MuseScore 3 crashes on Windows 10 Pro
I teach composition and arranging with MuseScore 3 on my newly built PC running Windows 10 Pro. Once per editing session, I get the blue screen crash about an hour into working on a student's project. This happens quite often. I'm considering requiring my students to go back to Finale. There are many things I like about MuseScore 3, and I'm sure my students enjoy the free-of-charge aspect. Is there an update in the works for MuseScore 3 ? Am I the only one having this crashing issue? Next question... It's my understanding that MuseScore 3 autosaves. This would be very handy if that were true. For instance, as I type this, I am frustrated about losing an hour of edits on a student's composition. I cannot find any autosaved version of the piece anywhere. I followed the MuseScore directions to recover autosaved scores : https://musescore.org/en/node/52116
This yielded no autosaved scores. On the chance that these directions are out of date, can anyone on this forum direct me as to where an autosaved version might be on a PC running Windows 10 ?
Comments
In the Windows search box (explorer) try typing *.mscz do a full search of your hard drive - including things like the "virtual store" if on Windows.
You'll probably find the files even though their names might be different.
In reply to In the Windows search box … by Shoichi
I tried that. The particular piece that caused the crash was not there.
In reply to I tried that. The particular… by jazzbat
I have been resorting to forcing myself to ctrl S every couple of minutes (literally).
In reply to I have been resorting to… by jazzbat
First of all, and foremost, the best way to prevent what you find is to attach the score(s) concerned. Maybe it is a known bug (and that will save you a lot of time, instead of trying to fix it yourself), and if it is not yet known, it will be taken care of in the Issue Tracker for correction.
A point of clarification...
![B_screen_windows10.png]( "B_screen_windows10.png")
When you use the words "blue screen crash" do you mean a crash due to a system error, which requires a re-start of the OS (operating system):
Does the Event Viewer in Windows provide any info.?
Does your "newly built" PC have up to date device drivers? Adequate cooling?
Normally, when MuseScore gets tangled in a bug's web, it becomes unresponsive or closes (crashes) without impacting the OS. That is, there is no "blue screen".
Then, upon re-starting the MuseScore software (not the OS), you get asked whether MuseScore should continue the previous session (before the crash).
In reply to A point of clarification… by Jm6stringer
That image is the exact blue screen that I have encountered. MuseScore 3 is the only software that causes my system to crash. I am relatively new to Windows after 11 years on Mac, so I have to ask, where is the event viewer? And yes, all drivers are up-to-date.
You say there were no autosaved scores in the folder suggested by that articles? Or were not able to find the folder at all? If there was a crash, the autosave file pretty much have to be there. They only get deleted on successful exit. Assuming you never disabled autosave, be sure to check Edit / Preferences.
As for saving, I'm not sure why you would say you are "resorting" to saving every few minutes, that should be standard operating procedure with any computer program. Definitely recommended, you shouldn't have to rely on autosave being your only protection against system crashes, power failure, etc. That's the only purpose of autosave, it's still expected you save your score normally at regular intervals.
As mentioned, as true "blue screen" crash is a Windows issue, not a MuseScore issue, so if that's what it is, be sure to report it to Microsoft. If on the other hand it's a MuseScore crash (no blue screens involved), then we'd love to investigate. We'd need you to attach the score you were working on and describe as precisely what you were doing when it crashes.
In reply to You say there were no… by Marc Sabatella
I appreciate everyone's responses. I unfortunately cannot attach the score at this point as it's not my property. This is a student's composition from a class that I teach. Perhaps when the student has completed the score, he may be willing to have it posted.
I checked my MuseScore 3 preferences and AutoSave is enabled for every two minutes. For some reason, that particular score did not AutoSave, or my Windows 10 search did not work properly. Can someone tell me where exactly MuseScore AutoSaves to on a Windows 10 machine? In MuseScore 3 preferences, it reads:
C:/Users/My Name/Documents/MuseScore3/Scores
However, when I navigate there, there's nothing in that folder. It's empty.
