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wahorger · Joined: 13 Oct 2014 Posts: 798 Location: Morrison, CO, USA

Well, I bit the bullet and first tried to force a different User Profile (the easy solution?). That didn't full work, and left the system in an odd state. So, clean boot, reinstall everything.

This part was very interesting, as I hadn't really realized how many different tools I had on my system that made life easy for development and deployment. Many were obvious, but some were not, and when I needed them during my rebuild, I found I really missed them!

The good thing is now I can use the browse_for_folder1@() option z'41' without an issue. It all works as does my other system.

I just wish I knew what part of the system got "broken" and how I could have fixed it more easily.

N.B. I had to re-install every FTN95 compiler, starting at 7.10 to ensure I had the proper version with no Personal Edition splash screen. I'm hoping that the next release has a FULL moniker on it to prevent me from installing 9 versions of the compiler. Even though the install is quick, it's still a pain.

LitusSaxonicum · Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 11:07 am Post subject:

Bill,

I told you* (amidst a whole bunch of 'asides') that a clean install would fix it, and I very much regret that reinstalling so many other applications has wasted much time, but equally, I am glad for you that it worked. On the basis of several experiences I would estimate that the clean install takes about 3 days to get everything reinstalled afterwards.

Why Windows takes a dislike to one particular thing is a mystery only solvable by gaining a complete mastery of the Registry and its most arcane settings. That would take more than the odd 3 days now and then out of your life. A different User Profile simply inherits the bad genes from its parent, and is never a complete solution.

Eddie

*I don't mind the lack of effusive outpourings of gratitude, but if you can send the food parcels to us starving Brits, we'd be suitably grateful (apparently, after Brexit, shops will be empty). Unlike 80 years ago, there shouldn't be U-boat packs out there, but one never knows ...

wahorger · Joined: 13 Oct 2014 Posts: 798 Location: Morrison, CO, USA

Eddie, made me laugh, especially your Brexit reference. A good English friend of mine waxes poetic when speaking of all things Brexit, so I understand why you might wish food parcels.

The odd thing about user profiles was the Admin and both other user profiles (one was a guest account, for goodness sake) would work just fine. But not my development profile.

Yes, it has taken around three days (so far). One day of intense work, followed by the next two of just putting back what I needed (and had saved the downloads for). I still have more to do, but I'll take them one day at a time.

One advantage is my boot drive (and SSD) is relatively clean now. I opted to not use Adobe PDF, going for FoxIT instead (a better product in so many ways). And cheaper. I have a couple of pieces of Adobe SW that I'll load back on, but not the full suite as before.

I remember the "good old days" when a rebuild took about 1-3 hours and everything could just be loaded back from the backup device without having to go through installs, crypto verification of users, and other junk.

Ah, simpler days.

And, watch for the U-boats. Don't think the Germans are too happy with the UK right now.....

Bill

PaulLaidler · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 10:15 am Post subject:

My understanding is that if you need to install FTN95 etc. on a clean machine then you should be able to install your first licenced version and then go directly to installing the latest update.

wahorger · Joined: 13 Oct 2014 Posts: 798 Location: Morrison, CO, USA

Paul, that's good to know. Thanks!

LitusSaxonicum · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 6:41 pm Post subject:

I recommend Helen Hanff's epistolary '84 Charing Cross Road' for food parcel info.

Eddie

John-Silver · Joined: 30 Jul 2013 Posts: 1433 Location: Aerospace Valley

Bill wrote:

John-Silver · Joined: 30 Jul 2013 Posts: 1433 Location: Aerospace Valley

Eddie wrote:

LitusSaxonicum · Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2019 9:22 pm Post subject:

German lifts? I was astonished once while in Holzminden to find that my hotel had a Schindler's Lift. Yet that was beaten in the humour stakes by the shop named Blumen Ecke a stone's throw away.

But seriously. The point is that Windows has so many settings and options that sometimes the only solution is a clean install. One shouldn't under rate just how effective it is. Similarly, you shouldn't underestimate the time it takes to get back all the software you used prior to the reinstall.

My view is that one should take the opportunity to carry out preventative maintenance and upgrades at the same time.

Eddie

silicondale · Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 2:04 pm Post subject:

Hi Bill - You are not the only one with a Browse_for_folder1@ problem. Just discovered it today. I have the identical problem, and not sure how long it has been there, because most of the time I don't actually create new folders within my software. Using Windows10 on a 64-bit laptop, but still using 32-bit Fortran95. When creating a new user-named folder, it crashes the program without any message, though the folder is created.
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(Steve)

wahorger · Joined: 13 Oct 2014 Posts: 798 Location: Morrison, CO, USA

Steve, was your Windows 10 an upgrade from 7 or 8? I'm thinking there was some incompatibility from that, but I don't believe I'll ever really know.

