Blender crashes when attempting to access User Preferences. The Windows is created and drawn, but all Blender related windows turn bright and Windows (7 pro, 64bit) produces the "program crash" dialogue shortly after (roughly one second after opening User Preferences, though it is wholly useless). No interaction is possible after this point.
Blender seems usable otherwise.
This does NOT happen using Ubuntu 10.04 on the same computer. Tested with various versions of Blender in both Windows and Linux (including current SVN build for Linux and the latest build from GraphicAll for Windows, as well as latest beta release).
This does NOT happen on any other computer I've tested (other hardware, same OS setup).
The computer is an Asus R1E, which uses Intel 965 graphics (X3100, if I recall correctly). I think I'm using the drivers from Windows update, but I'm not sure.
Description
Event Timeline
Hi Victor,
Thanks for the report. We've had a couple of similar reports already. All related to using on-board Intel graphics in Windows. Same system then works OK for linux.
We are still waiting for a windows developer with a similar system to check on it... but we suspect something in the intel drivers... this card has a bad reputation for opengl.
(moving to opengl tracker)
nazg-gul seems to fix the problems with Intel cards on Windows. Thanks!
May you check the new build for errors on your system? And report any problems. Thanks.
http://builder.blender.org/download/blender-2.56-r36070-win32.zip
Fix confirmed with r36070; Blender no longer crashes when opening User Preferences as a second window.
The buffer swapping issue described here: http://code.blender.org/index.php/2011/03/intel-graphics-card-testing-needed/ is still causing issues; if set to "automatic", the "Move To Layer" menu flashes, if set to "overlap", it works fine. If this is universal for all Intel cards, then changing the Intel default for "automatic" should take care of it.
Other than that, I'm getting an "Error initializing quicktime", which doesn't show up on the older 64bit build. I suppose this could be due to running a 32bit build on a 64bit system, but I don't have a newer 64bit build, so I can't verify this.
I accept that you cannot address every bug in every version of every display driver.
I even accept that this issue is caused by a bug in the display driver.
What I wonder is:
* what does User Preferences do that no other aspect of Blender does that causes this driver bug to crash the app?
* is there any manual way to edit the User Preferences without using the GUI?
-Jesse
PS: I have the latest drivers (2009) from Acer (manufacturer) and Intel (chipset) and the issue persists.
(: Yes, this is an old laptop: Acer Inspire 5732Z running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit :)
WORKAROUND:
Click the "Editor Type" button of your 3D View area, then select "User Preferences".
PS: What does "File / User Preferences" do that "Editor Type / User Preferences" does not so?
-Jesse