Invalid Application Unable to launch "media browser”

I get the same error periodically. It started after installing the latest version of MediaBrowser (2.2.4) and after adding a new movie to my library. Also, I'm using the chocolate theme and on the EHS I will get a blank image with a small “x” in the bottom right corner instead of the cover art of the newest movie in the library, though this is totally random. The issue with the “invalid application” error seems to be random as well instead of rendering MediaBrowser useless as it is for the OP.

From what Birkoff said, Sam told him to mark some of these as confirmed and set for Orion. So we are going to have to wait for Orion (2.2.5) to maybe get this fixed.

of course this will be fixed, but as with every problem we first need to find the root cause. We can only do that by troubleshooting under which conditions the problem actually occurs.

If there is a workaround we will properly publish that information until a more permanent fix is available.

Since most users don’t have this problem it’s difficult to reproduce the behaviour some of you are seeing.

Please note that there have already been over 8000 downloads in 6 days and only a handful of people that reported similar issues.

For me just launching media browser is the cause. The real cause should be known if they are scheduled to fix it for Orion (2.2.5). How could they schedule to fix it with out knowing the cause. To me it seams like they know, they're just hush hush about it.

Now you're just making assumptions… This is absolutely not the case. We don’t know what the problem is and the devs don’t even know yet what to fix, let alone keeping it for themselves. Why on earth would they do that?

The only thing I can tell you is to either help troubleshoot the cause or downgrade back to 2.2.3 until the problem is discovered and a temporary workaround is available and a more permanent fix can be made for Orion.

If you decide to downgrade to 2.2.3, make sure you clear the cache and imagecache before launching MB so it can properly rebuild the cache for that version.

Wiping the cache seems to be clearly required looking at those log.

Can you delete/rename C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser and see if the error persists, if it does can you slowly add in stuff to your collection to determine what causes it?

I had this problem yesterday on 2 of my machines after upgrading from 2.2.3.

From looking at the logs it looked to me like some of the backdrop images were courrupted. So I deleted my imagecache and let mediaBrowser rebuild it. This seems to have fixed the issue. (It has not resurfaced as yet. will advice if it comes back)

Seems simlar to this issue Covers not displaying and constantly flickering

Nothing has worked. I just went back to 2.2.2.

I saw this problem, too, after installing 2.2.4 and then adding a new show. I narrowed down my problem to my RAMdisk. All of the sudden it seemed that Mediabrowser couldn’t write to it. Deleting the RAMdisk and recreating the ProgramData folder solved the problem for me. Is anyone else that is seeing this issue using a RAMdisk??

I have the same problem. I have narrowed down the problem to accessing movies on my network share. When i access local movies everything is fine. when i open my network storage and my movies library tries to access the network shares with the movies media browser crashes. If i remove the path of the network share from the mediabrowser configuration everything is back ok again. wiping the cache does not help.

It looks like everyone that’s experiencing this issue has there media stored on a network share.

Could Media Browser be choking on some sort of folder or share permissions?

I've experienced the issue as well, although it does seem pretty sporadic. It does seem to occur when I am connected to network shares (I have local content and also access content from a series of UNC network shares). When the remote host is powered down and I access only local content, I never have an issue. On my other 2.2.4 computer (host) I access only its local content (spread across various local and USB attached drives) and have never experienced the issue.

I enabled logging but it has not happened again yet on the local and network content machine. Appears to be very intermittent. However, I can say with 100% certainty that I never experienced the issue with 2.2.3.

Let me get a few things clear. I have deleted may cache every way possible. I deleted the ProgramData and the Program Files mediabrowser folder’s too many times to count. I've tried with no plugins, I've tried just a few plugins, I tried all plugins, and still mediabrowser is totally unusable. I've tried movies, TV show, and music, everything is totally unusable. I've tried one movie by it’s self, I've tried one TV show episode by it’s self. I've tried with and without local metadata, I've tried it with or with out the folder.(img) and the backdrop.(img). I've tried naming movies & TV shows in every possible folder structure allowed by mediabrowser. Every one of my TV show is in the (SXXEYY numbering, Perhaps the most compatible naming convention with Media Browser). I've tried every theme, although some themes seam to crash faster than others, but they all do crash. O yea one last thing, all my data is local. I don’t think you guys are understanding me, mediabrowser (2.2.3) was buggy, and mediabrowser (2.2.4) is 110% completely unusable. My only option has been to go back to mediabrowser (2.2.2).

I found that I had this problem after updating the Diamond theme.

Installing the latest beta version of Media Browser seems to have fixed the problem.

I was thinking today.

Its likely this crash is happening in the “enhanced home screen”. If you disable it in the configuration wizard, does this issue go away?

