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    Alienware Command Center Errors

    Discussion in 'Alienware M11x' started by UtterEast, Aug 6, 2011.

  1. UtterEast

    UtterEast Newbie

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    Hey guys, I bought a new M11x early in July only to have the HDD die last week. Dell sent me a new one and I had to reinstall windows etc., huge pain. Now I'm getting errors from the Command Center program whenever I run it, which is every time the computer starts up of course.

    I've tried to uninstall and reinstall, install an old version, etc. but I still get these errors and the program itself doesn't seem to be interfacing with the hardware at all (can't change any lights, luckily the hardware remembers my old config somehow).

    The error I'm getting is:

    "Microsoft .NET Framework: Unhandled exception has occurred in your application. If you click Continue the application will ignore this error and attempt to continue. If you click Quit, the application will close immediately.

    Object reference not set to an instance of an object."
    ​
    The details change depending on what I'm doing exactly, but this is the one for as I'm trying to uninstall the thing:

    "See the end of this message for details on invoking
    just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

    ************** Exception Text **************
    System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
    at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.closingApplication()
    at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.ControllerMainForm_FormClosing(Object sender, FormClosingEventArgs e)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnFormClosing(FormClosingEventArgs e)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmClose(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
    at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.WndProc(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)


    ************** Loaded Assemblies **************
    mscorlib
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4961 (win7RTMGDR.050727-4900)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienwareAlienFXController
    Assembly Version: 1.0.84.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.84.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files/Alienware/Command%20Center/AlienwareAlienFXController.exe
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienwareAlienFXTools
    Assembly Version: 1.0.84.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.84.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienwareAlienFXTools/1.0.84.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienwareAlienFXTools.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    Alienlabs.CommandCenter.Tools
    Assembly Version: 1.0.81.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.81.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Alienlabs.CommandCenter.Tools/1.0.81.0__bebb3c8816410241/Alienlabs.CommandCenter.Tools.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System.Windows.Forms
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4961 (win7RTMGDR.050727-4900)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4957 (win7RTMGDR.050727-4900)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System.Drawing
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienLabsTools
    Assembly Version: 1.0.81.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.81.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienLabsTools/1.0.81.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienLabsTools.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System.Configuration
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System.Xml
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    WindowsBase
    Assembly Version: 3.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 3.0.6920.5001 built by: Win7RTMGDR
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/WindowsBase/3.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35/WindowsBase.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    PresentationFramework
    Assembly Version: 3.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 3.0.6920.5001 built by: Win7RTMGDR
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/PresentationFramework/3.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35/PresentationFramework.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    PresentationCore
    Assembly Version: 3.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 3.0.6920.5001 built by: Win7RTMGDR
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_32/PresentationCore/3.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35/PresentationCore.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System.Management
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.4927 (NetFXspW7.050727-4900)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Management/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Management.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienFX.DeviceDiscovery
    Assembly Version: 1.0.84.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.84.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienFX.DeviceDiscovery/1.0.84.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienFX.DeviceDiscovery.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication.Core
    Assembly Version: 1.0.84.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.84.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication.Core/1.0.84.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication.Core.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienFX.Communication
    Assembly Version: 1.0.84.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.84.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienFX.Communication/1.0.84.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienFX.Communication.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication
    Assembly Version: 1.0.84.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.84.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication/1.0.84.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System.Core
    Assembly Version: 3.5.0.0
    Win32 Version: 3.5.30729.4926 built by: NetFXw7
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Core/3.5.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Core.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    LightFX
    Assembly Version: 1.0.84.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.84.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/LightFX/1.0.84.0__bebb3c8816410241/LightFX.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    PresentationFramework.Aero
    Assembly Version: 3.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 3.0.6920.4902 built by: NetFXw7
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/PresentationFramework.Aero/3.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35/PresentationFramework.Aero.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    PresentationCFFRasterizer
    Assembly Version: 3.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 3.0.6920.4902 built by: NetFXw7
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/PresentationCFFRasterizer/3.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35/PresentationCFFRasterizer.dll
    ----------------------------------------

    ************** JIT Debugging **************
    To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
    application or computer (machine.config) must have the
    jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
    The application must also be compiled with debugging
    enabled.

    For example:

    <configuration>
    <system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
    </configuration>

    When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
    will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
    rather than be handled by this dialog box."


    ​


    Does anyone know what's going on here? Is the problem with the Microsoft .NET Framework? Can I reinstall that?

    I didn't follow the driver install order very strictly (didn't see it until I was halfway through just installing things from the setup disc) so could that be a problem? I don't seem to be getting errors from anything other than the command center.

    Thanks for your help.
     
