Suddenly TrackIR not detecting device anymore and hangs

Beldalin
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2023 11:29 am

Re: Suddenly TrackIR not detecting device anymore and hangs

Post by Beldalin »

Hi Jillian,

did everything in the right order, several reboots included.
Then started the software, then connected device first time after reinstall, device got recognized
Loaded announced update of game profiles in software with needed restart of trackir
Software hangs once again (it seems during camera shutdown).
Yet device is still recognized as NaturalPoint Device / TrackIR 5.

Any further ideas?

Regards
Beldalin
Pete_80
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2023 12:22 am

Re: Suddenly TrackIR not detecting device anymore and hangs

Post by Pete_80 »

Hi,

My friend has exactly the same problem as Beldalini.

The software freezes the computer so badly that even with Task Manager, the program process cannot be "killed". In addition, shutting down the computer normally is impossible and it results in a blue screen.

We have tried all possible "tricks". We have also tried to follow Jillian's instructions. After following Jillian's instructions, we were able to get the program to recognize the device and it started working for a moment, but when we shut down the software, the software froze again. My friend computer has the Windows 11 operating system, and all the latest updates have been installed, both at the operating system level and at the graphics card level.

Br.
Pete
jillian.smythe
NaturalPoint Employee
NaturalPoint Employee
Posts: 282
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2022 6:40 am

Re: Suddenly TrackIR not detecting device anymore and hangs

Post by jillian.smythe »

Hello Pete_80,

Are there any clues in Windows Event Viewer that might help track down the source of the problem? Are you using any custom profiles? If so, make sure the file names only use the ASCII-128 characters - other characters, including ones with accent marks, will prevent the software from opening. If you delete the Settings.xml and ProfileMap.dat (located here: C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Roaming\NaturalPoint\TrackIR 5\), does the software open successfully the next time?

Kind Regards,
Jillian Smythe
TrackIR Support Representative
Beldalin
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2023 11:29 am

Re: Suddenly TrackIR not detecting device anymore and hangs

Post by Beldalin »

Hi all, well I think that Pete saw the old posts and knew what to do ;)
Reminds me definitely of my problem, but I got lucky and at least had no blue screen. System just doesn't shut down appropriately (monitor black, but system still running in an unknown mode forcing me to turn it off the hard way).

Currently I can use the hardware once :!: when I start the system without it, then run the software and then reconnect the device. It's at least working as long as I don't try to shut the software or even the whole system down.

I tried to shut down the hanging process with some powershell commands but without any success.

Regards
Beldalin
jillian.smythe
NaturalPoint Employee
NaturalPoint Employee
Posts: 282
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2022 6:40 am

Re: Suddenly TrackIR not detecting device anymore and hangs

Post by jillian.smythe »

Hello Beldalin,

Have you tested the TrackIR camera on another computer? This would help to confirm whether the issue is with the TrackIR hardware, the TrackIR software, or some other Windows issue.

I did find this article which describes the same kind of shut down issue, along with some possible solutions: https://thegeekpage.com/fix-black-scree ... -possible/

The first solution they describe is to uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" for the Intel Management Engine Interface. I would suggest that you also uncheck this box for all USB hubs listed under Universal Serial Bus controllers to see if that helps.

Kind Regards,
Jillian Smythe
TrackIR Support Representative
davidinbasel
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2023 2:35 pm

Re: Suddenly TrackIR not detecting device anymore and hangs

Post by davidinbasel »

I am having similar problems to those described:
- Track IR window opens at startup but does not detect camera. Camera light remains off.
- Any mouse interaction with Track IR window freezes the app, with "Track IR not responding" reported
- Windows Task Manager (Win 10) confirms not responding status, but attempt to kill the process fails (no response)
- PC restart blanks screen but does not lead to a restart. Forced power off needed

A full delete (including manually deleting folders in Program File (x86) and AppData Roaming, and renaming Registry entries) followed by a fresh install using latest files (without camera plugged in until new Track IR 5 installation is started) leads to the same problems.

Checking Device Manager after the fresh install showed the correct entries under Natural Point though no device driver had been installed for the Track IR camera. Using Refresh driver and pointing to the latest drivers installed resulted in an indication that the device was working properly, although it was still not being seen by Track IR software.

Fully deleting Track IR allows a regular shut down and restart, without stalling with a black screen. The presence of a hung Track IR is clearly preventing a normal shut down.

