#256 Windows Update breaks existing installation

[none ofyourbusiness]

Been using the software for ages, and for ages, at what I thought was random times, it would just stop working.
By "stop working" I mean the effects I had set would no longer apply, and opening the Configuration Editor would inform me that EqAPO was not installed on the device in question, requiring re-install and reboot. Then it would work again for so and so long and eventually break again in the same manner.

I've finally figured out what the common thread between those occurrences is: Windows Update!

So, these are just regular "cumulative" windows 10 updates, I doubt there's any audio driver or audio component being updated in any way, but every so often - not every time or every Cumulative Update, but some of them - this will break EqAPO's hold on my audio device.

[Etienne Dechamps]

In my experience some Windows Updates do tend to reinstall audio devices from time to time. They're supposed to be transparent as Windows will automatically re-apply most audio settings after the update so you don't realize what happened, but sadly that doesn't include APOs. This is likely why you have to reconfigure Equalizer APO on some updates.

Sadly, this is a fact a life and can't be helped, unless someone comes up with some kind of automation to detect this situation and automatically reinstall Equalizer APO on the devices in which it was present before the reset. This could take the form of a feature request against Equalizer APO, but it's unlikely to be acted on because the project hasn't seen much activity in quite some time.

[Peter Verbeek]

I agree with Etienne's assessment. Therefore the Peace equalizer detects when a Windows update has been installed and notify the user so he/she can repair Equalizer APO by starting its Configurator or do an installation again.

[Liam H]

EqualizerAPO has also just stopped working for me this week following a Windows Update (Windows 11).

I'm unable to run any EAPO applications (Editor, Configurator, etc) - looking in Windows Event Viewer, the application crashes on startup so I can't even run the Configurator.

Any ideas?

I have literally uninstalled, reinstalled, downgraded from v1.3 to v1.2.1, all to no avail.

I have had issues with EAPO in the past but always been able to get it working again.

Event log shown below:

Faulting application name: Editor.exe, version: 1.2.1.0, time stamp: 0x5cfe3d55
Faulting module name: Editor.exe, version: 1.2.1.0, time stamp: 0x5cfe3d55
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x000000000007b4a3
Faulting process ID: 0x0x2CA0
Faulting application start time: 0x0x1D9B73B6E454E1E
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\EqualizerAPO\Editor.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files\EqualizerAPO\Editor.exe
Report ID: 67e16a75-7866-4ea8-aa7c-a000302883aa
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

[Peter Verbeek]

And the Configurator doesn't show up at the installing process?

There's a known bug which makes the editor crash. But if the Configurator doesn't start then perhaps it's about not having enough rights to access the Windows registry. Btw. It could be that 1.1.2 does work.

[danfun64]

I'm also having issues (running Windows 11 22H2). I use Equalizer APO to reduce the volume because otherwise it's too loud for my headphones. At random points the audio would reset to "normal" and Configurator would say that Equalizer APO is not installed on the relevant audio device. No idea what's causing this.

[Peter Verbeek]

Usually this is caused by a Windows update, either a new audio device driver or a reset of the current one. And usually the starting the Configurator is enough to repair it. Sometimes one needs to select another troubleshooting option. For several Windows updates the old LFX/GFX is the only one that works.