    UtterEast, Aug 6, 2011
    #1
  2. abcxyz91

    abcxyz91 Notebook Consultant

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    Did you have the lastest .Net framwork as well as MS Visual C++?
     
    abcxyz91, Aug 6, 2011
    #2
  3. AlienTroll

    AlienTroll Notebook Evangelist

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    Happened the me to. Just unistall and re-install.
     
    AlienTroll, Aug 7, 2011
    #3
  4. dredd1893

    dredd1893 Notebook Consultant

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    My r2 had errors almost exactly like that before, and I'm pretty sure that it's because I installed the CC before I finished installing other drivers, because at my second fresh install, I installed CC last and I didn't get that error.
     
    dredd1893, Aug 8, 2011
    #4
  5. UtterEast

    UtterEast Newbie

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    Yeah, just as an update for anyone else with this problem, I ended up formatting and reinstalling windows (AGAIN) and carefully installing all the drivers as per this list: http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...er-install-order-guide-alienware-systems.html

    Another thing was that I was installing the drivers that Dell was throwing up for my service tag, but several of these were WRONG for my hardware; for instance after all that I didn't have a working ethernet port and the version of the command center I was trying to install was wrong too. So, clean install, pull drivers from the dell support category for m11xR3 specifically, and I did not install the command center until windows update had installed its 87 new updates or whatever (some of which were to microsoft .net framework). I also ran ccleaner before installing the command center and got rid of a bunch of orphan registry entries to microsoft .net.

    So maybe that's all overkill and there was a point inside where I could have safely installed the thing, but everything works nicely now, no errors.
     
    UtterEast, Aug 8, 2011
    #5
  6. ztrange

    ztrange Newbie

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    The right solution is not using the drivers provided by dell with your service tag. Use the ones displayed when searching by model. Also, for the Command Center to work, you need .net framework 4. Another recommendation is to fully update win7 before installing the Command Center, but I don't know if its neccessary. Finally I can mention that each version of the Command Center requirec a certain Synaptics driver version, but also don't know if its neccessary.
     
    ztrange, Oct 2, 2011
    #6
  7. gqken

    gqken Newbie

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    Any one see this before, All I did was reinstall windows 7 and as soon as I load the command center I get this error. I have an m11xR3. Is there a certain driver or hardware that the CC is looking for? Any help would be great.. Thanks


    GQKEN

    See the end of this message for details on invoking
    just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

    ************** Exception Text **************
    System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
    at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.LightsZoneController.SupportChangeBrightness()
    at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.configureTrayIconContextMenu()
    at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.initializeTrayIcon()
    at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.controllerMainFormLoad(Object sender, EventArgs e)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnLoad(EventArgs e)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnCreateControl()
    at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean fIgnoreVisible)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl()
    at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
    at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.WndProc(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
    at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)


    ************** Loaded Assemblies **************
    mscorlib
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5448 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienwareAlienFXController
    Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files/Alienware/Command%20Center/AlienwareAlienFXController.exe
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienwareAlienFXTools
    Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienwareAlienFXTools/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienwareAlienFXTools.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    Alienlabs.CommandCenter.Tools
    Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Alienlabs.CommandCenter.Tools/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/Alienlabs.CommandCenter.Tools.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System.Windows.Forms
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5446 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5447 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System.Drawing
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5420 (Win7SP1.050727-5400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienLabsTools
    Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienLabsTools/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienLabsTools.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System.Configuration
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5420 (Win7SP1.050727-5400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System.Xml
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5420 (Win7SP1.050727-5400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    WindowsBase
    Assembly Version: 3.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 3.0.6920.5011 built by: Win7SP1
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/WindowsBase/3.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35/WindowsBase.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    PresentationFramework
    Assembly Version: 3.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 3.0.6920.5011 built by: Win7SP1
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/PresentationFramework/3.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35/PresentationFramework.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    PresentationCore
    Assembly Version: 3.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 3.0.6920.5011 built by: Win7SP1
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_32/PresentationCore/3.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35/PresentationCore.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System.Management
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5420 (Win7SP1.050727-5400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Management/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Management.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienFX.DeviceDiscovery
    Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienFX.DeviceDiscovery/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienFX.DeviceDiscovery.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication.Core
    Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication.Core/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication.Core.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienFX.Communication
    Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienFX.Communication/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienFX.Communication.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication
    Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    System.Core
    Assembly Version: 3.5.0.0
    Win32 Version: 3.5.30729.5420 built by: Win7SP1
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Core/3.5.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Core.dll
    ----------------------------------------
    LightFX
    Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0
    Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/LightFX/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/LightFX.dll
    ----------------------------------------

    ************** JIT Debugging **************
    To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
    application or computer (machine.config) must have the
    jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
    The application must also be compiled with debugging
    enabled.

    For example:

    <configuration>
    <system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
    </configuration>

    When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
    will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
    rather than be handled by this dialog box.
     
    gqken, Jan 12, 2012
    #7