Audacity 2.0.4 doesn't launch on XP

KeyserS · September 7, 2013, 8:03pm

Hi,

After updating from v2.0.3 to v2.0.4 Audacity.exe runs but there is no UI and after some seconds it idles using 50% CPU on a dual core. However it seems to have partially run because the value of the Version line of Audacity.cfg file has been updated to 2.0.4.

The PC is running XP SP1 and has run Audacity 1.2.6 for years, then has been updated to v2.0.3 using the ZIP package with FFmpeg v0.6.2 for Audacity added. Everything was running fine until I’ve updated to v2.0.4 still using the ZIP package. Language of the UI is English.

What I have tried:
Deleting the %appadata%Audacity folder had no effect. A new one was created, proving Audacity is partially running, but the process still got stuck at 50% CPU with no UI after a while.
Removing the ffmpeg folder had no effect.
Adding the Help folder had no effect.
Removing all DLLs from the Plugins folder had no effect.
Using v2.0.3 plugins and Nyquist had no effect.
In Audacity.cfg setting Enable=0 to [Ladspa] [Nyquist] [VAMP] and [VST] had no effect.

However using an hex editor I can see a reference to Avrt.dll in Audacity.exe v2.0.4, but AFAIK this DLL is only available on Vista or newer Windows versions. So if this file is really required then it breaks the compatibility with Windows 2000 and Windows XP (Download Audacity 2.0.4 for Windows 2000/XP/Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8). Is this file really used ?

Reverting back to v2.0.3 is making everything working again.

Any suggestions ?

Gale_Andrews · September 7, 2013, 10:14pm

2.0.4 was tested on XP but possibly not on a system that lacked Service Pack 3. I really suggest you upgrade to Service Pack 3 for stability and security reasons.

Have you ever seen the “Install VST Effects” dialogue when you tried to launch 2.0.4? Have you task switched to see if that dialog is there, or perhaps on another monitor (if you have two monitors)?

Can you quit Audacity and remove all the text from audacity.cfg except the following:

NewPrefsInitialized=1
[VST]
Rescan=0

then try?

I don’t think anything has changed in regards avrt.DLL since 2.0.3. I can still run Audacity (on Windows 7 x64) while Dependency Walker says that avrt.DLL is missing (after I renamed it).

Try the .cfg file above, and if that does not help, does 2.0.4 run if you run XP in Safe Mode ? You won’t have any audio in Safe Mode, but it’s a useful test.

Gale

KeyserS · September 8, 2013, 5:44am

Thanks for your reply.

Well, if it’s supposed to run on Windows 2000 then it must run on XP SP1, any other Windows 2000 compatible app does run (e.g. WaveShop, Wavosaur, AIMP3, VLC, etc). I’m not going to update, I’ve already tried to do it, because this PC is used for multimedia purposes only and has been tweaked and tuned over years and the update destroys or resets many of these settings, not to mention the removal of some components. Anyway, as I said Audacity 2.0.4 does run, the CFG file got updated but I have to kill the running process because I don’t see any UI at all.

After changing the content of the Audacity.cfg file as you suggested the only dialog I see is about .AUP files association. After that, nothing. The process idles using 50% CPU but the CFG file has been updated like this:

NewPrefsInitialized=1
Version=2.0.4
PrefsVersion=1.1.1r1
WantAssociateFiles=0
[VST]
Rescan=0
[Version]
Major=2
Minor=0
Micro=4
[Directories]
TempDir=C:\DOCUME~1\Keyser\LOCALS~1\Temp\audacity_temp

Reverting back to v2.0.3 and it instantly runs like a charm. I’ll try safe mode later and report back.

steve · September 8, 2013, 11:15am

Thanks for your report.
I’ve now seen three reports for this issue (out of 6427 downloads of the Audacity installer for Windows) so there is definitely a problem that is not “just your machine”. This may not be related to SP3 as at least one of the other two cases is using SP3.

Do you ever record with Audacity using “Stereo Mix”?

