ImgBurn not working on EeePC with Windows 7

[tarzaaan]

Hi there!

 

I got me an LG GP08NU20 external DVD-Writer for my EeePC (runnung on Windows 7 Starter on an Atom N450).

 

I've been trying ImgBurn 2.5.2.0 (the newest version), 2.5.1.0, 2.5.0.0 and 2.4.4.0 - none works: Installation is okay with every version, but when I want to start the application, either nothing happens or the computer says "ImgBurn does'nt work anymore" (or similar, in german here).

 

The only clue that I've found up to now was to uninstall or disable any virus-scanners. But since I don't have one here, couldn't do that. Extracted the EXE-archive (using UPX) anyway, to start the app from there - still does'nt work...

 

Does anybody here have an idea, what else I can try or what my problem could be?!

 

Thanks a lot in advance for any clues!

 

Bye, Torge.

[mmalves]

I seem to recall one user who had that problem and it was caused by Windows Defender, have you installed that on your computer?

 

Have Task Manager opened in the Processes tab and check if ImgBurn.exe is loaded and exits or if it doesn't even show in the list.

[tarzaaan]

Hi mmalves, thanks very much for your reply!

 

Windows Defender is definitely installed here. I have now tried deactivating it while starting ImgBurn and while reinstalling ImgBurn. Still doesn't work. Neither with 2.5.2.0 nor with 2.5.0.0.

 

As you suggested, I had the taskmanager (processes-tab) opened: ImgBurn shows up there, but exits after about 5 seconds.

 

I hope you have some more suggestions for me ;-)

Edited September 5, 2010 by tarzaaan

[LIGHTNING UK!]

So even the un upx'd exe (about 10MB in size) doesn't run?

 

Does it run in safe mode?

 

If so then it would appear you still have something running on the PC that's killing the ImgBurn task.

[tarzaaan]

Hm, strange - my decompressed ImgBurn-EXE has only 2685 KB (Version 2.5.2.0). But I extracted it using 7-zip because I had some trouble using UPX (does that make a difference?). After the standard installation, the EXE has the same size. I disabled the Ask-Bar on installation - but this shouldn't matter, right?

 

I also tried starting ImgBurn in safe mode - didn't work there either (same problem, exiting after showing up on task manager for a couple of seconds).

 

Sounds kind of like a corrupted ImgBurn app file. But how can this be, since I have tried 4 different versions - all with the same problem??

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Yes it makes a difference.

 

The un-upx'd one is 10MB. If yours isn't then it's not un-upx'd.

 

http://download.imgburn.com/SetupImgBurn_2.5.2.0_NoUPX.exe

 

Try that one.

[tarzaaan]

Thanks for the Upload.

 

Tried to install this one now - ImgBurn-App is now about 10 MB (as you said).

 

But still has the same problems - tried it in safe mode as well, and here it's still the same thing...

 

Last thing I tried was installing ImgBurn including the ASK-stuff. And (as I supposed): same thing here too...

 

Strange thing.

 

The fact that troubles me most, ist that all these older versions show the same behaviour. Maybe there's something in the original Windows-Config (which ist started in safe mode) which gets ImgBurn to quit??!

[LIGHTNING UK!]

If you could run it inside WinDbg (free debugger from Microsoft), maybe it would give you a clue as to why it's closing.

[tarzaaan]

Okay - ran ImgBurn inside WinDbg.

 

It exited there too. I had to fix a "symbol path" on the way - typing .symfix and .reload...

 

I attached a text file with the output-log of the debugger.

 

I hope this can give you a clue about what is happening - since I have no experience in debugging Windows apps...

Debug ImgBurn.txt

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Sorry, I have no idea either

 

Any chance you could backup the machine (by means of taking a complete hdd image as it is now), format the hdd/reinstall from scratch and then try it?!

[tarzaaan]

Of course I could do that - just don't know when I'll have the time!

 

I'll let you know, when I've done that or have any other clue about what is happening.

 

Thanks for now!

 

Bye, Torge.

[tarzaaan]

Hi again!

 

I tried installing another cd-burning program (DeepBurner) - which showed just about the same behaviour when starting the app: it shows up on task manager but then exits after maybe 5 seconds, without any sign or complaint to the user.

 

I now have the idea, that there may be some critical element that ImgBurn relies on, which may be missing in my Windows 7 starter edition?! After all, in these netbooks which starter is meant for, there are never any cd/dvd drives installed. So maybe, Starter does not have any kind of cd/dvd (burnung) drivers installed?!

