XP users and DeskScapes 2.5

Start off using one of the dynamic dreams, like bouncing box.  it does nto use codecs and should be low on resources.

Let us know how that works.

I'm using it on my office setup. Currently running Neil's Winter Snow dream because I have a dual monitor setup and it's one that shows on both.

Only problem I've seen is that when changing from one dream to another it will sometimes not apply. I find myself waiting for the dialog to finish and then hitting Apply again which usually works.

Note that even on Vista you need to be VERY patient when applying large size dreams. I've had them take a full minute or more to switch on my Vista Ultimate setup at home.

I use "The KMP Player" to run video of any kind on my machines and I guess it's installed the necessary codec's because I'm not missing any.

Office: XP Pro SP3, 3.0ghz pentium D, 3gb ram, 512 mb Nvidia QuadroFX 4500 PCIE

We actually had troubles with the update that was posted as of this morning. However by early afternoon we had a fix out for Deskscapes for XP. Have you updated or done a fast uninstall, reinstall?

Seabass when I ran into my problem I restored the system to before I downloaded DeskScapes, so I guess you could consider that an uninstall.

I haven't tried it again so I just may do that based on your reply.  I'll post back and let you know what happens.

Deskscapes keeps thinking I have an AGP card, which I don't, since it's PCIex16 (Radeon HD 2600xt 52mb). That along with the Avedesk conflict, I gave up on it, especially since most the dreams look distorted on 1920x1200 anyway.

Okay, reloaded DeskScapes and I can see how human error entered into my last try.  It is so slow, the cursor is so slow.  No wonder I was clicking all over the place.

I only used the box dream, no bouncing going on.  All I got was a very slowly moving box.

So I can only take it that my specs (CPU and video card) and not good enough to run DeskScapes.  I wouldn't mind upgrading the video card if that would fix the problem but any more then that would not be money well spent. 

Unless someone has some ideas out there I know the answer, get a new computer with a dual or quad core CPU and move on.  It's just so hard to do that when the current computer isn't dead.

Oh well, decision time.

Could be a VERY Merry Christmas......

Here's the problem as I see.  My current computer is still working, it's running all the programs that Stardock has that will run on an XP system with the one exception of DeskScape.  Do I get a new computer now, just so I can run DeskScape or wait about a year and get a new computer when Windows 7 comes out.

So unless there is a fix, say with new drivers I won't be runing DeskScape any time soon.

Then there's this other little problem, I'm not sure if I would even like DeskScape once I saw them on the desktop.  Not saying that folks are not putting out nice stuff but I don't sit and look at the desktop with no windows open.  If I'm not doing something on the computer I'm not sitting in front of it and the screen saver will come on anyways.

(WBs, WP, CFX, IP, OD+, OB, DX Widgets, Impulse & Dock are all running, not to mention a browser with several tabs open, no wonder DeskScape is slow.  I want to add DX Theme in there somehow also)

Hmmmm. 

I opened Impulse just now and have no update for DeskScapes.  I installed it the day of release.  I have an nvidia AGP card GeForce 7300GT 512Mb.  The bouncing box works dare I say it, like a dream.  However with others I get a codec error.  Should I run an Installed Codecs report generator or is there a codec that I can just download and add?

I have just opened Impulse and it says has problem retrieving update data....is that to do with Deskscapes, must I try the uninstall, re-install option....anyone please...thanks

If you need a MPEG2 codec, you can get a free one by installing Virtual Dub

I would wait for the first Service Pack to come out before upgrading. So that changes the timetable to likely 2 years. Keep in mind MS has never delivered on time so maybe 2.5 is more like it.

I'd suggest  you try installing this http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/KMPlayer/1125962534/1 It's much better than Windows Media Player or Winamp, plays any video I've come across.

I am running Dreams on a WinXP Pro machine 1.6 Ghz Core Duo laptop with ATI mobile X1400 graphics and 2 Gb RAM. MOST dreams play "ok" but the CPU goes to 50% at all times while the machine stays relatively performant. That said, there are some dreams such as the default earth view one that bring my system to a crawl. I use ObjectDock Plus extensively and have hidden the Windows Taskbar. At the bottom of the screen where the task bar is hidden, the is a 5 to 10 pixel horizontal bar of pixelization. Not sure what is going on there. I suspect it is because the task bar is hidden.

