Weird mala problem

[technocop]

Occasionally, after starting up mala, I get a weird problem. Mala seems to lock up for a few seconds, then runs extremely slowly. When I drop back to windows, everything seems to be running slowly there too. Windows drag around the screen REALLY slowly, and the start menu takes a while to fade in and out when you click on it.

A reboot ALWAYS fixes the problem, and mala works first time.

I'm running mala on top of mameuifx 0.132 on xp sp3. The machine is an old P4 with an arcadeVGA, but still plenty adequate for mame.

Anyone seen anything like this?

[GaryMcT]

Sounds like a graphics card driver problem. The driver dies and Windows falss back to the default VGA driver. I'd try updating to the latest driver for your graphics card and see if that helps.

[technocop]

at first I thought it was a gfx driver too, but it only ever happens when I load mala

I don't have the option of getting the latest drivers, as I'm using the arcadeVGA

[GaryMcT]

The driver definitely doesn't like something that MaLa is doing.

[technocop]

well.....i'm not sure it's the graphics driver. I've seen windows drop to its default driver before, and it doesn't look like this.

I was hoping someone else might have experienced it.

It doesn't happen if I use the mameuifx front end...but that's not really suitable for cab use.

might end up trying out some different front-ends.....

[GaryMcT]

It may not be dropping back to VGA, but the driver is likely in a bad state due to something MaLa is doing.

You are right, I'd try a different front end.  I gave up on MaLa personally due to the fact that user input is so sluggish.