Topic: NEW MC 12 freezing screen DURING playback (Read 3459 times)

pecorp · « **on:** February 20, 2008, 11:09:53 am »

I read Glynor's post about his screen freezing, but the music that had been cued to the playing now continuing. I did not see an answer to the problem listed. I am having the same problem using vista and the latest version of mc12. Every now and then with music playing the screen will lock up to where you can not go to the audio tab and search for the next song to play. If I click the audio tab it still shows the playing now screen. The song status bar at the top also quits moving. Then after waiting it will unlock " the time varies but it could go to the next song without un freezing." I have tried to find a certain file type, but it happens with many different ones. I have also found that if I move songs around in my playing now, it tends to happen more often. The older version ran just fine on my sony laptop, but the last 2 updated have had this problem. Any help would greatly be appreciated.

I have a sony laptop using a wester digital external 160gb pocket drive to hold my music and videos. I do not have any podcasts, I use the program to run a dj business with music and videos only. Thanks

JimH · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2008, 11:19:15 am »

Can you copy your system info from MC Help and paste it here?

pecorp · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2008, 11:24:05 am »

Jim here is my info from a post I had a couple of weeks ago when I was trying to solve this same problem. I am at work so I hope this helps, if not I can do it againg when I get home.

Microsoft Windows Vista 6.0 (Build 6000)
Intel Core 1594 MHz MMX / Memory: Total - 2086 MB, Free - 1043 MB

Internet Explorer: 7.0.6000.16575 / ComCtl32.dll: 5.82.6000 / Shlwapi.dll: 6.0.6000 / Shell32.dll: 6.0.6000 / wnaspi32.dll: N/A
Ripping / Drive V: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Digital playback: Yes / Use YADB: Yes / Get cover art: Yes / Calc replay gain: Yes / Copy volume: 32767
Eject after ripping: Yes / Play sound after ripping: No

Burning / Drive V: MATSHITA DVD-RAM UJ-850S Addr: 0:0:0 Speed:24 MaxSpeed:24 BurnProof:Yes
Test mode: No / Eject after writing: Yes / Direct decoding: Yes / Write CD-Text: Yes
Use playback settings: No /

Portable Device Info
Removed devices:

Interface Plugins:
last.fm (Active)
Library Server (Active)
TiVo Server (Active)
UPnP Server (Active)

JimH · « **Reply #3 on:** February 20, 2008, 12:02:26 pm »

I wonder if Vista is doing something "smart". Try turning off UAC.

Are your files and your library database all on the same local drive?

Virus checker is another possibility.

What build of MC are you running?

Any third party plug-ins in use?

Unplug any memory sticks, portable devices, etc.

pecorp · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2008, 12:11:09 pm »

I will try turning off UAC

All my files and library are on my external western digital 160gb pocket drive

I am running the newest built of MC 12.0.438

I have not added any third party plug-ins

my external drive will all my files is my only portable device.

JimH · « **Reply #5 on:** February 20, 2008, 12:29:50 pm »

Try testing with a local library.

pecorp · « **Reply #6 on:** February 20, 2008, 12:54:09 pm »

Jim, if it was a UAC problem would I get pop up's? There have been no pop ups.

I can try to create a local c: drive music library, but I will need it to work with the external because of the size of the library.

It worked just fine with the previous build using the external drive, the only problem is I do not know what build it worked with before I updated.

I will keep trying what ever you tell me, I just need it to work again.

JimH · « **Reply #7 on:** February 20, 2008, 01:16:29 pm »

I have no idea why it's happening, but I'm trying to give you ideas to explore.

glynor · « **Reply #8 on:** February 20, 2008, 01:36:52 pm »

Could you describe your problem in more detail? I don't think this is similar to what I was experiencing at all...

My "freeze" problem only lasts a few seconds when it happens, and it only happens after you first start MC up and play the very first track. After that, it is usually fine. I'm pretty sure it has to do with the startup procedures MC has to do. If I load MC, and wait a minute or so before I start playing something, I also usually have no issues.

