1998 Mustang GT - New install - Page 2

parksgm · 01-14-2007, 07:46 PM

Pin #5----------Ground
Pin #8----------Power Failure
Pin #4----------UPS Shutdown
Pin #1----------Low Battery

parksgm · 02-01-2008, 08:29 PM

Update 02/01/2008

Been quite a while since my last update!

I've installed StreetDeck and have been using it for the past year. I'd like to revise my previous assessment of StreetDeck...it's a nice program, but quite a few bugs remain (two years after the initial release) that make it less than perfect.

Otherwise, my installation is fairly stable. Specs can be accessed through the forum link just below my user name.

I plan to use this post as a "home base" to list and hopefully solve the few remaining issues that I'm experiencing that are keeping my installation from functioning ideally. I'm going to list the individual problems here, then keep separate posts below for each problem, and update my progress on each problem in that post.

Intermittent issues

Slow hibernation: Occasionally, the computer will not hibernate correctly. When this happens, a hibernation is triggered by the DS-ATX properly, and the computer beings to hibernate correctly. However, when the hibernation status window appears, the progress bar moves very slowly. If allowed to continue, the computer wil successfully hibernate, but it takes >2 minutes. The DS-ATX is currently set to hard power off after 90 seconds, so when the hibernate issue occurs, the most frequent result is that the hibernation progress bar reaches approximately 2/3 complete, and then the power is cut, and the computer must fully startup the next boot.
Failure to resume from hibernation: This problem is similar in frequency to the slow hibernation problem listed above. Occasionally, the computer will begin to resume from hibernation correctly, with the resume progress bar completing. Then, the screen goes black, and the LCD reports that there is no input signal. Windows never appears. The only solution is a full reboot, and booting Windows XP from the beginning.
gDrive controller: Controller is based on a heavily modified Saiteck USB joystick with a Griffin powermate attached to the top of the stick (looks better than it sounds!). The output from the joystick is routed through Joy2Mouse, a program that translates joystick movement in the cardinal directions to keypresses (the arrow keys). For some reason, the joystick occasional

Consistent issues

Slim USB DVD drive not recognized/doesn't mount: The drive is mounted approximately 10 feet from the computer, and connected directly to a working USB 2.0 PCI card on the computer (I know the card is working because all of my other peripherals are connected through the same card). The drive is powered by a 12V to 5V regulated DC power supply connected to 12V bus of the computer's DS-ATX power supply.

Here's the problem...the drive will repeatedly attempt to spin up and mount any disc inserted, but almost always fails to do so. Usually, the drive sounds like it _almost_ spins up completely, but then stops spinning and begins the cycle over again. If a CD is in the drive on reboot, the drive NEVER spins up successfully. If there is no CD in the drive, and one is inserted while the computer is booted, then the drive will recognize and mount the disc most of the time. When the drive does mount successfully, it works well.

I started a thread here to resolve the issue. I'll continue posting what I do there.

DVD playback error: I have had difficulty with DVD playback in SD since I purchased it. I have downloaded and installed the required codecs (as listed on the SD dependancies page), and still get a "DVD video disc not initialized" error when I attempt to play DVDs. Will troubleshoot this more after I get the DVD drive mounting consistently (however, I have had the same problem with internal IDE DVD drives).

"dw.exe" and "Server busy" dialog boxes on hibernate/shutdown When quitting SD, the SD window closes and there is a strange dialog box (not sure what application it is from) behind the SD window. Occurs almost every time SD is run and then quit. Will get a screenshot of the dialog box and post here. Perhaps related to my hibernation/resume issues, as it the application that is in error might be preventing proper hibernation.

parksgm · 02-05-2008, 08:16 PM

Slow hibernation

02/05/2008: Since originally posting the issue above, I haven't experienced another episode of slow hibernation or system crashing on resume. Will continue to monitor.

02/19/2008: See the "dw.exe" post above. I believe these problems are related.

parksgm · 02-05-2008, 08:17 PM

Failure to resume from hibernation

02/05/2008: Since posting the issue above, I haven't experienced another issue of failure to resume from hibernation. Will continue to monitor.

02/06/2008: Experienced a failure to resume correctly this morning. System did not hibernate correctly last night, then was unable to resume this morning.

