Application crashes instantly every launch (64bit) [SOLVED]

[CodeSatori]

[ SOLVED: If you're running Windows 7 x64 without SP1 installed, using a CPU (like i7 Haswell) that supports AVX/FMA3 instructions, the application will crash, because the CPU reports support for AVX instructions, but the unpatched OS lacks support for the feature. Solution: Install SP1 for Windows 7. ]


Hello! I was looking forward booting up PDF-XChange Editor after reading a number of solid reviews, but unfortunately I can't seem to get beyond a successful installation. Every time I try to launch the application, it crashes immediately without loading, producing a "PDF XChange Editor has stopped working" box.

No difference in clicking on a PDF or launching it from the desktop icon. Running a freshly installed Win7 64bit with Avast AV and Comodo FW on the background. I've tried both the zipped download and the 64bit MSI installer, directly downloaded from your site, with identical (instant crash) results. Any clues?

Code: Select all

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name:	APPCRASH
Application Name:	PDFXEdit.exe
Application Version:	5.5.308.2
Application Timestamp:	53a318fb
Fault Module Name:	PDFXEditCore.x64.dll
Fault Module Version:	5.5.308.2
Fault Module Timestamp:	53a318e2
Exception Code:	c000001d
Exception Offset:	00000000005801f0
OS Version:	6.1.7600.2.0.0.256.1
Locale ID:	1033
Additional Information 1:	c258
Additional Information 2:	c258abbaa191667fc9b56a392778a3b5
Additional Information 3:	975b
Additional Information 4:	975b0e3e791713a98c475a6fddb1c177

[Patrick-Tracker Supp]

Hello CodeSatori,

Welcome to our forums-

I suspect that the issue is with your Avast and Comodo. Please be sure that PDF-XChange or Tracker Software is not blocked in either, and then give the installation another try.

I hope that helps!

[CodeSatori]

I suspect that the issue is with your Avast and Comodo. Please be sure that PDF-XChange or Tracker Software is not blocked in either, and then give the installation another try.

Thanks Patrick! I turned off Comodo and disabled all Avast shields, uninstalled and reinstalled. Exact same result -- instant crash. Attempted first launching it with C&A turned off as well, no difference. Other suggestions?

[Will - Tracker Supp]

Hi CodeSatori,

Thanks for the info. - could you please send us a crash dump? This is a little odd and a consistent crash on start, like this, isn't something that, to my knowledge, we've had reported to us. The dump can be emailed to us at support@pdf-xchange.com, please make sure to include a link back to this thread.

Cheers,

[CodeSatori]

I was pretty surprised myself, I can't recall when I've had this last happen with any mainstream app. Sending the crash dump now. Thanks for taking an interest in this.

[Will - Tracker Supp]

Hi CodeSatori,

It's not a problem

Did you send the crash dump and get a response? I apologize, but I had to leave briefly so may have missed it.

Cheers,

[CodeSatori]

Hey Will, yup I sent the dump and got a response from Patrick, who's passing it on to developers, waiting for their response. Thanks folks for looking into this!

[Will - Tracker Supp]

Hi CodeSatori,

Great! We'll update you as soon as they've been able to look into this.

We appreciate your patience with this!

Cheers,

[CodeSatori]

To cover a couple more bases, I've tried:

• Booting into Safe Mode to ensure non-OS processes won't interfere. Instant crash.
• Booting into an independent bare bones Win7 x64 installation from an external hard drive (installed in MBR; the internal main drive and OS has GPT partitioning) and installing the application into a fresh software environment on the same hardware. Identical result. Suggests a driver/hardware conflict methinks?

The x64 Win7 I have is directly from the Microsoft website so there shouldn't be anything dodgy with the system files (also ran the MS sysfiles verifying tool to double-check the integrity). Running on a new Asus X450JF laptop (UEFI) with i7 4700HQ (Haswell) & 8GB Ram (MemCheck clears OK).

[Roman - Tracker Supp]

Hi CodeSatori,

Please do the following:
1. Unpack attached cpu.zip into an empty directory. Go to that directory (make it current).
2. Run get_cpu_info.cmd from that directory. You should get cpu_info.txt file there.
3. Send that cpu_info.txt to us.

[CodeSatori]

Hi Roman,

Thanks, executed, here you go.

[CodeSatori]

"Curiouser and curiouser..." Now, over the last few days I also encountered this odd problem where Windows Task Manager would crash after I right clicked on a process to see its properties, and then closed the pop-open tab. I didn't pay much attention to the details until now (assuming the fault module was a regular system file), after googling XCShInfo.dll, which I discovered is actually a Tracker Software related DLL.

