Problem with PSP8

[Cassel]

I know, it is a very old version, but since i need all the versions, from 8 to the latest to test my scripts, i NEED PSP8 to work. Right now, if i run a script, no matter what script it is, it will always run a specific one, which happens to be the first one i ran after re-install. So far, it installs fine, and i can run ONE script correctly. If i try to run another one, it still runs the first one, making it totally impossible to even test a different version of the same script (when i go Bow-01, Bow-02, Bow-03, etc.).

I tried countless times to reinstall but with the same result. The rest of the program seems to work fine, although i basically only use it to test scripts or to export tubes to be useable in all versions, 8 and up. I tried running extensive virus scan, and removed the one or two that were found, and it didn`t change anything. Any idea?

[LeviFiction]

This probably has nothing to do with your problem and probably won't help you in the least. But it's always worth a try.

Is your UAC still disabled? If so try turning it back on. If it's still on then I've got nothing. The only reason this might potentially cause problems, assuming it causes any problems at all, is that normally Windows 7 would virtualize registry and directory edits when the UAC was on. Once it was turned off you're stuck with regular average user permissions and the virtualization is turned off limiting write access to these areas.

Again, this probably 100% off base. PSP should not require virtualization or administrator privileges to run different scripts. So these won't help at all.

[Cassel]

I didn`t do any install or uninstall with the UAC off. What would that mean?

[LeviFiction]

Absolutely nothing. That's why I said it probably has nothing to do with your problem.

[Paul J]

In a brief response, LeviF. re my own experience with UAC - and this is not in any way to be taken as a rebuttal of yours/anyone else's comments and suggestions: I (and about sixty thousand other flying nuts, world-wide) 'computer-fly', using the Microsoft Flight Simulator X software, and many use PSPX4 or a 'similar software' to repaint - personalize - aircraft. There are a number of default aircraft that come with the sim, but most in the hobby purchase third-party downloadable aircraft sceneries, and other software, as addons to the sim - these generally being of much superior quality and performance. The experience that most in the hobby have is similar to this issue here, inasmuch as permissions and file ownership continuously rear their ugly heads: the default installation location is C:\Program Files(x86) or C:\Program Files. When we addon to the sim, Win7 often will not permit the installation, or will throw up an error with the sim or in some area of the pc or other, so most of us (the larger majority I would suspect) install outside of those locations, and we turn UAC off completely. This action will cure 99.9% of our issues, and as long as we pay due diligence to security - i.e. password, a/v, spy/malware and firewall we will have no problems with the pc.

[LeviFiction]

Haha, I don't take it as a rebuttal. Like you I'm simply sharing what little I know and understand about how UAC and Windows 7 work. The UAC allows for "virtualization" of registry and directory locations into a user's own personal AppData folder (a hidden file) which, provided it makes the redirect, often allows people to avoid warnings of permission errors. It doesn't always work, and it isn't always the best. But for the average user, provided it doesn't get in the way, the UAC is of no hinderance at all. As such I rarely make the recommendation to remove it.

Windows 7, even with the UAC off, still forces users to act with the lowest level permissions possible so turning it off still isn't the same as granting full admin privileges and as such isn't bad, but for the average user, those who don't experience your issues with software, there is no need to turn it off. So if possible I use it as a last resort recommendation.

[Cassel]

The problem here, though is that it does install without any problem. It will run a first script without any problem. And it WAS running fine, without any problem, that is until about 2 months ago. So it is not an installation issue, as far as i can see.

[teknisyan]

could be a problem with OS compatibility, remember PSP 8 was develop even before Windows XP was released.

[Cassel]

If it was a compatibility problem, my PSP8 would not have installed properly and run correctly for 2 years, would it?

[Paul J]

It only takes one aberrant patch or SP from Windows Update to break compatibility, Cassel - an example being that Microsoft never tested FSX - Flight Simulator X - with Windows 7... Windows\System32\UIAutomationCore.dll doesn't work well with it, and causes hangs. This is fixed by using the Vista 32-bit UIAutomationCore.dll in its' place. With that in mind - you might try moving Windows back a few restore points - perhaps six months (if you can) and see what happens.
One other thing - have you perhaps had a crash recently?

[Cassel]

OK now i feel dumb. With all the install, uninstalle, reinstall and so on, i just noticed a little detail: i had forgotten to apply the 8.10 patch and was still running 8.01 version. I patched it and it works fine (for now at least). And to say that i repeat to my customer who have problems : "Do you have the latest patched version?"

Yup, i feel dumb now!

Thanks for trying to help.