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Viavoice won't load in my user in Windows XP
Submitted by susan daum on Fri, 12/23/2005 - 03:09.
I need help, please.
I've been using Viavoice 10.5, in Windows XP Home (sp2) with my 1.6 ghz Dell desktop (1 gig RAM), a GNet microphone/phone for months (with medical vocabulary installed and used by one voice model -- regular vocabulary in another voice model). On the computer I have 3 windows "users" an administrator ("user1", (myself) and "user2 + my husband ("user3"). User 2 is the one used most of the time.
In the administrator, which I don't use regularly, I don't use viavoice much, as I "user1" for night-time scheduled maintenance of the computer, or for adding or removing programs, etc).
Suddenly today, the program wouldn't load in user2 (It loaded fine in "user 1"). So
I log on this morning - and I get a box (with the stop, pause and play buttons only)in the lower part of my screen, and the voice of Woody saying I have to dictate the story to my computer so Viavoice can recognize my voice (not even the whole voice recognizer screen) and then numerous error messages.
The error messages:
The 1st) the SMAP RC=103 the domain and voice model identified specifier are in different languages. If this problem occurs again, restart the user wizard. Click OK to continue. When I Click OK, it says the user wizard has not finished, do you want to leave, I say NO.
Then I get (2) " A problem with SMAP RC - 215 -- already opened for connection to speech engine. If this problem occurs again, restart the user wizard. Click OK to continue.
Then I click and get "The User wizard has not finished -- do you want to leave. I click NO,,
then:
3) "A problem has occurred SMAP RC = -4 Unable to finda n available speech engine. If this problem occurs again, restart user wizard. click ok to continue
About my computer: 1 gig memory. SB soundboard, SPII, windows Home; Zone Alarm; Macafee Spyblaster. Verizon DSL for ISP. My last full back up was Dec 10th, so I have the user files from there which I can restore.
What do I do to get Viavoice back to this user?
Do I uninstall Viavoice working again? (Do I work on the whole computer: at adminstrative level "user1"?) Or do I reinistall only in the Windows user ("user2") Do I save the user files? or use viaclean and get rid of everything.
I have user files backed up on a partition about 10 days ago. (Acronis backup)
If I have to re-copy the backed up user files, do they go to each "documents and settings/Applications/IBM/user for each windows user on my computer? (So far, I've only put the ones I have currently for the windows user2 -- the one I use most on a CD. Should I add the rest, to be sure?
Before I uninstall, if that's what I have to do, does it help to back up user files from within Viavoice, in the user who has administrative priveleges, (and macros,e etc will they be the same as in this user? (I have all the same voice models in each Windows user).
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me.
Sincerely yours, Susan Daum
Susan, First of all have
Susan,
First of all have a look at these three:
http://www.speechcomputing.com/node/494
http://www.speechcomputing.com/node/312
http://www.speechcomputing.com/node/216
Since you have a recent backup of your user, I would suggest that you install that using Windows Explorer. Let it overwrite your existing user. The location you quoted is correct. Then try ViaVoice and see if it works. If it does not, you will have to do a complete reinstall. You could try a reinstall without wiping anything out and see if that works. If it does not, you will have to do a clean install having uninstalled the existing installation.
If you can access VV under user 1, export your dictation and navigation macros and have them available for importation when you have re-set up.
I'm unclear as to whether you have two separate installations, or are you sharing the same ViaVoice base in Program Files?
Quentin
Susan Daum I have only one
Susan Daum
I have only one installation for all WXP users. Does that change anything?
I backed up the users last night, but I take it that I should use the earier backup of 2 weeks ago, right?
I'll export the macros first, from WXP user1. Thanks for your help. Have good holidays, winter solstice, new year, brr cold, etc! Susan Daum
susan daum wrote:Susan
Susan Daum
I have only one installation for all WXP users. Does that change anything?
No, that does not affect anything. Presumably you have two user folders in the two users' Documents and Settings.
I backed up the users last night, but I take it that I should use the earier backup of 2 weeks ago, right?
Use the latest backup Of the user that worked that you have. Presumably they are all named the same user
Have good holidays, winter solstice, new year, brr cold, etc! Susan Daum
Same to you. so far it looks as though we're going to have, in Ireland, a dry warm Christmas. Sorry about that
susan daum wrote: The error
The error messages:
The 1st) the SMAP RC=103 the domain and voice model identified specifier are in different languages. If this problem occurs again, restart the user wizard. Click OK to continue. When I Click OK, it says the user wizard has not finished, do you want to leave, I say NO.
