My MasterCook Manager is a Black Screen or Won't Launch at All

My MasterCook Manager is a black screen. How do I fix it?

 This can be caused by your antivirus program or the Windows Ransomware Protection program on the computer. See this article: Windows Ransomware Affects MasterCook

Additionally, add MasterCook and My MasterCook Manager to the Exclusion List for your antivirus program. See the documentation for your antivirus program, such as Norton, Avast, etc.

Windows UAC can also prevent My MasterCook Manager from working. You can easily turn it off and on to check if it's causing it. See this article.

Otherwise, follow the instructions below if you continue to have problems.

Backup Your Files Before You Begin

1. Restart your computer and do not use MasterCook at all.

2. MasterCook requires your computer to have all of the current updates available for Windows on your computer. Go to Windows Update on your computer and download and install all updates listed. Restart your computer if Windows instructs after applying its updates.

3. Then go to this folder on your computer:

C:\ProgramData\MasterCook 15

(Open the C drive. Open the ProgramData folder. Open the MasterCook 15 folder. If you do not see the ProgramData folder that means Windows is hiding it from you. Click here.)


4. Delete the JSON files and the MCW file from that MasterCook 15 folder as shown below. (There could be up to 3 JSON files inside this folder. The program will recreate these files later.)

5. Press and hold the Windows logo key on your keyboard and press the letter X (Works in Windows 8 and 10 only.).

This brings up a menu where you can select to run Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin). Make sure you run it as Admin or the next step won't work and will give an error instead.
 

A) Copy this line text:
regsvr32 "c:\program files (x86)\MasterCook 15\Program\rtcwrap.dll"

B) At the command prompt, right click where the cursor is and select Paste to copy that line above in there. Make sure there are no spaces at the beginning or end of that line above.

Then press the Enter key on your keyboard. You should get a message stating it was successful, like this screenshot below.

6. Start up MasterCook 15. Does it run a expected now?