Computer Help

[ElBlufer]

I run a Windows XP home system with a 1.8 GHZ processor and 1 GB RAM. My computer crashes every time I try to view a quicktime movie, whether it is on my computer or streaming from the web. This problem has been occuring for approximately 5 months. So far, I have done the following to no avail:

 

-Cleaned out my computer (dust)

-Run countless spyware, adware, and virus scans

-added new RAM (I used to have 512 MB)

-Uninstalled and Reinstalled quicktime and Itunes (3 times)

-Switched Firewalls (changed from Norton to Onecare beta)

 

If anyone knows how I could fix my problem, I will be very greatful. Also, if you need anymore info in order to help me; feel free to ask.

 

EDIT: To define crash...I mean a black screen followed by an automatic system reboot.

[Patrick]

That sounds like a hangup. There might be some internal conflict going on. Ive had reboots like that before. Ill see what I can dig up for you. My last media player invovled one wouldve been with a video codec. I installed it and had the same thing you had happen to your computer. What version of Quicktime are you running? You could always try finding an older version (up to version 7.0.3 w/o iTunes) on www.oldversion.com and see if it works.

[DenDen]

Make sure all of quicktime's file associations are valid.

 

In other words, if you installed or configured any media players after quicktime, it will crash. (It's a well known bug!)

 

Go to Control Panel: Quicktime: File types...

 

Make sure all apple-based files are associated with the player. (Or even easier, associate all media with the player, and your other media players should gain control of their respective file types after you use them.)

[Carnage]

One thing that might help is go to:

 

control panel->system->advanced tab

 

Under "start up and recovery" click settings.

 

Uncheck "automatically restart".

 

This might help you narrow down what is causing it. Instead of a black screen you should get the good old blue screen of death.

 

It could be some sort of hardware conflict. What kind of hardware do you have in your computer? As in video cards, sound cards, network adapters,etc. Any expansion cards in the PCI slot directly besides the AGP video card? (assuming you don't have an on-board video card)

[ElBlufer]

I have:

-An NVidia GForce FX 5500 video card

-A phillips sound card (which doesn't work well and I can't get to work right

now.

-A wireless network card (netgear- I think...either that or lyksis)

 

I will try the blue screen of death thing now, and report back asap.

 

EDIT: ok, this is the technical info from the blue screen of death:

 

*** STOP: 0x0000008E (0xC0000005, OxF3385675, 0xBAS9774C, 0x00000000)

 

*** smwdm.sys - adress F3385675 base at F-3360000, Datestamp 3caca164.

 

I hope this helps. It did not give me any other information except for what steps I should take to prevent the problem.

[coasterlover420]

What's:

1. The Processor Speed

2. Amount of Memory (in Megabytes)

?

[Carnage]

^ He already listed the amout of ram and processor speed in his first post.

 

I have:

-An NVidia GForce FX 5500 video card

-A phillips sound card (which doesn't work well and I can't get to work right

now.

-A wireless network card (netgear- I think...either that or lyksis)

 

Which PCI slots are those cards in?

 

If one of them is in the slot directly besides the AGP slot, then try moving it to a different slot.

 

Or maybe even remove the sound card entirely if it's causing problems.

 

Worth a shot at least.

 

Edit: I googled smwdm.sys and it seems that's a sound card driver. Try un-installing and re-installing the sound card drivers. See if removing the driver and sound card fixes the problem at least.

[joel0613]

Hello,

Just my two cents but smwdm.sys is your sound card driver. You are having audio issues. Uninstall your audio card remove it from your system. Reboot, then shutdown and put it back in. Install clean drivers. The audio card is crashing your system.

[ElBlufer]

Ok, I will be taking out my sound card and its drivers later tonight, and I will make sure to tell you the results. Again, I thank all of your for your tremendous help!

 

EDIT: I was planning on taking out my soundcard, but I then realized that I did not have an extra metal place holder to fill the hole in the back of my tower. I did uninstall the phillips sound drivers (as the hardware no longer shows up), but I still crash with the same error when i try quicktime files. At this point I am searching my hard drives for the file that is causing the problem, and hope to delete that when it is found.

 

EDIT 2: Please help...I was really stupid...and I accidently deleted my default sound driver (as, I found that this was the file that was causing problems). I now have no sound coming out of my speakers except for static and loud booming noises (when I take the plug out of its socket). Please help me regain sound capabilities and find a way to fix my restarting problem.

 

EDIT 3: I now wish that I had my windows CD so that I could start fresh. My printer just stopped working as wel. I now get a "printer is offline" message, even though it is connected.

 

EDIT 4: I just did a system restore, and now have everything that I had this morning. I do have sound and the use of a printer back. I will be trying the take out/put back in for sound option for my soundcard tomorrow night, as I have already had my excitement for the day.