iPC software and monitor issue

Following on from this thread forums.highend.com/showthread.php?t=6971 I upgraded two identical desks with XPe image 8.3.0. I followed that with configuration panel V3.0.1 and Hog3PC V3.0.1. All was fine and although one desk sat in the office as the back up the main was used for 3/4 gigs until the following windows error message appeared. "Hog 3PC has encountered a problem and needs to close". If you click "Do not send" you are left with the iPC logo and the desk locks up. Re started numerous times but the same error. System restored XPe 8.3.0 and didn't upgrade to V.3.0.1 on software or panel. Second monitor had stopped working now! In trying to sort the monitor I discovered the BIOS battery was dead. Battery replaced and bios settings changed as per tech note. Still no second monitor. I have tried XPe V7.9, 8.2.2 and 8.30 and still get nothing in the second monitor. Even tried using as a third monitor using the DVI output but that doesn't work either. Now here is the weird thing, the back up desk has the same issue now although it was fine last night.

Summary

In playing about I have discovered i can recreate the windows error by installing XPe 8.2.2 or 8.3.0 and attempting to upgrade the configuration panel to 8.0.2. On XPe 8.2.2 I get the windows error on config panel v8.0.1 too. Haven't tried this on XPe 8.3.0 as after almost 9 hours of playing about I have lost the will to live!

Both desks worked fine on XPe 8.3.0, iPC configuration 8.0.1, Hog3PC 8.0.1 for 4 gigs then the windows error appeared on main desk.

Video card has been in and out of the desk, cleaned, blown out etc etc. Both monitors work as I have cross plugged them in the VGA outputs.

System:

Hog iPC
MB: ASUS P4P800-VM
CPU: Intel Celeron D 2.80GHz
Ram: 504MB
Video: S85PCI128 PCI
Frontpanel PLD: v0
Frontpanel FirmWare: v1.2007.6.14
Touch Screen Driver 03.08.46

Any clues people?
  • 0
    All sorted now. Jens just happened to be in the venue next door today and solved it. I will post tomorrow as to how he did it but in the meantime, well done that man.
  • 0
    [quote=theboy;35658]All sorted now. Jens just happened to be in the venue next door today and solved it.

    1 guy in the whole UK.. Now thats luck for you! :headbang:
  • 0
    So after hours of messing about and speaking with Jens Hillenkotter (Product Support) I still couldn't solve the issue. Turns out it was 2/3 problems all causing different issues.

    1. BIOS battery was dead. This of course controls the settings for the motherboard and devices attached to it i.e the video card for the 2nd/3rd monitor. Replaced battery and followed instructions from here www.highend.com/support/downloads/dl/BIOSBattery_web.pdf

    2. That didn't solve the video card issue or software but we were at least getting somewhere.The second problem is the mounting of the PCI video card. There is a 90 degree PCI connector between the motherboard and video card. I removed this numerous times and cleaned it with compressed air and contact cleaner. See here for details of how to remove card www.flyingpig.com/support/HogiPCVideoCardReEngagementTechNote_000.pdf In short I hadn't cleaned it well enough and Jens did a better job than me. When cleaning the 90 degree connector really get the compressed air into the slot. You will find that being so close the air turns to CO2 but this is no bad thing when trying to get rid of the dust and grime. Once re engaged the second monitor worked.

    3. Then we set about putting XPe image 8.3.0 back on. The windows error message was caused by a number of things, a. the bios battery b. the video card c. unplugging and re-plugging of monitors and touch screen usb connector. VERY IMPORTANT when upgrading software or XPe image ensure that only the vital components are attached. These are the 2 monitors (use the VGA outputs only) and the keyboard. Disconnect any wings etc you may have plugged in. Image went on fine and then all that was needed was to upgrade iPC config panel and HOG3PC. I used the USB on the front but once the console restarted after the config panel upgrade it just hung during boot. Ended up burning both upgrade files to CD and installing from there. Jens suggested this is the best way as not only does the USB take longer to transfer but the port on the front is just a slave. The "real" USB ports are the ones on the back. Software upgrades from CD went fine and then it was a case of sorting the monitors.

    4. Re connected the 3rd monitor to the DVI output and re-booted the desk. Just a bit of messing about with the touch screens and all is good. One trick Jens told me was that if you ever unplug all the monitors and USB connections when moving the desk and replug iPC can get confused. This is because you may not have put them back in the same holes as before. If for any reason the 2nd monitor doesn't come back. Go to configuration and detect the touch screens. Once detected re-boot and you should get the screen back.

    Now that I have one desk working all I need to do is go back and sort the same issue on the back up desk.

    A big thank you to Jens for all his help on site and on the phone.
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