 

Could that be the answer?

 

Do you have an idea, how these drivers or other components that may be missing, could be installed?

 

Thanks, Torge.

[Altercuno]

Looks like you're right.

 

"Windows7 starter does not support DVD playback or burning, it comes with only a limited set of functionalities"

 

Wow - M$ suggest you upgrade - dunno about installing drivers...

Edited September 6, 2010 by Altercuno

[LIGHTNING UK!]

I was aware that 'starter' is a cut down version but I wasn't expecting that to mean programs wouldn't run full stop. I assumed the programs for advanced tasks just wouldn't be included.

 

Do remember that ImgBurn works on all OS's (i.e. Windows 95) so it shouldn't really be wanting anything too major just to get up and running!

 

Do you have the option of changing the compatibility settings for programs (via properties) ? If you do, try selecting Windows 95 or something.

[tarzaaan]

Compatibility mode can be changed - obviously even in Starter-Edition.

 

If I change compatibility to "Windows 95" and run ImgBurn with aministrator privileges, the only thing that changes is, that I get the ImgBurn splash screen which I otherwise don't get at all. After ImgBurn exits, Windows tells me, that ImgBurn doesn't work anymore - which doesn't happen in normalcompatibility either.

 

I tried to change campatibility to just about all the options there are (XP, 2000, 98 etc.) - sometimes the splash screen shows up, most often not.

 

To me it looks like there's really something missing in Starter. Maybe one of the older Windows-Versions have burning-librarys, which I could install??

[LIGHTNING UK!]

You don't need anything for it just to open.

 

It's designed to work with stuff not being available - it just tells you that you need it. (oh and it doesn't use a burning library)

 

Maybe someone else with 'Starter' could try it and then you'll know for sure if you're barking up the wrong tree or not.

 

My next step would be the backup/reinstall one.

[Altercuno]

The two times I've had problems with programs not opening on Win7 (not Ingburn), one was caused by the malware program super-antispyware blocking the prog and the second was UAC issues. Even when logged on as admin.

 

Have you tried LG for answers?

[tarzaaan]

I tried their support chat.

 

They say, they don't know the program (ImgBurn) - and say, tehy don't know about any restrictions running the burner under 7 using the app that was included with the burner (LG burning tools). But they do say, that Starter has a lot of restrictions - and their guess would be to look there...

[Altercuno]

On Starter - unless its changed - you can only have 3 apps running at one time - but you would get a pop up saying if you tried to open a forth...

[ianymaty]

My younger brother owns an Asus EEEpc 900 with Atom 900 Mhz, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB memory, on that little thing I instaled Windows 7 Starter and it runs OK.

 

This is the prove that ImgBurn runs even on Windows 7 Starter with no problems. It not detects any writer as I'm not in a possesion of any external writer but it should be detected it if it was attached.

 

Obviously I had to overlap the Log file on the Main program to fit in the tiny screen to get the print screen, but the picture says all.

 

[tarzaaan]

Hi ianymaty,

 

good to know that ImgBurn DOES work on Windows 7 Starter!

 

Which version of Starter did you install? Was it the OEM-version, that is also semi pre-installed on the EeePC-Netbooks? Or is it a retail version (even though I always thought, that it isn't possible to purchase Starter without a PC)?

 

Maybe on my system there's something EeePC-Starter-specific that hinders ImgBurn and DeepBurner from starting?!

 

Thanks, Torge.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

You could have made your backup and reinstalled by now

[ianymaty]

If you own a Windows 7 instalation DVD you already have all the editions on that disc.

 

All you have to do is delete a file called ei.cfg from sources folder of the DVD and rebuild your DVD.

 

From now you can choose which edition to install in setup process, from Starter to Ultimate.

[tarzaaan]

Now I reinstalled Starter from the rebuild partition and... it now works!

 

Dont't know why and don't know yet, if I can burn CDs with it, but as soon as I test it, I'll be back to report.

 

Thanks for now!

 

Bye, Torge.

[tarzaaan]

Burning my first DVD with ImgBurn worked as well.

 

Just for curiosity (and cautiousness) I had the writer plugged into a powered USB-hub, so I could see how much power the writer would use: All in all it didn't exceed the 5 watts (= 1 Amp), that would be allowed for the two USB-ports it was plugged into. And: it used about the same amount reading and writing - no significant difference here...

 

Thanks for all the help,

 

Bye, Torge.