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BSOD on DAX start

Gary NC3Z
Gary NC3Z Member ✭✭✭
edited June 2020 in SmartSDR for Windows
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? 

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Comments

  • tod_WE5TR
    tod_WE5TR Member ✭✭
    edited June 2020
    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
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin
    edited February 2020
    I had the problem the other day, but it was 100% related to Audacity.  I did a re-install/repair on Audicity and the problem went away.  

    You  might want to give that a try if you have it installed.


  • VE3DZP
    VE3DZP Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    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
    Joe N3HEE Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    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
    Joe N3HEE Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    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 Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    I do have Audacity installed but it was not running, and normally does not. How did you determine it was Audacity? 

    Just checked and it's the latest @ 2.3.3
  • Gary NC3Z
    Gary NC3Z Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Hmmmmm, I have used the Crucial checker, but which one did you use?

    Running a check using mdsched.exe  right now.
  • Gary NC3Z
    Gary NC3Z Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    AppData > Roaming > FlexRadio Systems >   there are 3    .settings files there to backup.
  • Joe N3HEE
    Joe N3HEE Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    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
    Joe N3HEE Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    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
    WX7Y Member ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2020
    I had that trouble when the last update of version 3 and 2.6 of SmartSDR, It has to do with Sound drivers between Windows 10 the base DAX driver and a hardware issue combined so it doesn't show up very often. 
    Microsoft and FLEX worked together on figuring this bug out and FLEX reported it to the author of the base driver of DAX for a fix. 
    This seems to happen much more often if your OS has had several sound card type programs and drivers over a few years installed and uninstalled with **** being left behind by Windows **** uninstaller.
    I had a drive crash and had to start my computer over I decided instead of using my backup I would would start fresh and sense that time I have not had the issue come back.
    My computer's that did it where both Intel NUC's one version 7 and one version 8 I think that where upgraded from WIN7.
    73's
    Bret
    WX7Y
    
  • WK2Y
    WK2Y Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    I have had the problem when I have been running Dragon Naturally speaking and/or watching YouTube videos.  I am running 1909 with the latest SDR on a 6500.  Generally, if I am going to operate, I boot the PC and start SDRCATDAX first.  Then I can start anything else I want without any hiccups.
    73,
    Bob, WK2Y
  • VE3DZP
    VE3DZP Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    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
    tod_WE5TR Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Thank you, Gary. Files saved to new location. Much appreciated.
    73 WE5TR

  • Joe N3HEE
    Joe N3HEE Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    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
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    I have same issue. Do not have Audacity installed. I trying installing SmartSDR on a new notebook I use when I am out at clients locations and it started blue screening as well.  Tim has been on both machines using Teamviewer and never could resolve it.  I had to get SSDR off the notebook as it would take about 3 or 4 bluescreen boots before I would finally get into windows.

    It rears its ugly head on occasion on the shack computer but not as often as it used to.
  • Andy M5ZAP
    Andy M5ZAP Member
    edited February 2020
    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
    Tim - W4TME Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited February 2020
    This is a known issue, G7638.  We are working on a new DAX driver that hopefully will resolve this and other issues, such as the periodic buffer corruption that requires a restart of DAX to resolve.  Hopefully, it will be in the next release of SmartSDR as long as we do not run into any issues in testing.  And please note that testing kernel-mode device drivers are more resource-intensive than testing SmartSDR software and firmware code changes.

  • Arvind Mallya
    Arvind Mallya Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020
    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
    Eric-KE5DTO Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited February 2020
    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
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Eric, what you you mean waiting on reboot?

    I would like to try it on my SurfaceBook again but afraid to?
  • Eric-KE5DTO
    Eric-KE5DTO Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin
    edited February 2020
    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
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    Roger that, going to give it a try. If it doesnt work I am blaming Tim :)


  • Rich McCabe
    Rich McCabe Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2020
    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
    LZ2BE Member ✭✭
    edited February 2020

    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
    DH2ID Member ✭✭✭

    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
    Gary NC3Z Member ✭✭✭

    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
    Tim - W4TME Administrator, FlexRadio Employee admin

    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
    reed Member ✭✭
    edited December 2022
    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.

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