Handbrake crashes on startup

[sum_guy]

I'm running Windows 7 32 bit, I get the following error when opening Handbrake:

An Unknown Error has occured.
System.Runtime.InteropServices.ExternalException (0x80004005): A generic error occurred in GDI+.
at System.Drawing.Image.Save(Stream stream, ImageCodecInfo encoder, EncoderParameters encoderParams)
at System.Drawing.Image.Save(Stream stream, ImageFormat format)
at Growl.CoreLibrary.ImageConverter.ImageToBytes(Imag e image)
at Growl.CoreLibrary.Resource.op_Implicit(Image image)
at HandBrake.ApplicationServices.Functions.GrowlCommu nicator.Initialize()
at HandBrake.ApplicationServices.Functions.GrowlCommu nicator.Register()
at HandBrake.ApplicationServices.Services.Encode..cto r()
at HandBrake.ApplicationServices.Services.QueueProces sor..ctor(Int32 instanceId)
at Handbrake.frmMain..ctor(String[] args)
at Handbrake.Program.Main(String[] args)

Any ideas?

[transporterfan]

Have you tried reinstalling? I'm no expert programmer but there looks like some corruption in there.
'at Growl.CoreLibrary.ImageConverter.ImageToBytes(Imag e image)'
There should not be a space between the 'Imag' and 'e' ( I think!! Don't hold me to it)
What the routine does is to convert an image to a byte format to pass as a string.

However, the usual fault for that stack trace is a folder permissions error (ie, access is forbidden for write to a folder)
Try enabling the folder for all users or run Handbrake as administrator.

It's the best I can suggest.

[sum_guy]

Thanks for your input, I was looking at the Imag e image line as well but have no way to fix that, I've done a uninstall, reinstall, but I didn't reboot, I'm going to fool around with it some more, it used to work perfect so something is broken, I may try an earlier version as well.

[mike20021969]

What version of HandBrake are you using?

Read this...
https://forum.handbrake.fr/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=18388

...then try the latest nightly build:
https://build.handbrake.fr/view/Nightlies/job/Windows/

If that doesn't help, see here:
https://trac.handbrake.fr/wiki/SupportFAQ#FailedLoad

[jman98]

This is a rather infamous .NET error. It's infamous because it happens a lot (it's not Handbrake specific) and it provides no useful information that an average person could use to find and fix the real problem.

One website suggested that using a non-existent save directory can cause this. I understand that you say that this happens when you start Handbrake. If there is any way to check the settings of Handbrake before it crashes, do that and look for errors like typos in paths for where to save encoded files. If you can't do that, then I'd suggest installing an older version as you propose.

The "Imag e" thing is a just a typo. Whoever wrote the .NET code to generate the output from the error botched what they typed.

[jman98]

As I have pointed out, this is definitely .NET related, so follow mike20021969's link and do what it says about .NET 4.0 and see if that fixes it. I have to be honest with you that I'm skeptical about my save directory advice, but I offered it as a better than nothing suggestion. You can look into that if mike20021969's suggestion doesn't help.

[transporterfan]

If it worked flawlessly before, as jman98 said:
'One website suggested that using a non-existent save directory can cause this.'
Perhaps you have deleted the previous 'save to' location folder?

[sum_guy]

Uninstalled Handbrake,
ran the DotNet 4.0 installer and did "Repair"
deleted
c:\users\username\AppData\Roaming\Handbrake
c:\users\username\AppData\Local\Handbrake
ran the windows disk cleanup tool and cleaned temp files
rebooted
downloaded Handbrake 0.9.8

same error...

[mike20021969]

downloaded Handbrake 0.9.8

same error...

Did you give the latest nightly a try?

If all else fails, then ask on HandBrake forums:
https://forum.handbrake.fr/viewforum.php?f=11

[transporterfan]

downloaded Handbrake 0.9.8

same error...

Did you give the latest nightly a try?

If all else fails, then ask on HandBrake forums:
https://forum.handbrake.fr/viewforum.php?f=11

That's the best suggestion.

The only other thing I can suggest is a corrupt registry key, a pointer to a folder/file which no longer exists or is pointing to the wrong location. Had the problem once when I installed AviSynth to the wrong location; had to reinstall.
That fixed it, but it may be you will have to hack the registry to be sure.

[sum_guy]

I'm certain it's a dotnet issue, I discovered FreeMake video converter doesn't work either and it too requires DotNet 4.0, my experience with DotNet at home and at work has been less than perfect seems like it's pretty flaky and prone to breakage. I will post any solution that works, in the meantime thank you all for your input.

[johns0]

Try doing a system restore before the error occurs.Sometimes registry keys get corrupted and system restores help.

[sum_guy]

I don't know what happened but now it all started working correctly again. It had to be a dotnet problem because other applications that depend on it weren't working as well. Now they all work again.