Solved Ghost In The Machine - Plugin Scanner crash with Scaler 3 (SOLVED)

[Vocalpoint]

Been tracking an oddball scenario with Studio Pro v8.1.1 and now v8.1.2 specifically with Scaler 3.3.x.

Over the last couple of weekends - I finally completed a brand new (from bare metal) digital audio workstation with Windows 11 25H2 and a clean install of everything - one by one. When I got to the Scaler install last week - I noticed some oddball messaging appearing in Event Viewer - that was both interesting and alarming at the same time.

The readout looks like this:

A very specific "crash" of the Studio Pro plugin scanner when taking a run at the Scaler 3,vst3 plugin. This issue is recorded in Event Viewer and then the scan happily finishes it's run and Studio Pro opens normally.

Now - not only is the crash of the "plugin scanner" (of all things) not normal - it's the fact that Studio Pro seems to "allow" this plugin to pass the gates for entry into the app - even after all this nonsense has occurred.

I always thought that the plugin scan had a defined purpose - one that establishes a baseline for entry INTO the app space and if a suspect plugin comes along - this scan was supposed to identify said dodgy plug-in and automatically blacklist it.

In this case - not only does the scanner bottom out and die - the plugin that caused it to do that seems to get a free pass to continue on into the app space - to potentially wreak more havoc.

I would have never noticed this IF I wasn't specifically testing each plugin of mine via clean install.

This is the only plugin (out of 146) that I have active right now that is doing this. So I am unsure whether this is a Studio Pro issue exclusively OR a Scaler 3 issue.

One thing that "might" absolve Studio Pro - is this exact same thing happens in Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol (ni-plugin-info.exe) application as well:

I am in contact with the Scaler folks - but for those using Scaler 3 (And/or Komplete Kontrol v3.5.4) out there now (specifically the VST3) - can anyone check Event Viewer for anything similar to the above?

Would love to know if it's just me - or something a bit more wide spread....

Cheers

VP

 

[BobF]

VP - I've been running this new machine, Win11-latest for a few months now along with Scaler3.3 and FSP-latest. I have zero events for either in the logs. I updated Scaler to 3.3.1 today and the rescan didn't generate any events. Yes, VST3 ...

Maybe there is a place to look for events that is unknown to me

 

[Vocalpoint]

VP - I've been running this new machine, Win11-latest for a few months now along with Scaler3.3 and FSP-latest. I have zero events for either in the logs. I updated Scaler to 3.3.1 today and the rescan didn't generate any events. Yes, VST3 ...

Maybe there is a place to look for events that is unknown to me

Bob

Much appreciated and VERY valuable info.

Could be something going on here - and maybe only here - then.

But IF there was an issue with Plugin Scanner - wonder why it only shows itself on this specific plugin?

I will continue my analysis.

VP

 

[BobF]

Bob

Much appreciated and VERY valuable info.

Could be something going on here - and maybe only here - then.

But IF there was an issue with Plugin Scanner - wonder why it only shows itself on this specific plugin?

I will continue my analysis.

VP

Scanner reports 251 plugs here. NI, Native, IK, IL, Scaler, toontrack, XLN, Waves, Nomad Factory, etc with zero errors scanning. I doubt seriously that there is a problem (distributed) in the scanner.

I would look for disk errors in Event Viewer and maybe do a clean uninstall/reinstall of Scaler

 

[Vocalpoint]

Scanner reports 251 plugs here. NI, Native, IK, IL, Scaler, toontrack, XLN, Waves, Nomad Factory, etc with zero errors scanning. I doubt seriously that there is a problem (distributed) in the scanner.

I would look for disk errors in Event Viewer and maybe do a clean uninstall/reinstall of Scaler

Agreed. The scanner comes back 100% clean on 145 of my plugins - it's #146 it does not like.

I submitted a support ticket to Fender with analysis, dmp files, screencaps etc. We shall see if they come back with anything.

There is something going on here since NI's Komplete Kontrol scanner is also kicking back a very similar error.

I will find it.

VP

 

[sintil8]

Bit of a Wildcard suggestion, what happens if you run Scaler 3 as a stand alone?

Does it run outside the DAW OK...

If I recall NI used to suggest running Maschine and KK in stand alone, after updates, whether that is still the suggested thing I wouldn't know !

Regards

 

[Vocalpoint]

Bit of a Wildcard suggestion, what happens if you run Scaler 3 as a stand alone?