I have run EHS with logging and opened my DVD collection, within 3 seconds or so I get the “Invalid Application” error and logs generate the stuff below. This is random as I have been able to use MB on some occassions with no errors.

error log shows:

1:22:31.413 PM 7/6/2010 , Error , Async thread crashed! This must be fixed.  ( Unhandled exception.  Type=System.IO.IOException Msg=The process cannot access the file 'C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\ImageCache\d55b97b4-6a20-b1a6-00f0-4dbed5996863.157x220.jpg' because it is being used by another process. Src=mscorlib [n] StackTrace= [n]    at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32 errorCode,, String maybeFullPath) [n]    at System.IO.File.Delete(String path) [n]    at MediaBrowser.Library.ImageManagement.ImageCache.DeleteImageSet(ImageSet imageSet) [n]    at MediaBrowser.Library.ImageManagement.ImageCache.ClearCache(Guid id) [n]    at MediaBrowser.Library.ImageManagement.LibraryImage.<>c__DisplayClass1.<EnsureLoaded>b__0() [n]    at MediaBrowser.Library.Threading.Async.<>c__DisplayClass4.<Queue>b__3() ) ,  , 31 , Worker thread for Validate Image Thread
1:22:31.580 PM 7/6/2010 , Verbose , Loading image : C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\ImageCache\zafd25952-72f0-fddf-4e6c-5d31dfaec2ae.1280x720.jpg ,  , 1 , Application
1:22:31.722 PM 7/6/2010 , Verbose , Loading image : C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\ImageCache\z74a2452c-c8f5-391e-fd99-19a7faf0efc4.646x900.png ,  , 1 , Application
1:22:31.789 PM 7/6/2010 , Verbose , Loading image : C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\ImageCache\74a2452c-c8f5-391e-fd99-19a7faf0efc4.157x220.png ,  , 1 , Application
1:22:32.017 PM 7/6/2010 , Verbose , Loading image : C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\ImageCache\z14ab2bfd-7b4e-e032-8967-4b1f265b8143.1920x1080.jpg ,  , 1 , Application
1:22:32.320 PM 7/6/2010 , Verbose , Loading image : C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\ImageCache\z3092b369-68b8-3c4c-d5bf-df7b36c6fc48.646x900.png ,  , 1 , Application
1:22:32.397 PM 7/6/2010 , Verbose , Loading image : C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\ImageCache\3092b369-68b8-3c4c-d5bf-df7b36c6fc48.157x220.png ,  , 1 , Application
1:22:32.611 PM 7/6/2010 , Verbose , Loading image : C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\ImageCache\z0a2bbd37-beee-b0b3-ecd5-2289894fe9b2.1920x1080.jpg ,  , 1 , Application
1:22:32.785 PM 7/6/2010 , Verbose , Loading image : C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\ImageCache\za6fd399c-eb8d-fdc6-0003-f959124562e0.1016x1500.jpg ,  , 1 , Application
1:22:32.797 PM 7/6/2010 , Error , Async thread crashed! This must be fixed.  ( Unhandled exception.  Type=System.IO.IOException Msg=The process cannot access the file 'C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\ImageCache\za6fd399c-eb8d-fdc6-0003-f959124562e0.1016x1500.jpg' because it is being used by another process. Src=mscorlib [n] StackTrace= [n]    at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32 errorCode,, String maybeFullPath) [n]    at System.IO.File.Delete(String path) [n]    at MediaBrowser.Library.ImageManagement.ImageCache.DeleteImageSet(ImageSet imageSet) [n]    at MediaBrowser.Library.ImageManagement.ImageCache.ClearCache(Guid id) [n]    at MediaBrowser.Library.ImageManagement.LibraryImage.<>c__DisplayClass1.<EnsureLoaded>b__0() [n]    at MediaBrowser.Library.Threading.Async.<>c__DisplayClass4.<Queue>b__3() ) ,  , 31 , Worker thread for Validate Image Thread
1:22:32.798 PM 7/6/2010 , Verbose , Loading image :  ,  , 1 , Application

Does anyone know what’s happening here and is it possible to fix? “Error , Async thread crashed! This must be fixed.” does not sound too promising:(

Love the app, please keep up the great work I'm sure you will have this glitch sorted in no time.

Stephen

When any of you get this crash, is there a button on the “Invalid Application” message box that says “Details”? If so, please click it and show us what it says. This will be best on W7.

ebr,

Theres no option for details, only a tick box to disable the application and an “ok” button.

This was happening to me after I installed the new Diamond theme. I tried a clean install of MB and made sure that all the items in the plug-in folder were manually deleted. I then reinstalled all the plug-ins and I haven’t had a problem since. It seems like a lot but I also went through my ehome folder and made sure that the plug-in dll’s were delete from there as well. It worked for me, not sure if it will for you guys.

