Media centre issue

Discussion:

Media centre issue

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Baz

2007-08-20 06:08:00 UTC

Hi,

I'm using Windows Vista Ultimate Edition and its primary use is as a Media
Centre.

Windows Media Centre runs all the time, and I'm suffering system crashes.
These manifest themselves by the Windows Media Centre application freezing
so that the PC is completely unresponsive to perhipheral input, either from
the remote control or the keyboard. Ctrl+Alt+Delete does not bring anything
up either.

However, if I try to use RDP to connect to the PC, it just sticks on the
"Welcome" page, and I can use the network to connect to the PC and browse
the file store and drag off files, so the PC doesn't seem to have completely
crashed.

The crashes seem completely intermittent, they don't seem to occur after any
particular event and can be long or short between instances.

So far I have tried:

1. Testing system memory with Windows Memory Diagnostics. All OK.
2. I have also tried upgrading the BIOS, however, that seemed to make my NIC
stop working, and under advice from Abit, I downgraded back to the BIOS the
motherboard cam with. My motherboard is an Abit SG-95.
3. I have ensured all Windows Updates are applied.
4. I am using a Nvidia 7600 GS - I have tried using both the Windows WDM
driver, and the latest Forceware driver from the Nvidia website. I have
experienced the crashes with both.
5. I am using a Hauppage HVR-1300 TV tuner card. I am using the drivers from
here: http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/pages/support/support_new_mce.html.
6. My audio is the Realtek one with the above motherboard, downloaded from
the Abit site.
7. I have unplugged the CD-ROM, and left it unplugged.
8. Finally, I have re-built the operating system, and the same thing still
happens.
9. Verified that cooling is not an issue.

No other third-party applications were installed on the machine apart from
one called MCE Browser, which I have now uninstalled as well as a test. The
only other hardware I have installed is my SATA 250GB HDD.

The only thing I can find in the event logs near to the time of the crashes
(I only know the system has crashed because the Windows Media Centre time
display "freezes" when the application does) is that the VSS enters an idle
timeout. When I reset the machine following the crashes, the event log
simply reports that the previous system shutdown is unexpected and report
the time that I reset the PC (NOT the time of the so-called crash or freeze,
which again seems to lend weight to the fact that it is not a total crash).

This is of course, very frustrating, so any help that can be given would be
very much appreciated!

Kind regards,

Barry Anns.

Nigel Barker

2007-08-20 12:01:35 UTC

Permalink

Post by Baz
Hi,
I'm using Windows Vista Ultimate Edition and its primary use is as a Media
Centre.
Windows Media Centre runs all the time, and I'm suffering system crashes.
These manifest themselves by the Windows Media Centre application freezing
so that the PC is completely unresponsive to perhipheral input, either from
the remote control or the keyboard. Ctrl+Alt+Delete does not bring anything
up either.
However, if I try to use RDP to connect to the PC, it just sticks on the
"Welcome" page, and I can use the network to connect to the PC and browse
the file store and drag off files, so the PC doesn't seem to have completely
crashed.
The crashes seem completely intermittent, they don't seem to occur after any
particular event and can be long or short between instances.
1. Testing system memory with Windows Memory Diagnostics. All OK.
2. I have also tried upgrading the BIOS, however, that seemed to make my NIC
stop working, and under advice from Abit, I downgraded back to the BIOS the
motherboard cam with. My motherboard is an Abit SG-95.
3. I have ensured all Windows Updates are applied.
4. I am using a Nvidia 7600 GS - I have tried using both the Windows WDM
driver, and the latest Forceware driver from the Nvidia website. I have
experienced the crashes with both.
5. I am using a Hauppage HVR-1300 TV tuner card. I am using the drivers from
here: http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/pages/support/support_new_mce.html.
6. My audio is the Realtek one with the above motherboard, downloaded from
the Abit site.
7. I have unplugged the CD-ROM, and left it unplugged.
8. Finally, I have re-built the operating system, and the same thing still
happens.
9. Verified that cooling is not an issue.
No other third-party applications were installed on the machine apart from
one called MCE Browser, which I have now uninstalled as well as a test. The
only other hardware I have installed is my SATA 250GB HDD.
The only thing I can find in the event logs near to the time of the crashes
(I only know the system has crashed because the Windows Media Centre time
display "freezes" when the application does) is that the VSS enters an idle
timeout. When I reset the machine following the crashes, the event log
simply reports that the previous system shutdown is unexpected and report
the time that I reset the PC (NOT the time of the so-called crash or freeze,
which again seems to lend weight to the fact that it is not a total crash).
This is of course, very frustrating, so any help that can be given would be
very much appreciated!
Kind regards,
Barry Anns.

The VVS idle imeout is probably a symptom not the cause. It very much sounds like a hardware
problem. Some incompatibility between componen ts perhaps? I am afraid that it is almost impossible
to make a remote diagnosis with this sort of problem. You will need to try & track the problem down
by a process of elimination by swapping out components.
--

Cheers

Nigel Barker
Live from the sunny Cote d'Azur
MCE MVP

JimC

2007-08-25 19:48:00 UTC

Permalink

Barry,
I have exactly the same problem. Same edition and same tv tuner, although I
have a Aus motherboard. I too have updated BIOS and applied all software and
windows updates. I have today taken off all power options, so I'm certain
that the hard disk and graphics are not turned off at any stage and will see
if that makes a difference over the next day or two.

Event logs are unhelpful - system crashes in the same way, at seemingly
random moments although they seem to happen more when close to a scheduled TV
recording, so it may be related to the way MC uses task scheduler. I
initially thought it may be poor software from hauppage but I uninstalled
any umeccessary apps and it still occurred.

Anyone from Microsoft can assist?

Cheers,
Jim
--
Thanks !

Steve

2007-09-30 13:58:02 UTC

Permalink

All,

I am having exactly the same problem. Have reinstalled windows,
optimized all app, removed from start-up, jacked my RAM up to 4 Gig, all to
no success.
Thought this might be a heat related problem, i'm in a warm climate, and ac
only goes so far.
With all of the entries on the blogs, rethinking that idea....
Anyone have a solution?

Steve

2007-09-30 13:54:00 UTC

Permalink

JimC

2007-11-25 23:12:00 UTC

Permalink

FIX

Hi,
Have finally solved the problem after much trial and error.

After much work on the internals - swapping cards around PCI slots,
reformatting hard drives (lost all my content after a stupid mistake) all
came to nothing - still crashed.

BUT .....The culprit was the IR software provided by hauppauge for the
remote control.

Uninstalling this FINALLY gave a stable machine for a couple of weeks
(without remote control of course - had to resort to hands and knees with the
mouse). Installing the software again resulted in crashes for the next couple
of days until I ditched it again. Have bought another remote from Trust which
although looking a little retro - works great and not a single crash since
ditching the hauppage junk.

Hope this helps others with a hauppauge tv tuner.

Cheers,
Jim
--
Thanks !