manicminer2068 Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 Hi Everybody... first time here I´ve installed Stella V5.1.1... on double click the UI opens ok, but when i click on a game to play it, i get a black screen with only the windows mouse pointer and nothing more. Plus, Windows hangs and the only thing i can do is to turn off the computer (with the power button, not via software) I´m running it with: -IBM Lenovo ThinkCentre M55e -Pentium Dual E2140 @1.60GHz 800MHz -Intel® 946G2 Express Chipset Family (the onboard default) -Windows 7 Ultimate, with a fresh new instalation Thanks in advance, and just in case excuse my english Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 What game/file are you running? Are you sure it's an Atari 2600 rom image file? Is your windows 32bit or 64bit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHairy Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 If your computer locks up, then you have a hardware or software issue outside Stella. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 (edited) My buddy had issues exactly like that, it was related to the Graphics API. OpenGL, DirectX.. Or Software. Try reading the docs to learn how to select one of those manually. Try Software or OpenGL. Stella can and does lock hard when going from OpenGL to DirectX on some rigs. Edited March 11, 2018 by Keatah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manicminer2068 Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share Posted March 11, 2018 What game/file are you running? Are you sure it's an Atari 2600 rom image file? Is your windows 32bit or 64bit? Every game... and i´m using Win 7 32bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manicminer2068 Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share Posted March 11, 2018 My buddy had issues exactly like that, it was related to the Graphics API. OpenGL, DirectX.. Or Software. Try reading the docs to learn how to select one of those manually. Try Software or OpenGL. Stella can and does lock hard when going from OpenGL to DirectX on some rigs. I guess i've tried both OpenGL and Software.... the same pc lock with the same violence... practically i have to unplug the power cord Tried older versions of Stella, even 3.2.1 that i've been using in Win XP... and it hangs too.... not with the black screen, but it hangs completely the PC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manicminer2068 Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share Posted March 11, 2018 BTW... I have DirectX 11 (that i guess it comes as default with Windows 7)... is it ok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 DirectX is only updated through Windows Update so you can check that. Also check that the graphics driver for that chipset is the latest. Looks like it uses shared ram; how much ram does this computer have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Maybe there are some log files from stella that can be uploaded ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manicminer2068 Posted March 16, 2018 Author Share Posted March 16, 2018 DirectX is only updated through Windows Update so you can check that. Also check that the graphics driver for that chipset is the latest. Looks like it uses shared ram; how much ram does this computer have? AFAIK i have the latest driver... at least the one that Win Update gave to me. I have 1gb of ram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manicminer2068 Posted March 16, 2018 Author Share Posted March 16, 2018 Maybe there are some log files from stella that can be uploaded ? I can´t find any log file.... it seems that Stella doesn´t write any when it hangs. Only Black screen and the hard disk start running and running and running.... then i have to practically unplug the power cord Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_me Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 (edited) AFAIK i have the latest driver... at least the one that Win Update gave to me. I have 1gb of ram 1GB of ram with part of it allocated to the graphics adapter might not be enough for Windows 7 and Stella. In Control Panel >Display > Screen Resolution > Advanced what does it say for "dedicated video memory"? In Control Panel > System what does it say for "installed RAM"? It's probably a good idea to upgrade your computer to 4GB ram anyway. Edited March 16, 2018 by mr_me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manicminer2068 Posted March 16, 2018 Author Share Posted March 16, 2018 1GB of ram with part of it allocated to the graphics adapter might not be enough for Windows 7 and Stella. In Control Panel >Display > Screen Resolution > Advanced what does it say for "dedicated video memory"? In Control Panel > System what does it say for "installed RAM"? It's probably a good idea to upgrade your computer to 4GB ram anyway. Putting money into the computer is not an option by now. In fact, this computer was a gift of a friend. Maybe i´ll go back to Win Xp if Stella needs so much food in Win 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 The most your integrated graphics will use is 256MB UMA. The proper way to control it is by using the intel control panel. In the 3D options there should be a short list of things to change. IIRC, the panel has Low, Normal, High, for the memory usage. The control panel is usually a little monitor that sits next to the clock on the bottom. On my Panasonic Toughbook, I can get stella to start with a blank screen by setting the usage to low. Normal or high and it works fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manicminer2068 Posted March 16, 2018 Author Share Posted March 16, 2018 The most your integrated graphics will use is 256MB UMA. The proper way to control it is by using the intel control panel. In the 3D options there should be a short list of things to change. IIRC, the panel has Low, Normal, High, for the memory usage. The control panel is usually a little monitor that sits next to the clock on the bottom. On my Panasonic Toughbook, I can get stella to start with a blank screen by setting the usage to low. Normal or high and it works fine. Found it, and set to High (all this time it was set to normal)... but i get the same result ... and the trial-error is killing me. A shame that i don´t know where to hang some screen captures to show if i´m at the righ places (if the forum allow me, of course) But anyway.... I guess there´ll be no more Stella love for me. I will evaluate returning to Win Xp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 Normal is what I've been doing for years. Turn off the compressions. Set what ever else you can to 24bit and/or 32bit. Flipping and buffering won't make it work or fail I don't think. So whatever. Use the more reply options to attach screenies. Use the advanced uploader to post more than one in one go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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