I have had Poser 8 for almost a year now (or at least many many months) and I have had no problem with the program other than the occasional random crash.  Suddenly this past week, Poser 8 is freezing up whenever I click one of the GUI buttons, such as 'OK' or 'CANCEL' in a popup window.  It freezes to the point where I cannot even close or minimize the program and instead have to kill it through my Task Manager.  Even weirder, usually when a program freezes, and you click within the window, Windows will bring up the options to "close the program" or "restart the program"... but when these freezes happen, Windows doesnt do this.
(Basically, when the freeze happens, Poser 8 looks completely normal, except that NOTHING is clickable or functional)

Poser and my video driver are both up to date, as well as my flash; and my system has 4GB of RAM and an NVidia GeForce GTS250 video card with 1GB of memory, so it isnt like my system cant support the program... plus, like I said, I have been using the program without any problems until now.

The only way I can fix the problem TEMPORARILY is to constantly uninstall and then reinstall Poser 8.  After doing this, it fixes the problem for at least 1 hour before it begins again... then I have to uninstall and reinstall the program AGAIN.  Basically, it is making the program UNUSABLE!!!!!!!!!

Is anyone else having this problem on a Windows 7 (32-bit) OS?
Does anyone know what the heck has caused this all of a sudden!?!?!?!?! (BTW, I dont have any new startup or background programs running, so nothing should suddenly be interfering with the program)

DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS!?!?!?!?!?!
Someone, PLEASE help? :C
Im getting frustrated with this! ;_;

Does it have anything to do with the thread about new nvidia driver?

Sounds like as soon as your system is warming up your hitting the problem.

It SHOULDNT be the driver because I am currently using the 196.21 driver (NOT the defective 196.75 driver), but actually just updated yesterday from driver V186.  I updated BECAUSE of this problem I am having, which began while using that 186 version.  (I thought that maybe by updating the driver, it would fix the problem... but no luck)

As for the problem starting when the system starts up... what do you mean by 'system'?
OS, or Poser 8?
If you mean P8, then no, the problem isnt happening once P8 starts up.  It is happening while USING P8.  As soon as a GUI popup window comes up, and I click one of the GUI buttons (like OK, CANCEL, CONFORM), the program will suddenly stick on the screen without me being able to click ANYTHING.
If you mean the OS... well, this doesnt seem to be an OS problem because once P8 freezes, I can still operate my OS without any problems at all... except that P8 is stuck on the screen.  I can still open folders in Explorer, and run other programs too.  My memory usage isnt even increasing as if P8 is sucking all my memory trying to do something!!!!!! P8 just literally stops working.

UPDATE!!!!
Strange thing happened while taking the screenshot!
Without actually clicking the buttons that usually cause the program to freeze up, I switched over to Paint to paste the screenshot into it, and when I switched back to P8, the program was frozen o.O
What the heck is going on!?!? Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!!!!!!!!!!! ; _ ;

I was just guessing.

The thought process went something like this. While your using basic OS programs your not really working the graphics card very hard, thus it's not likely to heat up, and the heat sink alone could cool it. But when your using the openGL in the poser preview, the hardware is working harder, thus your gpu is heating up and heat sink with fan should cool it. It sounds like the driver issue could be interfering with the cooling process (again just a guess). 

But I guess if after you close poser and all else works fine right away, perhaps I was barking up the wrong tree.
When you say P8 is stuck on the screen is this after you closed in the task manager? LIke the screen is not refreshing?

Quote -
But I guess if after you close poser and all else works fine right away, perhaps I was barking up the wrong tree.
When you say P8 is stuck on the screen is this after you closed in the task manager? LIke the screen is not refreshing?

Well, first of all, "all else works fine" while Poser is running AND while it is frozen.  It isnt like my entire OS is freezing and as soon as Poser is killed through the Task Manager, everything starts working again.
Just wanted to make that clear, as it is kind of important to this issue.

Second of all, the program is stuck on the screen until I kill it through Task Manager.  Once frozen, P8 will stick on the screen, and cannot by closed by pressing the X on its window (its not even clickable) or by right clicking the taskbar and selecting CLOSE.  I also cannot minimize or maximize the window, which is what I was actually meaning by "stuck on the screen".
The only way to close the program is to kill it.

