SDR# Problem Getting SDR# to Run

[sfb88]

My apologies if this is a redundant thread but my search skills may not have been good enough to find anything relevant. I am trying to follow the steps given in a basic SDR course at Scanner School. I downloaded the software and installed it as instructed. When I try to run SDR# I just get the Airspy splash screen which disappears and nothing further happens. Now for details.

The computer is an Asus Strix laptop running a Core i7 7700 with 16GB RAM a 500GB SSD and a 1TB HD. The OS is Win 10 Pro 20H2 64bit. As part of the installation process windowsdesktop-runtime-5.0.4-win-x86.exe was downloaded and run. The version of SDR# being installed is 1.0.0.1810.

I have tried whitelisting the SDR folder in Norton360, Malwarebytes and Acronis True Image protection but it didn't help. I ran repair on the .Net 5 runtime. I tries starting the program with the sdr dongle both installed and removed. I tried redownloading the software and reinstalling the replacement driver. Nothing has helped.

Now for an interesting, puzzling fact. I had a previous version of SDR# (1.0.0.1660) on the computer. I tried running it and it opened right up. I would prefer to get the newer version running so that it matches course lessons. Does anyone have any ideas to try to fix this?

 

[PDXh0b0]

Try manually installing the 32bit version of .net5.0

 

[w2lie]

Hi,
I hope you are enjoying the course!

Have you installed SDR# in the directory I shared in the course? This directory should be writable. Sometimes if you install in Window's program file director, the folder is locked and can't be written to.

Are there any error files generated in your installation folder? That may give a good clue as to what might be going wrong.

I know you said an old version of SDR# was working for you., but have you tried running any other SDR Software such as SDR Console, or HDSDR?


What if instead of whitelisting SDR# in your virus scanners if you paused them and then tried to run SDR#? Maybe they're aren't fully whitelisted?

Finally, if you are in groups.io, there is a very active group called airspy that you can check out. There is a good amount of discussion about SDR# in that group as well.

 

[rabbit108]

I am trying to follow the steps given in a basic SDR course at Scanner School. I downloaded the software and installed it as instructed. When I try to run SDR# I just get the Airspy splash screen which disappears and nothing further happens.

Hello, sfb88. I also have noticed that the newer versions of SDR# are a little more difficult to run.

What SDR device are you using with SDR# v1810?

 

[dave3825]

Is there by chance a crash log in your sdr# folder?

 

[rabbit108]

When I try to run SDR# I just get the Airspy splash screen which disappears and nothing further happens.

The AIRSPY splash screen is normal:



but you should see this next:



if you see this instead, minimize the software or click on the icon in the taskbar:



If that doesn't work, something else is wrong.

 

[sfb88]

I tried uninstalling and redownloading and running the .Net 5.0 Desktop Runtime x86 version which I think is the 32 bit one. No joy. Tried the x64 version. No joy either.

I installed it in its own directory but put it on my D: drive for space considerations. There are no error files in the installation folder. I did find this in the event log viewer

Faulting application name: SDRSharp.exe, version: 1.0.0.1810, time stamp: 0x600b9e79
Faulting module name: portaudio.DLL, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x00000000
Exception code: 0x40000015
Fault offset: 0x0002df28
Faulting process id: 0x58b4
Faulting application start time: 0x01d72241ee661fca
Faulting application path: D:\sdr\sdrsharp-x86\SDRSharp.exe
Faulting module path: D:\sdr\sdrsharp-x86\portaudio.DLL
Report Id: 1e990080-0eff-441f-8699-ac54756594d3
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

Not sure what it means though.
I am new to this so I have not tried other SDR software. I tried turning off all protection but it didn't help. I am not familiar with groups.io/

I tried running SDR# with an RTLSDR RTL2832U R820T2 dongle Both inserted and uninserted.

 

[BM82557]

Did you run the install-rtlsdr.bat file that is included in the download? This has to be done if you are going to use a dongle.

 

[sfb88]

Yes, I did run that. BTW, Thank you to everyone trying to help.

 

[dave3825]

Tried the x64 version. No joy either.

The 64 bit will not work. Your OS might be 64 bit but Sdr# is 32bit.

The problem, Faulting module path: C:\SDRSharp\bin\portaudio.DLL

Its not liking a file called portaudio.dll.

Not sure what version the guy had, but its worth a try.

There is discussion about downloading a different version of Sdr# and taking the portaudio.dll from that and sticking it in the newer Sdr#. " I just downloaded the 1732 version and replaced the PortAudio.dll and so far so good. " as seen in this thread,

https://www.reddit.com/r/RTLSDR/comments/lsn11o

 

[sfb88]

Thank you. I couldn't find version 1732 but I tried the portaudio.dll file from version 1784 and it worked. At least the program opened. I hope it doesn't bite me later when I actually try to listed to something.

 

[dave3825]

I couldn't find version 1732

There is a link in the thread I posted that has many versions. 1732 is there but if 1784 working, than that's good. If not, then try 1732

Index of /software/SDRSharp

.

 

[PDXh0b0]

The 64 bit will not work. Your OS might be 64 bit but Sdr# is 32bit.

The problem, Faulting module path: C:\SDRSharp\bin\portaudio.DLL

Its not liking a file called portaudio.dll.

Not sure what version the guy had, but its worth a try.

There is discussion about downloading a different version of Sdr# and taking the portaudio.dll from that and sticking it in the newer Sdr#. " I just downloaded the 1732 version and replaced the PortAudio.dll and so far so good. " as seen in this thread,

https://www.reddit.com/r/RTLSDR/comments/lsn11o

Well heck, using ultra compare, out of the versions I have, 1790,1804,1806 & 1810 - the PortAudio.dll doesn't match with the 1732 one..

 

[rabbit108]

Thank you. I couldn't find version 1732 but I tried the portaudio.dll file from version 1784 and it worked. At least the program opened. I hope it doesn't bite me later when I actually try to listed to something.

I got the RTL-SDR.COM V3 dongle to work in 1810, but I can't use any version higher than 1784 to run Spectrum Spy with my R2.

double click on install-rtlsdr:



you should see this:



scroll down and press "any key"



open Zadig:



select dongle and click on install/replace driver. I didn't uncheck Ignore Hubs because I'm not using a hub:





check Device Manager for dongle:



open SDR#:



select and click on Source:



Click on Play and click on wheel to bring up RF Gain control window. Increase gain until noise floor adjacent to channel just starts to rise, then stop. This will give you the MAX SNR for the signal.