where it is installed. All components appear fine and stable except for my network issue, and that includes raytrace, camera views, everything.

I've already designed some things using it with no problems so long as all files were created within X5 on my new laptop. Anything to do with something associated with the network, however, and it's a no go.

Thanks again for your time and efforts.

[lgc30642]

Here is the video card information mentioned by Wendy.

Let me know what else might be helpful.

[Joe Carrick]

Louie,

Can you post your Network Setup - Mapped Drives, Shared Drives, etc.

It really sounds like Chief just isn't finding something that it needs.

[WendyWelton]

I'm waiting for Monday and Technical Support. I was tempted to do a complete file deletion and full reinstall, but I decided against that so that I can preserve whatever is happening in the hopes TS can help me find the answer.

Ah - a wise course indeed.

[WendyWelton]

Here is the video card information mentioned by Wendy.

Let me know what else might be helpful.

I'm not so much an expert in such things, so I can't tell you exactly where to find it - but a critical piece will be your video card driver, it's version number and date - and whether there's a later date driver that you could download and install. But I wouldn't install it untill you talk to TS, just see if there is an update.

[lgc30642]

Louie,

Can you post your Network Setup - Mapped Drives, Shared Drives, etc.

It really sounds like Chief just isn't finding something that it needs.

As best I know what you're requesting, Joe, this is it.

I installed Chief X5 on what is shown as "Louie-Newlaptop". All my legacy files are located on "HP-Laptop", which is where X2, X3, and X4 reside. I also had installed X4 on the Louie-Newlaptop as soon as I got the new machine in late July (the 24th, I recall), and that was well before X5 went out for public beta.

I worked with X4 on the new laptop with no problems, including accessing the network to bring over legacy files. The new laptop came with an Intel video processor along with the Nvidia card that I had installed by HP when I ordered the new machine. Along the way, I realized that the Nvidia card was not the one showing in Chief's Preferences for the Video Card Status..........so, I had it switched to recognize the Nvidia..........no problems afterwards so far as I could tell or recall.

When X5 beta was released, I downloaded it even before it was posted on ChiefTalk that same afternoon thanks to a heads up from Scott Hall. X5 was wonderful on my new machine, and I had several exchanges with Jintu, Kathleen, and others about the new raytrace features. Up to that point, flawless performance...........but keep in mind, that was all done on the new laptop and I had not attempted to open a legacy plan, as none existed on my new machine other than a couple of test that I had done earlier with X4.

It was not until I attempted to open a legacy file in X5 over my network that I had a problem, and so far as I can tell, that is still the only problem that I am experiencing with X5, nothing else. I've tested all my other programs across the network, and they all work the way they're supposed to..........

[lgc30642]

I did a map, then tried Chief X5. It crashed again. Details in the photos attached.

[Doug Park]

I don't have any clues at this point as to the cause other than what has already been talked about.

The first thing I would do is completely power down your computer then restart.

It sounds like something is going bad after your first file open that is messing things up.

I also noted in your screen shots that it looks like you have more than one copy of Chief still running. It is possible that a crash leaving a version of Chief hanging around that hasn't been fully terminated could cause an issue.

If you are experiencing crashes then it is probably good to figure out the cause of those as the difficulty in opening of files may be a direct result of the crash.

It does sound like there may potentially be a video driver issue. You may want to look for a newer driver.

I sure hope you can get things figured out. These types of issues are very annoying and can be a bit difficult to nail down.

In any case our support staff will be available on Mon. to work with you on this issue. We do want to get to the bottom of it.

[lgc30642]

Doug, thanks for your comments.

There is only one version of Chief running. The second item you saw in the screen shot was the X5 error message that was showing on the screen, so Task Manager shows that as an open item (running), too. The third item was the screen to close Chief because it was not responding. I wish the solution would be that simple...........

I find it difficult to think that a video driver is the cause, though. The program is not opening Chief files across the network. The program hangs up long before what I think would be the video card comes into play. The one time that I did get a file to load, afterwards, the video card may have been at fault because it crashed in a perspective view.

As I've said numerous times, Chief is working fine in every way except the network connection issue.

[WendyWelton]

Louie

Video driver problems can affect things in the oddest ways. I've had them cause problems that had me going "really? no, can't be. really?..." and yet updating the drivers was the fix. I've also had problems with bad ram only show up in a few cases and yet be deadly, cases like opening a file across a network taking up more or different resources.

Doug may have to help me out with this, but I think they made a change where opening over a network actually makes a shadow copy of the file now or something? And I'm not sure if that change was in X5 or X4. So assume nothing, get all your data together for Monday and talk to them. This is the kind of thing they will be all over - won't want failures like this hanging around.

[lgc30642]

I realized sometime yesterday, in writing all of this, that I had installed X4 on the new machine (it was already on the older one) the day that it arrived. I was able to open files across the network with X4, and did so successfully because of the raytraces that I wanted to run.....

I did not experience the problem of not being able to open something on the network until I first tried it with X5. Now, even X4 will not open across the network, but every other program that I have does!

I now realize this is an obscure technical issue, but I never expected it to get this much attention nor to apprently be as complicated as I thought. I've even thought about doing a video on it, but then, I'm no DSH and not even sure how to turn the mic on..............

Ah, Monday is almost here.

[lgc30642]

Since my machine is only a month old, and I had it built specifically to my specs, I've had little concern about drivers being at fault. So, I went to the Nvidia site, just in case, to look for updated drivers for their card. None. No upgrades to drivers as yet because it's relatively a new card.

Next, I went into my System Control Panel/Devices file. I changed the video card back to the Intel on-board graphics card just to get away from the Nvidia. Chief X5 crashes the same way with the Intel card as with the Nvidia. I think that eliminates a driver problem, but I'm no technical guru.

One more thing that makes no sense to me is that X5 CAN open legacy files on my old (veryold) desktop-----there's only three or four, but it works fine over the network to that machine..........so, that must mean something is going wacky with the Chief connection with my old laptop. What, I have no clue.

I have reset all the file sharing and network settings. Other programs on the new laptop can still access over the network as they should. Chief continues to fail with opening files on the older laptop despite all of the items I've described.