I was REALLY looking forward to using DeskScapes but it is too resource intensive to keep turned on.

i'm getting the error of whenever i go to run Deskscapes,  for XP

that says the "application failed to start because the application's not configured properly to run on my system."

tried doing a uninstall...from impulse and it still installed,  as in does not unninstall...

thinking i'll wait for the updates and see if that solves it,  otherwise i'm at a loss as to how to fix...so any suggestions would be appreciated...

dreammaker's working fine though...just cant get the dreamtask to work on it...

the five to ten pixels at the bottom is what the taskbar uses to know when to come out of hidden state,  that i learned when i was doing some other mods on the syatem to change the backgrounds using a different program...

wish you luck with the pixelization thing,  maybe the next update will fix it...

Hello all! I just successfully installed Deskscapes 2.5.067 for XP and I am thrilled to finally have an animated desktop...a feature full of utility and decoration that has been overlooked for too long. Combined with Object Dock and WindowBlinds I finally have a near perfect OS. XP now feels like Oblivion with the number of high quality mods I can apply to it with dramatic effect.

PC Specs:

8800GTS/G92/512M Stock

Dual Core AMD Opteron 185 @ 2.8Ghz

2x1G DDR @ 215Mhz

PATA HDD on NForce4 SLI

1600x1200x32 @ 85Hz CRT.

Yesterday's gear, but I see zero performance impact. Everything is as snappy and vivid as can be.

All is not perfect: dreams frequently fail to "apply", requiring at worst a log-off and log-on back to Windows to unstick explorer.exe or instead another application window has to repaint the screen for the dream to "take". No blue screens, but common and repeatable hangs. I've seen this mentioned already so I'm sure it will be addressed.

I also didn't like the idea of Dream Manager, with rotating dreams, directory management, and other nifty and useful configuration chocies being a 3rd party pay program. Not that Dream Manager is bad, but that it is so useful and its functions so basic as to have me question why these rudimentary functions aren't included in Deskscapes itself? Perhaps I'm missing something but I can't even find a volume control for dreams with sound!

This really is a great step forward for XP and adds a whole dimension of possibility to the basic utilitarian desktop.

Running XP SP3.  Have installed, unistalled and reinstalled several times but keep getting same error whenever I try to apply a deskscape:

Run a DLL as an App has encountered a problem and

needs to close.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

Please tell Microsoft about this problem

Any ideas/suggestions?

Robert Luttrell what is your video card and did you install using Impulse?

Did you reboot between uninstalls and reinstalls?

After uninstalling but before rebooting did you run a clean up program like CCleaner? (Don't really have to but it could help)

I have a problem like that. My graphics card: Intel 82945G express chipset family

I rebooted between uninstall and install.  Did both through Impulse -- which prompted for a reboot after the uninstall but not after the install (rebootted anyway).  Hadn't tried CCleaner before but tried it this time (it did clean up some leftover Deskcape stuff after another uninstall) but it didn't help -- same "Run A DLL as an App" screen pops up.

Originally I was getting error message as kyosan1988 above is getting.  But that went away after one of the reinsatllations and now just the DLL/App error screen.

Windows XP, SP3 and VIA/S3G UniChrome Pro IGP

Well it seems that even though I do have a Nvidia AGP card I should wait untill driver updates to make any decisions about upgrading. 

So wait I will.

We are not waiting for any nvidia driver updates.

The driver update is specifically an ATI one.

For those of you on AGP systems, if you find dynamic content is slow you could try adding the following registry key

Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Stardock\Deskscapes

and create a string value called NoAA and set it to 1.  Then apply a dynamic dream.

Neil, for those of us with less experience then you or no experience at all with messing with the registry, how does one do what you suggest?

Also, not to cause problems amongst the troops, I put in a ticket and Shirly found me on the IRC and we had a discussion on me problem.  That's why my comment in reply #21.

I, too, had problems getting deskscapes to work on my XP system.  I have an Nvidia GeForce 8800GT video card, which was not a problem.  Each time I went to run a dream, my desktop would freeze and I would have to reboot.  I made sure the dreams  were in Documents and Settings/My Documents/Stardock/Dreams.  I had to click each one to get them to show up in display properties.   Once they were there I could only run the non-mpeg2 dreams.  So, I downloaded an Mpeg2 video decoder that my son uses for anime movies.  Now I can run all of the dreams.  But, am unable to switch from dream to dream without first disabling  the dream that was running.  If I don't, and try to change from dream to dream, the screen locks and I am then unable to access display properties with a right click and have to reboot.  Not sure if any of you are running into the same problems, but the program seems to be working fine with the exception of being able to swith from dream to dream.

Hi,

I have Windows XP 64 Bit with Service Pack 2, Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650m , Nvidia GEForce 8600GT 128MB.

At first, the extension .Dream was not being recognized. Once I applied extension .Dream to Dreamtasks.exe this also failed to launch animated wallpaper.

Any suggestions?