12 replies to this topic

[juiyout]

After installing Alcohol120_trial_1.9.7.6221.exe, I started the program. A coutdown box appeared. After countdown, I clicked 'OK' and the system freeses. The mouse, the keyboard, even the capslock light didn't work.

Then, I uninstalled and reinstalled Alcohol120_trial_1.9.7.6221.exe. This time I downloaded and installed SPTDinst-v156-x86.exe after installation of Alcohol. Same result.

In both incidents, I can see the 'window box' of the program main window but not the content within the window.
In both incidents, installation was finished without selecting 'adding virtual drive at first run'.

As the system freeses early in the program launch, I'm sorry that I was not able to obtain a system report even though its significance was stressed enough by the forum moderators.

What do I do?

[Charalambos]

Try to start Alcohol in safe mode so as to be able to send a system report. Also some specs of your system and the installed programs could also be helpful.

[juiyout]

Try to start Alcohol in safe mode so as to be able to send a system report. Also some specs of your system and the installed programs could also be helpful.

I restarted in safe mode and started Alcohol. Same thing, frozen after countdown box.

Then, I restarted in safe mode and pressed 'Esc' to skip SPTD.sys. Alcohol was then able to launch in safe mode. Though without educated reasoning, I serious doubt that SPTD.sys have nothing to do with our little puzzle here.

Daemon Tool was also on my system and I have no other CD/DVD burning/emulating software.
Here is my system report, drive F & G were setup by Daemon Tools:

[zamiel]

Have you tried uninstalling Daemon Tools, Alcohol and SPTD, then reinstalling SPTD and Alcohol to see if its a conflict between the two?

Have you also asked at the DuplexSecure forums?

[juiyout]

I uninstalled Daemon Tools, Alcohol, SPTD.

A fresh install of Alcohol resulted the same freeze.

Then i uninstalled Alcohol followed by installation of SPTD and Alcohol again.

Same thing.


Does the problem here caused by SPTD driver alone and nothing else? Or is it some design flaw with Alcohol?

[zamiel]

Many customers run Alcohol and do not experience the issue you are having. As you can run Alcohol in Safe Mode by bypassing the loading of SPTD once may be able to assume its a conflict between SPTD and something else on your system.

Have you tried disabling your anti-virus when running Alcohol? Are you running the latest drivers for your motherboard?

[juiyout]

I have updated to the most recent motherboard driver for this laptop.
I have tried disabling antivirus program (in fact, uninstalled it) and open Alcohol without any luck.


Is there a version of Alcohol that does not use SPTD.SYS, i.e. the old versions, that I could get my hands on?
I remember Alcohol worked fine on my laptop before.

Edited by juiyout, 21 July 2008 - 11:13 PM.

[Charalambos]

Can you give a brief list of the programs that you have installed on this computer? Also it would be very helpfull if you uninstalled them one by one, checking each time if you can install SPTD and then Alcohol. In this way the conflicting program would probably been found, then you would be able to install the uninstalled programs again.

[juiyout]

Can you give a brief list of the programs that you have installed on this computer? Also it would be very helpfull if you uninstalled them one by one, checking each time if you can install SPTD and then Alcohol. In this way the conflicting program would probably been found, then you would be able to install the uninstalled programs again.

With above reasoning, the fastest way to know if this problem is the conflict between Alcohol and my other softwares would be that I reformat and test Alcohol on a fresh installation of Windows XP, right?
Well, this SPTD problem has been around for a while, I don't mind formating my drive if I can get to the bottom of this. I might just do that soon.

Let me give a list of installed program first (not including games):
Apache Friends
AutoGK
DVD Decrypter
DVDVideoSoft
EBWin
E-Book Systems
IrfanView
iTunes
Lavasoft Adaware
MediaMonkey
Microsoft Office
Firefox
Open PCMan
Picasa
Powertoys
Quicktime
Real Alternative
Skype
Sony Vegas
Spybot
VLC player
MSN messenger
Anvil Studio
Audacity
Orbit
Wincustomise LogonStudio


Somehow, I felt silly typing all these out.
Well, I have my faith in you guys...

[Charalambos]

Picasa

Is this a program of IBM? In the Daemon Tools forum problems were reported with 2 IBM programs, I think the one was named Picasa or something like that, sorry but I wasn't able to find the tread.

[juiyout]

Picasa

Is this a program of IBM? In the Daemon Tools forum problems were reported with 2 IBM programs, I think the one was named Picasa or something like that, sorry but I wasn't able to find the tread.

Picasa is a photo organising software from Google.

[Charalambos]

Well, in this case I'm afraid that, as yourself said, formating and then installing Alcohol and then your other programs one by one is the only way to find the conflict. If you find it please let us know in case that somebody else has the same problem.

[zamiel]

Either that, or as I said earlier, get in touch with duplexsecure.com, they may be able to help you.