Helicon Filter won't work on my computer!

[cyberdiva]

Having read some enthusiastic remarks about Helicon Filter on DC, and knowing that BitsduJour is about to offer a 50% off deal tomorrow (Monday, April 12), I downloaded both the last free version and the beta of version 5 (that will be offered on BdJ tomorrow) to try them out.  To my dismay, I can't get either of them to work on my computer.  I first tried the free version, but after the splash screen appeared, nothing else happened.  I couldn't get the program itself to show itself or do anything except close.  I uninstalled it and installed the version 5 beta.  That one is just as bad.  It apparently has a transparent splash screen that WILL NOT DISAPPEAR from the screen.  I think the only way I will be able to get rid of it is either to kill the process in task manager or just delete the entire program.  I can't imagine why this is happening.  I just took a screen shot of what it looks like as I'm typing this message.  

I should add that my computer runs WindowsXP Pro with SP3.

Has this happened to anyone else?  Any idea what's going on?  I can't recall ever having such a problem before.

Thanks in advance for any help.  Added note: I went to kill the process with Task Manager and saw to my surprise that there were TWO Helicon Filter.exe files actively running.  I can't imagine why.  I killed them both, and that got rid of the transparent splash screen that was blocking my view of everything else.  Still, I'm not sure how to proceed.  Uninstall and reinstall?  Scream at my computer?

[tomos]

I didnt have any problems with the last free version myself (XP Home SP2)
maybe you should report this to Helicon Filter ?

If they acting up that much I certainly wouldnt reinstall (if I were to uninstall)
Do you use system restore or an imaging programme? you could try going back pre the install
If uninstalling, I would use Revo-uninstaller (there's a portable version - free) it should clean up any mess fairly well

[cyberdiva]

Thanks, tomos, for your quick response.  Yes, perhaps I will report it.  I wish I understood what caused it to happen.  I doubt that most people have such an experience with the software.  On the other hand, I haven't had such an experience before, so....

I was thinking of uninstalling with Revo, but since I happen to have set a restore point earlier today, perhaps I'll use that instead, just in case something I did between then and now has contributed to this problem.  However, I honestly can't imagine what.

Oh well...  Thanks again.  Perhaps I'll wait a little while to see whether anyone else responds before using the restore point.

Again, many thanks.

[johnryden]

Both the free version of 4.9 and the trail of Version 5 are working fine on my setup with Windows XP Professional SP3.  I have been using 4.9 for the last few months and acheived some remarkable results on some very old scanned photos.  Downloaded 5 Beta a couple of weeks ago to try it out and it works fine, although I am more used to Version 4 so taking a little bit of getting used to 5.  Planning to buy Version 5 tomorrow on BdJ offer.

I suspect it is something else on your computer clashing with Helicon.  Try reporting it to their support and see what they say. 

Regards

John

[cyberdiva]

Thanks, John, for your encouraging response.  I've now joined the forum and sent a message, but apparently it has to be approved by someone, and so far it hasn't appeared.  Since the BitsduJour offer is tomorrow, I hope I'll hear back soon.  I'm eager to know whether the program will work on my computer and is worth buying.  Of course, I can always reinstall the free version if I can figure out why I'm having problems. 

Right now, I think I'll use a restore point from earlier today to purge my computer of any remnants of both programs.

[skwire]

cyberdiva, for what it's worth, I had the same problem when I tried v4.93.

[cyberdiva]

Skwire, this is VERY interesting!  Did you ever figure out why this happened?  What did you decide to do--just get rid of the program?  Or did you finally get it to work?

[Dormouse]

Looks as if something is interfering between the flash screen showing and the full program loading. Not had that problem (currently on Vista laptop) so can't comment.

wrt tomorrow's offer, I'm struggling to see good immediate reasons for upgrading from the (now) free version apart from the soon to disappear (for a period anyway) discount. Comments indicate that a number of features haven't yet made it into 5 (they're promised before it leaves beta). The big gain, feature-wise, is supposed to be a mask so that changes can be made to selected parts of the image - but I haven't found it anywhere yet and the help files don't exist in v5 yet. Superficially at least, v5 looks remarkably similar to v4. Other feature upgrades are supposed to be coming soon now that the initial v5 is virtually complete.

Apparently it has required a major rewrite with structural changes to overcome limitations in the architecture of v4, which is why it has been over 2 years in development. I notice that there's a question at BdJ about why have an offer now when the old version is free and the new version is still in beta. I can't imagine it was really planned like that and suspect that they thought they'd have 5 launched before the BdJ date came up.

Have to congratulate them on making 4.93(2) and PhotoSafe free though.

[Dormouse]

Added note: I went to kill the process with Task Manager and saw to my surprise that there were TWO Helicon Filter.exe files actively running.  I can't imagine why. 

Doesn't happen when it loads here.

