Reason won't open error

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Tincture
Posts: 938
Joined: 18 Jan 2015
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22 Jun 2015

As of about an hour and a half ago I get a 'bad format' error when I try and open Reason or any reason file. I'm a bit scared.

Filed a thing with Props support but I might just go nuts in 48h!

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Raveshaper
Posts: 1089
Joined: 16 Jan 2015

22 Jun 2015

Hm. That is not the best, it's gotta be said.
:reason: :ignition: :re: :refillpacker: Enhanced by DataBridge v5

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Tincture
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22 Jun 2015

I know very little about computers or software.

Care to elaborate on how and why that's a bad thing? (Windows)

All my old files are still there and still associated...

I'm hoping a re-install and all will be good but will wait on Props advice.

If it really has all gone to shit and I've lost everything since 2012... well... hmmm

It may be time to call it a day.

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Raveshaper
Posts: 1089
Joined: 16 Jan 2015

22 Jun 2015

What was the most recent system change that occurred before this error? New audio card, new drivers installed, etc?
:reason: :ignition: :re: :refillpacker: Enhanced by DataBridge v5

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Tincture
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22 Jun 2015

The only change was that my phone crashed... which I tether to the internet through...

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Raveshaper
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Joined: 16 Jan 2015

22 Jun 2015

Ah, let me guess. You need to sign-in to be able authorize Reason?

In that case it may be something to do with the way you connect to the internet. But I don't know why it would say bad format.
:reason: :ignition: :re: :refillpacker: Enhanced by DataBridge v5

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jam-s
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Location: Aachen, Germany
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22 Jun 2015

Just a guess: perhaps one of your REs or soundbanks is corrupted. Also make sure you've got your songs backed up.

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Tincture
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22 Jun 2015

Ok, my PC is authorized so I don't have to log-in... maybe some date got fecked up or something... my phone goes back to 1980! when this happens ... It has to be restorable. It just has to be.


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Raveshaper
Posts: 1089
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22 Jun 2015

MAC or PC? OS version? Is Reason setup to load previous project or an empty/template workspace?
:reason: :ignition: :re: :refillpacker: Enhanced by DataBridge v5


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Raveshaper
Posts: 1089
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22 Jun 2015

If you make a copy of the last played song and move it somewhere else, then delete the original file from the location where Reason anticipates finding it, does that fix the problem?
:reason: :ignition: :re: :refillpacker: Enhanced by DataBridge v5



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Raveshaper
Posts: 1089
Joined: 16 Jan 2015

23 Jun 2015

Hm. I don't know what to say other than possibly re-install it after a clean uninstall?

See, this is exactly what I meant when I said that the stability of the program would decrease as time went on, thereby eroding the argument that VST integration would harm the stability of the platform.
Almost always, whenever an application goes to an auto-update scheme of improving/optimizing code, things like this start cropping up. It is very possible that if you are on R8+, an auto-update in the background failed to complete and corrupted a file that was important to the install.

If you're on 7.x, who knows.
:reason: :ignition: :re: :refillpacker: Enhanced by DataBridge v5

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4filegate
Posts: 922
Joined: 16 Jan 2015

23 Jun 2015

I already know - was months ago;

After the uninstallation process the application leaves leftovers on the computer. Some of theese are shown below.

Folders remaining:

    C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Temp\Reason
    C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Propellerhead Software\Reason
    C:\Users\UserName\Desktop\Reason

delete them, registry cleaner and reboot NewInstall was all I need

check/verify how to fix rack extensions errors

http://www.reasontalk.com/post/how-to-f ... rs-7367810

hopefully it works ;)
Last edited by 4filegate on 16 Jul 2015, edited 1 time in total.

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Aquila
Posts: 754
Joined: 21 Jan 2015

23 Jun 2015

I just had the exact same thing happen to me. Turned out to be a bad RE (Pulsar Dual LFO).

Reason would open fine with it uninstalled, but would have the Bad Format error whenever it was installed. Props suggested my antivirus was being a douche and falsely quarantining the Pulsar dll file, and suggested disabling it while downloading Pulsar again. Bingo! All working good again.

So try uninstalling your REs one by one until Reason opens again. Then disable your antivirus and re-download the REs you removed. That fixed it for me.

You could also add an exception to the %appdata%\Roaming\Propellerhead Software\RackExtensions directory in your antivirus for future use.

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Kov
Posts: 467
Joined: 21 Jan 2015

23 Jun 2015

Back on R5 this could be fixed by deleting the config file (Reason will write a new one when started next time). It is somewhere under "documents and settings" on pc. That's the file where all your preferences get written into. Unistalling reason doesn't remove it and reinstalling doesn't overwrite it. That's why a reinstall didn't fix the problem.

