versions prior to X10 stopped working

[1oldtymer]

I have Video Studio Pro/Ultimate x6, ,x7, x8, and x10 running on my Windows 7 (64 bit) PC. Until recently, at least x8 and x10 both ran without problems. All the installs are in separate directories. Suddenly all prior versions, including the screen capture programs, stopped working with the message something like "The program has stopped working" when it tries to start. X10 still runs just fine. So, a few questions:
1. What is going on, and is it easy to fix?
2. Can I safely uninstall x6, x7, and x8 without impacting x10?

I do know that x8 and its screen capture program were both working about 2 months ago (last time I used them). I know X10 is an upgrade purchase, but I think x8 was a straight out purchase and not an upgrade from x7.

[Ken Berry]

I don't know what's going on, so can't comment on how easy it might be to fix. We had someone else a day or so ago saying his X7 stopped working, and that a Corel tech told him a recent Win 7 update was the cause. I tended to dismiss this at the time. But if more people experience the same thing, then things might indeed have gotten serious. Usually it is Win 10 updates which are blamed for VS not working.

As for uninstalling earlier versions, each installation of VS is totally independent of other versions already installed. While they may be called upgrades, they are still a full and independent installation. The installation process for them merely checks to make sure the earlier version is there or else asks for the serial number of the earlier version. But after that the new version will work with no call on the resources of the earlier version. Anyway, that's the long way of saying yes, you can remove earlier versions and not affect the working of later versions.

[1oldtymer]

Thanks Ken. I can't export the libraries, of course, but as long as I can safely uninstall I can survive.

[Davidk]

I have X8, X9, X10 and 2018 (4 full versions and associated apps) installed on my win7 74bit desktop, altho only the screen capture associated with each of X8, X9 and 2018 (for unexplained reason, installing 2018 and associated capture tool removed the X10 capture tool: no great hindrance, all the others work fine). And after the latest MS updates today, all of them launch OK and run project files.

So I think Ken is right: windows 10 is probably the culprit. The prior issue mentioned by Ken is somewhere in this VS forum - a reference to it may be useful if you are going to kick it to the support teams (whoever).

However, that win 10 'feature 'doesn't help you, because you are running win 7, right?

Alternatively (troubleshooting, possibly a bit tedious), if you know the date when the prior versions last worked, eg Feb 2018, then you could selectively (one at a time) uninstall any updates that have been installed since that time, and try to launch the VS versions that now don't work after each removal. Updates all have a number like KBxxxxxx, and last update removed before VS runs again will be the one causing the problem. At that point you can with some authority tell Corel that KB(whatever) caused that issue.

Uninstalling updates in win7: control panel/windows updates/view update history/click on link to installed updates/wait until the list is compiled (mine shows 241 items), and they are usually sorted by installation date. See attached screenshot. Find the one on the date you want, right click on it and select uninstall.

When complete, close control panel and attempt to re-start VS.