First,I'm no computer expert...I don't even know how to unzip and install a zipped file.
Last year,when my W-XP tower smoked on me,I went and purchased a brand new laptop.No choice,it came with Junk 8 that I never succeeded to like,but still,after a few pulled hairs,I got Decoder Pro to work.
DP worked fine for about four months until,for some weird and unknown reason,it stopped working.I can't even open DP any more...I constantly get the message:"Java(TM) Platform SE Binary has stopped working".My thought is that some Microsoft non-optional update messed it up and I don't have a clue what to do.Being constantly hassled by Microsoft,I since upgraded to Junk 8.1 then Junk 10 but neither has fixed the issue.
Does anyone have a fix...before I throw this $900. junk out the window and look on the used market for an XP or W7 driven machine?
Hardware:Asus S550C and Digitrax PR3 (with Driver CD),had no problem installing DP.
There is a JMRI Yahoo group where you can probably get better answers: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/jmriusers/info
8.1 and 10 are perfectly usable, unlike 8.
The most common cause for the eror is that you have the wrong COm port selected for your interface device. The Java serial library is very poor at handling talking to the wrong port and usually just crashes. Depending on what interface device you have, just plugging it in to a different USB port than you have been using is enough to make it use a different port, so the port in use by the hardware no longer matches your setup in JMRI. A few devices, like the RR-CirKits Locobuffer USB, use a registered driver that does keep the port constant regardless of which USB jack you plug it in, but many others do not.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I agree with Maxman - The best place for JMRI help is the JMRI Yahoo group. The folks who write the code, along with a bunch of really advanced users, hang out there and are always willing to help.
But having said that, I think your problem may be that the COM port assigned to your PR3 has changed.
To fix that, double-check the COM port assignment in Device Manager. (Also, while you're there, check the driver info to be sure the Digitrax driver is still properly installed.)
Then, find your DecoderProConfig2.xml file. If you can get DecoderPro or PanelPro to start, go to Help‑>Locations and press Open User Files Location. Otherwise, it's usually in C:/Users/****/JMRI (where **** is your username on the computer).
Once you find the DecoderProConfig2.xml file, delete it. If you have *Config2.xml files files for PanelPro, etc., delete them as well.
Then, restart JMRI. You will have to re-do all your preferences, using the correct COM port for the PR3.
If you follow those steps EXACTLY, and it still doesn't work, join and post on the JMRI Yahoo group.
Updates aren't all they are cracked up to be. I would suggest uninstalling Java then reinstalling it. Start at this page: https://java.com/en/download/help/uninstall_java.xml
Reboot your computer and then install Java. That same page has a link to reinstall java.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley