#AAPRO FAILURE
11 messages in this thread
I don't know if you remeber, but a few months ago I had a problem with
AAPro when I installed my new hard drive. I left a message later that I had
cured the problem by replacing the IDE drive controller with another one. I
thought that I had cured the problem, but I have started a new project that
involves longer periods of time with AAPro and have discovered that the
problem is still there. I seems to come and go, but I can just about cause
the failure anytime I do some fairly involved moves in the optics area.
The program crashes. I get message in text mode at the DOS prompt that
says "memory protection fault" and gives some long numbers that appear to
be an address (EIP=00008 etc.). I can reset at this point and sometimes
when the machine boots and I run ani.exe I get the exact same message. And
then sometimes it will come up after reboot. I've tried everything I can
think of. My config.sys has only 2 lines; FILES=20 BUFFERS=20. It's set to
this because I can't find anything in this sea of documentation that even
mentions config.sys. My autoexec.bat has only a path and prompt command. I
have to resolve this problem quickly, Please Help! SvM Note: I've use AApro
since it came out and never had a problem until I replaced the hard drive
and controller with IDE 3 months ago. [A/exit
I can't help you much except to suggest changing to a SCSI or ESDI drive.
I've had plenty of hardware problems, myself, this year, and I can
empathize, but I'm afraid that's not much help. Perhaps someone else on
the forum has another idea…
– G
We had a problem with a Mylex caching SCSI disk controller. It was an
easier problem to identify, it just wouldn't work with Ani Pro or 3DS 2.
(worked fine with 3DS 1, however). We replaced it with a DPT controller
and all is well in Mudville.
Try to change your config.sys to FILES=40, BUFFERS=20.
Good Luck, Greg Pyros
Mudville? Is that in Arkansas? I thought you were in Newport Beach! You
didn't notify me of your change of address <g>.
Martin
Martin:
Just hiding out from creditors. Don't blow my cover!!!
Greg
Oops sorry! Mum's the word…..:-)
Martin
G,
Okay well let me throw some questions your way.
1) Is the Yost Group affiliated with Autodesk tech. support and in what
way?
2) If not how do I get in touch with Autodesk tech. support persons on
this
board?
You see the problem is that dealing with a dealer is kind of a hassle. I
call them, they call Adesk, Adesk calls them back, they call me back (when
they get around to it, and it takes a week to get an answer to my problem.
Changing to SCSI or ESDI would be nice but I don't have lots of cash to
throw around. Not only that, it think Autodesk (and I'm not pointing
fingers or anything I just don't know how all this works), I think Autodesk
should offer a better solution than changing hardware. Shouldn't this
software be compatible with nearly all drives and controllers. My hardware
isn't that unique by any standard. I understand that a package as
sofisticated as AAPro and other Adesk products are difficult to trouble
shoot, but I have invested considerabble dollars. Maybe there is someone
who is so familiar with the source code that this message would ring a bell
with them. I saw a message suggesting that I add more memory, but AApro
says min. mem. required is 4MB. Changing hardware is out of the question at
this point, I hate to think I can't run this package anymore
Also, are you aware of a number I can call at Autodesk to talk to person
instead of thru this board. It would just be dealt with in person. Dealers
are good, but not with these kinds of questions. Best Regards, SvM
I'm not affiliated with Autodesk Tech Support in any way. I spend from
7-10 hours a week on Compuserve supporting the products that my group
develops because it gives me valuable insight into my customers. There are
many many hardware-related questions that I can't answer, but I guarantee
you that I can answer even the most gnarly technical questions about how
our products work. It _frustrates_ me that hardware is such a nightmare,
but it doesn't keep me from developing software (almost).
The incompatibility would be between the Phar Lap memory management kernel
and your IDE controller. I've seen it many times before… especially when
the IDE controller also has a serial and parallel port on it.
The Phar Lap kernel is licensed by Autodesk and is developed completely
independantly in Massachusetts. It is NOT perfect, but does a basically
good job. One of the main reasons why 3DS and AA Pro can't be sold through
retail channels is because Phar Lap is so finnicky and it requires a
competent dealer to make sure his customers have robust hardware.
Regarding channels of tech support… Autodesk sells a $3000/yr support
contract to end users that provides very high quality support for all
products. Other than that, you can get one of the tech guys here on CIS
(they log on on their own time), or you can do this through your dealer.
I'm sorry, but that's all I can tell you right now. If you can get your
dealer to swap your IDE card with a more-expensive unit (in IDE-land,
that's about $40), you'd at least be able to tell if it's the controller.
– G
G, (is it Gary?)
Well you've answered a lot of my questions. I was a little to quick about
the dealer thing too because they actually were quite responsive today. I
think Adesk tech. support is actually looking into this. But because it
looks like I have got a hold of the right guy, I would just like to ask one
more quick question.
The dealer suggested that perhaps the IDE controller was interfering with
the area of memory the VESA driver likes to be in. Is there any possibility
here? Also, because I've already bought 2 controllers, the last one being
in the $35 range, could you recommend one that won't give me problems? [B
[B If it's any consolation, sometimes I take this package to work and run
it on my 486 at the office and it runs great. I've never had a minutes
trouble with it on that system. It also has an IDE controller. Thanks
again, SvM
Stan,
I wish I could answer these hardware questions for you, but I've been
trying to tell you that I'm basically a hardware IDIOT. All I can
recommend is that you thrash around in your system with QEMM and try to see
if you can use its exclude statements to force video memory away from the
controller (if that's what you think may be the problem).
– G(ary)
Hey, Stan – Open your machine at work and see what controller is in it,
then get one for home…
DT