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This is an extremely serious problem. VRPC is totally inoperative!
I installed some Windows software to provide remote access to the host PC. It worked fine. However, when I next restarted VRPC it failed with the error "Failed to create back buffer (...hex number...)". I had to kill it with the Windows task manager. I've uninstalled the remote access software but the problem persists. Looks like it wrecked some registry entries.
I re-loaded VRPC from the backup - same problem.
I re-installed VRPC from CD and at first it was OK, but as soon as I tried full screen mode, same problem. Also changing RISC OS mode fails - it ONLY works at 800x600 in a window.
I tried re-installing DirectX but it won't install because it thinks its already installed. DirectX diagnostics work fine.
I'm totally stuck - and my wife is desperately trying to do her university dissertation and final assigments!
How can we resolve this problem?
Mike

Try a system restore.
Go back to a Restore Point before you installed the Windows application and let it do its thing. Hopefully that will bypass any residual elements from the uninstallation.
Then test out VirtualRPC. If the problem persists, go back to a previous Restore Point and try again.
Don't forget that, when you re-start Windows, your virus/spyware/etc signatures will be out of date so need to be updated.
HTH,
Mike Nicholl
pp T.O.M.S.

This may not help to fix your current problem ....
.... but I have VNC (server) running on my XP box together with VRPC-SE.
(and another copy of !VNCserve running under VRPC-SE.
So I can remotely control either (or both)
All with no problems except for the well document issue that !VNCserver just closes down for no obvious reason - it does this on a real Acorn box, as well)

You should also take up this issue with however supplied the software. They may not be able to do much about the problem of it buggering up VRPC.
...but...
They ought to do something about it failing to un-install correctly.
TOMS advice is correct, got back to an earlier restore point and that should resolve it.

Thank you all for the speedy replies.
Actually Andrew at RComp helped fix this problem. It was necessary to uninstall the graphics drivers and reinstall them. Its a good job Andrew was able to help because I had thought of reinstalling the graphics drivers but would not have known which ones to install (there are more than one).
Apparently rolling back Windows can be dangerous (I suppose thats not surprising) so that would have been the last resort.
I take the points about the poor quality software and perhaps VNC would be a better choice for remote access.

[quote]Apparently rolling back Windows can be dangerous ...[quote]
Er, if by that you're referring to the Windows System Restore feature, I really am flummoxed by the comment! I have *never* heard of it making the situation worse.
I believe it to be generally accepted that System Restore is the 'best thing since sliced bread' Windows-wise and is very often advocated as an early route to try when hitting the sort of problem you did. Indeed, it might well have fixed the problem you describe. It has certainly been an invaluable fast-fix for us on occasions.
The beauty of System Restore as I see it is that you can step backwads by one or more restore points, until you find the most recent one that works, and it can almost as easily be done in Safe mode. But if you find it has no effect at all, you can then go forward again to the point where you started.
Can anyone comment on this? Has anyone ever had System Restore make the situation worse?
Doug Stephenson
pp T.O.M.S.
[/quote]

Does System Restore know that the RISC OS HostFS disc - which is kept in "Program Files" rather than "My Documents" is user data rather than system files? E.g. will a system restore, "restore" all my RISC OS documents?
Thanks,
Adam

[quote]Does System Restore know that the RISC OS HostFS disc - which is kept in "Program Files" rather than "My Documents" is user data rather than system files? E.g. will a system restore, "restore" all my RISC OS documents?[/quote]
Good point, but fear not! We've been using System Restore on an as-required basis since it was invented and have never had /any/ untoward knock-on effects on the contents of VirtualRPC or, for that matter, any user-docs stored in Windows outside My Documents (e.g. user-templates stored within OPro for Windows).
The important point to stress about System Restore is that [quote from the Help file] "all restorations are reversible". So in the highly unlikely event you did have a hiccup, you can always recover the sitch. We give it 11/10.
HTH
Jim Nottingham
pp T.O.M.S.