The Chess Exchange

Recently got Windows 7 and discovered some kind of problem with the 3-D boards in Fritz 12. This appears to have happened as a result of applying the latest update (update version 7, I believe). I'd be interested to see if anyone else is having similar issues. Installed Fritz per usual once Windows 7 was up and running, and everything seemed fine (including the "CD check" it required). I even tried several of the 3-D boards for fun without a hitch. Afterward, I went on ahead with the update. Once that was installed, almost every 3-D board I tried caused the program to crash. You get a "Windows has encountered a problem with this program" (or something like that) notice, and I have to close it. So far as I can tell, the other features work OK when you remain in 2-D board mode.

When I had Windows XP previously, there was no such problem with the same update version that I can recall.

Any ideas why this might be happening, and if it's some incompatibility between Fritz 12 (or the latest update) and Windows 7? Many thanks in advance!

I don't think it's Fritz12/Windows 7 per se (mine runs fine on Win7) but there is possibly a problem with the combination of your graphics card's driver software, Fritz12, and Win7. You should send the specs to ChessBase GmbH at info@chessbase.com

Well, I believe I may have found what the problem was and the solution. When I installed Windows 7, I neglected to do a truly "clean" install, i.e., I put in the disk and it essentially just overwrote my old XP with Win 7. I then just re-installed all programs, etc. Others may have done the same in going from XP to 7. Things seemed to work fine with the new operating system, but there were some subtle oddities that I couldn't quite figure out. Among them, the issue I noted in this thread with Fritz 12 and attempting to apply the latest update to it. It was as if some old "ghosts" from XP (files, settings, etc.) were left behind causing some problems. I've since heard/read that this can happen.

What I should have done (and what I normally do!) was to boot directly from the Win 7 disk, wipe the partition clean, reformat, and then let Windows install...i.e., a true clean install on an empty disk. So I sat down the other day and went through that process, including re-installing everything I had. When I was done, the subtle oddities I noticed before seem to have disappeared. And, pertinent to Fritz 12, the installation of the latest update went correctly. All 3-D boards and everything else seems to work fine as it should (thus far anyhow!).

Long and the short for anyone interested: do a true clean install on either a new disk or else be sure to wipe clean your current disk and re-format.

Thanks for the update. Pesky computers!

Yes, pesky indeed! Leave it to Microsoft to "make it easier" to install/upgrade over the previous operating system but then you end up with some baggage of the old one left behind to mess things up a bit. Ah, well, I should have known better and followed my own better instincts the first time to do a "true" clean install. At least it turned out well.

As a rule of thumb, I don't trust anything that Microsoft say. I'm sure my wife, who works in IT, would heartily agree.

btw - nice signature. Simple and true. Gotta love Bronstein!

Well, perhaps I spoke a little too soon, as there still seemed to be issues with Fritz 12, the 3D boards in particular. Hard to say what it is, as my graphics card is certainly more than enough (Radeon 4670, 1GB graphics memory) and I've got 3GB installed memory with a dual core Pentium processor. My computer is only about 2 years old. I haven't noticed any issues with any other programs that I've loaded onto Windows 7, even some older ones. As remote as the chance may be, I perhaps could have just gotten a somewhat defective Fritz 12 DVD that is for whatever reason not loading things completely right? Maybe not likely, but I know every now and then you could just get a bad disk (and I'm at a loss as nothing else seems like it would be causing the problem). I've taken measures to obtain another copy, and will see how that goes. Otherwise, there could just be something that program doesn't like about my particular system set-up with Windows 7, because I haven't seen anyone else who's had issues.

Glad you like my sig, and I like Bronstein as well! His "Sorcerer's Apprentice" is great, from a chess and semi-autobiographical standpoint! And the particular quote of his in my signature is generally very true...if you have the move, you really control the game no matter what the other side might do. I've read some of his writings where he says (for example) that "white can do such-and-such...but, in this case, it is black that has the move and he does this!"