Then I get (2) " A problem with SMAP RC - 215 -- already opened for connection to speech engine. If this problem occurs again, restart the user wizard. Click OK to continue.
Then I click and get "The User wizard has not finished -- do you want to leave. I click NO,,
then:
3) "A problem has occurred SMAP RC = -4 Unable to finda n available speech engine. If this problem occurs again, restart user wizard. click ok to continue
Having thought about this a little further, this appears to be a fairly common problem with XP SP 2 (among so many other problems I have had with XP SP2). I've had this frequently. I have to say that I have never had it with Windows 2000 which I have always found very stable, or using VV 10 in 98 SE. (The reason why I have not got Windows 2000 on my laptop is because on installation it looks for some hidden files that it cannot find to enable it to operate. You may recall from some of my postings that I like to have dual boot, so that when anything goes wrong with one system I can go into the other and fix it.)
My easy solution to your problem is that I use Windows Explorer, locate my backup, copy it, and paste it in my user folder overwriting the existing one.
However before doing this, I go to my ADD file in the defective user, open it, and follow the procedure I set out in one of the postings I suggested you read. This means that I have an up-to-date version of the added words. After reinstalling I simply analyse the "word" document and the new words are found and can be trained.
I presume that you did an export of your macros which you can import.
I have to say that I never used the VV built-in back-up system. I simply copy the user file and put in my back up partition, and I do this on a regular basis.
The copy and paste procedure only takes 15-30 seconds. I have short cuts in a folder on my Desktop to the user folder and back up. It therefore only takes a few mouse clicks to fix the problem.
In mentioning my dual boot system which I have on my desktop computer, both OS access the same program file, but because of the new location operated by VV 10.5 of the user folder in Documents and Settings, the user files are generally out of date on my XP where I consistently use 2000. To overcome this, every so often I copy my user folder from 2000 Documents and Settings to XP Documents and Settings.
As a result I have multi backups.
You could do the same with your two sets of users .
Quentin
Susan Daum Still same
Susan Daum Still same problem
Quinton and others
Thank you for your continuing help. Things have not gone well with correcting this problem.
I completely uninstalled and re installed via voice twice yesterday. I still have the same problem with my second user. I've put the old viavoice user files on both WXP users. But it is not giving good recognition particularly well in the user #1 either, although I am dictating. And it's still coming up with all the same errors in WXP user #2(See above.
I use the McAfee anti-virus program, and there may have been problems with the installation, even though it was disabled (with Msconfig)during the installation. It popped up indicating that the viavoice bin was "performing dangerous activity" during the phase of the installation where Macros are imported. I had to give permission to allow the activity several times. At this point, the installation hung and eventually a I had to end it. Nevertheless, the WXP user#1, which worked after that, allowed me to import all the navigation macros and dictate this message.
However in WXP user #2, there still are the same events (woody's voice, and the radio buttons for recording, followed by the same error messages. Viavoice will not open.
The user who has administrative privileges (user #1)and WXP User #2 now have the same viaVoice user files.
1) I was wondering if I should uninstall McAfee (and ? change to a different program? or uninstall it and reinstall it.)
2) I was wondering if I should give WXP user #2 temporary administrative privileges and do the installation with that user.
3) I was wondering if the error message (103), the first error message about " domain and voice model identified specifier are in different languages " could be an indication there is some setting that has changed in windows XP in that user profile?
Do think I should take to call scan soft/nuace?
Any other thoughts?
I will have other questions once I get this to re installed but that will have to wait.
Thanks again, Susan Daum
I presume that you have done
I presume that you have done a full anti-virus and trojan scan. If not, try this first.
If it is not a virus or Trojan causing problems, it looks as though McAfee may be the cause of your problem.
Clearly, when you disabled it using Msconfig, it was not sufficient. Did you check Services (Control Panel \ Administrative Tools \ Services, and disable McAfee from within that. Additionally there may well be some control within McAfee to prevent it starting up on booting up. You should look for this. If there was a defective installation of McAfee, I suggest that you uninstall it, use a program such as Regscrub to clear out all Registry entries, or alternatively manually clear-out the registry entries.
Do you have a firewall or any other security measures? If so these must be disabled within their programmes as well.
I downloaded a programme called, Startup Cop which enables me to disable all start-up programs. It is a very useful tool.
When you have disabled everything as above, then do a full re-boot. Uninstall VV, including your user files, do a ViaClean and again removing the user files. Use RegScrub, or manually clear-out the registry entries, to clear out any surplus entries. Then reboot.
Now re-install VV.
