CODECOMPOSER: CCS 'internal error occurred during "Loading device information" '

I have seen these errors before but not in the context you are seeing. It used to happen with older versions where there was some issues with licensing or the MSVC redistributables that CCS relies on. However, licensing is no longer an issue with CCS version 7+ and since you were successfully running CCS with issues before, it is likely not related to MSVC redistributables. 

It's odd that it affected both version at the same time. Just to confirm, you are using separate workspaces for both versions, correct?

Ki - thanks for replying. Yes, because the workspaces for CCS versions 10.4 and 12.4 are not compatible, I have used 2 completely separate workspaces.

Again, the simultaneous occurrence is odd to me. Did your host system receive an update? What is the host OS? Please try cleaning your workspaces. 

Ah, yes that would clear some of the CCS IDE cache.Thank you for the update! I'm still curious how both your CCS versions got impact but I'm glad things are working now.

Ki - Using the -clean option when starting CCS does provide a work-around, but it has not completely eliminated the problem Here is some more information on the problem. 

On a Windows 10 computer, after having once used the -clean parameter on a cmd window startup, behavior seems to have returned to normal. Subsequently no -clean option is required to start normally. 

On a Windows 7 computer, the -clean parameter works only if executed from a elevated cmd window. If I start CCS from the desktop icon, either with or without adding the -clean parameter, CCS opens the workspace selection window, and when the Launch button is pressed, after a few seconds the CCS icon in the task  bar vanishes, CCS is not listed in Task Manager Applications, but ccstudio.exe still shows up in the Processes window. The remnant has to be killed with End Process, or else the next attempt to start CCS does nothing. 

I realize you probably are no longer supporting CCS on Windows 7. But I am curious how I can find out what CCS resource has been corrupted or is missing that causes CCS startup to fail. If I know that, I might be able to restore normal operation on the Windows 7 machine. A related very old thread said Windows 7 SPI is needed, and that is in place. It also said Windows update KB2999226 may be required. I installed that update. It had no effect. 

Windows 7 is still technically supported by both versions (though to be honest testing is minimal these days.

Thomas Cox said:

On a Windows 7 computer, the -start parameter works only if executed from a elevated cmd window.

What -start parameter are you referring to? Did you mean "-clean"?

Yes, my apologies for the error, I did intend to type -clean.  I've edited the reply to correct the error.

I tried launching CCS on my old Windows 7 Pro lab PC. I can run ./ccstudio -clean from a standard command prompt. CCS will open. I can also start CCS via desktop icon without issue. I'm not sure what the issue is on your end. Perhaps it is a permissions issues with your user account?

So, just to clarify, are you saying that after running CCS with the -clean parameter from a command window, you can run CCS from the desktop icon without adding the -clean parameter, and CCS works properly? This was the behavior on my Windows 10 laptop, but on the Windows 7 laptop, every fresh start of CCS must be done from a command window with the -clean parameter. Any attempt to start CCS from the desktop, with or without the -clean parameter results in failure to start with the symptoms I described in my earlier reply. 

Again, I think there must be some resource that is missing or corrupted in the Windows 7 laptop, and that problem seems to be fixed only temporarily by using -clean from a command line. Do you know of a way to identify the problem, perhaps with a log file produced by the startup attempt? 

Thomas Cox said:

So, just to clarify, are you saying that after running CCS with the -clean parameter from a command window, you can run CCS from the desktop icon without adding the -clean parameter, and CCS works properly?

Yes. See the video below (double-click on the video to full size):

Please note that my Windows 7 machine is ~14 years old with a mechanical hard drive, limited RAM, and ancient processor. Hence why it took so long for CCS to start up.

Ki - Following your lead, I created a screen capture MP4 file on my Windows 7 Enterprise laptop which shows a startup attempt of CCS version 12.4 from the desktop icon, then a start-up from a command line with the -clean parameter, followed by opening CCS from the desktop icon again. You can see that every start-up attempt from the icon results in the same errors each time, even after a successful and error free start-up using the command line -clean parameter. 

For security reasons, I would like to send the MP4 to you via a private message, if that is possible. So if you'd like to see the MP4, please give me instructions for uploading it in a private message. 

My questions are: Why does a -clean startup apparently fix whatever is wrong initially in your CCS startup, while on my computer, the startup errors keep occurring after a start with the -clean option? Also, is there a way, perhaps from a start-up log file, to identify what resource is missing or corrupted in my installation of CCS version 12.4?

Behavior of my CCS version 10.4 is similar, but instead of starting to launch then showing an error window, the executing copy of CCS v10.4, like v12.4, gets through the workspace selection screen, then simply terminates execution a few seconds later without ever bringing up the CCS window. Yet it too starts cleanly from a command line with the -clean option. 

Thomas Cox said:

For security reasons, I would like to send the MP4 to you via a private message, if that is possible. So if you'd like to see the MP4, please give me instructions for uploading it in a private message. 

I think it is fine. Seeing the issue occur will not help troubleshoot the issue. The description and error message is enough.

Thomas Cox said:

Why does a -clean startup apparently fix whatever is wrong initially in your CCS startu

I should clarify that I don't have anything wrong to fix. CCS works fine on my Windows 7 PC.

Thomas Cox said:

Also, is there a way, perhaps from a start-up log file, to identify what resource is missing or corrupted in my installation of CCS version 12.4?

You can try providing the <WORKSPACE FOLDER>/.metadata/.log file. Before you do that, please try using a clean new workspace folder and then reproduce the issue. That way the contents of the log will only have recent information, making it easier to go through.

Also try disabling any antivirus/security software and see if that helps. We have had issues with aggressive antivirus/security software interfering with CCS.

Both laptops, Win7 and Win7 are issued to me by my client. They have a very secure computing environment which sometimes gets in the way. They recently tightened security some more. So it is possible security software could be an issue. And I do not have authorization to disable it even temporarily. 

It is possible that security software prevented a clean install of CCS version 12. I would like to try reinstalling CCS version 12.4 at the client's site, which may introduce fewer hiccups than trying to do it offsite over their VPN.

On the other hand CCS v10.4 has been running flawlessly on the Windows 7 laptop for years. It only started to misbehave after the install of CCS v12. That is puzzling.

I have attached the error window from CCS v12. 

I don't see a way to attach the .metadata/.log file. It is to long to add as inline text. Can you tell me how best to upload it?

The only time I have seen the various error messages you have listed in this thread is when the MSVC redistributable libraries are missing:

https://software-dl.ti.com/ccs/esd/documents/users_guide/ccs_troubleshooting.html#missing-msvc-redistributable-libraries

But this would typically only be an issue in the beginning after installation and trying to run CCS for the first time. The environment you are describing indicates this was all working for awhile.

However it is worth checking to see if the redistributables are installed correctly. Perhaps try re-installing them. Note that the information in the User's Guide is outdated. You can try grabbing the latest version here:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170