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Rainmeter failing to start on boot

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xilyflob
Posts: 11
Joined: May 10th, 2014, 4:31 pm

Rainmeter failing to start on boot

Post by xilyflob »

Hi there,

I'm having a problem with Rainmeter not starting during boot, despite it being set to do so. Windows event viewer tells me the following:

Code: Select all

Faulting application name: Rainmeter.exe, version: 4.3.1.3321, time stamp: 0x5d875ab1
Faulting module name: KERNELBASE.dll, version: 10.0.18362.628, time stamp: 0xf96f12ee
Exception code: 0xe0434352
Fault offset: 0x000000000003a839
Faulting process id: 0x28b0
Faulting application start time: 0x01d5def6a4dd6f73
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\Rainmeter\Rainmeter.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\System32\KERNELBASE.dll
Report Id: c238e119-713d-4548-88ec-1368c190c279
Faulting package full name: 
Faulting package-relative application ID: 
Long story short, I seem to have narrowed down the issue to this dock skin. This issue also does not occur if I start the application once I have reached the desktop or if the system is restarted, it only happens on a cold boot. The creator says that they have not seen this issue before and that I should try here next, thus here I am. Also worth noting that I have done the usual sfc /scannow checks and they say that there is nothing wrong with Windows (win 10 btw). Trying regsvr32 for the file does return an error, but I can't find any results online what I'm supposed to do when I have that happen. Does anyone have any ideas or experience with this?

Let me know if there are any other logs or info that would help.

EDIT: Some stuff I figured I should list out:

Windows 10 v1909 Build 18363.628
Rainmeter v4.3.1.3321 (64 bit)

Skins:
Just a Bin
Interactive Dock for Rainmeter The problem child
Mond Only using the date/clock, deleted everything else
Stylish Music Player
Translucent Taskbar I actaully noticed today that this one seems to take effect once reaching the desktop, but again Rainmeter isn't running and no other skins are up.

Longer troubleshooting story in the spoiler:
So I was playing with trying to get Rainmeter to start faster/earlier since I was having problems with it taking a good 20-40 seconds to load after reaching the desktop. After doing the usual of clearing out installed skins with only minor improvements I got into the Windows side of it.

There was a couple of things I tried, one of which did kinda work, but really it make everything boot faster, so a little moot. Anyway one of the things I tried was getting a Windows service to start Rainmeter. This did not work, though I'm not sure if it had to do with me not knowing what I was doing with the method I was using or if Rainmeter was just not gonna have it.

After doing my best to undo that mess I started to encounter this KERNALBASE error. Assuming it was me that had done the bad touch to Windows I did a refresh (through the settings menus, not sure if that counts as a clean install) in an attempt to correct the issue. After getting everything reinstalled I had the issue happen again. It was then that I did the sfc and regsvr32 CMD commands and got the results I mentioned above. Then I went through unloading skins one by one and doing full shutdowns after each one till i got it to work after disabling the skin I linked above. Skin creator told me they've never seen the error before and here I am.
Thanks in advance for the help.
Last edited by xilyflob on February 9th, 2020, 7:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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balala
Rainmeter Sage
Posts: 16110
Joined: October 11th, 2010, 6:27 pm
Location: Gheorgheni, Romania

Re: Rainmeter failing to start on boot

Post by balala »

xilyflob wrote: February 9th, 2020, 5:15 am I'm having a problem with Rainmeter not starting during boot, despite it being set to do so.
And can you start it manually anytime later?
xilyflob
Posts: 11
Joined: May 10th, 2014, 4:31 pm

Re: Rainmeter failing to start on boot

Post by xilyflob »

Yes, anytime after getting to the desktop it will start, it will also start like it should at "boot" after a restart (as opposed to a shutdown).
User avatar
balala
Rainmeter Sage
Posts: 16110
Joined: October 11th, 2010, 6:27 pm
Location: Gheorgheni, Romania

