@coz Does it help if you start Music Maker as administrator (right click on the program icon to do so)

Thanks for your response.... No. Already tried running as admin - exactly the same. Appears to load program correctly, gets to the opening screen, and bang - it locks up. Can't even check/amend any settings, as mouse cursor moves OK but doesn't nothing is activated/clickable. Not even the X to quit! It's a case of Ctrl-Alt-Del to bring up Task Manager, and "End Task". Have uninstalled MM, removed all traces in registry, and re-installed. Same again.

@coz What is your graphics card? Are the drivers up to date?

@coz What is your graphics card? Are the drivers up to date?

Not the best card on the planet, granted - AMD Radeon HD 7340 - but yes, drivers are current. Interestingly, I loaded Magix MM Soundtrack edition this afternoon, and it runs perfectly! Digging a little more, I noticed that the 'track edition loads into "Program Files (x86)" whereas the 2021 resides in "Program Files". Before people more knowledgeable than me explain why, I might try and reload 2021 into PF(x86) just to see what happens!

Again, thanks for your thoughtful reply!

Late Edit! Very strange! Since writing the above, I started MM2021 and saw an "update" message. Downed it, ran it....and guess what?! It all worked! It all worked until I closed the program down, and ran it again....it hung straight away. Back to square one!

@coz

I certainly don't claim to be one of those people more knowledgeable than me but the absolutely correct installation location for MM 2021 is "Program Files" and for MM 2020 (and your Soundtrack Edition) is "Program Files (x86)". The 2021 release is the first 64 bit version of the program; all previous versions are 32 bit, hence the different folder locations.

You will achieve nothing, other than some degree of naming confusion I suspect, if you even try to force MM 2021 to install in "Program Files (x86)".

I think, in order to have any chance of being able to help you, we need to know a lot more about your computer; this post will show you the sort of information we need.

Jeff
Forum Moderator

@coz

I think, in order to have any chance of being able to help you, we need to know a lot more about your computer; this post will show you the sort of information we need.

Jeff
Forum Moderator

Well, Jeff, you might not claim to be one of those more knowledgeable, but you obviously know what you're talking about, because after installing to X86 I've found you were quite correct! (It did actually install, out of interest, but exactly the same result, i.e. nothing doing!) I'll reinstall to the proper home, and then have a look at your "this post" link and get back with the info.

Thanks for your assistance (and more knowledge, of course!)

Later Edit : Some of requested info....

Toshiba 850D-12c, ACPIx64-based.

2 AMD E2-1800 APU processors.

AMD High Definition Audio Device.

6GB RAM
Win10 Home, 20H2 version, 19042.804 build
2 HDDs, both NTFS 
C:\ has 162GB empty.

@coz It looks like Music Maker does something at the start that causes it to stall but didn't do it after the update which let you to use it normally. Some users here reported that they need to wait over a minute until the software responds after starting it. Maybe this has something to do with the online shop? What happens if you disconnect your computer from the internet and start the software?

Excellent spot and idea!

Regretfully, no joy. Exactly the same....."Loading, 0%" and seizes. Watched it for over 5 minutes (just in case), but still a case of Task Manager to shut it down.

@coz Ok, then we need to try something different. Are you Loading a Demo project each time you start Music Maker? What happens if you just close the startup window? Or does it freeze before?

@coz

Hi

Your specs appears to be slightly incorrect :-

The Toshiba 850D-12c version with an AMD processor has one Dual-Core E2-1800 APU.

. . . . 2 HDDs, both NTFS . . . .

Is there one HD internally, is the second HD an external USB drive?

Is Music Maker installed on the C: drive?

Are the Music maker projects on the second drive?

If so does the demo project load if it is on the C: drive?

John EB
Forum Moderator

@coz Ok, then we need to try something different. Are you Loading a Demo project each time you start Music Maker? What happens if you just close the startup window? Or does it freeze before?

I don't "ask" it to do anything! I don't have time! It instantly shows the "Loading, 0%" box....Exactly what it's trying to load, I've no idea! I can't close the startup window other than using Task Manager. Nothing is clickable - the screen is frozen.

