Home Forums Breakaway Audio Enhancer BAE stopped working Win 11

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  • #17739
    cripple9
    Participant

    BAE stopped working for me on Windows 11 today. At first, the tray icon was visible and I could open the main interface, but no output. I also couldn’t open the settings via right-click.

    I eventually uninstalled both BAE and the pipeline, and removed remnants in Device Manager, and deleted leftover folders, etc.. After reinstalling BAE v1.44 and pipeline v4.66 and rebooting, BAE won’t open at all anymore. It just crashes immediately with no tray icon, etc..

    Windows System File Checker and DISM scans found no issues. I reinstalled my MB’s audio drivers as well, but no luck.

    Windows reliability monitor shows:

    `
    Description
    Faulting Application Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Breakaway\breakaway.exe

    Problem signature
    Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
    Application Name: breakaway.exe
    Application Version: 1.4.4.0
    Application Timestamp: 63f742b2
    Fault Module Name: breakaway.exe
    Fault Module Version: 1.4.4.0
    Fault Module Timestamp: 63f742b2
    Exception Code: c0000005
    Exception Offset: 00099b27
    OS Version: 10.0.26200.2.0.0.256.48
    Locale ID: 1033
    Additional Information 1: d6b2
    Additional Information 2: d6b2a05e543f03a32fefaf7bc40ebf6b
    Additional Information 3: 27e9
    Additional Information 4: 27e936e39b8f5fbd5216f40cb431f209

    Extra information about the problem
    Bucket ID: a949c982e46c13ab6d6c539488a83d87 (2120161421997653383)
    `

    ___

    Any ideas?

    #17740
    Milky
    Keymaster

    Sounds like a Windows update may have broken something for it to have happened so suddenly. Can you roll back to a previous Windows update level and try again?

    #17742
    cripple9
    Participant

    My last Windows update was about ten days ago, but I tried uninstalling it anyway; didn’t help. I suppose it could be caused by one of the “gradual rollout” features from an even earlier Win update, but I’m not comfortable going back any further with all the security related stuff that’s been installed since. Event logs don’t seem to reveal any hints either, other than the generic stuff as shown in my first post.

    My only other recent change was an Nvidia graphics driver update. Tried rolling that back as well just for the heck of it, but still no luck.πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ

    Any more recent whispers from Leif about the ever-elusive “new version” of BAE we’ve been teased with for over three years now?🫠

    #17743
    Milky
    Keymaster

    That really is strange BAE behaviour. I’ve installed many dozens of copies for clients over the years, and never come across such a hard-on error.

    Do you have any other 32 bit applications running on that PC? BAE is a 32 bit application, so I wonder if WOW64 (which allows 32 bit applications in a 64 bit environment) is having a problem resolving something.

    I have no ETA on the development schedule for BAE64, nor if it is actually being worked on at the present moment. There are some structural changes occurring within the Claessonedwards company, and that may be taking precendence.

    #17744
    cripple9
    Participant

    No issues with any other 32 bit apps, or anything else tbh. It was working fine one night, and after booting up the next morning, BAE was silent. All other audio stuff works though.

    I’ve been using BAE since 2010, and I think the last time I had a problem with it was over ten years ago, when trying to register it on Windows 10 lol. So this blip is puzzling for sure.

    I really hope BAE stays around; life without it is awful. No other “similar” app comes even close. 🀞

    #17745
    Milky
    Keymaster

    Just one other crazy thought. What anti-virus/malware software are you using? Can that be suspended whilst you do a clean install of BAE? Not saying it IS that, but something in the av softare may have blocked part of the installation.

    #17746
    cripple9
    Participant

    ESET Smart Security Premium. I already had BAE whitelisted, and of course, I also tried reinstalling after pausing/disabling all ESET components; no change. Didn’t see anything in ESET logs either.

    There is talk of audio driver issues with Windows update (KB5077241), which is the one I had tried uninstalling in my previous comment above. But like I said, removing it, and reinstalling BAE didn’t help. If that’s the culprit, it’s weird that it took over a week to bug out, and it didn’t resolve when rolling back.

    Anyway, IDK what else to try tbh. Hopefully whatever it is will resolve itself soon.

    #17791
    mhill
    Participant

    I encountered this exact bug with Windows 10 ESU as well, after latest update (March 2026, I think). The exact exception in the exact timestamp.
    It manifested itself not with crashing at startup (although it does that, too, as I see in System Informer, but ultimately, UI shows up), but with inability to setup the audio devices.

    It might have something to do with OS language locale (maybe decimal character change?), as I could invoke the BAE audio setup, when I was on Polish locale. But when I switched to English_US, BAE audio setup wizard is no more for me. πŸ™‚

    Is there a parameter for breakaway.exe to fully enumerate the audio devices and clear ‘old’ BAE audio devices list?

    • This reply was modified 3 weeks, 3 days ago by mhill.
    #17793
    cripple9
    Participant

    Thank you!

    I’m on Win 11 with English (United States) language/region settings. I fixed it by disabling:

    “Windows 11 Settings β€”> Time & language β€”> Language & region β€”> Windows display language β€”> Beta: Use Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support”

    So far, so good!

    #17794
    Milky
    Keymaster

    Thankyou mhill and cripple9 for your input. I will pass the issue on for resolution.

    #17795
    mhill
    Participant

    Ohh, I also noticed that breakaway.ini file has garbled Polish characters in the sound devices names (as ‘gΕ‚oΕ›nik’ instead of ‘speakers’, or ‘sΕ‚uchawki’ instead of ‘headphones’), so I’ve tried to edit it by changing that (and also renaming the devices in Audio Properties, as the locale change doesn’t ‘English-ify’ the ‘speakers’ term by itself), but to no avail. Then I’ve tried to change the sound card used in BAE by editing the file (to redirect from Creative Katana USB to Xonar DX), but also, no avail.
    Now there’s no .ini file, so I’ll check @cripple9’s solution. Because, of course, I have UTF-8 option ON at the moment (it was OFF on Polish locale). πŸ™‚

    I’d love a solution with sound devices re-enumeration and setting to the previously used sound card in BAE settings, when locale is changed. πŸ™‚

    • This reply was modified 3 weeks, 2 days ago by mhill.
    #17797
    Milky
    Keymaster

    BAE was written when Windows XP was The Boss. There is supposed to be a new, 64 bit version in the melting pot which may take care of these issues but I have no ETA at the moment.

    #17798
    mhill
    Participant

    Ohh. That explains a lot. πŸ™‚

    Indeed, the issue is gone after turning off UTF-8 in system locale settings. I can access the settings now, and the app functions normally.

    #17799
    mhill
    Participant

    I REALLY like this program, and I’m using it since Windows XP times, all through Vista and Windows 7 and 8.1, too. Now on Windows 10, as ’11’ is a bit of a letdown for me. πŸ™‚

    There’s almost no other such user-friendly virtual sound card as BAE with such good handling of overly loud sound in games or videos.

    #17800
    Milky
    Keymaster

    I agree, and I hope the new version lives up to your expectations.
    There is a bit of a marketing issue that needs to be resolved. This is because BreakawayOne base HD core only sells for a pretty low price. Leif needs to decide on a price break-point for the new BAE that makes it worth the while.

    This is just my opinion looking in from the outside and not an official edict from Leif or his company.

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