Black Screen for Logos 6 Home Page

Howdy,

Ever since the 6.14 Logos 6 update, when I try to go to the Home Page, I most often get a black screen under the header bar.

I've contacted Logos support, and one of their technicians spent an hour with my machine remotely. He told me to 1) re-install Logos, which I did (13 1/2 hours), and 2) make sure my video card drivers were up-to-date, and they were.

I can sometimes reduce the problem (the number of tries it takes to open "Home") by trying in the wee hours of the morning, and/or turning Screen Saver off.

My Windows Updates are current, and have been.

I'm told I'm the only Logos 6 user who has this problem. If so, then it must be my nearly 8 year old computer (using Windows 7). But what baffles me is that this problem never occurred before 6.14 ... ever! I wonder if it's possible to "roll back" the update to 6.13??

And, should I get some day Logos 7, would that also have problems working on this machine?

I'm on fixed income, and therefore must wait to get Logos Now.

Thank you for your time.

Paul L. White

Satisfied Logos User since 1.6

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Paul,

I've experienced black bars and other "hollow" spots before on my old desktop, my current laptop is 6 years old and aging rapidly....

Anyway, I suspect what you're seeing is a result of older hardware having trouble drawing the screen. I'm not sure what changes from 6.13 to .14 would cause this. Does removing most other things from memory alleviate the problem?

As for your other question 6.14 is essentially identical to 7.0 apart from licensing. So upgrading to 7 at this point is not likely to change the screen artifacts.

Ever since the 6.14 Logos 6 update, when I try to go to the Home Page, I most often get a black screen under the header bar.

Try running the command set custom chrome to no in the command box, and see if that helps.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/850585#Comment_850585

Thanks, TC. I already have everything out of memory that doesn't need to be there. But yes, I found that turning screen saver off sometimes helped.

It looks like Mark's suggestion really helped. And I'll presume that, once I get my laptop set up properly, and install Logos onto it, the problem won't be as great.

Though refurbished, it is an i5, 64 bit, quad 4, with 16 GB memory. My older PC has 8 GB, but only 3.5 GB available once I installed Windows 7.

It looks like Mark's suggestion may be the solution. Thank you so much.

Paul

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/850600#Comment_850600

Yes sir, Mr. Barnes, it does seem to help.

Although, it appears that I need to run that command each time I open the software. I closed it and opened it a couple of times after running that command to see if the software "remembered" that setting, and it didn't appear to.

But wow, what a difference!

I appreciate this so very much!

Paul

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/850600#Comment_850600

Ok, I spoke too soon, apparently.

Now that I've tried it again several times, with and without using the command, I received a black screen again. I will take it that I have to use Home after running the command and in the early morning and with Screen Saver off and when the computer is "fresh" as to processes going on.

"Downloader" from RealPlayer sometimes pops into memory, and I have to be sure and remove it. It appears that the more often you try opening the software, the more resources are used up.

Thank you so much, both of you, for giving such direct answers. I was truly baffled, and so, apparently, was the tech department.

Salute!

Paul

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/850646#Comment_850646

I seem to be getting this as well.

Interestingly although there is a blank screen - there is clearly "something there" as I can click in various places and a link is activated. So my guess is the page is present - just not visible.

I wonder if you experience is the same.

6.14 SR-2 (had it since two days ago) - Windows 7 64 bit Professional - fully updated! as of yesterday

Regards Kevin

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/853306#Comment_853306

Well, Mr. Lewis, I can't answer about the links still working, I never tried that. :-)

I just get the upper toolbar and a big black screen for everything below that.

I do find that it helps to "set custom chrome to no" ... in the command bar, as suggested above, plus to turn my screen saver off, and make sure that memory doesn't have anything extra in it. One thing that I want to remove is the "downloader.exe" from RealPlayer that often pops in.

While my main computer is only 32-bit, Windows 7, I just Sunday installed Logos 6 onto my laptop (the version that was available then), and it has 16 GB memory, I believe a quad-four, and is 64-bit! It also came up with a black screen at times!