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Deep Schulzz
Posts: 246
Joined: 23 Jan 2015

23 Jun 2015

Aquila wrote:I just had the exact same thing happen to me. Turned out to be a bad RE (Pulsar Dual LFO).

This just happened to me yesterday. Avast suddenly declared the Pulsar RE dll as malware/virus and Reason 8.2 could not be opened. After deleting Pulsar in Authorizer & making the Pulsar dll as exception in the Avast preferences I pressed the "SYNC ALL" button & everything worked fine again.


Btw: Something strange happened - because after starting Reason the (big & incredible good) TSAR-1 Reverb  (which I did not buy) appeared in my RE Folder. Maybe it has to do with the Outboard bundle that I purchased some months ago.

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Gaja
Posts: 1001
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Location: Germany
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23 Jun 2015

I had that TSAR1 issue as well. Sent an email to props and they figured there was a glitch when upgrading the outboard rig bundle. They removed the license from my account again (sadly).
Cheers!
Fredhoven

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Exowildebeest
Posts: 1553
Joined: 16 Jan 2015

23 Jun 2015

Aquila wrote:I just had the exact same thing happen to me. Turned out to be a bad RE (Pulsar Dual LFO).

Reason would open fine with it uninstalled, but would have the Bad Format error whenever it was installed. Props suggested my antivirus was being a douche and falsely quarantining the Pulsar dll file, and suggested disabling it while downloading Pulsar again. Bingo! All working good again.

So try uninstalling your REs one by one until Reason opens again. Then disable your antivirus and re-download the REs you removed. That fixed it for me.

You could also add an exception to the %appdata%\Roaming\Propellerhead Software\RackExtensions directory in your antivirus for future use.
Avast kicked Pulsar out of my rack when I wanted to use it 2 days ago, and also blocked it when I wanted to redownload.

I used to have the exceptions set already, but apparently, I forgot to set those again after some reinstall.

Setting exceptions does indeed fix this.

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Raveshaper
Posts: 1089
Joined: 16 Jan 2015

23 Jun 2015

Out of curiosity, do other plugin formats trigger anti virus software as well? There must be a way of preventing these situations because not all extensions are being flagged as a virus.
:reason: :ignition: :re: :refillpacker: Enhanced by DataBridge v5

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ScuzzyEye
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23 Jun 2015

QwaizanG wrote:Out of curiosity, do other plugin formats trigger anti virus software as well? There must be a way of preventing these situations because not all extensions are being flagged as a virus.
REs are encrypted DLLs, that aren't stored in Program Files. So if their encrypted data matches a pattern, they are highly suspect to an anti-virus program.

I don't bother with any more protection than Windows Defender, and common sense. I've never had a false positive for a Rack Extension or anything else. I've seen plenty of stories of commercial anti-virus programs mistakenly deleting files needed to run Windows.

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futurewizard
Posts: 7
Joined: 13 Sep 2022

23 Jan 2023

I hate to be a necromancer, but I also don't want to start a new thread. I just want to make some drum and bass and I'm bummed out and losing inspiration. I may have to resort to Audacity 'fish bone' editing.

Situation:
Reason 12 - Win10 Pro 64 - Fresh Install of Reason/Windows
Reason Doesn't Open

Minidump indicated it cant read memory or something, vague. I can post it if it helps - no plugins/vst2/3 were called out in the dmp file.
No Antivirus, Firewall exception for Reason -
Administrator Account, full ownership of program files/prop... and users/me/appdata/blahblah

I've Run as Admin, used compatibly mode (win 8) and the useless windows compatibility helper thing

*What am I missing?* Running as admin doesn't help, Windows updated, I've zipped my favs/settings and deleted everything I can find regarding Reason via Revo Uninstaller. That includes nooks, crannies, user folders, sewers, vacant hospitals, appdata, program files/data, x:\b3w4r3 ... I'm at the end of my tether and I feel like this post is proving my insanity.
I've been using Reason since 2000 and I'm sure I could spend the night figuring this out, but I'm hoping there's something dumb I'm missing. I've restarted processes, made new users, uninstalled/reinstalled Reason and the lovely little companion thing that eats memory and looks pretty.

I was considering using the Rack with Audacity or something insane, but that's insane. I pay for Reason Plus (it's a lot considering other things I get for 9$ a month). I came here, not the official site, because y'all get it, and Reasoners are smarter than most. The learning curve keeps the Ableton bedroom trap pirate youtube kiddos out of the mix.

I'll have sigourney weaver give a shoutout to anybody who can help me fix this.
꧁༒☬Loyal Reasoner since 2001☬༒꧂

Check out my stuff: @ https://futurewizard.org

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futurewizard
Posts: 7
Joined: 13 Sep 2022

23 Jan 2023

I figured it out! Here's Sigourney Weaver with more info.
꧁༒☬Loyal Reasoner since 2001☬༒꧂

Check out my stuff: @ https://futurewizard.org

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