As regards anti-virus programs, I have been using the Professional version of Grisoft AVG Anti-Virus for the past two-and-a-half years and I found it extremely effective. It is now being updated on a daily basis (where it used to be once every three days). You can get this as a free download, or you can download the professional version with a two-year licence at (I think) $39. This is what I have been using with great effect. It appears to be stopping viruses and trojans. I regularly scan my computer, and it shows I am completely free of viruses and trojans. The advantage is that it does not use much in the way of resources, and does not affect ViaVoice.
Finally, a have a VV pupil who has a Dell 2.4 GHz with 1024 mb Ram, where I installed VV and it worked perfectly. Within a few days, things deteriorated, and no matter what we did no sound would go through. It turned out there were hardware problems. Dell took three weeks to carry out the necessary repairs, which simply consisted of reconnecting some hardware which had become unplugged. On its return, the soundcard would not work, and it did not recognise a USB sound pod. This time it appeared to be a software problem. The machine is back with Dell who have not been able to find what is wrong. My pupil is trying to persuade her boss to replace the Dell with a more reliable machine. I have also reported, in previous postings, problems with other Dell computers which have not been solved by Dell.
So therefore your problem would appear to be either with McAfee or Dell.
I hope some of my recommendations sort the problem.
Quentin
Susan Daum Continuing
Susan Daum
Continuing Problem: VV & WXP "users2" error #103
About anti-virus scan, mentioned -- I do it regularly, and did it again, with no viruses found.
About the hardware of the computer being a problem: It seems unlikely, since the speech program works in the other "WP user" And it has worked really well for months since i Installed 10.5 in September. (I had 9.5 (patched) before that for several years because I also could never install 10 on the computer, for reasons Scansoft never figured out or solved.)
I was planning anyway to remove mcAfee and subscribe to VAG anyway, so nows a good time.
I also have the Zone Alarm Security program, but don't use it as an anti-virus program. I also have spysweeper. I also defrag regularly with Diskeeper.
I haven't done the removal and reinstall the second time. Just too busy with other things.
Susan Daum I have now solved
Susan Daum
I have now solved the problems with 2 Windows users and ViaVoice
The problem seems to be solved. I uninstalled McAfee anti virus program. I cleaned at the registry with JV16 power tools, and uninstalled and then reinstalled ViaVoice. It still hung and did not really import the macros, and it also did not create a new user. I copied all my old user files and imported my dictation and navigation macros. Strangely, it functioned poorly on the very first day I used it, but the next day it began to function as normal.
I have been able to dictate as I usually have and use all of my macros. It seems somewhat slower than before. Thank-you for all your help. Susan Daum
It sounds as though you have
It sounds as though you have some residue of McAfee left in your Registry. It might be worth running regedit, searching for McAfee and deleting such entries. Be very careful when you do this not to get too excited with the delete key, and delete valid entries .
As regards the importation of macros, I have had this problem on installation on occasions. The work around is to import the relevant navigation macros directly from the installation disc – Macros \ En_US.
From my experience, I believe that XP (especially SP2) does cause problems, since my Win 2000 desktop never causes me any problems. It is not only ViaVoice that sufferers, but I have also had problems with Microsoft Word and Excel (which I have had to reinstall), my optical mouse and my Speechmike (my USB ports will not recognise them without unplugging and replugging them in, and for some odd reason I have lost my internet settings from time to time and have had to reset them up.
Quentin
Susan Daum I did work around
Susan Daum
I did work around the macros part -- as I had all the macros exported, and they worked fine after importing (except for the mike turning off part)
As far as McAfee -- I'll search the registry again with JV16 power tools and see what I get. (I did that after the uninstall).
JV16 power tools may not
JV16 power tools may not find all entries. That's why I suggest using regedit.
Quentin
susan daum wrote:Susan
Susan Daum
I did work around the macros part -- as I had all the macros exported, and they worked fine after importing (except for the mike turning off part)
I have only just noticed that there is an inconsistency with the mike when I use my navigation macros. With some of them the mike switches off and on again, and others the mike switches off. Each macro behaves in the same way every time. I have never got to the bottom of this.
Given my complete ignorance
Given my complete ignorance of ViaVoice, take this idea accordingly:
There might be a bit or byte in every ViaVoice macro that sets the microphone status, i.e., turns it on or off. I can't imagine why this might be so, but its the simplest hypothesis I can suggest.
First thing to do is to determine whether a specific macro always behaves the same with respect to the mike, i.e., turns it either on or off. If its determined that each macro does indeed consistently turn the mike either on or off, then:
If the ViaVoice macros are compiled in some sense, you might be able to examine them with a hex editor or utility like PCMag's FileSnoop to see what you can see and possibly manipulate this setting.
