AC3D fails to install

coldby · 29th January 2016, 02:34 AM

Well, there's a first time for everything: after over 10 years I seem now to be unable to re-install AC3D after a major system crash and the consequent restore from an old disk image.
My system is a vintage XP-32, obsolete but still the most acceptable Microsoft put on the market in the last 15 years.
The image I used contained just the bare bones - system, drivers and a few patches.
My first suspicion was (and still is) the possible lack of a redistributable Visual C++, so I downloaded vcredist_X86.exe and run it. But to no avail: each time the installation runs regularly and then, as it comes to launching AC3D, a black DOS window pops up and everything freezes - no keyboard, no mouse, plenty of profanity, pull the plug and restart all over again.

What bothers me most is that the ballet above took place three times so far, each time with a different vcredist_x86 - the length of the downloaded files varying between 2.7 and 12 MB. Funny, isn't it? Different versions? Doctored versions? Can really my expensive antivirus be such a moron?
I'll be damned if I know. All I know is that each time the installation seizes up exactly at the same point and exactly in the same way, and after rebooting AC3D does NOT appear in the list of uninstallable programs. While all the rest of my software appears to be doing fine, so after all Visual C++ might or might not have a part in it.
Now I could as well roll up my sleeves, erase the hard disk and install everything from scratch (OS included, a real pain in the neck) with a decent probability of success, but this issue is becoming a matter of principle: I want to understand what the hell is going on and why.
Any hints, Andy?

Tak for hjælp...

Andy · 29th January 2016, 06:27 AM

Sometimes very frustrating these computer things. I'm not clear if it's the AC3D installer dying or the AC3D app itself?

Try starting AC3D from the command line (a CMD prompt window).

Start it with "ac3d -debug".

If it hangs before you get any output from the program then it's likely to be a library problem.

The current AC3D runs on a large variety of Windows versions but it's not been tested on very old systems e.g. Windows NT, where previous/much-older versions of AC3D were runable. XP should be fine though.

coldby · 29th January 2016, 10:16 AM

Hi Andy, thanks for your prompt reply!

In the meantime two things have happened: I've tampered a little with the registry in order to download the system updates even post mortem (more upon request, it's perfectly legal), and a few minutes ago I turned off the antivirus (Webroot) and tried to reinstall AC3D once more.

This time everything worked fine, AC3D installed itself without batting a eye.

Now I don't feel much wiser than before though: was it the updates or was it the antivirus? As soon as I find another free half-an-hour I shall uninstall AC3D and try to re-install it while the AV is working: if I succeed, then the determinant factor were the updates (the devil will know exactly which one); else I'll be in dire need for a smarter AV that asks me before panicking and jamming the system at the first suspicion that something is attempting to alter illegally the registry.
Then once I'm reasonably sure I'll report to you here again: sooner or later someone is likely to bump his head against a similar problem, and a ready solution might come in handy

coldby · 30th January 2016, 01:04 PM

Here I am again: it was definitely the antivirus.
It remains a mystery to me why of all the software only AC3D could upset it to the point of seizing the whole system, but I won't lose my sleep on it.
I'll try and get in touch with Webroot about the problem, and in case I succeed getting to a thinking human being (fat chance, I know...) I'll pass cowardly the ball to him or her.
Meanwhile for cases like this I'd recommend to unplug the internet, gag the antivirus and try again - if it won't work, it won't hurt either.

29th January 2016, 02:34 AM	#1
coldby Senior Member Professional user Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 102	AC3D fails to install Well, there's a first time for everything: after over 10 years I seem now to be unable to re-install AC3D after a major system crash and the consequent restore from an old disk image. My system is a vintage XP-32, obsolete but still the most acceptable Microsoft put on the market in the last 15 years. The image I used contained just the bare bones - system, drivers and a few patches. My first suspicion was (and still is) the possible lack of a redistributable Visual C++, so I downloaded vcredist_X86.exe and run it. But to no avail: each time the installation runs regularly and then, as it comes to launching AC3D, a black DOS window pops up and everything freezes - no keyboard, no mouse, plenty of profanity, pull the plug and restart all over again. What bothers me most is that the ballet above took place three times so far, each time with a different vcredist_x86 - the length of the downloaded files varying between 2.7 and 12 MB. Funny, isn't it? Different versions? Doctored versions? Can really my expensive antivirus be such a moron? I'll be damned if I know. All I know is that each time the installation seizes up exactly at the same point and exactly in the same way, and after rebooting AC3D does NOT appear in the list of uninstallable programs. While all the rest of my software appears to be doing fine, so after all Visual C++ might or might not have a part in it. Now I could as well roll up my sleeves, erase the hard disk and install everything from scratch (OS included, a real pain in the neck) with a decent probability of success, but this issue is becoming a matter of principle: I want to understand what the hell is going on and why. Any hints, Andy? Tak for hjælp... Last edited by coldby; 29th January 2016 at 02:49 AM.

29th January 2016, 06:27 AM	#2
Andy Administrator Professional user Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 4,565	Re: AC3D fails to install Sometimes very frustrating these computer things. I'm not clear if it's the AC3D installer dying or the AC3D app itself? Try starting AC3D from the command line (a CMD prompt window). Start it with "ac3d -debug". If it hangs before you get any output from the program then it's likely to be a library problem. The current AC3D runs on a large variety of Windows versions but it's not been tested on very old systems e.g. Windows NT, where previous/much-older versions of AC3D were runable. XP should be fine though.

29th January 2016, 10:16 AM	#3
coldby Senior Member Professional user Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 102	Re: AC3D fails to install Hi Andy, thanks for your prompt reply! In the meantime two things have happened: I've tampered a little with the registry in order to download the system updates even post mortem (more upon request, it's perfectly legal), and a few minutes ago I turned off the antivirus (Webroot) and tried to reinstall AC3D once more. This time everything worked fine, AC3D installed itself without batting a eye. Now I don't feel much wiser than before though: was it the updates or was it the antivirus? As soon as I find another free half-an-hour I shall uninstall AC3D and try to re-install it while the AV is working: if I succeed, then the determinant factor were the updates (the devil will know exactly which one); else I'll be in dire need for a smarter AV that asks me before panicking and jamming the system at the first suspicion that something is attempting to alter illegally the registry. Then once I'm reasonably sure I'll report to you here again: sooner or later someone is likely to bump his head against a similar problem, and a ready solution might come in handy

30th January 2016, 01:04 PM	#4
coldby Senior Member Professional user Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 102	Re: AC3D fails to install Here I am again: it was definitely the antivirus. It remains a mystery to me why of all the software only AC3D could upset it to the point of seizing the whole system, but I won't lose my sleep on it. I'll try and get in touch with Webroot about the problem, and in case I succeed getting to a thinking human being (fat chance, I know...) I'll pass cowardly the ball to him or her. Meanwhile for cases like this I'd recommend to unplug the internet, gag the antivirus and try again - if it won't work, it won't hurt either.