TROUBLE WITH SAM 2020.11.29 FAILING TO OPEN PROPERLY

Hi Robert,

We developed the "SMW" weather file format relatively early on in the history of SAM for a specific application, and then later developed a more flexible format we call "SAM CSV." SAM continues to be able to read files in the SMW format (along with other legacy formats like TMY2 and TMY3), but when we make changes to weather file related features such as macros, we don't necessarily test them for the SMW format. Your SMW weather files should continue to work for simulations. For a description of the SAM CSV format, you can refer to SAM's Help system ("Weather File Formats"), or you can download a PDF version from sam.nrel.gov/weather-data/weather-data-publications.html .

Yes, we fixed those erroneous error messages about the PV bifacial module option with one-axis tracking in SAM 2020.11.29 r1.

I hope you are able to get your Windows 10 up and running soon!

Best regards,
Paul.

Thanks for all the info, Paul!

Had more words with Microsoft this morning about my Windows 10 Version 20H2 install failure - and now it looks as if I have a hardware problem, possibly an impending hard drive failure (which I don't need!) "When it rains it pours" and all that!

Now back to 1066 And All That - and NOW ALL THIS! Ha! ha! 

Regards, Robert

Has ANYBODY -  other than ME -  tried running any version of SAM (particularly  SAM 2020.11.29 r1 - or the latest one, SAM 2020.11.29 r2) with a computer running the latest Windows 10 which is Version 20H2? 

I can't find anyone in this Forum who does. 

Until suddenly having the trouble reported before on my old machine - with  Windows 10 Version 1803 build 17134.1304 (64-bit OS); Product ID 00330-80000-00000-AA378 - SAM 2020.11.29 r1 was running on that machine just fine. Then without warning SAM stopped working one day - apparently, and as explained before, because of Windows file corruption issues. A bit later, I noticed additional problems such as Windows no longer recognising my cellphone when connected to that computer with its USB cable.  Now I have Windows 10 Version 20H2 on that old machine (after a lot of trouble installing it) - and it recognises my cellphone again. 

BUT - guess what - I can't get SAM to work on that machine!

I also now have a second computer (a "new used" one, which I got for about $300) ) which also has Windows 10 Version 20H2 on it. It too recognises my cellphone. And guess what - I can't get SAM to work on that one either!

I'll describe the symptoms later, with the aid of a few screen shots. No error messages appeared; the SAM startup process simply failed without warning part way through. But first I'd like to hear from anyone else  who has tried running SAM (particularly  SAM 2020.11.29 r1 or r2) under Windows 10 Version 20H2,  any problem(s) they had, and the solution(s) to the problem(s). 

This saga is becoming an effing nightmare which I can well do without - but fortunately, this time,  it's not combined with having to meet tight deadlines for any clients, so as to make me lose those clients!

Regards, Robert T. Chisholm

Hello!
As noted before, I'm having troublegetting SAM to work on three computers, two of which are now running
Windows 10 Version 20H2.

As we know there are two basic ways toopen SAM:-
1. Open SAM using the desktop shortcut,then either (a) "start a new project" or (b) "open a
project file" (previously created).
On one of my computers running Windows10 Version 20H2, if I open SAM using the desktop shortcut and then
select "open a project file" then the sequence of events is
as shown in files 1 to 4 attached, the last one of these being "4
- SAM OPEN FAIL LAST".
That last event in the sequence failsto complete i.e. the complete user interface (showing the "Location
and Resource" page) fails to appear without warning and with no
error message, but with endless looping followed by SAM suddenly
"crashing" (evidently after a pre-set number of seconds).

If you repeat the process but this timeselecting "start a new project", the failure occurs at the
same point in the SAM file opening process.
2. Double click on an existing projectfile. In the example shown, the process terminates as shown in file
"5 - SAM PROJECT DOUBLE CLICK OPEN FAIL LAST". In this
case, the SAM file page descriptions shown in the file "4 - SAM
OPEN FAIL LAST" don't even appear.
3. General. I don't see any other SAMusers else reporting any problems like what I've just described -
which suggests to me that on my own computer there are certain
Windows files which are either absent or corrupted.

It seems to me that the key to solvingthis problem is to identify what thing(s) could be causing the
endless looping referred to under para. 1 above. It's clear that some
unwanted type of interaction between SAM and my Windows installation
is the cause of the trouble. If I can solve the problem on one of my
three computers, the solutions for the other two will likely be the
same.

The  computer info relevant to the above is as shown in the "COMPUTER INFO" file attached.
Oh Lord, please save me from goinground the bend!
Robert T. Chisholm

Robert,

I run 2020.11.29 revisions 0, 1, and 2 on my system:
Edition Windows 10 Pro
Version 20H2
Installed on ‎3/‎12/‎2021
OS build 19042.985
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.2020.0

So, let's isolate whether your installation or the project file (.sam) that you are trying to open is causing the issue.

Can you:
1. Start SAM by double-clicking the sam.exe file in the C:\SAM\2020.11.29\x64 folder
2. Click the "About" button on the lower left-hand side and attach a screenshot
3. Click "Start a new project" at top of the left side navigation
4. Select "Photovoltaic->PVWatts"
5. Select "No Financial Model"
6. Click OK
7. Click "Simulate >"

If you can complete the above 7 steps, then the installation is fine and the issue lies with the .sam file you are trying to open.
Please send us the problematic project file so we can further help.

If you cannot complete the above 7 steps, please tell us what error occurred on what step.

Thanks!

Hi!

I posted a fairly long message on Sat. June 5th - but still don't see it  in this Forum, though it's possible that something went wrong with my up-load of it.. 

I suspect my problem is giving you and Paul Gilman some trouble - which would not surprise me at all, and I can understand you wanting to look into it without being distracted by anyone else.

I can provide some short video clips to better explain what is happening immediately before and after  my computer "freezes" when I'm trying to run SAM, if that's any help to you in diagnosing my problem(s).

Regards, Robert T. Chisholm