Gale_Andrews · September 8, 2013, 11:24am

Perhaps, but that wasn’t my main point, which was about the considerable safety and security enhancements in SP3.

Gale

Gale_Andrews · September 8, 2013, 11:35am

Can you try installing the appropriate Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package from http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/faq_installation_and_plug_ins.html#14001 ?

I don’t particularly expect it to help, but even so we can find out what doesn’t help…

Gale

steve · September 8, 2013, 11:41am

Also, could you try:

Reboot the computer.
Open audacity.cfg in a text editor and replace the contents with this:

NewPrefsInitialized=1
[AudioIO]
Host=MME

Then try an launch Audacity.

Gale_Andrews · September 8, 2013, 11:59am

Audacity defaults to MME host, so the above would be identical to

NewPrefsInitialized=1

or identical to a reset of Preferences in the installer.

Currently I’m guessing (if the Install VST Effects dialogue isn’t behind this somehow) that WDM-KS could be the problem, and that I should make a build of 2.0.4 with WDM-KS removed.

Gale

zalain212 · September 8, 2013, 12:17pm

I’m having exactly the same issue, as described by KeiserS, but under Windows XP SP3.
Resetting preferences doesn’t help.
By reverting to version 2.0.3, everything works fine again.

steve · September 8, 2013, 12:50pm

I know that Audacity should default to MME host, but clearly in a few cases on XP Audacity is not doing the expected thing (that is, it does not complete launching), so I wanted to eliminate the possibility of incorrect host selection when Audacity selects the default.
I’d still like someone with the problem to try this test Audacity 2.0.4 doesn't launch on XP - #7 by steve even if only to eliminate that possibility.

I’ve tested the 2.0.4 installer on Windows XP but not yet been able to reproduce the problem.

KeyserS · September 8, 2013, 2:37pm

I can’t remember to have ever used Audacity for recording, I’m used to use Goldwave for recording and recently I’ve tried WaveShop, if it matters.
In the Devices preferences of Audacity the recording device is set to the Default Sound Capture driver and in the Windows mixer all of the inputs are muted but the CD and Line-In ones. I unmute the stereo mix input only when needed.

It’s already installed and the version number of msvcp90.dll and msvcr90.dll is exactly the same as the ones provided with Audacity 2.0.4.

No effect, no change, same result, and when done the content of the CFG file is exactly the same as the one reported in this post: Audacity 2.0.4 doesn't launch on XP - #3 by KeyserS

I got the same feeling reading some other posts on this forum and it’ll be my pleasure to test such version.
FYI on this PC I’m also using foobar2000 with the Kernel Streaming output module set to 24 bits which is working pretty fine. The sound card is an on-board Realtek HD audio with an ALC888 chip.

steve · September 8, 2013, 2:49pm

Thanks KeyserS, that helps to dismiss a lot of possibilities.
I’ll be interested to hear the results using Audacity 2.0.4 with WDM-KS removed.

Gale_Andrews · September 8, 2013, 3:04pm

By all means test, but I suspect the device that is selected is likely to be irrelevant given (as I understand it) Audacity queries all the devices and all the API’s on launch. Audacity won’t start until it’s completed those polls.

Thanks for trying it on XP yourself. If you (Steve) select WDM-KS host, can you play or record?

Gale

steve · September 8, 2013, 3:29pm

KeyserS has just done that, and as you suspected, no difference. I wasn’t really hopeful myself.

OK, I wasn’t sure if Audacity queries all devices if there is already a device specified in Preferences.

I’m not sure how typical my results will be as I’m currently testing on a virtual machine, but yes I can play and record with WDM-KS.

Gale_Andrews · September 8, 2013, 4:01pm

Devices and hosts are not the same thing of course, but yes, Audacity I believe does a complete poll even if hosts or devices are specified in .cfg before launch. That’s how you get all the non-selected hosts and devices listed in Device Toolbar and Help > Audio Device Info… , otherwise those could not be fully populated.