I need an exception stack trace.

If anyone with Visual Studio installed could attach to ehshell when this happens (and exexthost) and show me the output window (with all the exceptions) it would be instrumental in getting this error behind us

I'm assuming your after the event viewer logs.

General:

Exception System.ArgumentException: Empty path name is not legal.

at System.IO.FileStream.Init(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, Int32 rights, Boolean useRights, FileShare share, Int32 bufferSize, FileOptions options, SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES secAttrs, String msgPath, Boolean bFromProxy)
   at System.IO.FileStream..ctor(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, FileShare share, Int32 bufferSize, FileOptions options, String msgPath, Boolean bFromProxy)
   at System.IO.FileStream..ctor(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, FileShare share)
   at Microsoft.MediaCenter.UI.FileResource.Open()
   at Microsoft.MediaCenter.UI.Drawing.BitmapInfo.Load()
   at Microsoft.MediaCenter.UI.Drawing.ResourceBitmapInfo.GetBitmapInfo(UiSession session, ImageRequirements req, Resource resource)
   at Microsoft.MediaCenter.UI.Image..ctor(String source, ImageRequirements requirements)
   at MediaBrowser.Code.ModelItems.AsyncImageLoader.<>c__DisplayClassb.<FetchImage>b__9(Object _)
   at Microsoft.MediaCenter.Queues.Dispatcher.MainLoop(Queue queue)
   at Microsoft.MediaCenter.UI.UIDispatcher.MainLoop(Queue queue, LoopCondition condition)
   at MediaCenter.Extensibility.Host.Main(String[] args)

Details: 

XML Format

- <Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event"&gt;
- <System>
  <Provider Name="ehExtHost" /> 
  <EventID Qualifiers="0">0</EventID> 
  <Level>4</Level> 
  <Task>0</Task> 
  <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords> 
  <TimeCreated SystemTime="2010-06-08T04:22:11.000000000Z" /> 
  <EventRecordID>446</EventRecordID> 
  <Channel>Media Center</Channel> 
  <Computer>(Computer Name)</Computer> 
  <Security /> 
  </System>
- <EventData>
  <Data>Exception System.ArgumentException: Empty path name is not legal. at System.IO.FileStream.Init(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, Int32 rights, Boolean useRights, FileShare share, Int32 bufferSize, FileOptions options, SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES secAttrs, String msgPath, Boolean bFromProxy) at System.IO.FileStream..ctor(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, FileShare share, Int32 bufferSize, FileOptions options, String msgPath, Boolean bFromProxy) at System.IO.FileStream..ctor(String path, FileMode mode, FileAccess access, FileShare share) at Microsoft.MediaCenter.UI.FileResource.Open() at Microsoft.MediaCenter.UI.Drawing.BitmapInfo.Load() at Microsoft.MediaCenter.UI.Drawing.ResourceBitmapInfo.GetBitmapInfo(UiSession session, ImageRequirements req, Resource resource) at Microsoft.MediaCenter.UI.Image..ctor(String source, ImageRequirements requirements) at MediaBrowser.Code.ModelItems.AsyncImageLoader.<>c__DisplayClassb.<FetchImage>b__9(Object _) at Microsoft.MediaCenter.Queues.Dispatcher.MainLoop(Queue queue) at Microsoft.MediaCenter.UI.UIDispatcher.MainLoop(Queue queue, LoopCondition condition) at MediaCenter.Extensibility.Host.Main(String[] args)</Data> 
  </EventData>
  </Event>

If there’s any more info needed don’t hesitate to ask.

Regards

Stephen

People with this problem, please un-install MB then install this. And see if it fixes the problem (and your images still load properly).

If you changed your cacheallimages setting, change it back to false for this test. Thanks.

Anyone else have a chance to test this? Pings…?

Okay, I'm marking this as fixed. If we can figure out the other weird problem some people are having, we may do a quick patch release.

After reading in another thread of the forum about the possible involvement of the anti virus i checked the warnings log of my Kaspersky. I found several warnings logged regarding mediabrowser, flaging it as potentially risky. I set the antivirus to exclude media browser and since then the program works perfectly (official version 2.2.4.0 also). I will continue to test it for a few days. The same warning type was logged for metabrowser also!!

pfff… I did some artwork update and now indeed I always get the invalid application prompt when trying to launch MB 2.2.4

did empty the image cache, did install 2.2.4a and have set cacheallimages to ‘False’ … still get the invalid application prompt. HELP! what should I do besides reverting back to 2.2.3?