;P Also just to say it, I have a CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus heat sink on my GPU; AND I have a ThermalTake chassis with 2 230 fans (top and side), a 120 fan in the back, and a 120 in the front to cool the harddrives... if anything is overheating, I would be shocked, Ha ha ha ha :D
http://www.coolermaster-usa.com/product.php?product_id=2923

What seems strange is nothing has changed, no new software, and yet a problem that didn't exist now does. Hardware fails, unlikely but possible, so I thought maybe it was an issue there. Your sure you don't have windows updating in the background, and that fouled something up? Though the fact P8 works for an hour after fresh install then stops working properly is really odd. I have no ideas, hope someone smart can come and help you out.

Just a thought:

I have Poser 8 installed on a separate internal harddrive, and have System Restore set to automatically back up the Poser files.  Could the System Restore possibly be causing problems somehow?
I cant really see HOW it would be causing problems, but like I said, it was just a thought.

I WANT to suspect that this is Microsoft's fault.  Some time ago, some Windows update (I dont know which one unfortunately) was installed, and all sorts of hell just SUDDENLY  broke out on my PC.  First, my PC suddenly wouldnt stay asleep unless I disable my Mouse and Keyboard's ability to wake it (even bought a new mouse and keyboard, thinking my old one went bad, but the problem persists with the new ones too... and with the old ones, I never had the wake-up problem before... and had them for about 2 years); then my printer suddenly stopped printing even if I reinstalled the driver (had to do a system restore to fix this one); and now my Poser 8 program isnt working right anymore.

However... I cant actually say for sure that it IS Microsoft's fault.

Too late to join?
I have OS Win 7 Pro -64 bits, Running with 8Gb Ram and a video card from Ati XFX 4870/2GB in it-
I do have the latest drivers in all my system, includes the patch for P8. Still I have same problem as
**NT110 **describes here. I have check it all inclusive I look up the <task Manager to see how much P8 is taking from my CPU (QuadCore6600) results: takes lots of memory up to 6 Gb sometimes but the CPU is always being use max 35% usually is around 29% of it while P8 is rendering. (BTW the render I'm using the max. in FIREFLY for all except inderect light, displament map on, 128 bucket size, HSV and exponential) I like to make big pz3 so the mediun sizes of my render are 140,117 KB (with 1800px and 150 dpi).
I have still not manage to fix it.
The pacht fixed the 'refresh' crash in the libraries. Fix the total crash of the program sudenlly. Still freezing and I have to kill the program as NT110 says he does.
Any news towards the problem is very welcome.
Thanks
Cris

 Youre not alone - I've been fighting this problem for months.  The only fix I've found is to throw out all of the Poser preferences and start over.  I do have the latest driver from nvidia installed also.  I've been corresponding with Smith Micro since Nov about this.

Anyone with this issue and the issue is not resolved by updating Video Driver (note, you may want to delete the device before installing the latest Driver to remove any files that may be corrupting the Driver.

NOTE: If you have Automatic Windows update active, change to Download but not install. Some systems, windows wants to install an out of date Driver. If this happens it will corrupt your newest Driver, but may not reflect in the current Driver Version in Windows.

Then use MSCONFIG to run in Diagnostic Mode and see if the issue occurs there..

If you still have issues, contact support with your system details. Include other things like changing Focus of the system (going to Paint, etc.. ) that also causes the issue. Put Attn: John in the Subject.... I only can find two active incidents with us, and the details of the two are different.

As others have indicated, the fact it runs for a time seems odd. This normally indicates corruption from a third party product or process. I had a user a few weeks ago that the issue was one of their Security Software programs causing the issue. It was a Free Product that did not allow for any customization unless they paid.. they removed it and as of Monday, no issues since removing that program. I am not saying this is the only issue, but use it for an example of why it is hard to isolate, unless all the diagnostic steps are taken.

sturkwurk:
Are you also running Windows 7 (32 OR 64 bit)?
What version of the NVidia driver are you using?

softcris:
Are you saying that when the freeze in Poser 8 happens, your computer's memory usage increases (in other words, your computer system slows down)? Because my computer DOESNT suddenly use a bunch of RAM... Poser 8 just stops working, while the RAM usage remains at a minimum.