Re: Rainmeter failing to start on boot

Post by balala »

xilyflob wrote: February 9th, 2020, 4:57 pm Yes, anytime after getting to the desktop it will start, it will also start like it should at "boot" after a restart (as opposed to a shutdown).
Well, in this case not too much idea what might be there. Please check if the C:\Windows\System32\KERNELBASE.dll file does exist (however I doubt it doesn't).
Maybe someone else has a good idea?
xilyflob
Posts: 11
Joined: May 10th, 2014, 4:31 pm

Re: Rainmeter failing to start on boot

Post by xilyflob »

Yea, its there. One thing I haven't tried is removing it on purpose and then getting the sfc command to replace it, though considering this problem has survived a windows reinstall I'm not sure it would help.

I'm gonna add some info to the OP that I forgot to include yesterday as well.
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balala
Rainmeter Sage
Posts: 16110
Joined: October 11th, 2010, 6:27 pm
Location: Gheorgheni, Romania

Re: Rainmeter failing to start on boot

Post by balala »

xilyflob wrote: February 9th, 2020, 5:47 pm Yea, its there. One thing I haven't tried is removing it on purpose and then getting the sfc command to replace it, though considering this problem has survived a windows reinstall I'm not sure it would help.
Not sure it's possible to remove it. But try it out.
xilyflob wrote: February 9th, 2020, 5:47 pm I'm gonna add some info to the OP that I forgot to include yesterday as well.
I doubt it would help.
xilyflob
Posts: 11
Joined: May 10th, 2014, 4:31 pm

Re: Rainmeter failing to start on boot

Post by xilyflob »

Ok, I wasn't successful in this due to not having a copy of kernelbase.dll that is the same version/know works, and since windows uses this dll all the time, even after getting full permission access to it, robocopy did not allow me to move it to then be scanned and replaced.
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Brian
Developer
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Joined: November 24th, 2011, 1:42 am
Location: Utah

Re: Rainmeter failing to start on boot

Post by Brian »

Kernbase.dll is not the problem, the exception code is: 0xe0434352
"Faulting module" just basically means "this module is telling YOU there is a fault". It's the messenger, not the problem. Windows could be better at errors.

So basically it is telling us there is an "exception" being thrown somewhere and we didn't account for it. Since Rainmeter doesn't really use exceptions, the problem is most likely a 3rd party plugin.

The problem skin you posted contains a 3rd party plugin called "Drag&Drop". Glancing through it's source code, there is a section that does throw some exceptions. This is mostly likely the culprit.
https://github.com/TheAzack9/Drag-Drop/blob/master/Drag%26Drop/Drag%26Drop/ISimpleDropTarget.cpp#L16-L46

I suspect in your efforts to start Rainmeter earlier during the startup process (in your long description), the plugin is being loaded too early and is either looking for something that is not currently loaded by Windows, or some sort of timeout is happening due to Windows doing its normal boot/loading operations.
Space
Space
Space
Space
You could try to open the problem skin, comment out any drag and drop plugin measures, reboot and see if the error message still comes up. The drag and drop plugin should really address these exceptions.

It's possible that other 3rd party plugins that are being used could also being throwing exceptions that causing this problem.

-Brian
xilyflob
Posts: 11
Joined: May 10th, 2014, 4:31 pm

Re: Rainmeter failing to start on boot

Post by xilyflob »

Brian wrote: February 10th, 2020, 6:25 am Kernbase.dll is not the problem, the exception code is: 0xe0434352
"Faulting module" just basically means "this module is telling YOU there is a fault". It's the messenger, not the problem. Windows could be better at errors.
Wow, thanks Windows, so easy to understand.

So I tried commenting out the relevant areas in that skin (across all of its files) and had the same issue. Thanks to your info though I got the idea to disable/remove the plugins themselves. By process of elimination, the Spotify Plugin was the culprit. I have no idea why disabling the dock skin allowed it to work, since at face value it has nothing to do with that plugin. Even after commentating all the lines in the dock and reintroducing the other two plugins, it seems to work.

Good thing I don't need Spotify :D

Thanks so much for everyone's time and help.