Does it run outside the DAW OK...

If I recall NI used to suggest running Maschine and KK in stand alone, after updates, whether that is still the suggested thing I wouldn't know !

Regards

Oh - there is no problem with the app itself - standalone OR in the DAW - just the fact that Studio Pro's plugin scanner AND NI's Komplete Kontrol scanner both crash on this thing. That is the only issue.

It is the strangest thing but the more I dig - the more it seems it is just here at my place - which is a different concern for me.

VP

 

[Vocalpoint]

Ok - I give up.

Moments ago - upon logging into the workstation - based on some other data - I did exactly one thing - temporarily changed my Windows Scaling to 200% - then started Studio Pro - then checked Event Viewer - nothing.

Then I switched Windows scaling back to my previous 175% - started Studio Pro - nothing in Event Viewer.

Then I rebooted, started Studio Pro and nothing in Event Viewer.

Then I fired up Komplete Kontrol and no crash log registered in Event Viewer for ni-plugin-info.exe either.

Wow - sometimes I really dislike software

Anyhoo - good enough for me. As we were....

VP

 

[TimC340]

I've seen several problems reported over at the Scaler forum with Scaler 3 crashing Studio One/Pro, but so far I've escaped any issues. I do tend to use Scaler in stand-alone mode rather than as a plug-in (I don't use it very much at all, really), but it seems to have been ok for me.

 

[Vocalpoint]

I've seen several problems reported over at the Scaler forum with Scaler 3 crashing Studio One/Pro, but so far I've escaped any issues. I do tend to use Scaler in stand-alone mode rather than as a plug-in (I don't use it very much at all, really), but it seems to have been ok for me.

Yeah - I was good too right up until this new DAW build came into focus.

LOTS of change for me with this rig vs the last rig - and there have been a few teething issues - but this one was bizarre.

Not exactly sure how swapping a scaling factor back and forth all of a sudden makes everything good in the world - but this is one of those learning moments for sure...

VP

 

[TimC340]

Yes, that's weird! I've just updated Scaler to 3.3.1 and opened it as a VST3 in FSP 8.1.2, and no problems immediately obvious. On this particular computer I'm using a 34" QHD monitor (3440x1440) with the scaling at 100%.

 

[Vocalpoint]

Yes, that's weird! I've just updated Scaler to 3.3.1 and opened it as a VST3 in FSP 8.1.2, and no problems immediately obvious. On this particular computer I'm using a 34" QHD monitor (3440x1440) with the scaling at 100%.

From what I was able to cobble together - it appears that if one is using ANY oddball scaling unit that is NOT a factor of 100 - this crash "might" occur. Something to do with the plugin scanner calculating plugin dimensions and this process taking much longer (micro-second wise) if a non-standard scale is in play (vs one that is easy to calculate) - like if a user has their scaling set to a factor of 100. (100% or 200%)

For me - switching to 200% - then letting the scanner create whatever it needed to create (cache wise) - ran through just fine. And once this cache payload existed - after this specific run - switching back to my preferred 175% - was just fine too. AND so was Komplete Kontrols scanner as well - which did it's own crash thing - 100% disconnected from Studio Pro's scanner.

This is a very bizarre scene - but whatever that "scaling" switch did - it fixed this condition for both scanners instantly.

I am glad I did some learning here - but wow - this is frustrating when it's not obvious.

I did send a technical report to the Scaler guys and oddly - still radio silence from them. Either my report made them dig in deeper (as others are now reporting crashes on v3.3.1 as well - even after it was being promoted as a huge "crash-fix" release) or they ignored it like I was crazy.

Hopefully something comes of it.

VP

 

[TimC340]

I'll give it a go on my studio computer, which uses a 43" monitor at 225%. If I get a similar issue I'll report it over at Scaler and see if I can get a response from Davide.

 

[Vocalpoint]

I'll give it a go on my studio computer, which uses a 43" monitor at 225%. If I get a similar issue I'll report it over at Scaler and see if I can get a response from Davide.

Just booted into the desktop and Studio Pro 2 minutes ago - Event Viewer remains clear.

And another thing that is blatantly obvious now - is my plugin scan (where the dialog appears with it's progress bar) is like a bolt of lighting.

It rips through my 196 plugs in about 3/4 of second now - where a day or two ago - it would always hesitate here and there at every startup.

Just checked Komplete Kontrol as well - and it too is all clear.

VP