Novastar Windows 11 Fix

Fixes SmartLCT and V-Can communication with Novastar VX400 on Windows 11.

After Windows 11 updates, SmartLCT and V-Can stop detecting your LED controller. This repo contains a working fix.

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The Problem

You're running SmartLCT or V-Can on Windows 11 and suddenly your VX400 (or similar Novastar controller) isn't detected:

• SmartLCT shows "The communication services are not working properly"
• Mars Service Provider log shows "server register: false"
• Device appears in Device Manager but software can't see it
• Reinstalling doesn't help
• Different USB ports don't help
• You're losing your mind

What We Tried (That Didn't Work)

During troubleshooting, we tried:

• Zadig driver swap (libusbK, WinUSB) - didn't fix the communication issue
• Reinstalling SmartLCT - installs the same broken files
• Compatibility mode - no effect
• Running as admin - no effect
• Registry cleanup - no effect
• Different USB drivers - red herring, not the real problem

The Real Problem

After decompiling MarsServerProvider.exe with dnSpy, we discovered the actual root cause:

SmartLCT and V-Can ship with a broken MarsServerProvider that fails to initialize properly on Windows 11. Specifically, it doesn't call LCTServerStub.Initalize(), which means the IPC window (with GUID title A7F89E4D-04F4-46a6-9754-A334B3E8FEE5) never gets created. Without this window, SmartLCT can't communicate with the Mars service.

The driver was a red herring. The real fix is replacing MarsServerProvider.

The Solution

Replace the broken MarsServerProvider with a working version from NovaLCT V5.8.1, which properly creates the IPC window.

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Quick Fix (Automated)

Already have SmartLCT or V-Can installed?

1. Download this repo
2. For SmartLCT: Double-click Fix-SmartLCT.bat
3. For V-Can: Double-click Fix-VCan.bat
4. Click "Yes" on the UAC prompt
5. Done! Launch your app.

Fresh install?

1. Double-click Install-Everything.bat
2. Follow the prompts
3. Both apps installed and fixed automatically

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Manual Fix (DIY)

If you prefer to do it yourself:

Step 1: Replace MarsServerProvider

1. Close SmartLCT/V-Can completely
2. Kill MarsServerProvider.exe in Task Manager if running
3. Navigate to your app's Mars folder:
   • SmartLCT: C:\Program Files (x86)\Nova Star\SmartLCT\Bin\MarsServerProvider\
   • V-Can: C:\Program Files (x86)\Nova Star\V-Can\Bin\MarsServerProvider\
4. Copy everything from MarsServerProvider_Fixed\ into that folder (overwrite all)
5. Launch your app - should now show "Service is connected"

Step 2: Fix USB Driver (if device still not detected)

1. Open Device Manager
2. Find the NovaStar device (might be under "libusb-win32 devices" or with a yellow warning)
3. Right-click → Update driver
4. Choose "Browse my computer for drivers"
5. Choose "Let me pick from a list"
6. Select "Nova ProHD" under "libusb-win32 devices"
7. Device should now be detected

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What's in This Repo

├── Fix-SmartLCT.bat          # One-click fix for SmartLCT
├── Fix-SmartLCT.ps1          # PowerShell script (called by .bat)
├── Fix-VCan.bat              # One-click fix for V-Can
├── Fix-VCan.ps1              # PowerShell script (called by .bat)
├── Install-Everything.bat    # Full installer + fix
├── Install-Everything.ps1    # PowerShell script (called by .bat)
├── MarsServerProvider_Fixed/ # Working Mars files from NovaLCT V5.8.1
├── Driver_NovaProHD/         # USB driver files
├── Installers/               # SmartLCT and V-Can installers
│   ├── SmartLCT V3.5.13 Setup.exe
│   └── V-Can V3.8.0 Setup.exe
└── README.md

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Supported Devices

Tested with:

• Novastar VX400

Should work with other Novastar controllers using the same STM32 USB interface:

• VX600, VX1000, VX16S
• MCTRL series
• Any device with VID 0483 / PID 5720

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Technical Details

For the curious:

• VID/PID: 0483:5720 (STMicroelectronics STM32)
• IPC Mechanism: Shared memory "LedInfo" (100MB) + hidden window for WM_COPYDATA
• Window GUID: A7F89E4D-04F4-46a6-9754-A334B3E8FEE5
• Root cause: LCTServerStub.Initalize() not called in SmartLCT/V-Can's Mars
• Fix source: NovaLCT V5.8.1's MarsServerProvider (which works correctly)

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FAQ

Q: Why not just use NovaLCT?

A: You can! NovaLCT works fine. But SmartLCT and V-Can are simpler for basic configuration. This fix lets you keep using the tools you prefer.

Q: Will this break anything?

A: The scripts create a backup before making changes. Run with -Restore to undo:

.\Fix-SmartLCT.ps1 -Restore
.\Fix-VCan.ps1 -Restore

Q: Do I need to run this after every Windows update?

A: No, the fix is persistent. You only need to run it once (unless you reinstall SmartLCT/V-Can).

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Troubleshooting

Still not detecting device?

• Make sure you selected "Nova ProHD" driver in Device Manager
• Try a different USB port (directly on PC, not through a hub)
• Unplug device, wait 10 seconds, plug back in

Multiple "NovaStar" entries in Device Manager?

• These are ghost devices from different USB ports
• Right-click and uninstall the ones not currently in use

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License

MIT - Do whatever you want with this.

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Credits

Fix discovered through extensive debugging, decompilation, and stubbornness.