I try, as well, to pull up Home Page during the wee hours of the morning, when there is less traffic on the site. I don't find that the last two updates help this issue at all.

I'm thankful you spoke up, because, until now, I was the only person who experienced these symptoms. May God reveal to Logos the cause and solution!

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/853324#Comment_853324

PS There are times, of course, that Home Page *does* pull in.

When it did so on my laptop Sunday, I was overjoyed, as the screen for it is wider than for my PC. It was truly like looking at a newspaper, but so much nicer.

Way to go Logos!

A grateful Paul L. White

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/853325#Comment_853325

Don't know how permanent this is but this morning the home page is now visible - hurrah!

Did nothing , updated nothing, - - just went to work and left it alone in the dark for a few hours

We shall see ...... Shalom

I'm told I'm the only Logos 6 user who has this problem.

Sadly, I can assure you that you're not the only one who has this problem... I'm also running W7 64-bit, 8 GB RAM. I've struggled with it for a while--I want to say before the most recent update [6.14 SR-2 6.14.0.0065], but how far back I don't know. Sometimes a close / open cycle would fix it, but other times it took a re-boot. With some trepidation, I just tried the command 'set custom chrome to no' and it did work (after a close / open cycle). I'm curious, though: what does that command do??? And what else does it affect? Love to find a lasting solution to this!

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/858419#Comment_858419

Howdy, Mr. Unger. My symptoms started immediately after the first 6.14 update, and immediately after Logos 7 was introduced (those two were coterminous, if memory serves).

I don't know what custom chrome is, exactly. I find that I need to use Logos during non-peak hours. If I try it at noon, here in Texas, for example, Home just doesn't work. My conclusion is that a lot depends upon the number of people trying to access the Logos servers.

I wish there were a permanent solution too.

By the way, you have an interesting last name. Any chance, even remotely, that you're related to Merrill F.? He came to Detroit Bible College when I studied there in the late 60s for a week in chapel once. What an honor to meet and hear him in person! I have owned his dictionary and handbook in print for decades! Salute!

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/858481#Comment_858481

Any chance, even remotely, that you're related to Merrill F.?

I guess it's possible, but if it is the case the relation would be remote--I've never been aware of any connection...

Philana R. Crouch

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/858481#Comment_858481

Howdy, Mr. Unger. My symptoms started immediately after the first 6.14 update, and immediately after Logos 7 was introduced (those two were coterminous, if memory serves).

I don't know what custom chrome is, exactly. I find that I need to use Logos during non-peak hours. If I try it at noon, here in Texas, for example, Home just doesn't work. My conclusion is that a lot depends upon the number of people trying to access the Logos servers.

I wish there were a permanent solution too.

By the way, you have an interesting last name. Any chance, even remotely, that you're related to Merrill F.? He came to Detroit Bible College when I studied there in the late 60s for a week in chapel once. What an honor to meet and hear him in person! I have owned his dictionary and handbook in print for decades! Salute!

Paul,

I'm sorry your experiencing this problem, can you make sure you have Diagnostic Logging enabled (see my signature for instructions). When you see this black screen close the app. Zip up the Logos Log Files folder that should be in your Documents folder and upload it here.

Blessings,

Philana

Philana R. Crouch

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/858419#Comment_858419

I'm told I'm the only Logos 6 user who has this problem.

Sadly, I can assure you that you're not the only one who has this problem... I'm also running W7 64-bit, 8 GB RAM. I've struggled with it for a while--I want to say before the most recent update [6.14 SR-2 6.14.0.0065], but how far back I don't know. Sometimes a close / open cycle would fix it, but other times it took a re-boot. With some trepidation, I just tried the command 'set custom chrome to no' and it did work (after a close / open cycle). I'm curious, though: what does that command do??? And what else does it affect? Love to find a lasting solution to this!

Paul,

Can you make sure you have Diagnostic Logging enabled (see my signature for instructions). When you see this black screen close the app. Zip up the Logos Log Files folder that should be in your Documents folder and upload it here. It will provide information the might help us in diagnosing the problem.

