troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

This page lists the most common problems and how to solve them. If a problem persists, check the FAQ and the log file before reporting an issue.

The action buttons are disabled / "critical file(s) are missing"

RVZStudio looks for the platform-specific helper executables next to the application binary.

1. Make sure you extracted all files from the release archive into the same folder.

2. Check the expected file names for your platform:

   Platform	x64	ARM64
   Windows	DolphinTool.exe, 7za.exe	DolphinTool_arm64.exe, 7za_arm64.exe
   Linux / macOS	7za	7za_arm64

   DolphinTool is optional on Linux/macOS: the native RVZSharp engine handles conversion and verification without it, and 7za ships with every release package.

3. If you launched the application from a temporary extraction folder (for example from inside a WinRAR/ZIP preview), the folder may have been deleted while the application was running. Extract to a permanent folder and start again.

Linux/macOS: "Executable not found" or permission denied

ZIP archives do not always preserve the executable bit. RVZStudio tries to set it automatically, but you can do it manually:

chmod +x RVZStudio 7za*

macOS: the app cannot be opened (Gatekeeper)

Unsigned binaries may be quarantined. Allow them in System Settings → Privacy & Security, or remove the quarantine attribute:

xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine .

Conversions fail for some files

• Check the log viewer — messages from RVZSharp and DolphinTool are streamed live and usually state the exact reason (corrupt file, unsupported format, not a disc image).
• Corrupt inputs — damaged ISOs cannot be converted. Verify the source file.
• Archives — RVZStudio extracts with SharpCompress first and falls back to 7za. If both fail, the archive is likely damaged or password-protected.
• RVZSharp fallback — if the native engine cannot handle a file it automatically uses DolphinTool (when available). A message such as falling back to DolphinTool in the log is normal.

"Out of memory" while encoding

• RVZStudio 2.5.1 updates the native engine (RVZSharp 1.1.1) so the encoder is sized to the block being compressed; the maximum zstd level (22) no longer reserves ~128 MB per worker and stays usable on typical machines.
• If memory still runs out, the log states that the native engine ran out of memory and fell back to DolphinTool. The file is still produced when DolphinTool is available (Windows bundles ship it; on Linux/macOS place a DolphinTool binary next to the application to enable the fallback).
• On very low-memory systems, close other memory-heavy applications or lower the compression level and block size in the Settings Reference.

Verification reports failures

Verification runs the native RVZSharp volume verifier first and falls back to DolphinTool's verify command when needed. A failure means the RVZ data is damaged or was produced by an incompatible tool. Re-convert the original disc image if you still have it.

"The input and output folders must be different"

Choose an output folder that is not the input folder and is not nested inside it. RVZStudio refuses these combinations to avoid converting a folder into itself.

Update check fails

• A failed check is logged as Failed to check for updates and is harmless.
• Verify your internet connection and that GitHub is reachable.
• Manual update checks show a dialog with the reason (network error, timeout).

Usage statistics / bug reports

RVZStudio sends an anonymous launch statistic and automatically reports warnings and errors to the developer's services. If a network request fails, it is ignored and the application continues normally.

Where are the logs?

Platform	Location
Windows	%LocalAppData%\RVZStudio\logs\log-YYYYMMDD.txt
Linux	~/.local/share/RVZStudio/logs/log-YYYYMMDD.txt
macOS	~/Library/Application Support/RVZStudio/logs/log-YYYYMMDD.txt

Log files roll daily and are kept for 14 days (up to 10 MB per file). The on-screen log viewer shows the same messages.

Screenshots for bug reports

Press F8 while the window is focused. A timestamped PNG is written to the Screenshot folder next to the application binary.

Performance is slow

• Use zstd or lz4 instead of lzma2 for faster conversions.
• Conversion is sequential; very large batches take time. The elapsed time and average speed are shown in the statistics cards.
• Make sure the output folder is on a fast disk with enough free space.

Nothing helped

Report the issue at https://github.com/purelogiccode/RVZStudio/issues and include:

1. Operating system and architecture.
2. The RVZStudio version (About window).
3. Steps to reproduce.
4. The relevant part of the log file and, if possible, a screenshot (F8).

Related pages

• FAQ
• Getting Started
• Architecture