10 replies to this topic

[chairman lar]

I'm throwing this out for general consumption and to find out if anyone else has run into this:

Somewhere in the process of downloading my set-up files from RTG, my SN Rote.exe icon changed from an atom to tv screen and, when I tried to access it, it gave me the error message "NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction". The only wayI could fix it was dump the program, reload it from RTG, and stay completely away from 'experimenting' until I find the cause.

Pete says he's ever heard of that issue before[insert ]. Anyone else seen this? or have I StarTreked?

[WKE235]

chairman lar, on Jul 10 2008, 02:20 PM, said:

I'm throwing this out for general consumption and to find out if anyone else has run into this:

Somewhere in the process of downloading my set-up files from RTG, my SN Rote.exe icon changed from an atom to tv screen and, when I tried to access it, it gave me the error message "NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction". The only wayI could fix it was dump the program, reload it from RTG, and stay completely away from 'experimenting' until I find the cause.

Pete says he's ever heard of that issue before[insert ]. Anyone else seen this? or have I StarTreked?

Just do a search on "NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction" on someplace like google, and the boards and answers will be plenty to look at. I copied this part from an answer to a similar question on a board. It at least explains what is going on a bit (NTVDM = Windows NT Virtual Dos Machine .. a simulation of DOS running under Windows NT). As to why it is showing up in the SNRote program, well, Pete might have to research what he's using to pack and compile the install / executable.



NT operating systems (NT.x, 2K, XP, 2K3) do not use DOS but can run it (mostly) as they would run any other application. However, since DOS apps are known to do some strange things, the NT systems protect themselves by creating a VDM (virtual DOS machine) in memory and running the app in that segment of memory with protective walls around the area so nothing inside can really get out and trash the PC. The VDM is designed to look exactly like an older OS version to the DOS app.

NT also does not allow any program to make direct demands on hardware but has a HAL (hardware abstraction layer - a sort of utility) that intercepts all hardware calls, figures out what they want to do, and does whatever in a manner that is safe to the OS. Some older 16bit apps, mostly games, did things to the hardware that weren't really legal in order to work around limitations of older hardware and many of these are either mis-interpreted by the HAL or deemed to be dangerous so the action is not carried out. Often you can see this as a 16bit app crashing when in fact it is just the main OS protecting itself.

[Kurassier]

WKE235, on Jul 10 2008, 07:23 PM, said:

chairman lar, on Jul 10 2008, 02:20 PM, said:

I'm throwing this out for general consumption and to find out if anyone else has run into this:

Somewhere in the process of downloading my set-up files from RTG, my SN Rote.exe icon changed from an atom to tv screen and, when I tried to access it, it gave me the error message "NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction". The only wayI could fix it was dump the program, reload it from RTG, and stay completely away from 'experimenting' until I find the cause.

Pete says he's ever heard of that issue before[insert ]. Anyone else seen this? or have I StarTreked?

Just do a search on "NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction" on someplace like google, and the boards and answers will be plenty to look at. I copied this part from an answer to a similar question on a board. It at least explains what is going on a bit (NTVDM = Windows NT Virtual Dos Machine .. a simulation of DOS running under Windows NT). As to why it is showing up in the SNRote program, well, Pete might have to research what he's using to pack and compile the install / executable.



NT operating systems (NT.x, 2K, XP, 2K3) do not use DOS but can run it (mostly) as they would run any other application. However, since DOS apps are known to do some strange things, the NT systems protect themselves by creating a VDM (virtual DOS machine) in memory and running the app in that segment of memory with protective walls around the area so nothing inside can really get out and trash the PC. The VDM is designed to look exactly like an older OS version to the DOS app.

NT also does not allow any program to make direct demands on hardware but has a HAL (hardware abstraction layer - a sort of utility) that intercepts all hardware calls, figures out what they want to do, and does whatever in a manner that is safe to the OS. Some older 16bit apps, mostly games, did things to the hardware that weren't really legal in order to work around limitations of older hardware and many of these are either mis-interpreted by the HAL or deemed to be dangerous so the action is not carried out. Often you can see this as a 16bit app crashing when in fact it is just the main OS protecting itself.

and what we non computer techs read was, "bla, bla, bla, computer, bla.bla,bla,doesn't work,bla,bla,bla,just restart,bla,bla,bla,everything should work,bla,bla,bla"

turns here yet?

[chairman lar]

No. Have a drink.

[Kurassier]

chairman lar, on Jul 11 2008, 01:55 PM, said:

No. Have a drink.

Why thank you. I hope you're computer issue was solved.

[chairman lar]

Kurassier, on Jul 11 2008, 02:48 PM, said:

chairman lar, on Jul 11 2008, 01:55 PM, said:

No. Have a drink.

Why thank you. I hope you're computer issue was solved.

Hah! Watch for email.Don't want to clutter up the forum.

[WKE235]

Kurassier, on Jul 11 2008, 04:48 PM, said:

and what we non computer techs read was, "bla, bla, bla, computer, bla.bla,bla,doesn't work,bla,bla,bla,just restart,bla,bla,bla,everything should work,bla,bla,bla"

turns here yet?

Well thanks for the clarification. I think I see the problem as you're just not getting the message right when you read it. Let me rephrase to try and clear up any confusion.

"bla, bla, program, bla, bla, doesn't work, bla, bla, bla, delete program, bla, bla, re-add program, bla, bla, everything should work, bla, bla, bla, doesn't work , bla, yell at programmer"

[chairman lar]

WKE235, on Jul 11 2008, 10:43 PM, said:

Kurassier, on Jul 11 2008, 04:48 PM, said:

and what we non computer techs read was, "bla, bla, bla, computer, bla.bla,bla,doesn't work,bla,bla,bla,just restart,bla,bla,bla,everything should work,bla,bla,bla"

turns here yet?

Well thanks for the clarification. I think I see the problem as you're just not getting the message right when you read it. Let me rephrase to try and clear up any confusion.

"bla, bla, program, bla, bla, doesn't work, bla, bla, bla, delete program, bla, bla, re-add program, bla, bla, everything should work, bla, bla, bla, doesn't work , bla, yell at programmer"

That's pretty much how I did it. I did see a couple problems with your fix,though:

1. 'doesn't work' needs 3 blas, not 2; but there's an extra one in 'delete program'. Maybe you just transposed?

2. the sequencing prompt "%#@XX&$%#@?**" was missing from 'yell at programmer'. Or is it Zipped to the 'bla'?

[Kurassier]

chairman lar, on Jul 12 2008, 05:41 AM, said:

WKE235, on Jul 11 2008, 10:43 PM, said:

Kurassier, on Jul 11 2008, 04:48 PM, said:

and what we non computer techs read was, "bla, bla, bla, computer, bla.bla,bla,doesn't work,bla,bla,bla,just restart,bla,bla,bla,everything should work,bla,bla,bla"

turns here yet?

Well thanks for the clarification. I think I see the problem as you're just not getting the message right when you read it. Let me rephrase to try and clear up any confusion.

"bla, bla, program, bla, bla, doesn't work, bla, bla, bla, delete program, bla, bla, re-add program, bla, bla, everything should work, bla, bla, bla, doesn't work , bla, yell at programmer"

That's pretty much how I did it. I did see a couple problems with your fix,though:

1. 'doesn't work' needs 3 blas, not 2; but there's an extra one in 'delete program'. Maybe you just transposed?

2. the sequencing prompt "%#@XX&$%#@?**" was missing from 'yell at programmer'. Or is it Zipped to the 'bla'?

[rfouasnon]

[chairman lar]

Glad you liked it. High praise, indeed, coming from you two.