MA3 shuts down laptop

tomicjr · 04-22-2010, 10:10 PM

I purchased a license and installed MA3 with no problem. I can access the settings, but as soon as I try Preview or allow the screen saver to activate - the laptop SHUTS DOWN right after the splash screen!

Dell Precision M4300
Windows XP SP3 (32-bit)
4GB RAM
nVidia Quadro FX360M (ForceWare 175.75)
dual monitor - laptop panel / external LCD panel

I have the latest BIOS and graphics drivers, and do not have an issue with any other applications. This is reproducible EVERY time! I have tried several different combinations of settings, even a single monitor at various resolutions and color depths. Very frustrating!

Any suggestions??

Jim Sachs · 04-23-2010, 12:18 AM

tomicjr - So it just started doing this after you entered a Key Code, and not when you tested it before purchasing?

Are we talking about the official download version (10d), or the test version (11e)?

feldon34 · 04-23-2010, 01:32 AM

Are those nVidia drivers compatible with your laptop? Very often, laptops will not accept (or run reliably) with desktop graphics drivers. Did you have to use any tricks or workarounds to get those drivers to install?

tomicjr · 04-23-2010, 01:37 PM

Thank you for the quick reply! I actually upgraded from MA 2 and 2.6 + Time that I used in the past, and purchased the upgrade before using TESTFISH mode...

The video drivers are the latest from the Dell Support site, which I have been running for well over a year with several high-end graphics applications. I have never had an application corrupt the display, let alone shutdown the laptop! Very bizarre...

Different advanced adapter settings have made no difference. It is very frustrating since it takes ~10 minutes between attempts!

I have to believe that there are other customers with nVidia Quadro-based systems...

Also, I have the latest BIOS and Video BIOS...and have also tried various resolutions and color depths...

Dale · 04-23-2010, 01:47 PM

For one diagnostic, please try:
A. Disconnect your external monitor and run MA3.
B. Reconnect the external monitor, turn off your built-in monitor, and run MA3.

Also, have you looked at the event log to see if there are any clues?

tomicjr · 04-23-2010, 02:55 PM

I have tried that, and it makes no difference...

Which event log - there is nothing in the Windows Event Viewer. Is there one for MA?

JohnWho · 04-23-2010, 03:37 PM

In the Settings, Display Settings screen in MA3 change the "wait for vertical sync" setting and let us know if it makes any difference.

Also, in the same MA3 screen, are you set for "automatic" in "Display mode for this adapter" setting? Maybe trying one of the appropriate other settings will make a difference?

Dale · 04-23-2010, 03:41 PM

Originally posted by tomicjr:

Which event log - there is nothing in the Windows Event Viewer. Is there one for MA?

Nope. Thanks for checking that.

What does your system do when it's re-starting? That is, is there a "Windows was not shut down properly" (or whatever that says), and an opportunity to choose whether to start XP normally or some other way?

feldon34 · 04-24-2010, 05:20 AM

Originally posted by tomicjr:

Which event log - there is nothing in the Windows Event Viewer

1. Right-click My Computer.
2. Choose Properties.
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. Click the Settings button next to Startup and Recovery.
5. Under the System Failure group, make sure the 3 checkboxes are enabled, and the 2 boxes below are set to Small memory dump (64KB) and %SYSTEMROOT%\Minidump

Next time you crash, can you examine the file C:\Minidump in Wordpad or Notepad and see what it says?

Derrek · 04-24-2010, 05:59 AM

Is the computer actually powering down or is it getting stuck on a black screen and you are having to do a hard restart?

tomicjr · 04-28-2010, 07:36 PM

The splash screen appears, then the screen goes black for a fraction of a second like it will render the screen saver...then the laptop POWERS OFF.

There is no minidump file created, no BSOD.

I recall one other time this happened...it was with iTunes and the visualizer. It didn't happen everytime like it does with MA3.

I will try it on another desktop system with an nVidia chipset.

Weird...

Thanks for your assistance and suggestions!

JohnWho · 04-28-2010, 07:44 PM

Did you try those suggestions in my post #7, above?

tomicjr · 04-28-2010, 08:03 PM

Yes, I did try the suggestions in #7.

I tried using Automatic, as well as several other resolutions and color depths.

Same problem every time...

I installed it another desktop system with a similar nVidia video adapter, and it seems to work fine...

Dale · 04-28-2010, 08:03 PM

As I asked in Post #8:

What does your system do when it's re-starting? That is, is there a "Windows was not shut down properly" (or whatever that says), and an opportunity to choose whether to start XP normally or some other way?

tomicjr · 04-28-2010, 08:12 PM

The system doesn't restart on it's own. It powers completely off. After pressing the power on button, it starts up normally with no errors or indication that it was shutdown improperly!

These threads describe a similar issue with iTunes:

http://discussions.apple.com/message...sageID=6992994
http://discussions.apple.com/message...sageID=7202206

It is not a thermal issue.

JohnWho · 04-28-2010, 08:16 PM

Originally posted by tomicjr:

Yes, I did try the suggestions in #7.

OK, thanks. Just trying to eliminate possibilities.