I am also talking to Smith Micro about his, and they are blaming my NVidia driver upgrade or my Poser 8 preferences.
I told them before they responded, that deleting the preferences doesnt fix the problem for me and that I had updated the driver BECAUSE of the problem.  I am foreseeing a whole BUNCH of emails back and forth on this issue.  :(

Quote - Anyone with this issue and the issue is not resolved by updating Video Driver (note, you may want to delete the device before installing the latest Driver to remove any files that may be corrupting the Driver.

and if you are using Nvidia make sure you are not loading 196.75 (easy to do by mistake if you downloaded it before it was withdrawn by Nvidia)

Sorry ratscloset, you posted your message while I was typing my last one.

Yeah, I have Windows Update already set to download updates automatically, but to let ME choose which ones to install.  Windows Update often wants to install stuff that I know will screw up my PC, so I have always set WU to do things this way since XP.
HOWEVER, it doesnt rule out that a normal Windows 7 update, or "Compatibility" update (which seems to be quite common lately in the Windows updates) could be the culprit.  Like I said before, some Windows update had screwed up my PC's sleep ability and printing ability.  (And of course Microsoft support doesnt want to admit it).

As for your suggestions ratscloset, I will try starting my PC in Diagnostic Mode late on today (gotta go to classes in 5 minutes, LOL).  If that doesnt solve anything (meaning that no 3rd party programs are interfering), then I will include those additional details to Smith Micro support (as I just said, I already began discussing this problem with them).

ok! back here.
ratscloset >>>>> good for people that does not know very much about OS and PC.
Not my case; i work with it since 1990!!**

**NT110 >>> what I said was that my renders I use to check in TM and rules that P8 takes lots of memory while doing it...against NOT so much CPU power! Takes about 30% max in a normal render while it could take about 70 or 80% of it..because the PC is just doing it at the moment..
I use, as above i wrote: Ati radeon from XFX with 2GB ram the graphic/video card. NOT Nividia!
as you all; Win 7 Pro with 64 bits. New, and updated manually every I check!

Quote - sturkwurk:
Are you also running Windows 7 (32 OR 64 bit)?
What version of the NVidia driver are you using?

Win 7 Home Prem 64 bit
nvidia 196.21 64 bit

Ok, just checking now some of the points:
1 - happens to freeze when I close one document and open a new empty...happens like 80% of the time.While doing that.

Just an update from me as well, last night I was having the problem, then put my PC to sleep for the night, and woke up this morning and Poser 8 is working fine.  No reboots inbetween and no changes done to Windows inbetween.
Now isnt that just the strangest thing?

I didnt even have to reboot in Diagnostic mode either.

The only thing different between now and last night was that last night, Windows Update was downloading updates in the background.  Right now, it isnt, and I cannot say for sure whether or not it was running in the past when this Poser problem was happening.

(Man, computers are just soooooooo strange, Ha ha ha)
I dont want to rule this out as FIXED though, because the day before yesterday, everything seemed to work fine, while the day before that, it was "broken" again.

... Aaaaaand now its doing it again....

 I think windows can't resolve the dialog box command - and just gets caught in some loop.   I've noticed some times, I can click "ok" wait a minute, click it again, and then it goes away - but acts up from there on out.   Other times I click "ok" and that's it, it's going to just sit there, even if I wait and click again, I then get the "do you want to wait or quit" question.

When it's working correctly, I just click "ok" and instantly it goes away.

Maybe a memory leak?

Good news (for me anyways)! I FIXED THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!

Hopefully, if you all do this too, it will solve your problems as well:

1) Go to START > type 'MSCONFIG' (without the ' ) > press ENTER

1. Go to the Services tab
   3 Click the 'Hide all Microsoft services' box in the lower left corner (to prevent you from messing up your Windows OS, and to narrow the list of services)
2. Look through the list for a service titled 'Adobe Active File Monitor V6'
   4a) If you do not have it listed, or it is already not running, report it here.
   4b) If it IS listed, and IS running, then uncheck the checkbox next to it
3. Press the APPLY button
   6) Press the OK button
4. Restart the computer
5. Test Poser 8
6. Tell me your results!!!!!

I was playing around with the Services by enabling and disabling them one-by-one and restarting the computer, then testing Poser.  EVERY SINGLE TIME that Adobe program was running, Poser 8 would not work right.  EVERY SINGLE TIME that Adobe program WAS NOT running, Poser 8 was working correctly!!!! That cant just be a coincidence!!!!
(I havent tested it yet, but MAYBE this will fix the random crash issue that I still have, but learned to deal with)

No adobes running..and mine just crashed right now!
Obviuosly something to do when I delete something in the scene..happens always or many time when I do that...

