What causes "DRS_SaveSettingsToFileEx" in Orbmu2k/nvidiaProfileInspector?

Validate the target directory exists and is writable (try creating a temp file) before the export

Orbmu2k/nvidiaProfileInspector · error · NvapiException

DRS_SaveSettingsToFileEx

Error message

DRS_SaveSettingsToFileEx

What it means

NvapiException wrapping a non-OK status from DRS_SaveSettingsToFileEx, which exports the current DRS session's settings to a file. Thrown in SaveSettingsFileEx when the driver fails to write the export — typically an unwritable target path, invalid session, or driver-level failure.

Solutions

Validate the target directory exists and is writable (try creating a temp file) before the export
Catch NvapiException and report the status; fall back to a user-writable path like Documents
Use a short, local path instead of network/protected locations
Ensure the DRS session is alive and prior in-memory changes were applied without error

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

var dir = Path.GetDirectoryName(Path.GetFullPath(filename));
if (!Directory.Exists(dir)) Directory.CreateDirectory(dir);
using (File.Open(Path.Combine(dir, Path.GetFileName(filename)), FileMode.OpenOrCreate, FileAccess.Write, FileShare.None)) { }

Try / catch

try { SaveSettingsFileEx(hSession, filename); }
catch (NvapiException ex) { ShowError($"Export failed ({ex.Status}). Try a local, writable folder."); }

Prevention

Ensure the target directory exists and is writable
Avoid exporting to network shares, OneDrive, or Program Files paths
Check the target file isn't locked by another process
Keep the DRS session open and valid until the export completes

When it happens

Trigger: Exporting to a directory that doesn't exist or lacks write permission; target file locked by another process (open in editor, antivirus scan); hSession invalid or already destroyed; extremely long path exceeding MAX_PATH on older Windows.

Common situations: Users exporting profiles to OneDrive/network/protected folders (Program Files); path with restricted permissions; exporting during driver reload.

Understand the failure class

Background: "failed to write file", "Could not save figure", "Error saving remote file" — file write failed: causes and fixes across languages and libraries — this error's family across 38 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of Orbmu2k/nvidiaProfileInspector@2f50c388b3 (2026-09-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/753efbbbf568af0d. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at nvidiaProfileInspector/Common/DrsSettingsServiceBase.cs:440

        protected void SaveSettings(IntPtr hSession)
        {
            var nvRes = nvw.Instance.DRS_SaveSettings(hSession);
            if (nvRes != NvAPI_Status.NVAPI_OK)
                throw new NvapiException("DRS_SaveSettings", nvRes);
        }

        protected void LoadSettingsFileEx(IntPtr hSession, string filename)
        {
            var nvRes = nvw.Instance.DRS_LoadSettingsFromFileEx(hSession, new StringBuilder(filename));
            if (nvRes != NvAPI_Status.NVAPI_OK)
                throw new NvapiException("DRS_LoadSettingsFromFileEx", nvRes);
        }

        protected void SaveSettingsFileEx(IntPtr hSession, string filename)
        {
            var nvRes = nvw.Instance.DRS_SaveSettingsToFileEx(hSession, new StringBuilder(filename));
            if (nvRes != NvAPI_Status.NVAPI_OK)
                throw new NvapiException("DRS_SaveSettingsToFileEx", nvRes);
        }

    }

}

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