[Fourlanders] WL 11.11 & 11.14

[Ron Rogers]

Johnny,

This is valuable info and I want to Thank You for helping sleuth through
this in a parallel effort. 

 

I too, just completed my next phase of testing-debugging.  To set the
environment, this is my Win XP, SP3 machine using external USB sound card
that I had previously worked just fine with a fresh install of WL 11.11.

  

My testing today was to see if I could remedy the WL failure to record CQ
messages.  

 

I let Windows un-install WL 11.11.  Then I powered down the PC and
re-booted. I requested an update from MicroSoft since this was the box I had
attempted to take back to an earlier version of Windows that worked fine
with WL 11.11. MS did the XP updates again..all 21 of them.

 

I again powered down the PC and re-booted. Then I again did a full install
of WL 11.11 

 

Fired up WL and began testing the recording of CQ messages...SAME RESULTS !!
Muted mic...and I cannot un-mute it

 

So, the quick conclusion is something in the most recent MS updates is
definitely incompatible with WL 11.11 !

 

Now, based on your findings Johnny, I can just see 10 sets of eye brows
raised from those of us who all set around the tables in Sept. and agreed to
move to WL 11.11 for the Jan contest, only to find out in the last few days
that 11.11 MAY have a known failure mode when married with some recent MS
update.. 

 

I haven't checked for release notes of WL 11.14 and suppose that is the next
step in the investigation to see if this specific problem was recognized and
fixed with 11.14 

 

In the meantime I would recommend to anyone that before you test your system
to see if you can still record messages, copy off your known good previously
recorded .wav files from a previous contest to a thumb drive so they can be
copied back into WL 11.11 if need be to get us through this contest. 

 

My next experiment tomorrow is to once again take my PC back to a set point
where I know XP and WL 11.11 worked fine and shut off updates again. Then
attempt another fresh load of WL 11.11  to see if I can get it back to
working. 

 

Most all of the XP and Windows 7 updates these days are focused on security
issues and closing "back doors" to hackers. If you'll remember, there's been
LOTS of discussions on TV about the security vulnerabilities of controlling
personal web cams and microphones by hackers. Could it be that MicroSoft has
somehow issued an update addressing web microphones and associated sound
card functionality that has now affected those functions within WL ??   Just
wondering...

 

Ron

WW8RR

  _____  

From: Fourlanders [mailto:fourlanders-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of
John Kludt
Sent: Monday, January 06, 2014 5:07 PM
To: Fourlanders
Subject: [Fourlanders] WL 11.11 & 11.14

 


Ron,

When I got home from the clinic I conducted the following test on my system.
Please recall that when we were looking for WL11.11 I went out and bought
the latest version 11.14B.  So I have two test  environments both running on
the same computer:

1.	Environment 1: WL 11.14B running under Windows 7 Home Premium
2.	Environment 2: WL 11.11C running under under Windows XP SP3

I am using a computer headset into the PC with Windows Soundcard as the
driver.  I did hook an FT-817 up on Comm 2 although there is no connection
between the computer audio out and the rig as I have no interface.  At least
WL sees and keys a rig.  I also set up two operators K4SQC and W4ZST.

Results:

1.	Environment 1:  I was able to record and play messages for each
operator.  WL finds the correct .wav files for each operator.  I did the
upgrades and things still worked fine.
2.	Environment 2: Everything worked fine - did the upgrades. Same
result as you all got.  Searching the directory, no new files.  I seemed to
remember from June and, indeed, when I checked "Line In" had magically
become muted.  I unmuted "Line In" and everything seems to work fine.  I
don't know why, but that is what I found and it was just like the last
couple of contests I worked with you.  

BTW, when I bought 11.14B I got a real CD distribution disk.  If anyone
would like to give it a shot, it is available.

Johnny

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