It would be better if Audacity bypassed devices or hosts that fail the query, but if devices or hosts do fail, Audacity will usually hang or crash.

If no devices or hosts are specified, then as soon as launch completes Audacity will choose
MME host and the Windows default playback and recording devices. That’s a misbehaviour really, as it should set the default to the Microsoft Sound Mapper choices as it used to prior to 1.3.13.

Virtual machines are not a very good test for audio I/O problems. Probably my running XP on Intel hardware that does not officially support XP is not the best test either - though Audacity does launch and list WDM-KS even though WDM-KS errors on playback and recording.

Is this the Vista machine that you have occasional access to?

Gale

steve · September 8, 2013, 4:06pm

Doh, yes of course.

No it’s on my usual Linux laptop.

I’ll probably have access to a real XP machine next week.

Gale_Andrews · September 8, 2013, 10:22pm

OK thanks. KeyserS. Please try the build in this topic https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/audacity-start-failure-or-blue-screen-on-a-few-machines/30903/1 .

@zalain212, could you test it also?

Please report back in this topic what happens.

Gale

KeyserS · September 8, 2013, 11:22pm

Success! Works for me and no need to reset v2.0.3 preferences.

Gale_Andrews · September 9, 2013, 12:40am

Thanks for testing.

Could you do another favour for us? Open Help > Audio Device Info… , right-click > Select All, then copy and paste the contents here?

Gale

KeyserS · September 9, 2013, 6:44am

Here it is:

==============================
Default capture device number: 1
Default playback device number: 4
==============================
Device ID: 0
Device name: Mappeur de sons Microsoft - Input
Host name: MME
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.090000
Low Output Latency: 0.090000
High Input Latency: 0.180000
High Output Latency: 0.180000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 1
Device name: Realtek HD Audio Input
Host name: MME
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.090000
Low Output Latency: 0.090000
High Input Latency: 0.180000
High Output Latency: 0.180000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 2
Device name: Realtek HD Digital input
Host name: MME
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.090000
Low Output Latency: 0.090000
High Input Latency: 0.180000
High Output Latency: 0.180000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 3
Device name: Mappeur de sons Microsoft - Output
Host name: MME
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.090000
Low Output Latency: 0.090000
High Input Latency: 0.180000
High Output Latency: 0.180000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
    352800
    384000
==============================
Device ID: 4
Device name: Realtek HD Audio output
Host name: MME
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.090000
Low Output Latency: 0.090000
High Input Latency: 0.180000
High Output Latency: 0.180000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 5
Device name: ATI HD Audio rear output
Host name: MME
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.090000
Low Output Latency: 0.090000
High Input Latency: 0.180000
High Output Latency: 0.180000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 6
Device name: Pilote de capture audio principal
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.120000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.240000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 7
Device name: Realtek HD Audio Input
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.120000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.240000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 8
Device name: Realtek HD Digital input
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.120000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.240000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 9
Device name: Périphérique audio principal
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.120000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.240000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 10
Device name: Realtek HD Audio output
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.120000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.240000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 11
Device name: ATI HD Audio rear output
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.120000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.240000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Selected capture device: 6 - Pilote de capture audio principal
Selected playback device: 9 - Périphérique audio principal
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Available mixers:
==============================
Available capture sources:
0 - CD Volume
1 - Line Volume
2 - Front Mic
3 - Mic Volume
4 - Stereo Mix
==============================
Available playback volumes:
0 - Wave
1 - SW Synth
2 - Front
3 - Rear
4 - Subwoofer
5 - Center
6 - Side
7 - SPDIF
8 - Front Green In
9 - Line Volume
10 - Front Mic
11 - Mic Volume
12 - CD Volume
13 - PC Beep
14 - PC Speaker
==============================
Capture volume is native
Playback volume is native

BTW how long does it take to be ‘unlocked’ on this forum ? It’s getting quite annoying to have to wait for every post to be approved…