The reason I say that is I did a nuke and pave of the "C" drive and re-installed my software. The problem disappeared.I would still like a better solution, but I don't have the time to do that. No user of mine has ever complained, so I guess it was only my development system with the issue. The laptop was an upgrade from 8 to 10, but home version, and had fewer applications and drivers installed.

Ah well.

Thanks for sharing. Thought I might be the only one with this issue. Not happy there is someone else with it, but knowing I'm not alone!!

silicondale · Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 2:31 pm Post subject:

No, it was a Windows10 that came new, with the computer. I have another more recent computer which I'm going to try it on - exactly the same executable. Different make, different age. (This one is HP, a couple of years old, the other one is Dell, less than a year old).

I'll let you know what happens.

cheers
-Steve
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(Steve)

silicondale · Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 3:14 pm Post subject:

It worked fine on the Dell.
So the problem seems to be machine-related.
Both machines are 64-bit, and have latest set of Microsoft updates so I have no idea what the difference would be. The HP has AMD A8 processor, the Dell has Intel I7. But that shouldn't make any difference.
_________________
(Steve)

silicondale · Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2019 5:22 pm Post subject:

OK, I have a workaround, which seems to work on both computers without a problem. Not quite so pretty, but it seems robust. It uses the older function browse_for_folder@ in combination with mkdir@

LitusSaxonicum · Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2019 11:33 am Post subject:

A problem such as this might have three possible causes:
1. an issue with FTN95
2. an issue with Windows
3. a hardware problem

I think it is fair to say that if it does not occur on every computer, then we can rule out the problem being an issue with FTN95. As to whether it is an issue with Windows, then if it does not occur on every computer then it is clearly not a systematic fault. The acid test on a particular computer as to whether it is a problem with the Windows installation or a hardware problem is ‘does the issue resolve itself with a clean install?’ In Bill’s case, it did resolve, so that is an important pointer to this being a Windows issue on a particular computer.

Why such problems should arise is in my view the result of interrupted or otherwise failed updates of Windows itself or of other software, this cause being more probable than conflicts between otherwise functional applications.

The clean install can be a problem for some users, and to do it requires having the appropriate facilities (including knowledge and courage) and time. Matters are simplified with Windows 10 because one does not need the initial installation material, as this can be downloaded from the Microsoft website to be put on a USB drive (if the computer in question will boot from USB), or put onto optical media. The whole process is made a lot easier if you manage your computer in a certain way. This way is to only have the operating system and applications on a particular drive, and all the data (which includes the source code for Fortran programs) on another. You can find a list of software that will need to be updated by printing a screenshot of the ‘Program files’ and ‘Program files (x86)’ folders.

I have built my own computers since the days of the 486, and have installed various versions of Windows and reinstalled them on many, many, occasions. In the beginning I followed the norm for commercially assembled computers in having only one hard drive. This is a big mistake, because you have to backup everything before you can even think about a Windows reinstall. I’ve learnt from experience that it is a good idea to have the minimum content on the boot drive. I’ve also learnt that one does not need a very big drive for this, as it removes some of the temptation to revert and keep too much information on the boot drive. I have also found that it is so much easier if the reinstall goes on to completely fresh drive. After all, they are cheap enough. One can take the opportunity of delving into the computer case to do other upgrades at the same time, including on occasions building a completely new computer.

Recently, I have found that price of SSDs has fallen remarkably. 120Gb is actually adequate, and the price for that can be less than GBP20. A larger 240Gb is more than is strictly necessary in most cases, and 480Gb is complete overkill. If you replace a mechanical HDD with an SSD, then it is rather like having a new computer anyway, because the most tedious wait which is when Windows restarts is dramatically shortened.

It is a grave mistake to clone the boot (OS) disk is that merely copies the software errors onto the new drive.

I mentioned above that one needs courage, and this is particularly so if you usually buy completely configured computers and have no experience of delving inside. Such computers normally don’t come with installation media, and Windows 10 resolves this problem. Win 10 does, however, increase the risk of some update issues because updates are done in the background and you have no idea what is being done and whether it has completed before you switch the machine off.

While you are doing a clean reinstall of Windows, it is also a good time to take data discs out and clone them as a form of a backup. So-called ‘Quickport docks’ are very cheap, and the cloning function is done without the dock being connected to a PC. It therefore does not absorb any computer power while even a very large, multi-terabyte, disk is cloned. (Continued ...)