can't install new drivers

andrewjohn81 · Post by **andrewjohn81** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 1:55 pm

the new drivers fail with an error about advpack.dll

I reinstalled .NET2.0, but the problem still didn't get fixed. I even tried stealing someone elses advpack.dll and it Still didn't fix it. I can use the drivers on the CD, but they crash often and don't support the current software. I'm using Rhino 4 and Max 9. Both just say "Any application"

any advice?

agoenczi · Post by **agoenczi** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 12:05 am

Hi andrewjohn81

If you have a device with serial interface please download the 3DxSoftware v2-8-2 as this release is the last one supporting serial devices. If your device is with an USB interface, please download the last available release 3DxSoftware v3-3-6.

In both cases you should install 3DxSoftware as an administrator or with the rights of an administrator.

What operating system do you have? (I mean operating system name, service pack number, 32 or 64 bit.) Which 3DxSoftware have you tried to install (you wrote new driver - please specify the release number)?

I can use the drivers on the CD, but they crash often and don't support the current software. I'm using Rhino 4 and Max 9. Both just say "Any application"

What do you mean with "they crash often and don't support the current software"? What crashes? The driver, the application? Could you specify under what circumstances do you have crashes?

andrewjohn81 · Post by **andrewjohn81** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:07 am

Sorry, I failed to mention all the versions. I was in a hurry to get a couple other things finished so i could go home.

I tried installing the 3DxSoftware_v3-3-6.exe driver. I'm pretty sure that's the one I would want.

I am running Windows XP Professional, Build 2600.xpsp.050301-1521(Service Pack 2)

I am using USB, not regular serial.

The install went fine with the CD drivers, but they are obviously kind of old. I used it in Rhino 4, and it at least navigated through, although everything seemed fairly backwards to me. I figured I could fix that later.
I tried it in Max9, but then hit the Dom button to see what that did. I didn't see what that did in the documentation. The the Panel crashed. I opened it back up and now all I can do is zoom and that's it.

hopefully that helps. Thanks

agoenczi · Post by **agoenczi** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:15 am

Hi andrewjohn81

I would advise you to remove completely all 3DxSoftware as described here. Finally install 3DxSoftware again and check how your applications (Rhino and 3DS Max) work. Share your experience by posting afterwards here.

andrewjohn81 · Post by **andrewjohn81** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:24 am

I completely uninstalled, removed the settings folders and the registry folders.

I still can't install the newest drivers.
Is there a recent driver that I could download that maybe doesn't use the .Net component?

I still get the error regarding advpack.dll

agoenczi · Post by **agoenczi** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:55 am

Hi andrewjohn

The advpack.dll is available here. However you should check if this file is a Microsoft file by right-clicking on it and choosing Properties.

andrewjohn81 · Post by **andrewjohn81** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:05 am

I replaced the dll with that one, but still get the error:

"Error creating process <C>. Reason: INDOWS\system32\advpack.dll

agoenczi · Post by **agoenczi** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:25 am

Hi andrewjohn81

I would advise you to reinstall Windows as you shouldn't get such error messages... This way you could be sure, that your Windows installation hasn't any problem. Don't forget to make a backup (at least copying you important files to an external data carrier) preventing this way the loss of data.

andrewjohn81 · Post by **andrewjohn81** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:34 am

well, that'll be a while. I'll post the results back here when it finally happens. Until then the spacePilot will just sit here next to me. I don't have time to do a complete reinstall. That takes several days due to software licensing and network setups.

agoenczi · Post by **agoenczi** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 7:51 am

Hi andrewjohn

I would advise you to search in the internet and see what you will find about advpack.dll. Some sources are telling that it could be a manipulated spyware if not brand Microsoft... And that file should be already installed, as I know. 3Dconnexion didn't get such cases reported.

I downloaded the file myself from the source I gave and checked the signatures: it is a brand Microsoft file.

andrewjohn81 · Post by **andrewjohn81** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:21 am

Finally, I got the install to work...sort of.

I was still getting the error, but decided to go to the location of the file that was giving problems. Turns out it was the install file in the temp location. As long as the error was still up the file was there. As soon as you hit ok it gets deleted. I just copied that into a non-temp location and ran it.

I Really wish people would just use a standard ZIP on their install files so we can keep the actual install file somewhere instead of a file that unzips the file, to a temp location then installs that install file, then deletes it when it's done. That's really a pain.

I have a TON of other problems though that aren't this problem, so I'll make a new post for that. Now I know why my coworker sent me this thing. He said is was too much of a pain to get to work properly so it wasn't worth it. So far I agree.

Post by **ngomes** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 9:12 am

Hi andrewjohn81,

I Really wish people would just use a standard ZIP on their install files so we can keep the actual install file somewhere instead of a file that unzips the file, to a temp location then installs that install file, then deletes it when it's done. That's really a pain.

3DxSoftware is much more than a self-extractable executable. It packages several solutions for a variety of applications and centralises the managements of updates and repairs.