Code: Select all

Problem signature:
  Problem Event Name:	BEX64
  Application Name:	taskmgr.exe
  Application Version:	6.1.7600.16385
  Application Timestamp:	4a5bc3ee
=== Fault Module Name:	XCShInfo.dll_unloaded
  Fault Module Version:	0.0.0.0
  Fault Module Timestamp:	53a294e5
  Exception Offset:	000007feecbadef4
  Exception Code:	c0000005
  Exception Data:	0000000000000008
  OS Version:	6.1.7600.2.0.0.256.1
  Locale ID:	1033
  Additional Information 1:	6a93
  Additional Information 2:	6a93ec070c57ff61e819b269e1a095c3
  Additional Information 3:	5472
  Additional Information 4:	54725b21d2c5276b8b0209d27c63ef24

After uninstalling PDF-XChange Editor, my Task Manager works spotlessly again. There were also a couple of out-of-the-blue Explorer crashes I experienced, I suspect they were caused by the same shell extension DLL above. N.B. the PDFX was obviously not running since I can't get it started, seems that the DLL is spooking around on its own.

[Will - Tracker Supp]

Hi CodeSatori,

Thanks for the info. there, that's more than a little odd. The Shell Extensions are our Preview Handler and obviously shouldn't be causing issue. I'll pass the info. along for review by the Devs.

Cheers,

[Roman - Tracker Supp]

Hi CodeSatori,
Thanks for the test.

Please do one more test:
Unpack the attached cputest.zip and run unpacked cputest.exe from the command line:
cputest.exe >cputest.txt

Then send me the cputest.txt.

[CodeSatori]

Hi Roman, the test seems to fail with Test_FMA3 FAILED (ec = c000001d). Output attached.

[Roman - Tracker Supp]

Hi CodeSatori,
Thanks again.

The problem is that your CPU reports support for FMA3 instruction set but does not support it really.
I see the following possible reasons:
1. Broken CPU (maybe an early experimental revision?).
2. FMA/AVX instructions execution is disabled at system or BIOS level. Please try this: open console as Administrator and run this command: bcdedit /set xsavedisable 0 . Then reboot and try the same (latest) cputest.exe.

Anyway we are going to provide a workaround in our product for such a case.

[Roman - Tracker Supp]

CodeSatori,
If you have run bcdedit /set xsavedisable 0 (see my previous post), please make sure you have also installed this hotfix from Microsoft.
This is important if you debug applications on your computer.

[CodeSatori]

Roman,

I ran the bcdedit before your last post landed in, and the result of the CPU test was the same. Then I downloaded and attempted to install the hotfix, but got the message "The update is not applicable for your computer". Suppose I need the SP1 installed -- and it seems I still have a fair few updates to boot in before SP1 becomes available via Windows Update. (Getting a 15KB/s downstream these days so this is a very patient process.)

I will get back to you on the above as soon as I get all the available update dookie downloaded and installed on this new laptop.

With regards to the CPU, this is a brand new ASUS laptop, and I'd imagine the CPU included isn't an early test piece? (Now downloading Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool to double-check what's going on.) There are no settings in the BIOS/UEFI (latest version) that would let me turn off FMA/AVX, and all Intel-related feature switches are active.

[Will - Tracker Supp]

Hi CodeSatori,

Thanks for the info. - please do let us know the result once you've updated. Just a note too, we cannot officially support unpatched installations of Windows, so in order to properly support our users, we do request that they have all of the latest Windows updates and Service Packs.

Cheers,

[CodeSatori]

Well this enlightens, from the Intel CPU test. Need Win7 x64 SP1 for AVX support. SP1 is now downloading, after a hundred plus other updates finally cleared through and it became available via Windows Update...

Code: Select all

AVX Compare Test Result --- Not Tested
AES Test Result --- PASS
PCLMULQDQ Test Result --- PASS
AVX Compare Test - Not Tested
AVX support detected on your Processor
AVX not supported by your Operating System
Minimum Operating System requirements are 
Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
Linux kernel version 2.6.30

Suppose this issue would then be replicable on pre-SP1 systems on W7x64 & Haswell (or AMD64)?

[Roman - Tracker Supp]

Suppose this issue would then be replicable on pre-SP1 systems on W7x64 & Haswell (or AMD64)?

Yes. And also on Windows 7 SP1 when AVX is disabled on boot (through bcdedit /set xsavedisable 1).

[CodeSatori]

Alrighty, excellent. Thanks for looking into this. I will check in with an update whenever the downloads conclude.

(Point taken on being able to only support operating systems with the latest updates and patches. Still, in light of many parts of the world still being stuck with slow internet access, for the potential user-base who may or may not get all those zigabytes of updates downloaded, an in-software detection & exception might come in handy. )

[Will - Tracker Supp]

So am I right in thinking that everything seems to be working fine now, or do you need any further help?

[CodeSatori]

Will, Roman & Patrick,

After finally installing SP1 and unlocking the AVX instructions to my CPU, the application installs and launches beautifully (and pretty darn quickly too). Everything seems to be in good working order. Thanks very much for your patient assistance and prompt dedication to your software. Now, let me take it for a spin around the block...

[Tracker Supp-Stefan]

Hello CodeSatori,

Excellent news!

Enjoy using our software and
Kind Regards,
Stefan

[CodeSatori]

Thanks, on a quick spin of your software, I'm certain I will. A massive library of PDFs waiting to be sorted, cleaned, processed... Keep up the good work!

[Will - Tracker Supp]