I'm also not having as much trouble with current builds.

Those pocket drives are extremely slow. I'd strongly recommend you move your library files (the database, not the media files) from the pocket drive over to the C drive and see if the problem resolves itself. I bet that's it. Those pocket drives are small and handy, but they are not very zippy!! Usually 4200rpm 2.5" drives on a slow USB bus...

pecorp · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2008, 02:08:47 pm »

Glynor, I think your right with our problems being different. My will freeze up at any time during playback.
1) the music that I have in my playing now will continue to play
2) the status or progress bar at the top for the song will quit moving, it can even go to the next song and still be locked on the previous song.
3) If I try to click into any other option it stays locked, so if I go to the audio folder to select and search for another song it mixes the audio folder screen with the playing now screen still showing.
4) the time it takes to unlock seems to vary, Sometimes I have noticed that when I click to the desktop for example and then back to MC it is un frozen, but not always.
5) I have also noticed weird things like: when I move the mouse between the play and next track buttons it will be like double vision with the words that pop down saying what the button does. It will do this for all buttons that have a pop up. I have also had a square of my desktop screen pop into my visualzations if the mouse is over them.

6) are there any external drives that are fast enough, or would it be better to upgrade my internal hard drive to be able to hold my library. Thanks

JimH · « **Reply #10 on:** February 20, 2008, 02:11:43 pm »

Test internally to see if the problem goes away. External drives are normally fast enough and not a problem, but something odd is happening.

Take a look at task manager to see what is happening to CPU usage.

If you have any video or image files, MC could be building thumbnails.

pecorp · « **Reply #11 on:** February 20, 2008, 02:32:05 pm »

The external drive always worked fine with the previous build I had. I have just had these problem after updating. This is not to say that the drive could not be going bad. I will check these things out tonight.

glynor · « **Reply #12 on:** February 20, 2008, 05:13:30 pm »

Any internal drive should be plenty big enough to hold your library. To be clear... By "the library" I only mean the database files MC uses to tell it where your media files live. These are very small!! (Should be less than 50-100MB no matter how many files you have in your library.) This is what MC calls the "Library".

This is set in MC via the Library Manager at File --> Library --> Library Manager. By default it is buried in your C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\JRiver\ folder. Did you manually move the library over to the external drive for some reason?

I do NOT mean the media files themselves. These should be fine on an external drive (though a very slow or flaky drive can cause problems).

pecorp · « **Reply #13 on:** February 20, 2008, 10:57:12 pm »

Glynor, my library is located here:

c:\users\jt\AppData\Roaming\JRiver\Mediacenter12\library

This is the default setting

This is my current system info:

Media Center 12.0.441 Registered -- C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center 12\

Microsoft Windows Vista 6.0 (Build 6000)
Intel Core 1610 MHz MMX / Memory: Total - 2086 MB, Free - 1043 MB

Internet Explorer: 7.0.6000.16609 / ComCtl32.dll: 5.82.6000 / Shlwapi.dll: 6.0.6000 / Shell32.dll: 6.0.6000 / wnaspi32.dll: N/A
Ripping / Drive V: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Digital playback: Yes / Use YADB: Yes / Get cover art: Yes / Calc replay gain: Yes / Copy volume: 32767
Eject after ripping: Yes / Play sound after ripping: No

Burning / Drive V: MATSHITA DVD-RAM UJ-850S Addr: 0:0:0 Speed:24 MaxSpeed:24 BurnProof:Yes
Test mode: No / Eject after writing: Yes / Direct decoding: Yes / Write CD-Text: Yes
Use playback settings: No /

Portable Device Info
Removed devices:

Interface Plugins:
last.fm (Active)
Library Server (Active)
TiVo Server (Active)
UPnP Server (Active)

Thanks.

Alex B · « **Reply #14 on:** February 21, 2008, 02:37:38 am »

pecorp,

Have you changed your power scheme options? What are your current settings?