I installed it another desktop system with a similar nVidia video adapter, and it seems to work fine...

Similar? Can they both run the same drivers? If so, are they both running the same drivers?

JohnWho · 04-28-2010, 08:21 PM

Originally posted by tomicjr:

These threads describe a similar issue with iTunes:

http://discussions.apple.com/message...sageID=6992994
http://discussions.apple.com/message...sageID=7202206

We can't be sure, since the poster replaced Vista with XP, but it looks like the second problem was with Spybot.

The first one, at least the beginning poster, is using an ATI video card, so that makes that person's iTune problem very much different from yours.

I wouldn't waste a lot of time expecting the iTune discussions to be relevant to your problem other than it possibly being a video card/video driver issue.

Dale · 04-28-2010, 10:16 PM

OK, if you're sure it's not a thermal issue.

First, see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555541 - to enable the Shutdown Event Tracker.

Look at a few other articles like http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...8WS.10%29.aspx and https://www.microsoft.com/resources/....mspx?mfr=true

See if that provides a clue, the next time it shuts down.

I would suggest drastically reducing the frame rate, to see if that helps -- but I can't think how to do that in your situation. Perhaps somebody else can think of a way.

Rick Simon · 04-29-2010, 07:02 AM

Originally posted by Dale:

I would suggest drastically reducing the frame rate, to see if that helps -- but I can't think how to do that in your situation. Perhaps somebody else can think of a way.

If Tomicjr is comfortable using regedit, he might try the following keys:

HKCU\Software\SereneScreen\ MarineAquarium3\StartWindowed
Set DWORD value to 1 to start MA3 in Windowed mode, 0 in full screen mode.

HKCU\Software\SereneScreen\ MarineAquarium3\FrameSleepTime
Set Binary data to 1e 00 00 00 to set Sleep Rate to 30 (lowest frame rate)

The usual caveats about editing one's registry apply. Namely, if you are not comfortable editing the registry directly, you probably shouldn't do so at all. It is not a good place to tinker around in since making a mistake in there can result in serious problems with your computer.

Dale · 04-29-2010, 10:06 AM

Thanks, Rick.

Originally posted by tomicjr:

Dell Precision M4300

nVidia Quadro FX360M (ForceWare 175.75)

Any suggestions??

Just checking - I presume you are aware that Dell has had problems with M4300s with NVidia GPUs, and has extended the warranty.

Also - what is your networking connection? If you are just using wireless, there's a suspected issue with power settings. Not applicable with wired networks, of course.

Yes, we're grasping at straws here.

04-22-2010, 10:10 PM	#1
tomicjr Registered Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 11	MA3 shuts down laptop I purchased a license and installed MA3 with no problem. I can access the settings, but as soon as I try Preview or allow the screen saver to activate - the laptop SHUTS DOWN right after the splash screen! Dell Precision M4300 Windows XP SP3 (32-bit) 4GB RAM nVidia Quadro FX360M (ForceWare 175.75) dual monitor - laptop panel / external LCD panel I have the latest BIOS and graphics drivers, and do not have an issue with any other applications. This is reproducible EVERY time! I have tried several different combinations of settings, even a single monitor at various resolutions and color depths. Very frustrating! Any suggestions??

04-23-2010, 12:18 AM	#2
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,787	tomicjr - So it just started doing this after you entered a Key Code, and not when you tested it before purchasing? Are we talking about the official download version (10d), or the test version (11e)? Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-23-2010, 01:32 AM	#3
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Are those nVidia drivers compatible with your laptop? Very often, laptops will not accept (or run reliably) with desktop graphics drivers. Did you have to use any tricks or workarounds to get those drivers to install? "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

04-23-2010, 01:37 PM	#4
tomicjr Registered Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 11	MA3 shuts down laptop Thank you for the quick reply! I actually upgraded from MA 2 and 2.6 + Time that I used in the past, and purchased the upgrade before using TESTFISH mode... The video drivers are the latest from the Dell Support site, which I have been running for well over a year with several high-end graphics applications. I have never had an application corrupt the display, let alone shutdown the laptop! Very bizarre... Different advanced adapter settings have made no difference. It is very frustrating since it takes ~10 minutes between attempts! I have to believe that there are other customers with nVidia Quadro-based systems... Also, I have the latest BIOS and Video BIOS...and have also tried various resolutions and color depths...

04-24-2010, 05:20 AM	#9
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Originally posted by tomicjr: Which event log - there is nothing in the Windows Event Viewer 1. Right-click My Computer. 2. Choose Properties. 3. Click the Advanced tab. 4. Click the Settings button next to Startup and Recovery. 5. Under the System Failure group, make sure the 3 checkboxes are enabled, and the 2 boxes below are set to Small memory dump (64KB) and %SYSTEMROOT%\Minidump Next time you crash, can you examine the file C:\Minidump in Wordpad or Notepad and see what it says? "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

04-23-2010, 01:47 PM	#5
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	For one diagnostic, please try: A. Disconnect your external monitor and run MA3. B. Reconnect the external monitor, turn off your built-in monitor, and run MA3. Also, have you looked at the event log to see if there are any clues?

