ReasonTalk.com

As of about an hour and a half ago I get a 'bad format' error when I try and open Reason or any reason file. I'm a bit scared.

Filed a thing with Props support but I might just go nuts in 48h!

Hm. That is not the best, it's gotta be said.

I know very little about computers or software.

Care to elaborate on how and why that's a bad thing? (Windows)

All my old files are still there and still associated...

I'm hoping a re-install and all will be good but will wait on Props advice.

If it really has all gone to shit and I've lost everything since 2012... well... hmmm

It may be time to call it a day.

What was the most recent system change that occurred before this error? New audio card, new drivers installed, etc?

The only change was that my phone crashed... which I tether to the internet through...

Ah, let me guess. You need to sign-in to be able authorize Reason?

In that case it may be something to do with the way you connect to the internet. But I don't know why it would say bad format.

Just a guess: perhaps one of your REs or soundbanks is corrupted. Also make sure you've got your songs backed up.

Ok, my PC is authorized so I don't have to log-in... maybe some date got fecked up or something... my phone goes back to 1980! when this happens ... It has to be restorable. It just has to be.

Time to go offline now... thanks for your help! Hope for me!

MAC or PC? OS version? Is Reason setup to load previous project or an empty/template workspace?

Pc, last played song

If you make a copy of the last played song and move it somewhere else, then delete the original file from the location where Reason anticipates finding it, does that fix the problem?

I'll try that when I get up again... 4am here, some hope, thank!

Had to get up and try it, no luck. Thanks anyway. Fuck.

Hm. I don't know what to say other than possibly re-install it after a clean uninstall?

See, this is exactly what I meant when I said that the stability of the program would decrease as time went on, thereby eroding the argument that VST integration would harm the stability of the platform.
Almost always, whenever an application goes to an auto-update scheme of improving/optimizing code, things like this start cropping up. It is very possible that if you are on R8+, an auto-update in the background failed to complete and corrupted a file that was important to the install.

If you're on 7.x, who knows.

I already know - was months ago;

After the uninstallation process the application leaves leftovers on the computer. Some of theese are shown below.

Folders remaining:

    C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Local\Temp\Reason
    C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Propellerhead Software\Reason
    C:\Users\UserName\Desktop\Reason

delete them, registry cleaner and reboot NewInstall was all I need

check/verify how to fix rack extensions errors

http://www.reasontalk.com/post/how-to-f ... rs-7367810

hopefully it works

I just had the exact same thing happen to me. Turned out to be a bad RE (Pulsar Dual LFO).

Reason would open fine with it uninstalled, but would have the Bad Format error whenever it was installed. Props suggested my antivirus was being a douche and falsely quarantining the Pulsar dll file, and suggested disabling it while downloading Pulsar again. Bingo! All working good again.

So try uninstalling your REs one by one until Reason opens again. Then disable your antivirus and re-download the REs you removed. That fixed it for me.

You could also add an exception to the %appdata%\Roaming\Propellerhead Software\RackExtensions directory in your antivirus for future use.

Back on R5 this could be fixed by deleting the config file (Reason will write a new one when started next time). It is somewhere under "documents and settings" on pc. That's the file where all your preferences get written into. Unistalling reason doesn't remove it and reinstalling doesn't overwrite it. That's why a reinstall didn't fix the problem.

I had that TSAR1 issue as well. Sent an email to props and they figured there was a glitch when upgrading the outboard rig bundle. They removed the license from my account again (sadly).

Aquila wrote:I just had the exact same thing happen to me. Turned out to be a bad RE (Pulsar Dual LFO).

Reason would open fine with it uninstalled, but would have the Bad Format error whenever it was installed. Props suggested my antivirus was being a douche and falsely quarantining the Pulsar dll file, and suggested disabling it while downloading Pulsar again. Bingo! All working good again.

So try uninstalling your REs one by one until Reason opens again. Then disable your antivirus and re-download the REs you removed. That fixed it for me.

You could also add an exception to the %appdata%\Roaming\Propellerhead Software\RackExtensions directory in your antivirus for future use.

Avast kicked Pulsar out of my rack when I wanted to use it 2 days ago, and also blocked it when I wanted to redownload.

I used to have the exceptions set already, but apparently, I forgot to set those again after some reinstall.

Setting exceptions does indeed fix this.

Out of curiosity, do other plugin formats trigger anti virus software as well? There must be a way of preventing these situations because not all extensions are being flagged as a virus.

QwaizanG wrote:Out of curiosity, do other plugin formats trigger anti virus software as well? There must be a way of preventing these situations because not all extensions are being flagged as a virus.

REs are encrypted DLLs, that aren't stored in Program Files. So if their encrypted data matches a pattern, they are highly suspect to an anti-virus program.

I don't bother with any more protection than Windows Defender, and common sense. I've never had a false positive for a Rack Extension or anything else. I've seen plenty of stories of commercial anti-virus programs mistakenly deleting files needed to run Windows.

I hate to be a necromancer, but I also don't want to start a new thread. I just want to make some drum and bass and I'm bummed out and losing inspiration. I may have to resort to Audacity 'fish bone' editing.

Situation:
Reason 12 - Win10 Pro 64 - Fresh Install of Reason/Windows
Reason Doesn't Open
Minidump indicated it cant read memory or something, vague. I can post it if it helps - no plugins/vst2/3 were called out in the dmp file.
No Antivirus, Firewall exception for Reason -
Administrator Account, full ownership of program files/prop... and users/me/appdata/blahblah

I've Run as Admin, used compatibly mode (win 8) and the useless windows compatibility helper thing

*What am I missing?* Running as admin doesn't help, Windows updated, I've zipped my favs/settings and deleted everything I can find regarding Reason via Revo Uninstaller. That includes nooks, crannies, user folders, sewers, vacant hospitals, appdata, program files/data, x:\b3w4r3 ... I'm at the end of my tether and I feel like this post is proving my insanity.
I've been using Reason since 2000 and I'm sure I could spend the night figuring this out, but I'm hoping there's something dumb I'm missing. I've restarted processes, made new users, uninstalled/reinstalled Reason and the lovely little companion thing that eats memory and looks pretty.

I was considering using the Rack with Audacity or something insane, but that's insane. I pay for Reason Plus (it's a lot considering other things I get for 9$ a month). I came here, not the official site, because y'all get it, and Reasoners are smarter than most. The learning curve keeps the Ableton bedroom trap pirate youtube kiddos out of the mix.

I'll have sigourney weaver give a shoutout to anybody who can help me fix this.

I figured it out! Here's Sigourney Weaver with more info.