Blessings,

Philana

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/860567#Comment_860567

4621.Logos Log Files-zipped.zip

There you go. Hope this works. Thank you, Miss Philana. If it doesn't, just let me know an Email address and I'll send it that way.

Paul

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/860567#Comment_860567

Hi Philana,

Thanks for the link to the instructions; I'm not sure I would have figured that out on my own! Funny there's not just a 'switch' in 'program settings' (or whatever it's called)--that would make things a bit easier, not to mention less daunting (it takes a fair bit of faith to run a random script these days...) Anyway, I enabled logging..., I think. I got the message: "Logos 4 logging is now enabled"; I'm running Logos 6, but I guess it's just an old script?

I'm overseas for the next while, without reliable internet, so I've actually turned it off for Logos while I'm here (I was hit with a 196 MB download yesterday--ouch!) I'm not sure the problem will arise with internet turned off, but if it does I'll submit a log.

Paul

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/860567#Comment_860567

Paul,

Can you make sure you have Diagnostic Logging enabled (see my signature for instructions). When you see this black screen close the app. Zip up the Logos Log Files folder that should be in your Documents folder and upload it here. It will provide information the might help us in diagnosing the problem.

Blessings,

Philana

Hi Philana,

Here's the log from my latest 'black screen':

5102.Logos Log Files_black screen startup error.zip

Hope it helps!

Paul

Philana R. Crouch

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/861891#Comment_861891

Hope it helps!

Paul

Thanks Paul, I've created a case for this.

Philana R. Crouch

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/861891#Comment_861891

Hope it helps!

Paul

Hi Paul,

It looks like the most likely cause is a video driver issue. So the best solution is for you to contact Customer Service and they can provide support.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/862249#Comment_862249

Miss Philana,

That's what support told me when the symptoms first appeared, and they gave me a link to a utility which makes Sure you have the latest drivers for my particular video card.

I used it, and already had the latest drivers. The files I have just sent you up above reflect my status weeks after that utility was used.

What is a critical symptom, in my view, is that the Home Page worked just fine until immediately after the 6.14 upgrade. Also, that I can get in much easier in the wee hours of the morning than during regular daytime hours. And, finally, that it takes 3 tries to get in when it's difficult. Always 3.

Thank you ahead of time for continuing to look into this.

Paul L. White

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/862314#Comment_862314

It happened to me again, so I'm uploading another 'log file' in case there's something different that your team can spot...

7633.Logos Log Files_black screen startup error 02.zip

I'm working overseas at the moment, so I can't call customer service. But maybe I'll try when I get back home.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/864252#Comment_864252

I need to report a severe increase in black screen instances...ever since the Windows Update that came for Tuesday, November 8th. It actually installed the following day.

Now, even if I try at 4:30am Texas time, and attempt after startup 4 times in a row, there is black screen.

My only thought is that something with the Windows Update complicated matters. It used to be that, at the most, we could get home page after three attempts of starting the software, setting the custom chrome to no, and trying Home.

Thank you for your time. I am pleased for Mr. Unger that it seems to happen less frequently. And I do have to mention, again, that the same thing happens on my laptop, which is a more advanced machine than this one.

I wonder if Logos is becoming less and less compatible with Windows 7? Or does the machine have to be new within the last couple of years? Salute!

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/864435#Comment_864435

Sorry to hear that, Mr. White... Two things about my situation (since it was referenced): 1. I'm not using Logos every day, which may be why it seems to happen less frequently for me; 2. I'm overseas with limited internet so I have internet turned 'off' for Logos and I have Windows Updates set to 'notify but don't install'. I have seen the list of available updates (2 Important / 25 Optional, for my machine), but was waiting until I got home to install them. Now I'm wary... Thanks for the tip, though!

I need to report a severe increase in black screen instances...ever since the Windows Update that came for Tuesday, November 8th. It actually installed the following day.

<snip>

Thank you for your time. I am pleased for Mr. Unger that it seems to happen less frequently. And I do have to mention, again, that the same thing happens on my laptop, which is a more advanced machine than this one.

I wonder if Logos is becoming less and less compatible with Windows 7? Or does the machine have to be new within the last couple of years? Salute!