Alternatively, you might be able to call up an "off"-setting macro for editing and resave it (maybe after some trivial manipulation, like selecting and cutting something out and then pasting it back in place) in the hope that this will consistently reset the mike setting to the "on" state.
However, if you find at least one macro that sometimes turns the mike off and other times doesn't, then its not likely that anything in the macro by itself affects the mike setting.
Maybe this suggestion will spur another hypothesis you can work on.
Bruce
Great theories . It needs
Great theories . It needs hours, if not days or weeks, of investigation. Better to leave sleeping mikes lie
Quentin
Not so -- disproving the
Not so -- disproving the hypothesis could take less than 3 minutes.
OTOH, proving the hypothesis and trying the fix shouldn't take more than a half-hour for someone who knows what s/he is doing.
Bruce
Bruce wrote: Not so --
Not so -- disproving the hypothesis could take less than 3 minutes.
OTOH, proving the hypothesis and trying the fix shouldn't take more than a half-hour for someone who knows what s/he is doing.
I had a look at these macros. There are all written in programming language.
Not being conversant with programming language, I have no idea as to how to fix the problem, although I could mess around with them since I had backups, I simply would not have the time to experiment. Maybe when I have retired, I could devote myself to this, but by that time, we probably will all have moved over to Vista which will, by then, the will established.
Quentin
Will look forward to that.
Will look forward to that. Suggest, though, a new thread since we have strayed a bit from the original post. Too bad we don't seem to have any programmers who use ViaVoice, because its not easy to pick this stuff up if you don't have the background.
Bruce
BruceCyr wrote: Suggest,
Suggest, though, a new thread since we have strayed a bit from the original post.
Not much point, since we appeared to be at the end of the road on this subject.
Too bad we don't seem to have any programmers who use ViaVoice, because its not easy to pick this stuff up if you don't have the background.
I agree.
Quentin
Susan Daum Back to the
Susan Daum
Back to the original problem, of a poor installation of ViaVoice. I was finally able to correct this problem removing it every single remnant of McAfee . I waited several weeks and reinstalled. The installation went smoothly.
However, the microphone still turns off seemly randomly after execution of some (but not all) navigation macros. It is not consistent, turning off sometimes but not others. It most often occurs on "save this" (an always active macro of control plus S) and delete previous x words (also always active). It variably goes off when I navigate through windows explorer, which I do with macros named after keys (e.g.: "india key" but not all the time. Any further ides? But maybe start a new thread!
Thanks
susan daum wrote: However,
However, the microphone still turns off seemly randomly after execution of some (but not all) navigation macros.
I only recently noticed that there is an inconsistency with the mike when I use my navigation macros. With some of them the mike switches off and on again, and others the mike switches off. Each macro behaves in the same way every time. I have never got to the bottom of this.
I had a look at the macros. There are all written in programming language.
Not being conversant with programming language, I have no idea as to how to fix the problem.
Quentin
Here's a suggestion that
Here's a suggestion that shouldn't take too much of your time:
Select a macro with known odd behavior and somehow make notes that will allow you to recreate it if it were deleted. Then delete it and shut down ViaVoice.
Bring ViaVoice up again and verify that the macro is indeed gone. Then recreate the macro and see how it behaves.
Hopefully this procedure will clear out any unseen crud that causes the unwanted behavior. If it works, then at least you know where the problem is and can decide whether or not its worth cleaning any other misbehaving macro(s).
OTOH, if the procedure doesn't change anything, just shrug off another hypothesis that's been shot to heck and get on with things
Bruce
Susan Daum One additional
Susan Daum
One additional problem, with one of my users (the medical one that I use most,) is that it no longer capitalizes the beginning of sentences. Isn't this controlled by a dication macro? Is there some way I can edit it? Is it possible that I have a corrupted user. I tried going back to an earlier user file, but this didn't seem to help. I could start a new one, but there's so much added vocabulary. Is that ALL in the Add files (there are two of them)? I could analyze documents. but there are so many.
Thanks as always.
Susan Daum
Capitalisation Click on
Capitalisation
Click on Speechbar\Tools\Work with Dictation Macros. Highlight "Period" (or "full stop" if you are using UK English). Double left click on it.
Click on Options button. In the lower section (Formatting of next word), click on Capital. Click OK. Click Apply and Save.
Quentin
PS Any typo errors are caused by my typing this as my wife insists that I watch some detective film (successor to Inspector Morse), and when I dictate, she turns the TV louder. I then speak louder, and the TV gets louder. I lose the race