BSOD on DAX start

Gary NC3Z

For the past few months I have been getting a BSOD (due to portcls.sys) when I start DAX about 1 out of 5 times. I run DAX predominately connected to the 6600M front panel. Although I use SSDR it is not as frequent as I use the front panel so can't say for sure it has the same issue.

Flex software is the most current V3. PC is a W10 Pro version 1909, all up to date. PC hardware is Workstation with a Xeon CPU 24GB RAM.

When the BSOD happens and I reboot the DAX and SmartCAT have lost all their settings so I drop back in a backup of CAT.settings and DAX.settings to recover. 

I have been living with this quirk (as well as several other Flex quirks) but is becoming a nuisance.

Any helpful suggestions? 

tod_WE5TR

Sorry I don’t have a solution. However, could you point me to the info you found on backing up CAT and DAX settings? When this has happened to me I’ve had to restart from scratch with configuration.

Mike-VA3MW

VE3DZP

Just last month I had the same problem. Not likely the same but try running the memory checker. It ended up I had a faulty **** of RAM. Once change al is ok, just a thought, Gary.

Joe N3HEE

I've had the same experience with starting Audacity while DAX is running. I upgraded to newer version of Audacity and all was fine for a while then I got BSOD again a few weeks ago.  Something is stepping on a driver.

Joe N3HEE

Good idea !  I had a problem with random BSOD's about a year or so ago that was related to a bad stick of RAM.  It absolutely drove me crazy !

Gary NC3Z

Gary NC3Z

Gary NC3Z

AppData > Roaming > FlexRadio Systems >   there are 3    .settings files there to backup.

Joe N3HEE

I use MemTest86. Very thorough testing and free. https://www.memtest86.com/

Simply boot it off of a USB key and it runs its tests.  Takes about 1 hour to run one pass on my machine. ( i7 4GHZ CPU, 16 GB RAM) 

Joe N3HEE

I was recording something off of the air and when I started Audacity I got BSOD.  This has happened twice.  I upgraded Audacity and BSOD has not happened for a while.  I just checked my memory and it's fine.  

WX7Y

WK2Y

VE3DZP

Not sure who you addressed your question to. I it was myself I ended up installing win 10. The mem checker is under {Control Panel-Administrative tools} you will find it at the bottom of the list. Gary VE3DZP

tod_WE5TR

Thank you, Gary. Files saved to new location. Much appreciated.
73 WE5TR

Joe N3HEE

The memory checker in Win 10 is not very thorough.  It said my memory was good when in fact it was not when I checked it with MemTest86.

Rich McCabe

Andy M5ZAP

I have the same portcls BSOD on initial PC boot. If I uninstall SmartSDR the problem stops. Reinstall it and the problem returns. I sometimes have to boot 10 times before success.

Tim - W4TME

Arvind Mallya

I get the same error message "page fault in non-paged area" I have sent the log to Microsoft. I'm sure it's in their que for next release of Windows

Eric-KE5DTO

One anecdotal report is that waiting to reboot after installation of the DAX drivers happens helps with this issue (1 report from the field that this helped, and 1 test confirmed here at FlexRadio HQ).  This is obviously not a fix, but it may be used as a workaround until a full fix is available.

Rich McCabe

Eric, what you you mean waiting on reboot?

I would like to try it on my SurfaceBook again but afraid to?

Eric-KE5DTO

During the SmartSDR software installation, towards the end, it prompts you to reboot if it installed any new drivers.  Just leave that screen up for a good 60 seconds before clicking yes to reboot.  Again, this is not a fix, but it seemed to help in at least 2 cases.

Rich McCabe

Roger that, going to give it a try. If it doesnt work I am blaming Tim

Rich McCabe

Well Tim is in luck.

This SurfaceBook pretty much blue-screens every time I install SSDR. Just installed it, waited about 3 minutes and rebooted.  

Have rebooted 10 times and no BSODs

So you might be on to something.

LZ2BE

I installed v.3.1.8 on a new computer and BSOD problems with portcls began. Updating Realtek driver didn't solved it, just BSOD happened after longer period.
Then I copy/paste DAX.settings from my other computer to the new one (directories are the same on both PC) and BSOD was gone!

73 Boyan

DH2ID

Running 2.6.2 with my Flex-6500 I have had BSOD's regularly, goiung away after a reboot of Win10pro 64bit . I just bought a GETAC S410 semirugged notebook and with a wholly new OS have the same BSOD happening on this one. Can't do anything there and am still waiting for Flex to reprogram DAX.

But what I can do is this:

1. To ensure that the BSOD will not happen when starting SSDR I start the Windows sound app and click the Recording Tab. If there is no BSOD, the system is ok.
2. If SSDR is running while Windows crashes, the DAX and CAT settings get corrupted. I have created a backup of them in the SmartSDR folder and just copy them back. Everything is ok again.

Gary NC3Z

Backing up the CAT and DAX settings files is about the only solution, I just learned to live with the frequent BSOD as part of using SSDR.

Tim - W4TME

When a BSoD happens more than once after the installation of DAX, it is usually an issue with one or two things.

1.) There is a conflict between the hardware sound device integrated on the PC motherboard with the virtual DAX audio drivers.

2.) There is a program that is loading at boot time that uses audio devices and it has enumerated the PC's audio devices before DAX has completely loaded. Please look in your PC startup folder to see if you have an application that uses audio devices, like VoIP software, video conferencing or other applications like this. If there is one, try disabling it and rebooting the PC. If you do not get the BSoD, then you will need to either remove the application for the startup folder or possibly configure it for a delayed start-up.

reed

I tried opening Audacity at the same time as SmartSDR for windows multiple times tonight, and am consistently getting a blue screen of death crash. I can open and run SmartSDR, but if I try and open Audacity, instant blue screen.

I gave Mike's suggestion of upgrading to the latest audacity a try, but no dice, even choosing the "reset preferences" option in their installer. I guess 3.3.33 doesn't have the new DAX driver, or if it does, it's somehow less robust than the 3.2.39 one I was using before.