Francis Jeffries

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/864486#Comment_864486

I had the issue in ref recently and found it was a problem with the layouts being loaded. I deleted the "snapshot" and "Application close" layout and all was well. Also check the setting and make sure the home page is set to load and not the last layout. Hope this helps.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/866102#Comment_866102

Wow! Thank you, Mr. Jeffries. I'm definitely going to add that to my list of things to do first, along with set custom chrome to "no."

That's what I presume you meant: go into your layouts list, and delete those two.

I have a default layout all set up, and before I close the software, I generally push an icon I've set up to save the current layout under that name. I hope that's what you meant also.

I don't open to Home, I open to the layout named "Default." Please correct me if I've mistaken your advice.

Thanks a million!

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/866120#Comment_866120

Oh, wait...I just read your instructions, and you said to open to the Home Page.

If you do that, how do you delete the layouts you mentioned? Do you do that before you close the software?

Thanks.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/866102#Comment_866102

I had the issue in ref recently and found it was a problem with the layouts being loaded. I deleted the "snapshot" and "Application close" layout and all was well. Also check the setting and make sure the home page is set to load and not the last layout. Hope this helps.

In Program Settings I have (and have had) "At Startup Open to: Home" set since day one. This only started happening with the update in question (6.14). On your advice I have deleted all 'snapshot' and 'Application close' layouts; I'll see if that helps. Question: if I delete the instances of 'named / saved' layouts from the list on the right, that won't affect the 'master' saved layout on the left, will it?

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/866148#Comment_866148

Well, I thought deleting the 'snapshot' and 'Application Closed' layouts was the cure; indeed, Logos did open without a black screen a number of times! But I got a black screen again today... I closed the program, created a log 'zip' (see attached), and restarted it. Logos opened fine the second time, and just out of curiosity I counted 10 'Application Closed' layouts. I wonder if there's a way to prevent Logos from saving 'Application Closed' layouts?

Anyway, here's the log: 1207.Logos Log Files_black screen startup error 03.zip

Paul

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/868636#Comment_868636

Mr. Unger,

It is my conclusion that the black screen is, in large part, a result of server busyness. Tonight, for example, it took me 4 times to get my Home Page. And I go directly to the Home page, not my layout. That's unusual, but it makes sense. This is Saturday night, and many, many ministers are preparing for their sermons/classes on the morrow.

Other times, I can get in with the first try. The point is to keep trying. I doubt that there will ever be a fix to Logos 6 on this issue. With the capability within the Faithlife organization, surely they would have found that solution by now, if it was available.

If the Lord grants me a Christmas coupon this season, I am planning to get the Starter edition of Logos 7, as it would then fit within my retirement budget. One of the reasons I want to do so is to see if this problem persists with that upgrade.

I will be sure to let you know, and may you have the Merriest of Christmases!

Paul L. White

Francis Jeffries

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/868653#Comment_868653

Indeed it might be server busy, but it is busy trying to load your personal snapshots. If you have many snapshots saved/named or close application, you will get the black screen. I have tested the solution and on every occasion it has been resolved by deleting the snapshots, thus leading me to believe that it's an issue with the amount of saved snapshots. It could be to many on the server for my account. Don't know, but I do have a number saved. This has happened on several different machine and every time I removed snapshots and all is well.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/870798#Comment_870798

Thanks for sharing your experience, Francis. So if it is the case that it's a matter of an excessive number of snapshots saved/named or instances of 'close application', is there any way to reduce those (other than manually deleting them)? What I mean is, is there a setting to turn on/off to prevent a buildup of 'close application's? Thanks for any help!

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/870839#Comment_870839

Thanks for sharing your experience, Francis. So if it is the case that it's a matter of an excessive number of snapshots saved/named or instances of 'close application', is there any way to reduce those (other than manually deleting them)? What I mean is, is there a setting to turn on/off to prevent a buildup of 'close application's? Thanks for any help!

Logos 7.3, which is due to be released imminently will take care of this for you. Whether deleting the layout snapshots will fix the black screen problem, I don't know, but if you can wait until 7.3 that might be easier than manually deleting your layout snapshots.