Even if you dont have that Adobe service running, there COULD still be a service interfering.  I had just read on the Smith Micro site that some programs can interfere with Poser's ability to run and/or install (I would provide a link, but I am too lazy to search for the page again).
So, try searching for a service that is interfering, and also play with your poser settings.  Since you say that P8 is crashing while rendering or deleting something from the scene, it could be a problem with Poser itself, and not the computer.  Either way, try both of these things (Poser settings are easier to test).
Have you tried deleting the preferences and uninstalling and reinstalling the program? If not, try doing that too.  The preferences are located in [User folder]> AppData> Roaming> Poser.  They are all contained within the 8.0 folder.  Just make a copy of that folder, and then delete the original.  (Use the copy to restore the settings in case resetting them doesnt work.)

Looking for interfering services:
Run through the list of Services and disable maybe 3 or 4 at a time.  Restart the computer, then test Poser.  If Poser suddenly works, then you know that one of those 3 or 4 services are interfering with the program, and just weed them out 1 by 1 until you find which one is causing a problem.  If there is no change in Poser though, then just re-enable those services you disabled, and disable another 3 or 4 and restart again.
After you go through all the services (that aren't Windows related) then you at least know that there arent any background programs screwing things up.  Then, it could be maybe some vid card driver settings, CPU problem, or a memory issue (unlikely in your case though, since you have 8GB, but that IS assuming you arent putting a heavy load on your RAM).

Check Poser settings:
Also, under Poser's Preferences, go to the Render tab and try lowering the Number of Threads and checking the Separate Processes checkbox (if not done already).
You can also go to the Misc tab and clear the Use External Binary Morph Targets option... I dont remember exactly what that one does, but I think it helped solve some issues with the program crashing due to slow read rates or something.  You could just try it... it wouldnt hurt.

If none of these help, then that is all I can suggest, unfortunately.  For anyone else who cant find the Adobe service, try these things too I guess.  Its possible that maybe you and I are having slightly different problems, but similar "symptoms".

tell you: only thing I have not try in your list (BTW. thank!)

-  Have you tried deleting the preferences and uninstalling and reinstalling the program? If not, try doing that too.  The preferences are located in [User folder]> AppData> Roaming> Poser.  They are all contained within the 8.0 folder.  Just make a copy of that folder, and then delete the original.  (Use the copy to restore the settings in case resetting them doesnt work.)
I use to delete the TEMP in same location(almost same).

Never crashes when I rendering. It render or it render not. If I put too much heavy stuff in the render and go for the MAX of Max settings then won't do it! ODD!
Freezes when I delete anything from the scene like 80%.
Closing a doc. and opening other happens to crashes! About 50%
Won't like to import an object..that's odd. I'm obliged to import it from Poser Pro and save and then go with it as > import a pz3 then goes perfect.

Actually I'm going to live with that...untill a pacht shows up to fix it.
I'll not mess up with my new system, new OS and all newly installed  because of <poser
That's a decision I did today..its getting too far.

Thanks for your help, and post here when  you hear something has  definitevelly fix all the bugs in P8. - for us using Win 7 64 bits.
thanks
Cris

BTW Cris, it may not help you, but also check your render settings.  Maybe you are just rendering at too high of a quality.  I used to try rendering at very high details and the program would always crash during the rendering process.  To find what works best though, you pretty much have do a bunch of playing around with the settings.  Eventually you will find your computer's maximum ability.

Just for your information too, the Temp folder is just where Poser stores calculation and rendering data that gets overwritten every time a new render is done.  Basically, Poser is constantly deleting files and writing new ones to that folder, so deleting it really doesnt do anything that Poser is already doing.
I just wanted to make sure you walked away knowing exactly what that folder was.

Before you try to find the service specifically, run it in Diagnostic Mode so all services that are not needed are off. (Use Windows... other products that claim to do the same tend to leave their services running, which means it is Security or Status Monitoring Software, which is often the culprit.

If you have the same issue (not similar issues) in Diagnostic Mode, you can rule out all the services as being a culprit.

