PC crash issues

  • Thread starter Thread starter JustMe
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J

JustMe

OS: Windows 2000 Pro
Mobo: Asus P4C800E-Deluxe
Graphics: Asus V9520 Magic GeForce FX5200 with TV out
Memory: 2 x 512MB @ 400MHz
CPU: Intel P4 3.066GHz
HDs: Numerous, 1 for OS, remainder for storage
Case: Lian Li PC70
PSU: 550 watts
1 PCI card: ATA/133 Host Adaptor with 2 x IDE HDs connected to one of the
two channels
Several other HDs connected to various channels on the Mobo
No overclocking or anything deviating from recommended use.

Hi,

I've been having the same trouble with this set-up since its inception and
I'm hoping someone can help me out.

What I'm trying to do:

The PC described above is effectively a video media server. The choice of
motherboard, case, PSU etc are specifically to provide storage for a larger
number of hard drives which store film and television programming. The
purpose is to replace using VHS for timeshifting and archiving and for
storage on a home network.

I use Zoom Player in place of Media player, (although the fault occurs with
either) and Opus directory in place of Windows Explorer, otherwise the
software installation is fairly typical and minimal.

Video is configured so that the TV out (screen 2) is set as a "full screen
device" so that whatever video I have running in a small or minimised screen
on the PC's monitor is rendered full-screen on my TV.

The problem:

When a new video programme starts (either when playing the next programme in
the directory/playlist automatically or when I double-click the next
programme I wish to watch), the output to the television screen switches
first to the Windows desktop (as there is no video currently playing on the
PC) and then after a second or so, as it starts to play the next file, back
as a full-screen device. This is normal.

BUT as it switches back to a full-screen device for the next programme, at
the point when you'd expect the new programme to start playing, the PC
crashes.

This problem is intermittent. Sometimes it can happen after EVERY programme,
sometimes I can view several in a row or stop and start a few times over a
period of days before the same fault will occur. But it never occurs when
viewing the first programme after a reboot - I always get at least one
programme's viewing.

This isn't the exception. I want to use the PC to capture video from VHS.
However this too leads to similar problems. I tried a Compro capture card
some months ago which often lead to crashes and, just this week, after a
clean reinstall of everything, I bought a Maxtor ConvertX external capture
device (it encodes video into DivX on the fly, is an external box and
connects via USB and is supplied with its own external power supply, so it
doesn't take up a PCI slot). When I try to run the software for this, as
soon as I get to a video mode (something like trying to capture or view
incoming video), the PC crashes.

Things I have tried which have not resolved the problem:

Complete O/S reinstall with minimal drivers/software on freshly formatted HD
Uninstall/reinstall video drivers
Uninstall/reinstall codecs
Reducing video acceleration
Run with case open and tons of cooling (I use Speedfan to monitor temps on
HDs, CPU etc and keep fan noise down and nothing ever goes above 50 degrees
anyway)
Tried one strip of each memory at a time to eliminate faulty strip

however the problem occurs under all these conditions.

It HAS to be a problem with video, I am assuming. I can leave the PC
running for weeks if I don't try any of these video applications and I use
it as a file server from remote PCs to playback video through their outputs,
without trouble.

Thanks for reading all that - please, can anyone help?
 
Sounds like a graphics driver/card problem.
Are you able to get hold of a *different* video card with TVO and re-test?

IM
 
Yes, that was my next thought. But I didn't want to spend more cash until I
had a few opinions.
 
Although usually very stable, Nvidia drivers are optimized for gaming more
than anything else and have been known to choke while venturing outside of
that realm - so to speak.
Your Asus card is not very high-end and usually sell for approx. $40-45US

On the other hand, Matrox have been in the graphics game much longer and
make cards specifically for your type of application.
But - some of their cards are not cheap...!

Check out
http://www.matrox.com/mga/products/mill_g450/features.cfm


IM.
 
Thanks - my next question was going to be, given my setup and use, what
people would recommend.

I bought the Asus video card on the basis that it was simple, did what I
needed with no superfluous features and I wrongly figured I wouldn't have
any issues pairing an Asus video card with an Asus Mobo.

I have to say that I don't find the NVidia software particularly intuitive
anyway and I do seem to end up going round in circles to find simple
functions sometimes, so I wouldn't be sad to see the back of it - especially
as the Matrox seems to support my requirement for minimised video app. on PC
monitor, full screen of said video on TV out, and I have had positive
experiences with Matrox in the passed.

