Powerpoint has encountered a problem and needs to close

[Malcolm Ogilvie]

I'm running Windows XP SP2 and Office XP SP3 on a Dell laptop connected
to a Dell digital projector. I have just checked for all available
updates for Windows and Office and appear to be completely up to date
with both.

Every time I start the slide show of a Powerpoint presentation with the
"Show Presenter View" option ticked, the presenter version starts to
appear on the laptop and then the above error message appears and I have
to restart Powerpoint. If I remove the presenter view option, the
presentation runs perfectly.

However, as I rather want to have the presenter view on the laptop, I
wondered whether any kind person here could help me solve the problem.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I'm running Windows XP SP2 and Office XP SP3 on a Dell laptop connected
to a Dell digital projector. I have just checked for all available
updates for Windows and Office and appear to be completely up to date
with both.

Every time I start the slide show of a Powerpoint presentation with the
"Show Presenter View" option ticked, the presenter version starts to
appear on the laptop and then the above error message appears and I have
to restart Powerpoint. If I remove the presenter view option, the
presentation runs perfectly.

However, as I rather want to have the presenter view on the laptop, I
wondered whether any kind person here could help me solve the problem.

I'd first try setting graphics acceleration back as a test:

How to set graphics hardware acceleration back
http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00129.htm

 

[Malcolm Ogilvie]

I'd first try setting graphics acceleration back as a test:

How to set graphics hardware acceleration back
http://www.pptfaq.com/FAQ00129.htm

Thanks for the speedy reply.

Although the web page you directed me to said that, by default,
Powerpoint 2002 doesn't use graphics acceleration, I tried setting it
back, even to zero, without making any difference. I also tried it with
and without the "Use hardware graphics acceleration" option in Set-up
Show checked and still got exactly the same error message.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Thanks for the speedy reply.

Although the web page you directed me to said that, by default,
Powerpoint 2002 doesn't use graphics acceleration, I tried setting it
back, even to zero, without making any difference. I also tried it with
and without the "Use hardware graphics acceleration" option in Set-up
Show checked and still got exactly the same error message.

Well nuts.

It sure *feels* like a video issue. If you haven't already done so, try
setting the video to a very vanilla resolution/color depth ... 1024x768x24-bit
or 32-bit color. On both displays, by the way.

Running Detect and Repair (from the Help menu) couldn't hurt either.

 

[Malcolm Ogilvie]

Well nuts.

It sure *feels* like a video issue. If you haven't already done so, try
setting the video to a very vanilla resolution/color depth ... 1024x768x24-bit
or 32-bit color. On both displays, by the way.

Running Detect and Repair (from the Help menu) couldn't hurt either.

Bingo!

The projector runs at 1024x768 so I took the laptop down from its
setting of 1280x800 (its maximum) to that level, leaving both at 32-bit
colour and it worked just fine with no error message!

So, I incremented the laptop to 1280x720 - it worked, then to 1280x768 -
it worked, and finally back to 1280x800 and, guess what, it worked!

I've switched both machines off and on again and it still works.

So, yes, Steve, you were quite right in saying it was a video issue and
I'm a happy bunny, even if I don't understand why changing the video
setting and then back again should cure the problem.

My grateful thanks to you for homing in on the problem so quickly and
for your cure.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Bingo!

The projector runs at 1024x768 so I took the laptop down from its
setting of 1280x800 (its maximum) to that level, leaving both at 32-bit
colour and it worked just fine with no error message!

So, I incremented the laptop to 1280x720 - it worked, then to 1280x768 -
it worked, and finally back to 1280x800 and, guess what, it worked!

I've switched both machines off and on again and it still works.

So, yes, Steve, you were quite right in saying it was a video issue and
I'm a happy bunny, even if I don't understand why changing the video
setting and then back again should cure the problem.

My grateful thanks to you for homing in on the problem so quickly and
for your cure.

Wow! I'm pleased to hear that it worked (mystified but pleased <g>).
Thanks for coming back with the details too.

By the way, most projectors can't handle more than 1024x768; if you feed them a
higher resolution signal, they'll have to downsample it to something they *can*
handle. That can degrade the screen image. You may want to compare the results
with your laptop set to the normal value vs set to 1024x768. You might find that
you're better off kicking it down to the lower value when you need to project a
show.

 

[Malcolm Ogilvie]

Wow! I'm pleased to hear that it worked (mystified but pleased <g>).
Thanks for coming back with the details too.

By the way, most projectors can't handle more than 1024x768; if you
feed them a
higher resolution signal, they'll have to downsample it to something
they *can*
handle. That can degrade the screen image. You may want to compare
the results
with your laptop set to the normal value vs set to 1024x768. You might
find that
you're better off kicking it down to the lower value when you need to
project a
show.

Thanks for this suggestion. Both laptop and projector are new and,
although I've used such a combination before, I didn't have this
difficulty and I certainly never thought to change the resolution. I'll
investigate this in the visitor centre with its 8-foot screen for which
the equipment has just been purchased. I've got it at home at the moment
making sure the two items work together (!) and projecting a small image
to a wall a couple of feet away.

In my previous message I very nearly asked you for an explanation as to
why it now works when it didn't previously, but perhaps it's as well
that I didn't bother <g>.

Thanks again.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

In my previous message I very nearly asked you for an explanation as to

why it now works when it didn't previously, but perhaps it's as well
that I didn't bother <g>.

Indeed! It's not nice to embarrass your friends in public. <g>