I have noticed that my XP laptop may turn off the internal hard drive when I am playing music from an external drive. When a program needs to write something on the C: drive most of the system is frozen for a few seconds during the drive startup.

JimH · « **Reply #15 on:** February 21, 2008, 07:06:01 am »

Oh... that's a good guess, Alex. Very possible.

glynor · « **Reply #16 on:** February 21, 2008, 07:24:58 am »

Quote from: pecorp on February 20, 2008, 10:57:12 pm

Glynor, my library is located here:

c:\users\jt\AppData\Roaming\JRiver\Mediacenter12\library

This is the default setting

Okay... That's not it then. Was worth a shot though, because I've seen similar behavior (but a long, long time ago -- v10 I think).

pecorp · « **Reply #17 on:** February 21, 2008, 09:18:59 am »

As you can probably tell, I know enought to get around with my computer. I will check my power scheme settings, but I am pretty simple and do not mess with many setting or extra's like plug ins ect. I am trying and would like to learn as much about the program as possible because I think it could do much more then what I use it for. Thanks for being patient and working with me. I have a gig saturday and would like to get it fixed befor then. I will have alot more time tonight and tomorrow night to look into things.

does anyone know what would cause the "double vision" of the pop ups for any tabs. for example if i highlight my play button in the upper left the pop up that reads play looks to be doubled up? It does this for all what I would call tabs or buttons. Thanks

pecorp · « **Reply #18 on:** February 21, 2008, 09:28:35 am »

Jim, or anyone else. Is there anyway to find my older build on my computer if I used the automatic update.
with the old build I had no problems, I just do not know what build I had. I should have saved it, well live and learn.

I will continue to work on my current issues, just trying to find the quickest fix to keep my business running smooth. Thanks.

glynor · « **Reply #19 on:** February 21, 2008, 10:42:06 am »

Not unless you saved the installer. Do you remember what build it was?

pecorp · « **Reply #20 on:** February 21, 2008, 11:07:08 am »

no, I do not remember. That is the bigest problem. I know many of the older builds are available here. I went back to a build from october, but I had the same problem with it. The only build that I saved the installer on was my origional. The problem with that build, was that I could not send videos out to a projector. The build that I got as an update later fixed that problem. I can look and see what my first build was if that will help. I tried to go back in the forum and load a build that was much older, but the file was not available. Thanks.

I gaurentee that when I get everything working, I will save the installer this time.

glynor, do you know what could be causing the drop down icons to look doubled?

pecorp · « **Reply #21 on:** February 21, 2008, 04:13:24 pm »

ok, I checked out my power settings, and they are set to HIGH PERFORMANCE I also always run the laptop plugged in, so I do not think this is my problem.

when I got home from work my MC was locked up, so I quickly checked the cpu usage. It was 58% at the highest for MC. I did not see anything else running at that time.

I am going to try to disable symantec and see if it helps.

Also I looked and the first build of MC That I had was from 2-27-07. It worked fine except it would not send videos out to a projector. The next to updated builds that I got worked fine as well. If anyone can tell me what build it might be, and how I can get it, I would love to try it. Thanks

rexibaby · « **Reply #22 on:** February 26, 2008, 03:45:04 pm »

Hey Guys, I just bought MC12 and have the same problem-

1) MC12 freeze when playing music or viewing video. I cant even shut it down
2) Sometimes the mouse will have react weirdly when using mc12

However everything becomes normal once i shut it down thru task manager. It never seems to work fine ever since the first day.

I am using Vista Home premium, Norton antivirus, no portable device, Run from C drive. Any comments on this matter appreciated.

Rexibaby

JimH · « **Reply #23 on:** February 26, 2008, 03:48:11 pm »

A virus checker can definitely cause this kind of problem.

Try turning off the option to check every file every time it's opened.

See the "Weird problems" link in my signature for other ideas.

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Author Topic: NEW MC 12 freezing screen DURING playback (Read 3459 times)