02/19/2008: See the "dw.exe" post above...I now believe these problems are related.

parksgm · 02-05-2008, 08:19 PM

gDrive controller

02/05/2008: gDrive controller disconnected after prior episode when controller became stuck sending "arrow up" keypresses to the computer, causing it to crash. Will update when I reconnect and have time to troubleshoot.

02/19/2008: Have not addressed this issue yet.

parksgm · 02-05-2008, 08:22 PM

Slim DVD drive

02/05/2008: Connected the slim drive directly to a powered USB 2.0 hub (however, the powered hub was connected to a nonpowered hub, which is then connected to the computer), and powered the drive directly from the 5v power supply bus. Drive spun up correctly when plugged into already booted windows system, however, windows did not recognize or mount the drive on reboot. Had to replug the drive to get windows to remount. Next step is to provide power to both USB hubs and connect drive to the physically closest hub.

02/19/2008: Have not addressed this issue yet.

parksgm · 02-06-2008, 02:57 PM

DVD playback error in SD

02/06/2008: Reserved for later troubleshooting.
02/19/2008: Have not investigated this issue yet.

parksgm · 02-20-2008, 04:10 AM

"dw.exe", "Server Busy" dialog boxes, and Mappoint refusing to close correctly on shutdown

Several other SD users have experienced the "dw.exe" and "Server Busy" errors as a result of Mappoint incorrectly closing when a shutdown or hibernate event is triggered.

Reports from other SD users led me to the internet to do a bit more research, and it seems that dw.exe is a debugger triggered by Mappoint or Win XP when Mappoint closes incorrectly. There seems to be a known bug dating back to the 2004 version of Mappoint that causes Mappoint to throw a "Server Busy" dialog box if it is processing a long thread or is busy and so doesn't respond correctly to external application calls (in this case, SD's calls).

Various solutions proposed around the internet seem to solve the problem by essentially giving Mappoint more time to complete tasks before trying to close the program. Unfortunately, I can't control the frequency or interval with which SD calls Mappoint, so I don't think I can solve the problem directly. A workaround would be to write a shutdown script that would close all instances of Mappoint before issuing a shutdown command to SD. While this approach seems like it would work, it would likely involve several hours of writing and troubleshooting, and woulld be less than ideal because I would not be able to shutdown SD as designed.

Users who have only installed the mappoint data that comes with the full version of SD (and have not installed Mappoint separately don't seem to have this issue very frequently at all, although there was one description of it occuring in a stock G4 SD install. Since I don't have the ability to install the Mappoint data separately, and don't want to repurchase SD just for data I already own, I don't see a resolution from this angle either.

Frustrating!

I think that this is the reason that my computer won't hibernate and resume correctly sporadically...I will probably disable/uninstall Mappoint and Navigation to see if I still have the hibernate/resume issues without the errors just before hibernate/shutdown.

maxq668 · 03-05-2008, 09:09 PM

I really like your setup. I was thinking of installing a standard Car CD Player in my car but I thought it was going to be too much for the small Mustang Console. Now I'll think it back...
Just one question: How is the access to the A/C knobs down there? Isn't it too close to the shifter to operate them? I have a Steeda Short Throw shifter.

parksgm · 03-05-2008, 09:30 PM

Thanks for the compliment.

I see what you mean...the only pics I posted don't show a profile view of the relationship between the shifter base and the HVAC controls. There is plenty of room and no interference between the shifter arm or knob and the HVAC controls. I can pretty comfortably operate the controls while my hand is resting on the shifter now, if that helps.

I have a short throw shifter as well. However, I'm 6 foot plus, and have fairly long arms, so take that into consideration. Also, mounting the controls like I did required a fair amount of fabrication, and you could theoretically place them closer to you, as long as they weren't so close that they interfered with the shifter.

It would be MUCH easier to just drop a standard DIN CD player in one slot and a fold out screen in the other DIN slot if you are thinking about installing a car pc...

Quote: Originally Posted by maxq668

I really like your setup. I was thinking of installing a standard Car CD Player in my car but I thought it was going to be too much for the small Mustang Console. Now I'll think it back...
Just one question: How is the access to the A/C knobs down there? Isn't it too close to the shifter to operate them? I have a Steeda Short Throw shifter.

JpLelko · 05-28-2008, 01:53 AM

seriusly dude, you have an awesome setup.

p.s.
you owe me $1, your lotto numbers were duds.

User Name		Remember Me?
Password