OpenGL failed to initialize -- Problem Solved!!! well kind of solved.

I posted the following info in mid December.

I tried many things including repairing my Windows installation, using
the original drivers for the video card (as well as others that I
downloaded from the Nvidia driver archive), changing resolutions, etc.
I DIDN'T FORMAT AND DO A FRESH INSTALL!!
I do have the latest Nvidia drivers installed, now.

Then I discovered something very interesting. Read ahead.

I have 2 user accounts set up on my PC.
My son and I each have our own desktop.

When I boot up the computer and log onto either desktop, I have
problems with Opengl. Apps that need Opengl won't run and SiSoftware
Sandra OpenGL module says, "Opengl failed to initialise".

Now then, if I simply log off the user account and log back onto it or
onto the other user account, voila!

Opengl works properly!!!

I'm totally clueless as to why this happens. If I restart the
computer, I have to do the "log on, log off" thing to get Opengl
running right.

It's a minor inconvenience to have to do this, but now we can run the
games and apps that weren't working.

I know that I saw some posts in this group regarding the same problem
that I have. If any of the affected posters read this and try the
solution that I am using, I'd be interested in hearing from you with
your take on the problem and whether you were able to get the same
results that I did.

Anyone having an explanation why my solution works for me? I'd like to
hear it.

Peace.
Jose

 

I had a funny problem fixed by log off log on. My SysTray icons would not
all show up at startup. I had to disable UPnP service, Universal Plug and
Play (not Plug and Play), to fix. It is not needed, see if this fixes your
problem and post back. Run msconfig>services and uncheck.

-Kent

 

I haven't tried your idea because I think I got to the crux of the
matter.
I restarted my computer and took note of all the running processes in
Windows Task Manager.
Then I logged off and logged on again (without restarting) and took
note of all the running processes in Windows Task Manager.

After comparing the 2 lists, I found an application (Matlab) running
in the background that was only there when I did a restart. When I
logged off and then on, the application was not running anymore. I'm
not sure why it was running. Might have been a bad install.

So I restarted the computer and looked at the Windows Task Manager
again. The app was running again and Opengl failed to initialize. So I
ended the process in the Task Manager and tested Opengl again and it
works!!
I've uninstalled the application and my system now functions normally.
I'm going to reinstall the app just to see if the problem reappears.
I'll post my results as soon as I can.

Jose

 

Just Start/Run msconfig to disable matlab at startup.

-Kent

 

I don't know why it loads at all. When I killed it from the Task
Manager, then went to the Matlab folder and clicked the command line,
the app opens up properly. And Opengl works, too. Matlab is not
supposed to run in the background.
Anyway, I uninstalled it and I'll try to reinstall just to see what
happens.
Thanks, Kent.
Jose

 

I'd forgotten, but I used to have that problem too, and solved it the
same way. It also used to prevent my screensaver, and stop my PC from
going into standby.

I seem to recall that Universal PnP was considered to be a huge security
hole, and users were encouraged to disable it for that reason.