Creo suddenly refuses to start

[ptc-4425592]

Early today (and the last several weeks) I've been using Creo M090. Suddenly it refused to load. I see the pro_comm_msg.exe process start followed by xtop.exe. The xtop.exe process looks like it is consuming on of my CPUs, but nothing is ever displayed and memory usage is not growing.

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[ptc-4425592]

Please help....deadlines are approaching. And thanks.

[DomenicLaritz]

Maybe one of Creo's required EXE files is getting blocked by the Windows Firewall?

Search in the firewall rules and delete the one that's blocking.

[DHLewis]

Check your display settings and the config.pro option for "graphics" Try setting it to Win32_gdi, d3d, or opengl.

If one works and the other doesn't then it points to a Graphics Card/Driver Problem.

[BrianMartin]

Hi Dan...

A few ideas... first, look through your trail files (if you know where these are) to find out the last day you successfully worked in Creo. Check for any drivers or Windows updates that occurred on that date (or the next day). If you have the abillity to "roll back" the system to a restore point before that day, this may restore your Creo to a working state.

If you don't have this option, try downloading the latest version of Creo Elements Pro/5 which is M130. I'm assuming you're using Creo Elements Pro 5 and not Creo Parametric 1.0 because that software is only at release code M030.

Perhaps re-installing the latest version will resolve the issue. It sounds to me like something changed... graphics driver, windows update, security/firewall issue. Re-installing the software should go through the setup process and ask you to unblock certain applications at the firewall. You always have to unblock xtop.exe, pro_comm_msg.exe, and nmsd.exe.

Please keep us updated and let us know anything that happens. If none of these options solve the problem... maybe there's something more insidious going on.

Thanks!

-Brian

[ptc-4425592]

Alright...thanks for the input everyone. I am using Creo Elements Pro 5.

What I've found is that when my laptop is docked everything works fine. Is the licensing tied to hardware somehow? I'm using a developer partner fixed license setup. I'm going to try and reinstall everything while undocked, my worry is things will stop working when I'm docked .

I may try to upgrade, but I'm working with another company using the M090 rev so I'm a little hesitant (maybe I shouldn't be).

Thanks again, any further insight would be appreciated.

--Dan

[BrianMartin]

Hi Dan...

You shouldn't be afraid to upgrade to another Build Code of Wildfire 5 even if your customer is on a different build code but I understand your apprehension.

Wildfire 5 (Creo Elements Pro/5) doesn't actually need to be "installed". If you simply zip up all the directories and files under the application directory into an archive, you can move it to another system, unzip, and run the program without "installing" it.

So uninstalling and reinstalling doesn't seem to the the problem here.

Instead, it seems to be your connection. If the license works when docked... you're probably hard-wired into the company's LAN/WAN. When you're undocked, you're probably going wireless. Perhaps you have an incorrect setting for your wireless configuration?

Some companies have a Guest wireless network which does NOT have access to license servers, data servers, and other protected data. They also have a "truster" wireless network for their workers which DOES have access to all of these protected servers. Could it be that when you're wireless, you're connecting to the Guest network (if it even exists). Or... could it be that you need special permissions when connecting wirelessly to access the Creo license server?

If you can find out what the name of the Creo license server is, you can test your connection. Well, it's a rudimentary test but it might shed some light on the situation.

While docked, open a DOS window and use the ping command to test the connection to your Creo license server. if the license server name is CreoServer, you'd enter the command ping creoserver and wait for a response. You should see several responses noting the time it took to contact the host in milliseconds. Try this same command while undocked. If you do not receive the same response from "pinging" the server when disconnected from the dock, you've found your problem.

A failed ping command usually shows a series of timeout errors as your workstation fails to locate the server. If your workstation can't see the Creo license server when undocked, you may want to contact your IT folks to help you. They should understand how to properly set up your workstation for undocked operation.

If this is WAY off base and has nothing to do with your particular setup, write back and give us more details. I'm just taking a stab in the dark here based on my experience with docked/undocked users at my company.

Thanks!

-Brian

[DHLewis]

Dan,

You are probably on the right track. It sounds like it is an issue with the locked developer license. You have to make sure that whatever network adapter you attach the license to is always powered on. When you dock and undock the laptop may be completely powering off the other network adapter. You are probably better installing it undocked. Then you may then need to go into the BIOS and check your power management settings for the network adapters to see if you can stop that adapter from from being powered off when you Dock. Or if you are turning off the adapter with the hardware switch on the laptop, you might not be able to do that.

Hope that helps.

David

[ptc-4425592]

So just transferred my license (license server running locally) to an ethernet port, where before it was a wireless adapter. Still no luck. I would think I would get a license error instead of an xtop.exe process that consumes cpu and never loads. I guess I'm tethered to my desk in the mean time.

[Patriot_1776]

I refuse to start.....(Creo)........

[ptc-4425592]

Here is a view of task manager after I try to start Creo. This view doesn't change, xtop.exe stuck at 12-13% CPU and memory usage remains constant.

[ptc-4425592]

I also upgrade to M130, same issue.

[BrianMartin]

Hi Dan...

I'm really not familiar with this "developer locked license" thing. Is this a dongle-type unit that plugs into a port on your workstation? I feel like I'm missing part of the picture here.

Thanks!

-Brian

[ptc-4425592]

It's actually a license file that I reference during the installation.

[MartinHanak]

Dan,

only very old ProE licenses are locked. All current licenses are floating. Both license types depend on MAC address (physical address) of the network card (LAN or WiFi). Inside you license file there is a SERVER line containing a PTC_HOSTID entry. The PTC_HOSTID entry shows you MAC address of the network card to which your license is related. For exemple:

SERVER __HOSTNAME__ PTC_HOSTID=00-C0-9F-4B-D8-67 7788

Related network card must be always UP. This condition is not true, if PTC_HOSTID entry belongs to LAN and a notebook is not connected using LAN cable. To change this default behaviour of Windows 7, you have to run following commands from Command Prompt window (as Administrator).

netsh interface ipv4 set global dhcpmediasense=disabled

netsh interface ipv6 set global dhcpmediasense=disabled

Good luck

Martin Hanak

[ptc-4425592 · Accepted solution]

So I think I'm on to something in case anyone else runs into this...

I have a Dell M6600 laptop. It has a Quadro 5010M and also the Intel internal graphics card. When the "Optimus" technology is turned on in the BIOS to enable both graphics cards to drive several monitors, ProE/Creo will not start. One of my co-workers also had this problem with SolidWorks. So I have to turn this off when undocked, and turn back on when docked.

Not the best solution but it does work.

Thanks for the input everyone.

[iscarpin]

Hello Dan.

Sorry to bother u.

I'm using Creo 2.0 since mid February.

Everything was okay until this friday, Creo 2.0 refuses to start I think as you in the past.

Would you please tell me what did u do exactly to mak Creo working?, thanks a lot!.