Issues when installing or starting Notch

“Error 1317” during installation #

On certain Windows systems, you might get the following error when attempting to install Notch:

Error 1317 An error occurred while attempting to create the directory Drive Name:\Folder Name

This is a Windows error that indicates that you are attempting to install Notch in a directory for which you do not have the correct permissions. This can be because your logged-in user is not an Administrator, or that the directory you’re trying to write to is locked in some other way.

Anti-Virus #

A handful of anti-virus, anti-malware and anti-ransomware programs incorrectly block Notch from running.

Most commonly we see issues with Bit Defender. You can whitelist the NotchApp.exe file in BitDefender to allow it to run. Follow the instructions here or here to add a process to the Advanced Threat Defense exclusions list. Ensure that you select the NotchApp.exe file when whitelisting the process.

Installations of AVG can cause file writes to fail sporadically. We’ve seen this when saving screenshots and log files.

Acronis True Image comes with an Active Protection feature which has been shown to silently block Notch from opening and operating correctly. You will need to add the Notch installation folder and the EXE files in it as exceptions.

Nahimic (often bundled with MSI Laptops and Motherboards) #

Nahimic is a 3D spatial audio program that is often packaged with MSI laptops, desktops, or components. The Nahimic application / service prevents Notch from starting. Nahimic runs in the background as a service and you may not be aware that it is actually running.

To identify if Nahimic is running.

Open Task Manager
Ensure you are opened to the ‘More Details’ view
Under Background Processes find any processes that start with nahimic.

Terminating these processes or uninstalling Nahimic allows Notch to start.

Error: No DirectX11 capable render device available. #

If Notch is unable to access your GPU on startup, it will display this error. The cause is usually that Notch is being run on a computer that doesn’t have a DirectX11 capable GPU (in which case the solution is to run Notch on a different computer, or upgrade your GPU), or that something is blocking Notch from accessing it.

Duet Display devices are known to cause such conflicts. The solution is to uninstall the Duet Display driver and unplug the unit(s) from your computer.

Spacedesk #

Using Spacedesk with Notch is known to cause issues related to rendering.

Yealink USB Connect #

Using Yealink USB Connect with Notch can cause conflicts with license dongles.

Windows ‘N’ Editions #

Windows ‘N’ and ‘KN’ editions miss some key media player features required by Notch. To run Notch, you need to add the Windows feature called: Media Feature Pack for N versions of Windows 10

Failure to load Notch blocks or run Standalone applications #

For systems that do not have Notch Builder installed, Notch blocks may fail to load in FXPlayerHost as well as the media server. If this is the case then try setting the following registry key manually:

Key Path: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WIBU-SYSTEMS\CodeMeter\Server\CurrentVersion
Key Name: ShmTimeout
Key Value: 10 (0xa hex)
Key Type: REG_DWORD

or by running the following command in a Command Prompt with Administrator privileges:

REG ADD HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WIBU-SYSTEMS\CodeMeter\Server\CurrentVersion /v ShmTimeout /t REG_DWORD /d 0xa