The only changes implemented between the last good start of Track IR and now have been:
- A change in keyboard. (Needed because of a physical fault in the previous keyboard.)
- Running the latest mandatory update for MSFS 2020
jillian.smythe
NaturalPoint Employee
NaturalPoint Employee
Posts: 282
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2022 6:40 am

Re: Suddenly TrackIR not detecting device anymore and hangs

Post by jillian.smythe »

Hello davidinbasel,

I'm happy to help you troubleshoot. First, please note that if your TrackIR software is in TrackClipPro mode, you will not see any LEDs on the camera until the camera detects the TrackClip Pro's LEDs in its view. The left green LED light indicates that the TrackClip or TrackClip Pro is being tracked by the camera. The right LED light shouldn't be on unless a TrackIR-enhanced game is running. If you are in TrackClip mode, you should see either two or four red LEDs in the center of the camera. Does the TrackIR software indicate that the camera is not detected (it would show Device: none near the top of the screen)?

If the TrackIR camera is plugged in but the software is not started, is the computer able to shut down or reboot successfully? If the software is still installed but the TrackIR camera is not plugged in, does the computer shut down or reboot normally?

Is your computer connected to the Internet? Were there any changes to the computer, including operating system updates, around the time that this problem first started?

Does your computer have more than one display? Do you have more than one type of camera connected to the computer (e.g. a webcam)? Does the problem persist if you connect your TrackIR to a different computer?

Please try deleting Settings.xml and ProfileMap.dat from this folder: C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Roaming\NaturalPoint\TrackIR 5.

Kind Regards,
Jillian Smythe
TrackIR Support Representative
davidinbasel
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2023 2:35 pm

Re: Suddenly TrackIR not detecting device anymore and hangs

Post by davidinbasel »

Thanks Jillian

To answer your specific questions:
- TrackIR was showing the camera detected, before these problems started. Now, after doing a full reinstall, the drivers are not automatically loaded when the camera is plugged back in. After getting Device Manager to load the drivers (indicated as successful), TrackIR becomes unresponsive immediately on being opened, before it can detect the camera (shows Dectecting ... while showing Not Responding)
- Yes, shut down and reboot are normal when software is not started. This is true whether the camera is plugged in or not.
- Yes, I have a connection.
- As previously noted, the only changes to the computer (that I recall) are a change in the keyboard and a mandatory update of MSFS 2020. I have not initiated Windows 10 system updates or loaded new graphics drivers since the last time I was using Track IR successfully. There may have been automatic updates that I've forgotten. Is there a log file that would tell me?
- Yes, two displays. That has been the case for some time, including when TrackIR was running successfully.
- Just one camera.
- Have not yet tried installing Track IR and the camera on another machine. That's the next step.

I have documented a diagnostic sequence in a word file. How do I attach/upload that?

Cheers, David
jillian.smythe
NaturalPoint Employee
NaturalPoint Employee
Posts: 282
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2022 6:40 am

Re: Suddenly TrackIR not detecting device anymore and hangs

Post by jillian.smythe »

Hello David,

Thank you for the additional information. You should be able to get a history of Windows updates by going to Settings > Windows Update > View update history. You may also be able to get some information from the Windows Event Viewer, including any errors in the Application log.

If you complete the contact form on our website (https://www.trackir.com/help), it will open a case. We can then send you an email and you can reply to that email with the Word document and any other details you are able to gather. I would also like to find out more about your computer hardware to see if there is a connection with other users who are encountering this issue.

Kind Regards,
Jillian Smythe
TrackIR Support Representative
_Michi_
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2023 8:53 am

Re: Suddenly TrackIR not detecting device anymore and hangs

Post by _Michi_ »

Beldalin wrote: Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:31 pm

Currently I can use the hardware once :!: when I start the system without it, then run the software and then reconnect the device. It's at least working as long as I don't try to shut the software or even the whole system down.

Regards
Beldalin
Be careful if you shut down your device the hard way, this can lead to a complete black screen next time you start your computer. 
I got my black screen fixed by running the recovery process and setting my device back to a date a few days prior (shutting the computer down a few times via the power button while the windows symbol is visible as the computer tries to start. This will enable the recovery mode, from which you can reset your device). 

But this didn't solve the mentioned problem.

I found out that it will run if you start TrackIR with the camera unplugged, then if the software is running, plug the camera in. Sometimes the camera will start normally, if not update the cameras' driver via windows. If you want to shut TrackIR down, unplug the camera first and then close the software as you always do. 

This is definitely no long therm solution, but in my case it works for now. 

_Michi_
Post Reply