[cyberdiva]

Thanks very much, Dormouse, for your interesting responses.  I'm really glad you commented on the two active HeliconFilter.exe files.  That seemed to me highly suspect.  I don't know whether I had a corrupt download of the beta5, or whether Windows didn't actually succeed in uninstalling 4.93, though it said it had, and somehow both files were running.  No, that sounds too bizarre.  I've now used a restore point from earlier today to purge all aspects of both versions from my computer.  The question is, what to do next.  Since skwire had similar problems with 4.93, I'm no longer so sure that the problem is peculiar to my computer.  I guess I should just be patient and wait to see if my message ever gets posted on the Helicon forum, and if it does, whether it gets a reasonable response.  Your first message helped me realize that it's not the end of the world if I don't get to take advantage of the 50% off offer tomorrow.

Again, thanks very much.

[skwire]

Skwire, this is VERY interesting!  Did you ever figure out why this happened?  What did you decide to do--just get rid of the program?  Or did you finally get it to work?

Nope, never figured it out because I never looked into it.  I just uninstalled it.  *shrug*

[cyberdiva]

Nope, never figured it out because I never looked into it.  I just uninstalled it.  *shrug*

Ah, why can't I be so sensible?

[Lutz_]

Did you try to disable your "security software" (antivirus etc..) during the install process?
No problems here on XP SP3.

[Curt]

@cyberdiva
You say that there were two exe files at the same time. But Helicon only runs one exe at a time, so this proves that the first one didn't close properly before you started the second one; Hence the freeze. Remove them both thoroughly (REVO > "moderate") and try out version 5.0 again.

[tomos]

@ CyberDiva -
maybe I over reacted when saying I wouldnt re-install after uninstalling. But then the fact this has happened to others makes it sound like it will happen again if you reinstall... (although it might be okay if you just install the beta? - Skwire had the problem with the free version too)

I know I recommended Helicon Filter in the Sagelight thread, but I'm unsure whether to go for the BDJ offer myself. It sounds like Sagelight has much more active development, I've joined the forum there and am going to make a few requests & hope for the best. If it was the ease of use that tempted you (with HF) I suspect you'd get used to Sagelight relatively quickly. At this stage (for me) I think the only big advantage of HF is that you can browse a folder within the app itself.

btw, the BDJ offer is for a lifetime license (so it's still tempting aaaaghh!):

Danylo Kozub (Helicon Soft Ltd. Developer) Says:

Helicon Filter is sold only with life time license, so this is mistake in BdJ which will be corrected.

[Dormouse]

I guess I should just be patient and wait to see if my message ever gets posted on the Helicon forum, and if it does, whether it gets a reasonable response.

Seems to have got an excellent response. And they'll hold the BdJ price for you until the problem is sorted. And they want you to try Focus out too.

[Darwin]

btw, the BDJ offer is for a lifetime license (so it's still tempting aaaaghh!):

You're an evil little man, Tom! I'd managed to walk away from the BDJ offer and you've got me scurrying back over to review it (yet) again 

[cyberdiva]

Did you try to disable your "security software" (antivirus etc..) during the install process?
No problems here on XP SP3.

Thanks, Lutz, for your response.  No, I didn't disable my security software (AV, firewall, anti-malware, and WinPatrol Plus).  I have rarely had to do this, and IIRC never before with any graphics program.  But it's something I'll keep in mind. 

[cyberdiva]

You say that there were two exe files at the same time. But Helicon only runs one exe at a time, so this proves that the first one didn't close properly before you started the second one; Hence the freeze. Remove them both thoroughly (REVO > "moderate") and try out version 5.0 again.

Yes, I had the same thought.  So I used a restore point from before I had installed either program and then tried again to install the beta 5 version.  Same problem as before.  I didn't look to see whether there were again two copies running, though I probably should have, though if there were, it wouldn't have been from the free version's not having been successfully removed.  I was so disappointed and annoyed that all I wanted to do was get rid of HF.  This time, I used Revo with its Moderate setting.  Even after Revo had zapped it and the Registry entries, the [expletive deleted] splash screen was still there!  I had to reboot to get rid of it.

[cyberdiva]

@ CyberDiva -
maybe I over reacted when saying I wouldnt re-install after uninstalling. But then the fact this has happened to others makes it sound like it will happen again if you reinstall... (although it might be okay if you just install the beta? - Skwire had the problem with the free version too)

Alas, it happened again even though this time I tried to install just version 5.

btw, the BDJ offer is for a lifetime license (so it's still tempting aaaaghh!):

Yes, sigh, I too saw the message on BdJ.  It's the lifetime license that really makes the offer hard to resist.  But my frustrating attempts are strengthening my resistance.  

[cyberdiva]

Seems to have got an excellent response. And they'll hold the BdJ price for you until the problem is sorted. And they want you to try Focus out too.

Thanks, Dormouse, for letting me know.  I kept checking before I went to bed last night, but the message hadn't been posted.  By then, I had pretty much decided not to invest more time in Helicon.  I'll have to think a bit before responding to them....right now, I've gotta run.

[tomos]

btw, the BDJ offer is for a lifetime license (so it's still tempting aaaaghh!):

You're an evil little man, Tom! I'd managed to walk away from the BDJ offer and you've got me scurrying back over to review it (yet) again 

You calling me 'little' ??  
lol