ComposerHE installs but doen't load

[DShad]

I hope someone will be able to help me on that.

The only reason I need to use Windows is because of ComposerHE needed to operate my House lights, music, temperature. The software is provided by Control4.

I tried the installation on Virtualbox 2.2.2 (and also tried previous versions).
So far it installs but won't load. I get "Composer Home Edition stopped working" before having any screen loaded. I get same message from Windows XP 64bits and even Windows 7 64bit as guests.

I tried with the competition (vmware to name it) and it works. What can I do? The only thing I noticed is that with vmware, it asks me to load .NET framework 3.5 because it's needed, but won't tell me anything when I install it on my Virtualbox Windows guest...

Thanks for your help.

[vbox4me2]

Did you install .net on the Guest?
Error codes/messages?
Eventlog entries?

[DShad]

Did you install .net on the Guest?
Error codes/messages?
Eventlog entries?

I found out that .NET is already installed on Windows7.

On WinXP it's not by default, but the installation is made from the ComposerHE.exe installation.

I treid to get any logs from Windows compatibility check program, but havn,t found anything. So far, the only message I got is the one I provided from my first post.

Since this program has no copyright, I could send it to anyone willing to test it.

Thanks.

[DShad]

I noticed a debug file creted by Microsoft. It is a *.tmp.hdmp file.

Anyone could help me on that? I don't seem to be able to open that file in order to find what is causing the crash.

Please help.

[vbox4me2]

What options have you set for the Guest? try enabling IO APIC.

[DShad]

What options have you set for the Guest? try enabling IO APIC.

I had the default settings. I tried enabling IO APIC with same results.

I also thought it would be an incompatibility issu with 64bit Edition so I installed WinXP Home ed (32bit) with same results.

Here's the attached image of my virtualbox setup.

I also tried uninstalling the software and reinstalling it, and I discovered that the software installs a network device called TAP-Win32 adapter V8 that I don't recall seeing on the Windows XP vmware guest installation that was working. Any idea what it could be?

I don't want to go back with vmware nor that I want to replace my Kubuntu by any MS software, so I need this to be solved...

[Perryg]

Try setting the RAM for the guest to either 512 Meg or 1024 Meg and toggle activate/deactivate the PAE to see if this improves the process.

[DShad]

Try setting the RAM for the guest to either 512 Meg or 1024 Meg and toggle activate/deactivate the PAE to see if this improves the process.

Didn't help.

[vbox4me2]

Disable vt-x and 3d, but I think this:

Composer Home Edition requires that you have a Control4 system (including controller,
interface device(s), and system software) previously installed by an authorized Control4
Dealer or Retailer

Is what is the problem, something else gets installed by a dealer.

[DShad]

Sorry I think I don't understand what you are trying to explain me...

I have an authorized dealer, my c4 systems is installed and working perfectly and the ComposerHE has been sold to me from that same dealer.

I know I have to activate it first, but that first screen NEVER comes up. I get the error first without any ComposerHE coming up. Maybe that is the problem. ComposerHE is trying to get a connection in order for me to activate it, but as I wrote, I have a new device being installed from the ComposerHE installation and that device is UNPLUGGED. Any idea?

I think we're getting closer...

[vbox4me2]

But where did the dealer install it? on your Host or on your Guest? the dealer must install their components in the Guest and then CHE after that, also CHE must be able to contact the components its controlling, the question here is how are those components accessed, via usb or via a special pci card? pci cards are not supported by vbox.

[DShad]

But where did the dealer install it? on your Host or on your Guest? the dealer must install their components in the Guest and then CHE after that, also CHE must be able to contact the components its controlling, the question here is how are those components accessed, via usb or via a special pci card? pci cards are not supported by vbox.

ComposerHE is accessing C4 H500 from the network through the router.

I got more info. It's the activation process that fails. ComposerHE needs to activate and that window crashes on Virtualbox so the ComposerHE windows never loads.

My dealer tried ComposerHE and ComposerPro. The Pro worked without any problem... of course since you don't have to activate the Pro. So I know what is causing the problem but cannot fix it. BUT with VMware, the activation loads, I complete it and then ComposerHE works. Should be the same with Virtualbox tho...

Marc

[fheinsen]

I have the exact same problem, but don't want to install Composer Pro -- has there been any progress solving this?

[DShad]

No help from Virtualbox and neither with people from Control4... It's a bugger.

I know that it has somethingto do with the activation process tho...

If we could activate from another method (website or else) and bypass the activation process, I think it would solve the problem.

[fheinsen]

DShad -- agree. Someone at my dealer said they would submit a screenshot of my error message to Control4 -- it shouldn't be hard for them to test HE in VirtualBox and figure out the problem. In the meantime, as a temporary workaround, I installed Composer Pro from http://sw-updates.control4.com/composer ... rProCD.exe. (I won't tinker with the advanced features of Pro; I just need access to my Control4 system -- once this bug is fixed I'll go back to HE.)