ArcReader 10.1 SP1 crashing on Windows 8 (Loaded onto a MS Tablet)

[KyleTobias1]

Hello everyone!
I have been using ArcReader since version 8.x to share information across our office network.  Several Desktops and laptops are loaded with ArcReader for users to access a library of PMF documents for our client cities. This ArcReader "GIS Share network" has been very successful and is currently working for version 10.1. (This network is accessed by machines running Windows XP Pro through Windows 7 PRO)

The problem I have encountered is ArcReader 10.1 on a MS Tablet running Windows 8 Professional.  ArcReader 10.1 SP1 installs properly and seems to work fine. Howver, whenever a user attempts to work with a .PMF the program immediately hangs/crashes and the Windows Message Box "Windows will search for a solution" appears and then ArcReader shuts  down.

The PMFs are created in ArcGIS Basic 10.1 SP1, all databases are in 10.1, and my workstation is running Windows 7 Professional.

Has anyone else encountered this problem? Or have a solution?
Thanks,
John Woodard, MS
GIS Specialist
Chagrin Valley Engineering, Ltd

[janlloyd]

I bet everyone has.  If this program does NOT work with windows 8 or 8.1 it should be stated so.

[V_StuartFoote]

John,

Interesting issue.  ArcReader 10.1 sp1 is listed as supported on Windows 8 in the System Requirements.

So a couple of thoughts. Are the tablets Running MS Windows 8 Professional and having problems with ArcReader 64-bit or 32-bit flavor OS?

When ArcReader 10.1 sp1 was installed to the tablet was the installer adjusted using Windows 8 compatibility mode, or the compatibility trouble shooter, to run in Windows XP SP3 mode or maybe Windows 7?  If not, something to test.

Have you followed a crash in progress with Sysinternals ProcessMonitor logging events? Catch a verbose log and work backward from the error to possibly find the faulting .DLL, that will help identify the issue and may lead to a work around, e.g. driver update (or roll back) as has been common with the MS Surface tablets.

I might poke at this a bit for some fun--but will have to load a tablet with Windows 8 first though.

Good luck. Post back if you make any progress or hear something from Esri support.

Stuart