Open CPN Time Delay Crash on XP SP2

[whiteoaks7]

Forgive me if you've covered this but I couldn;t find any pertinent threads: This year I though I'd use my netbook with OpenCPN to do my navigating around Greece. This would reduce the Ampd burden on the solar panels and generally be a more manageable size on the charttable than the old laptop. Unfortunately my trials at home didn;t show the problems I'm finding aboard (probably because I didn't run the setup for long enough), viz, the software locks the computer solid after a variable length of time (5mins..30mins ... 2hrs...). The only recourse is to press and hold the off button - no warm boots, re-awakening or any other injection of life will work. I have disabled the hibernate/power saving/screensaver etc to no avail (it runs from the boat's batteries so thinks it's on mains anyway). I've poked around the operating system / reinstalled the charts (CM93) reinstalled the software (last released version and the latest beta - same result) and nothing clears the fault. The OS is XP SP3 on a MSi U100 netbook (newish) feeding through a serial adaptor (three different models tried) to a Garmin 152 (also tried etrex and GPS12).

So I'm hoping someone has come across this one before and can point me at a solution or maybe have some ideas I can try that I've not though of...

Cheers David Berry

[sailorF54]

I'd say freeze not crash. I suggest reviewing/fiddling with the advanced controls in the 'Power' administration panel (Sorry, I am running a French localized Vista, so haven't got the English names), specificaly the USB selective sleep parameters...This was causing similar symptoms as reported on a French forum...
See snapshot

[Netsurfer]

David ...

Originally Posted by whiteoaks7

... the software locks the computer solid after a variable length of time (5mins..30mins ... 2hrs...). The only recourse is to press and hold the off button - no warm boots, re-awakening or any other injection of life will work.

Are you sure that it is caused by OCPN?
Does your Netbook work constantly with other (CPU intensive) programs?
Do you have an application that shows/ reports your system's temperatures?

The reason for asking all these questions is that I have the suspicion that your Netbook might get to warm (which then may result in a freeze).

Gunther

[burgoynebc]

I am running seaclear and following progress on CPN to update when it looks like its stable. I have fried 3 used laptops trying to get a cockpit 2nd PC so I don't have to run below to view my main laptop which is an old Itronix rugged unit. All run XP SP3 and it has been the cause of my problems. There are so many idiotic shortcomings to XP that it defies description. All come to light when using it for this specific purpose and which do not crop up in the office scene.
First you get USB com port migration so to cure this you can download a batch file from the net that zaps the applicable section of your registry to get rid of unused but registered devices like mice that have been removed from service but still using the port - they cause the com port number to increase each time you reboot then the plotter prog can't find the GPS sensor.
Next look up "Can't wake up from Standby Mode" on the net. I have now resorted to an older HP TC 1100 which is a slate for the cockpit but which is unique in that it comes with a detachable keyboard. This suffered from the standby "crash" when on its batteries and also when powered from 12v. This sounds like your problem. If you look at just the HP site there are literally hundreds of affected HP PC's - a full page text listing - probably thousands of other models that Bill Gates is getting richer on and doing nothing to assist. PC goes into standby mode and there is absolutely nothing you can do to wake it up including a 3 finger salute. Only Solution possible is to completely remove the standby option from all power settings by unchecking the applicable boxes. Look in control panel powers settings.
Also get rid of all power saving settings that are set up on your USB ports. Go to device manager - iniv serial bus.. and USB HUBS - uncheck the applicable box that allows the port to save power.

To get access in a hurry if the PC goes down when you need the plotter I suggest you put icons on the desktop for the registery port allocation reset (above), the device manager to save at least 5 mouse clicks, and notes on removing powers savings as a text file.