I also have problems with Fritz12 crashing every time I select a 3D board. I'm running Windows 7 quad core CPU, 4gb RAM and NVIDIA Geforce 8600 graphics card. I'm intouch with Chessbase support but they are slow in resolving, suggesting I had not installed properly or not updated to latest version. Very disappointed and frustrated with the programme because of this failure. Has anyone found a resolution?

Download the very latest patch from
http://www.fritzload.com/updates/gui12.exe

and see if that helps.

Hello - thanks. Sorry I should have mentioned steps taken to date in more detail. I have unistalled and reinstalled the programme and run the gu12 update three times now. I've made sure the unistall was thorough by using Ccleaner to remove and clean the registry, then for the install I deactivated Avira antivirus just in case that was interferring. I have just downloaded and run the update gain and checked within the programme that it is up to date, but as soon as I select any of the SD boards the app hangs, then crashes just like before.

In an earlier chain Support had asked me to verfiy the version by going to User Info > Credits and confirming the date displayed. Have just checked this again and it shows May 26 2010 which is what they told me is the most current.

Two questions:
1) I have to run the program as Administrator. Do you think this a Chessbase programme error or Windows 7?
2) Does the Fritz12 disc have to be in the pc to use the program?

Regards

1) Definitely Windows 7. The whole Administrator thing has gotten entirely out of hand -- I shouldn't need my own computer's permission to be able to run programs properly.

2) If you put all elements (database, opg. book, etc.) on the hard drive, you won't need the DVD in the drive all the time, but you will occasionally be asked to insert the DVD for a disk check.

Agreed. But if I do all this will it also solve the 3D crash problem? That is the real bugbear. The Fritz program seems very unstable.

I admit it does seem like you have taken all the "usual steps" to resolve such issues. And I'm at a loss to explain your problems. It may well be that some little bit of the Fritz program doesn't like some little bit of your computer software/hardware, but that's not particularly helpful to say!

Is it safe to assume that you've downloaded and installed the latest graphic card drivers for your computer?

One other suggestion, which is a bit of a fudge, is based on some succesful situations, and that's to
a) Turn off windows UAC (which is better in Win 7 than it was in Vista, but has caused issues in the past with Chessbase software - though as it's a security feature, I cannot be held responsible for any loss of data/dignity/trousers that results)
and
b) install by right-clicking the setup.exe file and choosing run as administrator.


LOL. Too true, too true!

Let us know if any of this helps...

Thanks for help. Yes, graphics cards and all other drivers confirmed as current. Problem seems to be resolved (fingers crossed) after taking the following steps:

1. Thourough uninstall and registry clean-up using CCleaner
2. Turned off antivirus and UAC
3. Installed program from disc (forgotr to run administrator but later saw W7 had set this in the properties)
4. Activated the program and checked for updates successfully
5. Launched program - all fine till I chose a 3d board... then it crashed
6. Went to Nvidia control panel and after adding the program to the 3D settings changed the Extensions list to ON (Global setting is off)
7. Ran the windows compatability checker and took the recommended advice to set the program to run in compatabilty mode for XP

One or more of these steps seems to have fixed he problem, but I will report back after a reasonable period of time.

Regards

I took many if not all of the same steps as Aleph has. I found something that might be of use which may have corrected the problem...or, could be just coincidence. First, update Windows 7 to have the latest DirectX drivers/files (can check Microsoft's web site for those), or make sure you've got the latest. Then re-install Fritz 12 but do NOT let it install its DirectX drivers (skip that last step)...and then download/install the latest Fritz 12 update...things seem to work fine at that point. The 3D boards all work. Well, one exception (not related to the crashing issue): the 3D metal doesn't work (you get an error message, it doesn't crash). The problem here seems to be it is looking for "high" resolution, but there is only a "standard" folder when you look in program files. I got around this by creating a "high" folder and copying everything from the "standard" one there!

One other issue I found is that for some reason, Fritz "loses" all the moves from a game when you first start it up (i.e., when you have an older game loaded and then quit, then access Fritz again). You have to go to the database, and load games from there. It's as if it won't "remember" the moves of the last game you had loaded in there.