12:04:26.247  17/6/2010 , Info , Using String Data from C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\Localization\strings-en.xml ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:26.587  17/6/2010 , Info , MediaBrowser,, Version=2.2.2.0,, Culture=neutral,, PublicKeyToken=59fc04479785fd64 is being resolved! ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:26.597  17/6/2010 , Info , Successfully loaded fastload data for : C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\Cache\playstate MediaBrowser.Library.Entities.PlaybackStatus ,  , 11 , Worker thread for Fast Load Loader
12:04:26.697  17/6/2010 , Info , MediaBrowser,, Version=2.2.3.0,, Culture=neutral,, PublicKeyToken=59fc04479785fd64 is being resolved! ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:26.747  17/6/2010 , Info , Chocolate.XmlSerializers,, Version=0.1.0.1,, Culture=neutral,, PublicKeyToken=cbacf2b624ff6ad4 is being resolved! ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:28.195  17/6/2010 , Info , Chocolate Theme Loaded. ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:30.195  17/6/2010 , Info , CoverArt (version 1.2.3.0) Plug-in Loaded. ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:30.215  17/6/2010 , Info , FilmsLikeThis Plug-in (Version 1.0.1.0) Loaded. ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:30.215  17/6/2010 , Info , Tyring to load MusicPluginProxy v0.5.8.0 loaded by ehExtHost.exe. ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:30.225  17/6/2010 , Info , Creating new MusicPlugin directory ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:30.255  17/6/2010 , Info , Extracting C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\StartupFolder\..\Plugins\MusicPlugin\MusicPlugin.dll ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:30.305  17/6/2010 , Info , Adding assembly resolver C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\StartupFolder\..\Plugins\MusicPlugin ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:30.335  17/6/2010 , Info , Tyring to load Music support. v0.5.8.0 loaded by ehExtHost.exe. ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:30.355  17/6/2010 , Info , MusicPlugin.XmlSerializers,, Version=0.5.8.0,, Culture=neutral,, PublicKeyToken=aa6441e65ed6be77 is being resolved! ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:53.922  17/6/2010 , Info , Music normal id - d0dad4ba-90b8-11de-9ac9-06ac55d89593 ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:53.922  17/6/2010 , Info , Music normal path - \\NAS-MVERHOEVEN\Media\Muziek ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:53.924  17/6/2010 , Info , Music normal name - Muziek ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:54.359  17/6/2010 , Info , Parental Control Initialized ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:54.699  17/6/2010 , Info , Information DisplayText: Welcome to Media Browser ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:54.729  17/6/2010 , Info , Not Refreshing Library.  Interval of 24hrs has not passed.  Last Refresh: 16/06/2010 21:19:02 ,  , 1 , Application
12:04:59.573  17/6/2010 , Info , Chocolate.XmlSerializers,, Version=0.1.0.1,, Culture=neutral,, PublicKeyToken=cbacf2b624ff6ad4 is being resolved! ,  , 1 , Application
12:05:00.293  17/6/2010 , Info , Loading display prefs for C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\StartupFolder ,  , 1 , Application
12:05:02.185  17/6/2010 , Error , Error obtaining expiration date. ( Unhandled exception.  Type=System.Net.WebException Msg=Kan geen verbinding met de externe server maken Src=System [n] StackTrace= [n]    bij System.Net.HttpWebRequest.GetResponse() [n]    bij CoverArt.Plugin.Ping(String path) ) ,  , 13 , Worker thread for CAPing
12:05:04.155  17/6/2010 , Info , Finished validating : C:\ProgramData\MediaBrowser\Cache\playstate MediaBrowser.Library.Entities.PlaybackStatus ,  , 11 , Worker thread for Fast Load Loader

1. Changed cacheallimages to true => still the invalid application
2. Deleted all plugins => MB launches!!!
3. Installed coverart => MB still launches
4. Installed Chocolate theme => MB still launches
5. Installed Music plugin => MB still launches

go figure?? am back to the state in which my HTPC’s were. yesterday, MB wouldn’t launch. today, after deleting and installing the same plugins everything back to normal (for now).

Yesterday the invalid application problem reappeared. I though it was history but i was wrong. Anyway I started checking what was new in my collection since last week that everything worked fine and came up with a couple of images downloaded by metabrowser. I deleted these images manually from each of the movie folders and mediabrowser started to work perfectly. MAybe the images were corrupted … I do not know anymore.

I had a somewhat similar problem. This started when I placed new studio and year logo’s in my ImageByName folder. I could start MB but If I went to one of my Movie section and started to browse while doing so it would pop up that Unable to launch MB bla bla bla.

I turned off the info screen on cover flow and the problem went away. I cleared my image cache and then turned it back on. It’s been fine ever since.

I think maybe there was a bad image in there probably a studio logo that was not cached correctly or I dunno but this worked for me.

Have you tried deleting your imagecache ?