Ok pals, I took notes about all that. Now it's time to render :))
Bye bye
Hugs
Cris

 just a sad update - Poser Pro 2010 does the exact same thing.  (gets stuck on pop up questions boxes)

D

Quote -  just a sad update - Poser Pro 2010 does the exact same thing.  (gets stuck on pop up questions boxes)
 

D

well that's more than sad! That's final for me...I'm getting myself to learn DazStudio and better use of Vue (which I have and never use it! becuase I'm so damm confortable with Poser)

When using the public beta if Poser Pro 2010, I ran into three problems that ground everything to a halt. The usual updates to Flash, NVidia Drivers, and deleting preferences did not help.

The first was that clicking things didn't work in Poser, but, other programs behaved normally. It turned out to be the mouse. It worked in every program but Poser Pro. A new mouse fixed the problem.

Then my computer slowed down to a crawl in every program. It turned out to be a program to transfer DVDs to an IPOD. When I uninstalled that program, the computer returned to normal.

A problem that I had randomly, that has not occured with Poser Pro 2010 commercial release, was that an animation simulation would start up, and be caught in a loop. This slowed Poser down to a crawl. It took five or more minutes to respond to a mouse click. Sometimes I could see a change in the preview window, but most of the time I could not. I don't do annimations and it took me a long time to figure out what was happening. If I could get to one of the annimation pallets, and click stop, control would be returned.

LMK

 After three restarts of PoserPro 2010, it did seem to straighten itself out and work again.  I did not delete the preferences this time around, just wanted to see what restarting the program would do.  As my self test, I just open the program, load the default "ball" from the props library, and then hit my delete key.  Then I click "ok" in the dialog box.... if it just sits there - I roll my eyes, pull out a little bit more hair, and start over.

Everyone who was originally posting in this thread:
After originally solving MY problem, I began to have the same issue just a month later and just now fixed it.  It seems that, for me, the problem this time was caused by Veoh Webplayer, which is a program that I have set to constantly run in the background of my PC (allows me to download videos from Veoh.com- a YouTube-like site).

A test I did:
With Veoh Webplayer running in the BG, I open Poser 8 and make a GUI popup appear.  I then clicked CANCEL and P8 froze up.
I then went and made some dinner.  Yum!
I returned to my PC (with a full stomach) and Poser 8 was STILL frozen.
I then closed the Veoh program and all of a sudden, P8 unfroze!!!!!!!!!

I then repeated the test a few times, but without leaving my PC for a long time.  I noticed that EVERY SINGLE TIME that the Veoh program was running, P8 would freeze; but AS SOON AS I CLOSED the Veoh program (with P8 still running and stuck), P8 would suddenly unstick!

Conclusion:
If Poser 8 is still freezing up for you, check all programs that you have CURRENTLY running- background OR foreground- of your operating system.  What you need to look for is any program that is running any sort of Flash application, or requires Flash Player in order to operate.  In my case, that Adobe Active File Monitor program (caused the problem for me before) as well as the Veoh Webplayer, BOTH rely on Flash to operate.  My educated guess is that because Poser 8 requires Flash too, any other programs running who also require Flash Player may interfere with the P8 graphical interface, making it freeze up.
So, look for any programs that require Flash/Flash Player to run, and close them out while using P8.  I am CONFIDENT that doing this will fix the problems.

How to figure out if a program requires Flash:
If you dont know whether a program requires Flash to run, look them up online and look for their computer/operating system/system specifications.  If it says that it requires 'Adobe Flash' or 'Adobe Flash Player' (any version), then that program may cause issues with P8.

Hopefully this will help anyone experiencing these annoying and work disabling problems!
Good luck!

I'll investigate about it.
So far I just got via normal mail a version of Poser Pro 2010 - had not yet time to work on it but few tries only and 76% of these tries were frustated by the library not functioning or when it did function the freeze situation took place.
Unfortunelly I need more time to post something here.
Note: I gave up about Poser 8.
Now I'm testing Poser Pro 2010.

Im not sure since I dont have Pro, but I THINK it also relies on Flash Player.  So my guess (assuming this to be true) is that if the Poser 8 freezes were caused by other programs running Flash Player, then you should also get similar freezes in Pro.

Im not trying to jinx you there, but if you DO get freezes in Pro as well, then still do what I had just mentioned.  (about looking for other programs using Flash Player).
Still, good luck softcris :)

thanks!
as soon as I have time to do it I'll post here.
Thanks again
Cris

Pro 2010 is built on P8 design, so it might suffer the same maladies as P8.