Problem running apps from USB

JM193

Hi folks.

A bit of a strange one but hoping someone can help. I'm trying to run BlueJ (and Greenfoot) from a USB.

I've loaded the standalone on a freshly formatted USB key but when I open the app, the program opens fine but the interface is all garbled.

I tried with a freshly formatted drive on another PC and everything works fine but when I try with the same key on my laptop back to garbled.

I'm fairly sure the problem is with the laptop not the software or key as a result. Both machines are running Windows 10. I've run SFC and DISM on the laptop but they found no problems and all updates are up to date.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Spear

Garbled? Can you post a screenshot of this happening?

JM193

Here you go. I've never seen this before. What's odder is the buttons still do what they're supposed to do and if you go into the code editor, that interface is completely normal.

smuggler.ie

Does other (correctly displaying) PC has software installed directly ?

JM193

No, I tried the same USB key and it works perfectly. I've a screenshot of those too.

Same USB key. I think the issue has to be windows but they both run the same version (W10Ed)

28064212

That is fairly bizarre. The "garbled" text is actually a simple shift cipher - the letters are all just shifted two to the right. A becomes C, B becomes D etc, so "Create" becomes "Etgcvg". However, I have no idea what would cause that.

Have you tried installing BlueJ directly to the laptop using the Windows install file? Does that have the same issue? Have you tried any other portable apps from the USB e.g. https://www.sumatrapdfreader.org/download-free-pdf-viewer?

JM193

Thanks. Just tried it there (same USB) and no issue. I honestly can't figure this out. It's not a major issue but I hope to be teaching this Autumn, had hoped to have the students have their IDE on a key they can take with them. So I just would like a solution if they run into the same issue.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119152921#Comment_119152921

Loading apps for a USB is a security risk and most likely that the OS is restricting access to the resources necessary for you app to come up properly. I'd expect your students will encounter the same or perhaps even greater restrictions depending on their settings.

Clareman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119152921#Comment_119152921

Probably be easier to get them to run it from a cloud based platform (One Drive, Google Drive or Dropbox), in my experience there's 3 types of USB drives, lost ones, broken ones and ones that will be lost or broken.

10-10-20

I actually thought it was Polish on first look!

It could be the video-card driver or interference from the system locale. Update the driver and also check that you only have one locale configured for English (English) or English (Irish).

JM193

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've tried or had already tried all of these and still no joy. I've noticed the laptop has windows version 20H2 and the desktop 21H2 so I'm going to update the laptop and see if this resolves it. I'll update this thread once done. Thanks everyone.

JM193

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119157346#Comment_119157346

Thanks Clareman. If I could guarantee all had access to good broadband I'd go down this road but, as I can't, the USB key seems like the next best option.

JM193

Update from 20H2 to 21H2 resolved the problem. Maybe my windows version had some unseen corruption. Anyways all fixed now (and probable fix if my students encounter the same problem). Thanks to everyone for your help and suggestions.

I love reading these tech issue threads, I always learn something new from each of them 😊