Philana R. Crouch

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/870843#Comment_870843

Thanks for sharing your experience, Francis. So if it is the case that it's a matter of an excessive number of snapshots saved/named or instances of 'close application', is there any way to reduce those (other than manually deleting them)? What I mean is, is there a setting to turn on/off to prevent a buildup of 'close application's? Thanks for any help!

Logos 7.3, which is due to be released imminently will take care of this for you. Whether deleting the layout snapshots will fix the black screen problem, I don't know, but if you can wait until 7.3 that might be easier than manually deleting your layout snapshots.

Like Mark said this will possibly be fixed by 7.3. You can either upgrade to Logos 7, subscribe to Logos Now, or wait until the engine is available for free in the 1st Quarter of 2017.

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/870843#Comment_870843

Logos 7.3, which is due to be released imminently will take care of this for you. Whether deleting the layout snapshots will fix the black screen problem, I don't know, but if you can wait until 7.3 that might be easier than manually deleting your layout snapshots.

Thanks for the info, Mark. Good to know there's a fix on the way! According to Philana's post, it looks like I'll be able to get it in the first quarter of next year (I'll wait for the free engine).

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/870798#Comment_870798

Indeed it might be server busy, but it is busy trying to load your personal snapshots. If you have many snapshots saved/named or close application, you will get the black screen. I have tested the solution and on every occasion it has been resolved by deleting the snapshots, thus leading me to believe that it's an issue with the amount of saved snapshots. It could be to many on the server for my account. Don't know, but I do have a number saved. This has happened on several different machine and every time I removed snapshots and all is well.

So I got the 'black screen' again... I've tried to be good about deleting things I don't need in 'Layouts' (and sometimes things that I /do/ need by accident...[:(]) Currently, I have two 'Application Closed', one 'Snapshot', and three saved/named layouts. Do you think that would be enough to tip the scale, so to speak? Or is the number of 'Snapshots' really not the cause of this problem...?

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/870843#Comment_870843

My Goodness! I just discovered I have active layouts saved dated back to 2010!!!!

Had no clue!

Will there be a quick way to delete those and start over in 7.3? Going one at a time takes so long, and I tried finding a way in a web page, like we can manage our documents on a web page, but couldn't locate such a place.

My stars!

Thanks a million.

Paul L. White

Satisfied Logos User since 1.6

Bradley Grainger (Logos)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/871147#Comment_871147

Will there be a quick way to delete those and start over in 7.3?

Yes, installing 7.3 will do it automatically. (It will ship next week.)

Going one at a time takes so long

Don't bother doing this; just wait until 7.3 ships. [:)]

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/871187#Comment_871187

Aye Aye, Captain! Will do!

[:)]

Thank you so much, Mr. Grainger. And Merry Christmas!

Paul L. White

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/871187#Comment_871187

Also, Mr. Grainger, I am a senior citizen and can only acquire the Starter version (I'm waiting for a Christmas coupon, if it is coming)..

May I presume that even the Starter version will have this feature?

Thank you very much.

Paul L. White

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/871222#Comment_871222

Also, Mr. Grainger, I am a senior citizen and can only acquire the Starter version (I'm waiting for a Christmas coupon, if it is coming)..

May I presume that even the Starter version will have this feature?

Above, Philana noted this will be included in the free engine so you should be fine

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/871226#Comment_871226

I just wanted to report that I "took the plunge" and invested in Logos 7, the Starter version, and, so far, I do not get the black screen, nor do I get so much as little black squares.

I even turned my Screen Saver utility back on in Windows just now, and tested the software again. Here, in the busiest time of the day, there were still no black squares, or black screen--nothing like that.

Home Page works exactly as it did before the 6.14 version came out (at the same time as Logos 7).

Paul L. White

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/872408#Comment_872408

Cool! Looking forward to moving to the Logos 7 engine come February. I'm still getting black screens--as well as "little black squares" and momentary black screens that eventually turn out right...; a regular 'soup' of black. :-P But, to be fair, it eventually comes right (usually after the first restart). I can live with it for a few more months!

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