Yes, I do ctrl s often, but I suppose not as often as you or some others. I don't want to get into a debate on that point. I've been using notation software from Finale 3.something back in 1996. I have used Finale in my teaching and for my many professional contracts, for decades. I've never had crashing issues like this, but MuseScore is free and that certainly makes it easier for my students to take my class. For that I'm grateful, but I'd like to see the program crash less. MuseScore 3 isn't working very well on my system. That's what brought me to this forum.
It is a blue screen issue, so I guess it's Windows' fault.
In reply to I appreciate everyone's… by jazzbat
In the task bar along the bottom of the desktop, select what looks like a file folder. At the top of that window select "View". to the right put a check in the box marked "Hidden Items. Now go to the scores folder.
Windows hides folders that most users don't need to mess with. Why MuseScore uses that capability I don't know.
Event viewer is very helpful in troubleshooting crashes. It might be easier to Google it rather than to try to tell you how to use it.
Welcome to Windows, by the way. There are things that are better and there are things that aren't.
In reply to In the task bar along the… by bobjp
Got it. Thanks!
In reply to I appreciate everyone's… by jazzbat
The folder you mention - under Documents - is not your autosave folder. It’s just your ordinary folder for the files you save normally. If it’s empty that simply means you never chose to save a file there, which makes sense - probably you downloaded your students’ firs to some other folder, maybe under Downloads. That’s something to he have to remember for yourself. But that’s where he last version you saved yourself is.
The autosave is completely and totally different, it’s in the folder specified in that article you say you read. Somewhere under AppData on Windows, not under Documents. And the file would have a name like sxz19358 or some other random-looking string of letters and numbers. Again, if you didn’t disable auto save, and your computer crashed, that file has to be there - MuseScore only deletes it upon successful exit. So you might want to check again
Anyhow, as mentioned, blue screen errors are always Microsoft bugs, each and every time without fails, but they are often triggered by bugs in other programs that Windows isn’t prepared to handle. So
most likely there is blame to share here.
On the whole though, I think once we sort out the issue with this one particular score that is triggering Windows to crash so badly, you’ll find MuseScore doesn’t actually crash any more often than any other program on average. I say that as someone who started using Finale around the same time as you but used other notation software for years before that too, and of course tons of other programs.
In reply to You say there were no… by Marc Sabatella
I have same issues. If I have MuseScore installed I get blue screen crashes. If I don't have MuseScore installed I don't get them. I think it may be worth you investigating as I think that there must be many users who just uninstall and then you have lost some users. I think from some of the comments you can infer that PC was working okay then MuseScore installed and began to blue screen. Or, PC working okay then MuseScore updated and began to crash. I have done complete uninstalls and my PC began to work fine. Re-installed, PC began to crash. Something's not right. With the disability I have musescore was a real crutch in helping me learn musicianship but if it's stopping my computer working I'll have to look elsewhere. Also, same issue is now occurring with son's laptop.
In reply to I have same issues. If I… by hyperbole71
Blue screens will have an error code. If you Google that code, you might find some ideas of what is going on. Sure, MuseScore is triggering a problem, but there might be underlying issues. Uninstalling any program does not get rid of all its components. You would need to search your hard drive for and delete any thing related to MuseScore . As it is, there is no surprise that installing it again is a problem.
A start might be to clear temporary files.
Certainly hard to tell what's going on because we aren't sitting at your computer. I've never had a blue screen from MuseScore and the only crash was my own fault. I know that doesn't help you much.
In reply to I have same issues. If I… by hyperbole71
Blue screen errors represent bugs in Windows, not bugs in any particular software you have installed. If merely installing MuseScore triggers this Windows bug, that is something to report to Microsoft for sure!
In reply to I have same issues. If I… by hyperbole71
You wrote:
If I have MuseScore installed I get blue screen crashes.
Do you mean that your computer blue screens without you actually opening the MuseScore app either by (double) clicking on a MuseScore file, or on the program icon?
In other words, you could be using, for example, a spreadsheet program and your computer will crash - simply because MuseScore is installed on the hard drive, but not actually running?
What OS (operating system)?
Have you obtained the MuseScore app from here?
https://musescore.org/en