Save my sanity (please!)

UrbanT

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Guys,

I have just built a PC for a friend. She wanted a decent spec (bit of a closet games player) as well as DVD capability. Having just tested my own PC as a HCPC in readiness for building a proper one in the next month, I thought this would be easy.

However, I have spent the day banging forehead to desk.

Regardless of whichever software DVD player I use, and whichever settings I change, I get the same problem. Its probably easiest to explain them in WinDVD.

The video plays for 2 seconds, pauses for one, plays for 2, pause for 1 and so on. To date, I have

. checked DMA settings are OK
. reloaded Windows (several times)
. changed sound settings
. tried hardware and software settings
. disabled background programs inc. Norton
. updated all drivers, inc. mobo drivers
. completed all windows updates
. used Sisoft Sandra to test all was working OK
plus a whole load of other stuff that escapes me

I am stuck!

The spec is MSI Delta K7N2, Corsair 512mb DDR400, ATI Pro 9800, Win XP with SP1, Pioneer 120 slot DVD player, Maxtor ATA 133 80gb HD.

All suggestions welcome before the PC exits via the window :mad:

Thanks
Chris
 
The first things I'd try are:

1. Try a different DVD
2. Flash BIOS on the motherboard
3. Flash firmware on the DVD drive (if available)
4. Try a different DVD drive in the machine
5. Try the Pioneer 120 drive in another machine.

You didn't say what CPU you're using, but I'm guessing that it's up to the job though.
 
Chris,

What soundcard are you using................ this sounds unfortunately similar to a soundcard stuttering issue I had some time ago (which was at it's worst when using windvd - play stop, play stop..).................. nearly drove me mental....... changed the soundcard (from Soundblaster 5.1 Digital to Turtle Beach Santa Cruz - problem disappeared.


Sean.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. The CPU is an AMD 3200, the utilization rarely goes above 20%.

The mobo is an NForce 2 with built in Soundstorm. Think I'll try and reload the drivers for it and see what happens
 
there is some new drivers for the nforce chipset you might want to try.
 
Very strange.

I noticed that I don't have the Nvidia control panel for sound in my control panel.

I have downloaded the latest platform unified drivers (November 2003), updated them, but still have no control panel for the sound, other than the standard one. Any suggestions?

EDIT: Actually I'm not sure whether I should have it on this mobo or not. Seriously peeved.
 
I think theritz may have a point regarding the soundcard. If it is a soundblaster then I recall I had a problem with mine and an AMD processor. Try installing it in a different PCI slot. I seem to remember having to tweek something in bios relating too but sorry I can't remember what.

Maye this may remind someone of what "the tweek" is.
 
Urban
The Soundstorm problem is one I've come across before.

Upon building an old machine I used the driver disc's which came from the motherboard manufacture, installed the Nividia NForce Drivers including sound and the Soundstorm control panel. Only problem comes when you do a Windows update, one of the updated drivers is for Nvidia sound driver update. This I found did update the driver (Didn't make any difference to the sound mind you) but lost all the control panel. Caused me countless problems as way back then I was using SP/DIF out from a NForce2 board. Ended up taking all the drivers off and went back to the original driver disk I received with my MB.......................... after this I'm a firm beliver in the old cliché "if it ain't broke ............"
 
I've done some checking.

According to the manual, I have a Realtek sound device, despite the drivers saying they are Nvidia. I've decided to reformat and start again, and see if that helps. I did accept a windows audio update which may have caused these problems (I hope!!)

One other thing that drives me nuts, its the first time I connect to the net. Within a few minutes, the PC is being attacked by viruses. Other than load up Norton first, and update Windows critical updates, are there any procedures I can follow to stop immediate attacks? I know disabling Messenger services can help.

Chris
 
1st "attack" in my experience is usually from MS Blaster. Using a router (hardware firewall) will prevent such visuses opening ports.

Did a friends PC recently & on connecting to MS was immediately hit by this virus. Nothing else, just connect to MS & bam :(. Of course he had no firewall but got one that day!!

I seem to remember nVidia having major issues with their IDE driver which was included with their driver pack. They removed it soon after but worth checking. Don't install the IDE driver when asked (usually asks for confirmation for 3/4 drivers during install).

Best of luck.

:smoke:
 
Originally posted by Kramer
1st "attack" in my experience is usually from MS Blaster. Using a router (hardware firewall) will prevent such visuses opening ports.

Did a friends PC recently & on connecting to MS was immediately hit by this virus. Nothing else, just connect to MS & bam :(. Of course he had no firewall but got one that day!!

I seem to remember nVidia having major issues with their IDE driver which was included with their driver pack. They removed it soon after but worth checking. Don't install the IDE driver when asked (usually asks for confirmation for 3/4 drivers during install).

Best of luck.

:smoke:

Thats what gets me, soon as you connect, within seconds you are attacked. Bloody annoying.

On the basis I haven't got a hardware firewall, will Zonealarm stop an immediate attack when I connect. I haven't connected again yet after reformat, for fear! :eek:
 
As a follow on, I reformated, reloaded all drivers, tried Power DVd this time...and still it stutters. With Power DVD, its just a slow stutter rather than the start/stop of WinDVD, but still unwatchable.


I just don't get it :(
 
Chris....

the sound is deffo the issue imo.... I had exactly the same experience wirth Powerdvd being better than Windvd. Do you have a spare soundcard to try out..... remember to disable the onboard sound..... another thing to try is to turn off hardware acceleration......... whatever the exact issue I think it's down to a conflict between the sound and the video card.... disabling hardware acel. did make an improvement for me, but it was still far from satisfactory - it might further confirm the source of the problem.

There is a wark around (which didn't fully eliminate things for me) by turning off ACPI in the bios, but it also means a restore, so I'd still recommend a change to a soundcard. If it's a prob with the ide drivers as Kramer mentioned, then I'd be stumped too.......:(


Sean.
 
Sean

I'm now 100% certain you are correct. I have disabled the onboard sound in BIOS and it works at perfect speed. So, I ned to do some research on finding some compatible drivers.

I'll try and find a website for Realtek as its a Realtek ALC650. Fingers crossed :)
 
Any IRQ conflicts? What devices are sharing resources?

If there's a problem, try manually allocating resources to the graphics accelerator & on-board sound.

:smoke:
 
Didn't think about IRQ's.

Interestingly, the only device to share an IRQ is the Nvidia audio codec interface (its shared with the Standard USB Host controller)

Normally, I would be swapping cards around, but clearly that isn't possible here. How can I move the devices around?

EDIT: I disabled the USB controller but it made no difference :(
 
Chris,


try manually allocating resources to the graphics accelerator & on-board sound.

You can do this from Powerstrip, iirc, but I'm afraid I can't remember the exact procedure........


However, you could have a look at

this - a variation on ACPI being the culprit with Realtek onboard sound.....

Sean.
 
Tried all the disabling ACPI stuff but without sucess.

I think I have to bite the bullet and buy a cheap soundcard. I see the SBL is only £30 inc delivery, think I'll give that a shot.

Disabled sound in BIOS and its smooth again
 
Good news!

The Creative 5.1 card I ordered arrived today. Slotted it in, problem solved. Might think twice about onboard sound the next time.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread :clap:
 
Chris,

Glad you got a result..................


Sean.
 

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