@coz

Hi

Your specs appears to be slightly incorrect :-

The Toshiba 850D-12c version with an AMD processor has one Dual-Core E2-1800 APU.

. . . . 2 HDDs, both NTFS . . . .

Is there one HD internally, is the second HD an external USB drive?

Is Music Maker installed on the C: drive?

Are the Music maker projects on the second drive?

If so does the demo project load if it is on the C: drive?

John EB
Forum Moderator

 

Apologies for leading you astray!

Yes, one of the HDDs is external - sorry - but it is the internal C: drive I've installed to, agreeing to the four default folders suggested. There is nothing about MM on the external. Strange about the APU - it shows up twice in Device Manager....

@coz

Hi

Thanks for the clarification.

Task Manager, I believe, is showing 2 APU due to the way AMD make their chips and ID them. My Intel processor shows up as 1 CPU in Task Manager, however in Resources Manager it looks like it has 12 cores - 6 are real and 6 virtual (Hyper threading).

. . . . I can't close the startup window other than using Task Manager. . . . .

If you mean:

1. this start up splash screen?
   
   
   Does the Loading....  bottom left of the dialog finish loading the program components? Do note on the Toshiba this will be slow.
    
2. The New project/Load project dialog
   

   The second dialog should not appear if you double clicked a project to open it.

   Do you get to this dialog if you just start MMM 2021 from the Windows menu?

John EB

Hi all... truly, thanks to all trying to help!

I've tried to note all the processes it goes through as the program starts : I've missed a few no doubt, but I've spotted (and been quick enough to scribble down!) "Loading main, scanning plugins,initiating prog layout, updating prog layout" (or wording to that effect) before getting the blue splash screen as you show above.

I think I wrote before that I didn't get the New/Demo project screen - I'm sorry, I actually do. No matter which of the 4 demo's I click on, that's when I get the Loading box in the screen middle....which then stops at 0%.  (I have a screen shot but unsure how to display here until I read more)

After that point, clicking anywhere on the screen - including the close down X - does not action anything, hence the Ctrl-Alt-Del to bring up Task Manager in order to close the program down.

@coz

. . . . I have a screen shot but unsure how to display here until I read more . . .

To upload a screen shot click the  icon above and browse to the screenshot, select it and OK the dialogs - the image will be inserted where the text cursor is.

John EB

Thanks, John!

@coz

Hi

Thanks for the image.

. . . . I noticed that the 'track edition loads into "Program Files (x86)" whereas the 2021 resides in "Program Files".  . . . .

Did you purchase the upgrade to MMM 2021 and receive new serial number?

It looks like you have some of the Extra Content that is available under the Downloads tab that is not installed.

Try logging in to the Store, install the remaining downloads and then load one of the Demo files.

John EB

Afternoon, John...

"No" is the answer to your question. I purchased MMM2021 through the Ashampoo/Cleverbridge deal that's currently running, which is a version (basic, presumably) which also includes 6 soundpools. I entered the P3- serial/licence number and purchaser email details, both of which were "accepted" in the Account box.. Yesterday (or day before) a window appeared stating that an update (29 0 6 34? from memory) was available, which I downed successfully. As far as I saw, it also installed correctly. After the update, MM seemed to run OK, until I closed it down. When restarted, it was back to the "frozen screen", which is where we - ahem! - are as I write.

As with all of the screen, the Downloads and Store login buttons are inactive....and, as ever, it's a case of Task Manager to close.

Sorry to be a pain! I don't want to waste much more of your time, so I'll probably give it up as a bad job if the solution (whatever it turns out to be) is going to involve manipulating anything that affects something else on the laptop. Very grateful for your suggestions, obviously, but think I'm getting close to ditching it and sticking to the Soundtrack edition only!

Anyone else any last bright ideas before I give up and dump this software?! Suffice to say, Ashampoo are denying any responsibility (other than taking the £!) and state that any "operational difficulties" are down to Magix to sort! Talk about walking away from a car crash!

@coz It could be that your laptop just isn't powerful enough. I checked online for the AMD E2-1800 CPU and it is even worse than a Celeron CPU that came out at the same time. Music Maker needs at least a modern 2 GHz CPU. But that is just my guess.