Install Freemaster 3.1.3 issue for Win10 Enterprise LTSC

[Fred_Liu]

Hi

  I tried to install Freemaster 3.1.3 to Advantech UPC-U2117 Win10 but can't run. After executing Freemaster, it will pop up the "Problem with system default printer detected" as attached file. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Fred

[willyparlor]

This particular problem is with Microsoft windows OS installation. Not with PCS7 91 build.

According to the Microsoft community, it's not a new problem that quite a lot of Windows users have encountered with CMD keeps popping up the error. However, most Windows users are still not quite clear about what they shall do when such a problem comes out. So what can you do when such a problem occurs to your in Windows 10/8/7?

Below method will  you how to clean boot Windows also got for Survey 10 as an example for you to follow and clean boot your PC.

Note: 1. Please do remember to log on to your computer as an administrator so to perform a clean boot. 2. Make sure that no other software are installed and running in bakgroung other than Windows 10 3. You have to do below steps on newly installed Windows 10 PC.

Steps:

1. Click "Start" and search: msconfig select "System Configuration";
2. Click "Services" on System Configuration click and select "Hide all Microsoft services"  click "Disable all";
3. Click "Startup" on System Configuration click "Open Task Manager
4. Select each startup item on Startup and click Disable close Task Manager
5. Click "OK" on Startup tab of System Configuration Restart PC.

By doing so, your computer will be able to work normally again, and you'll see that no CMD window pops up anymore.

Hope it helps 

[MichalH]

Dear Fred,

yes FreeMASTER application uses a font component internally which requires any printer to be installed in system. Can you install any printer (even a PDF virtual printer) in system, set it as default and try again?

Thank you,
Michal

[Fred_Liu]

Hi Michal

  One good news and one bad news. After I install a virtual printer called "PDFCreator" as default printer, Freemaster no longer show this error message but just a moment it will close and restart automatically :(.

I tried several times and get the same result. Any suggestion?

Thanks for your quick reply

Fred

[MichalH]

Hello Fred,

It seems the printer still causes the issues. I'm sorry for the issues. Can you try to install some "real" printer driver, eg. Microsoft PCL6 printer and set it as default?

Thank you,
Michal

[Fred_Liu]

Hello Michal

  Thanks for your quickest reply. I follow all the steps you mention but Freemaster 3.x is still crash and restart only if you click "Variable Watch" window. Please see the Win10 Event viewer as attached file.

I even tried to install Freemaster 2.5 to verify it, amazingly the result is the same.

I use a lot of Freemaster application from 1.X to 3.X and think I am a experience user but it's the first time to use Win10 Enterprise LTSC. Is it an issue for the Advantech EPC??

BTW: I just got this brand new EPC-U2117 a week ago

Thanks a lot & any suggestions are welcome

Fred 

[Fred_Liu]

Dear All

  Finally Michal provide a solution to this Freemaster crash issue when I clicked "Variable Watch" window.

Just unclick View->“View Formatting Toolbar”. Freemaster is back to normal.

Summary solution to this issue

1. Install a printer driver like "Microsoft PC6 class driver"

2. Un-click View->“View Formatting Toolbar”

[MichalH]

Dear Fred,

thanks for confirming the issue appears in the Formatting toolbar. I would not call this problem solved yet. Hiding the toolbar is just a quick and dirty workaround. WIthout the toolbar, you will not be able to set the font and sizes of the watch grid cells, so the functionality is degraded.

Also, I'm afraid that making the bar visible again will cause the application to crash again. (can you confirm?).

Anyway, this symptom really points to a problem inside the font drop-down list. In the past we have rarely seen a similar issue, but it was always solved by having at least some printer installed in the system. From some reason, it does not help in your case. I wonder if you could try to install another printer (some real printer if possible) and try again.

Thank you for your cooperation,
Michal

[MichalH · Accepted solution]

Hello Fred,

let's try one more experiment, if this does not help, please contact me directly at michal.hanak@nxp.com and I will work with you to diagnose the problem directly on your computer.

1. Log-out/log-in to make sure the FreeMASTER process is terminated.
2. Run the registry editor (regedit.exe) and browse to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Freescale
3. Locate the FreeMASTER key and use menu to rename it as displayed in the picture below. You can also press the F2 key. Rename it e.g. to FreeMASTER_bak
4. Run the Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\NXP\FreeMASTER 3.1\FreeMASTER
5. Locate the register.bat file and click it with right mouse button
6. Select "Run as Administrator" - you should see a black command line window with some progress messages (no failures should occur).
7. In Windows Explorer, double click the pcmaster.exe to run it directly (not from the Start menu)

If it works, please write to this forum. If it crashes, please contact me by email and I will try to help you directly. 

Thanks,
Michal