Having looked at pictures of the G450, the spec sheet and details on the
Micro Direct website
(http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=5690&GroupID=27), I
cannot see composite video/S-Video outputs. Do you know: is there an adaptor
cable supplied with that converts the second video output socket to these?
 
Not sure what is supplied with that card
This one looks more sophisticated!

http://www.matrox.com/mga/products/g550_dualdvi/home.cfm

If you ndded to know more that what the website can tell you, you could
always enquire at

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

United Kingdom
Matrox UK

Sefton Park
Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire
SL2 4JS United Kingdom

Pre-sales hotline: +44 (0) 1753 66 55 44
Fax: +44 (0) 1753 66 55 49
email: (e-mail address removed)



IM.
 
JustMe said:
OS: Windows 2000 Pro
Mobo: Asus P4C800E-Deluxe
Graphics: Asus V9520 Magic GeForce FX5200 with TV out
Memory: 2 x 512MB @ 400MHz
CPU: Intel P4 3.066GHz
HDs: Numerous, 1 for OS, remainder for storage
Case: Lian Li PC70
PSU: 550 watts
1 PCI card: ATA/133 Host Adaptor with 2 x IDE HDs connected to one of the
two channels
Several other HDs connected to various channels on the Mobo
No overclocking or anything deviating from recommended use.

Hi,

I've been having the same trouble with this set-up since its inception and
I'm hoping someone can help me out.

What I'm trying to do:

The PC described above is effectively a video media server. The choice of
motherboard, case, PSU etc are specifically to provide storage for a larger
number of hard drives which store film and television programming. The
purpose is to replace using VHS for timeshifting and archiving and for
storage on a home network.

I use Zoom Player in place of Media player, (although the fault occurs with
either) and Opus directory in place of Windows Explorer, otherwise the
software installation is fairly typical and minimal.

Video is configured so that the TV out (screen 2) is set as a "full screen
device" so that whatever video I have running in a small or minimised screen
on the PC's monitor is rendered full-screen on my TV.

The problem:

When a new video programme starts (either when playing the next programme in
the directory/playlist automatically or when I double-click the next
programme I wish to watch), the output to the television screen switches
first to the Windows desktop (as there is no video currently playing on the
PC) and then after a second or so, as it starts to play the next file, back
as a full-screen device. This is normal.

BUT as it switches back to a full-screen device for the next programme, at
the point when you'd expect the new programme to start playing, the PC
crashes.

This problem is intermittent. Sometimes it can happen after EVERY programme,
sometimes I can view several in a row or stop and start a few times over a
period of days before the same fault will occur. But it never occurs when
viewing the first programme after a reboot - I always get at least one
programme's viewing.

This isn't the exception. I want to use the PC to capture video from VHS.
However this too leads to similar problems. I tried a Compro capture card
some months ago which often lead to crashes and, just this week, after a
clean reinstall of everything, I bought a Maxtor ConvertX external capture
device (it encodes video into DivX on the fly, is an external box and
connects via USB and is supplied with its own external power supply, so it
doesn't take up a PCI slot). When I try to run the software for this, as
soon as I get to a video mode (something like trying to capture or view
incoming video), the PC crashes.

Things I have tried which have not resolved the problem:

Complete O/S reinstall with minimal drivers/software on freshly formatted HD
Uninstall/reinstall video drivers
Uninstall/reinstall codecs
Reducing video acceleration
Run with case open and tons of cooling (I use Speedfan to monitor temps on
HDs, CPU etc and keep fan noise down and nothing ever goes above 50 degrees
anyway)
Tried one strip of each memory at a time to eliminate faulty strip

however the problem occurs under all these conditions.

It HAS to be a problem with video, I am assuming. I can leave the PC
running for weeks if I don't try any of these video applications and I use
it as a file server from remote PCs to playback video through their outputs,
without trouble.

Thanks for reading all that - please, can anyone help?
Click to expand...

Try a different driver:

http://groups.google.ca/group/alt.c...vidia/msg/e1defb4e42b0009d?dmode=source&hl=en

Paul
 
Yes, was just wondering if you would know before Monday as I would've gone
out to buy one today.
In the end it's academic (see my reply to Paul below).
Thanks for the info and advice, though.
 
All's well that ends well!


IM

JustMe said:
Yes, was just wondering if you would know before Monday as I would've gone
out to buy one today.
In the end it's academic (see my reply to Paul below).
Thanks for the info and advice, though.
Click to expand...
 
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