04-23-2010, 02:55 PM	#6
tomicjr Registered Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 11	I have tried that, and it makes no difference... Which event log - there is nothing in the Windows Event Viewer. Is there one for MA?

04-23-2010, 03:37 PM	#7
JohnWho Registered Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida Posts: 486	In the Settings, Display Settings screen in MA3 change the "wait for vertical sync" setting and let us know if it makes any difference. Also, in the same MA3 screen, are you set for "automatic" in "Display mode for this adapter" setting? Maybe trying one of the appropriate other settings will make a difference?

04-23-2010, 03:41 PM	#8
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Originally posted by tomicjr: Which event log - there is nothing in the Windows Event Viewer. Is there one for MA? Nope. Thanks for checking that. What does your system do when it's re-starting? That is, is there a "Windows was not shut down properly" (or whatever that says), and an opportunity to choose whether to start XP normally or some other way?

04-24-2010, 05:59 AM	#10
Derrek Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 186	Is the computer actually powering down or is it getting stuck on a black screen and you are having to do a hard restart?

04-28-2010, 07:36 PM	#11
tomicjr Registered Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 11	MA3 shuts down laptop The splash screen appears, then the screen goes black for a fraction of a second like it will render the screen saver...then the laptop POWERS OFF. There is no minidump file created, no BSOD. I recall one other time this happened...it was with iTunes and the visualizer. It didn't happen everytime like it does with MA3. I will try it on another desktop system with an nVidia chipset. Weird... Thanks for your assistance and suggestions!

04-28-2010, 07:44 PM	#12
JohnWho Registered Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida Posts: 486	Did you try those suggestions in my post #7, above?

04-28-2010, 08:03 PM	#13
tomicjr Registered Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 11	MA3 shuts down laptop Yes, I did try the suggestions in #7. I tried using Automatic, as well as several other resolutions and color depths. Same problem every time... I installed it another desktop system with a similar nVidia video adapter, and it seems to work fine...

04-28-2010, 08:12 PM	#15
tomicjr Registered Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 11	The system doesn't restart on it's own. It powers completely off. After pressing the power on button, it starts up normally with no errors or indication that it was shutdown improperly! These threads describe a similar issue with iTunes: http://discussions.apple.com/message...sageID=6992994 http://discussions.apple.com/message...sageID=7202206 It is not a thermal issue.

04-28-2010, 08:16 PM	#16
JohnWho Registered Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida Posts: 486	Originally posted by tomicjr: Yes, I did try the suggestions in #7. OK, thanks. Just trying to eliminate possibilities. I installed it another desktop system with a similar nVidia video adapter, and it seems to work fine... Similar? Can they both run the same drivers? If so, are they both running the same drivers?

04-28-2010, 08:21 PM	#17
JohnWho Registered Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida Posts: 486	Originally posted by tomicjr: These threads describe a similar issue with iTunes: http://discussions.apple.com/message...sageID=6992994 http://discussions.apple.com/message...sageID=7202206 We can't be sure, since the poster replaced Vista with XP, but it looks like the second problem was with Spybot. The first one, at least the beginning poster, is using an ATI video card, so that makes that person's iTune problem very much different from yours. I wouldn't waste a lot of time expecting the iTune discussions to be relevant to your problem other than it possibly being a video card/video driver issue.

04-28-2010, 10:16 PM	#18
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	OK, if you're sure it's not a thermal issue. First, see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555541 - to enable the Shutdown Event Tracker. Look at a few other articles like http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...8WS.10%29.aspx and https://www.microsoft.com/resources/....mspx?mfr=true See if that provides a clue, the next time it shuts down. I would suggest drastically reducing the frame rate, to see if that helps -- but I can't think how to do that in your situation. Perhaps somebody else can think of a way.

04-29-2010, 07:02 AM	#19
Rick Simon Registered Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 93	Originally posted by Dale: I would suggest drastically reducing the frame rate, to see if that helps -- but I can't think how to do that in your situation. Perhaps somebody else can think of a way. If Tomicjr is comfortable using regedit, he might try the following keys: HKCU\Software\SereneScreen\ MarineAquarium3\StartWindowed Set DWORD value to 1 to start MA3 in Windowed mode, 0 in full screen mode. HKCU\Software\SereneScreen\ MarineAquarium3\FrameSleepTime Set Binary data to 1e 00 00 00 to set Sleep Rate to 30 (lowest frame rate) The usual caveats about editing one's registry apply. Namely, if you are not comfortable editing the registry directly, you probably shouldn't do so at all. It is not a good place to tinker around in since making a mistake in there can result in serious problems with your computer.

04-29-2010, 10:06 AM	#20
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Thanks, Rick. Originally posted by tomicjr: Dell Precision M4300 nVidia Quadro FX360M (ForceWare 175.75) Any suggestions?? Just checking - I presume you are aware that Dell has had problems with M4300s with NVidia GPUs, and has extended the warranty. Also - what is your networking connection? If you are just using wireless, there's a suspected issue with power settings. Not applicable with wired networks, of course. Yes, we're grasping at straws here.