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Author Topic: gvag's player problems in last few builds  (Read 2706 times)

JimH

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gvag's player problems in last few builds
« on: April 26, 2002, 05:57:03 pm »

JimH -
I am doing as you suggested and starting a new thread. I am really hesitant to reinstall my sound card (SB Live 5.1 OEM) drivers. I am running games, WiMP (Windows Media Player), and SB Diagnostics all with no problems.
I currently have 248 installed but will install whichever version you suggest. The current status is that MJ will not play, it locks up, if I reboot and run WiMP or SB Diagnostics I can usually start and play MJ with no problems.

Media Jukebox PLUS 8.0.248

CPU: Intel Pentium III 1000 MHz MMX
Memory: Total - 261 MB, Free - 188 MB
OS: Microsoft Windows 98 SE

Internet Explorer: 6.0.2600.0000
ComCtl32.dll: 5.50.4807.2300
Shlwapi.dll: 6.00.2600.0000
Shell32.dll: 4.72.3812.600
wnaspi32.dll: 2, 0, 0, 0 , ASPI for WIN32 DLL, Copyright © Adaptec 1995
Aspi32.sys: N/A


What follows are the relevant posts from the MJ 8.0.257 thread.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Re: DFX
I have to assume that this is an MJ/DFX problem. As I posted earlier DFX was back and MJ was working fine. I left the computer on did some necessaries (mowed the lawn) brought the comp off standby and started MJ. Got the DFX register window (I'm waiting for my new serial after upgrade) MJ loaded I located an album hit [ENTER] and MJ locked up. This is my third reboot with no joy. MJ is hanging to the point of affecting other programs (my shell extender's shut down module is hanging and I have to power reset).
Apart from installing 257 and DFX I've made no changes to my system. The strange is that this problem only showed up after coming out of Standby mode and on Reboot. Registry problem?

Thanks

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JimH 04-25-2002 07:15:05 P.M.

Profile

gvag,
Try uninstalling dfx. Just as a test.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
gvag 04-25-2002 11:32:08 P.M.

JimH -
This has become a saga. Uninstalled DFX, no joy. Did a dumb, lazy thing and tried reinstalling 256 over 257 - sadness.

Uninstalled 256, ran Norton Win Doctor to confirm there were no tag ends lying around from either 256 or DFX, optimized the registry, rebooted and installed 256 which used to run without a hitch. Couldn't access normal Play mode (ctl-alt-del followed by Reset to recover)

After numerous reboots I tried Play Media File and everything seemed OK. Closed MJ and restarted, Play functioned properly. Closed MJ went to check how my life was doing came back brought the system out of standby, started MJ and locked up when I tried to Play something.

It is now several reboots later and I cannot get 256 to Play at all. Next step uninstall 256 and revert to 248 which was very stable for me. I'll report back on the results.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
gvag 04-26-2002 02:06:01 A.M.

JimH -
Reinstalled using 248 build, MJ Played once and after exiting and restarting MJ it would not Play at all. Many reboots later and all I can report is that it will not Play no matter which way I try to get it going.

I ran Norton Disk Doctor and Speed Disk prior to reinstalling, also ran NAV and WinDoctor no problems reported. WiMP runs and plays just fine.

Any suggestion?

Thanks


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
gvag 04-26-2002 03:19:01 A.M.

JimH -
So after my last post I quit IE and was going to do some programming but it occurred to me that I hadn't tried starting MJ by openning a music file in Explorer. So I did and it played.

Close/Reopen MJ numerous times testing various methods of initiating Play and everything worked.

Next step. Rebooted and tried again. No joy with many reboots would not play even from Explorer. So...

Reboot. Start WiMP and it played fine. Close the other player and start MJ all seems to be working as it should. This method is not 100% maybe 90% for example:
Listening to: 'A Bit of Basie' from 'Smack Up' by 'Art Pepper' on Media Jukebox
If I close MJ its not certain that it will play if I restart it, sometimes yes, sometimes no. Same with the start Media Player trick.

?

thanks





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JimH 04-26-2002 08:08:27 A.M.

Profile

gvag,
Please start a new thread on this problem. You may have other problems with the system. Don't use anything but the current beta. 257 is a very good build. This may turn out to be our bug, but keeping it in a separate thread will help.
You may have said so, but try disabling skins. Also try a reinstall of sound card drivers.

If you start a new thread, it would help to copy and paste the relevant parts of this thread.
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Jim Hillegass
JRiver Media Center / Media Jukebox

JimH

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #1 on: April 26, 2002, 05:58:46 pm »

Please install 260.  If that doesn't solve it, disable skins.  If it still doesn't work, try installing the sound card drivers.
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Jim Hillegass
JRiver Media Center / Media Jukebox

gvag

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2002, 12:01:52 am »

JimH -

Here's the skinny.  

1.  Installed 260 started MJ hit Play and everything worked fine.

2.  Rebooted.  Started MJ with no joy.  (The fatal error)  Hit ctl-alt-del and had to do a system reset.

3.  Started MJ.  Disabled skins and MJ restarted.  Everything was groovy.  ReEnabled Skins, MJ restarted and everything was cool.  Closed and reopenned MJ multiple times, music to my ears.

4.  Rebooted, started MJ with skins enabled hit Play and MJ went away, almost.  As I stared in deep dismay at a screenscape where nothing but my mouse would move, I was called away.  When I returned there was a dialog:
  Error Starting Playback
     Make sure your system has a valid sound playback device...
So I clicked OK, I had no choice!  Disabled skins, MJ restarted and sounds abounded.  Skinned and Unskinned multiple times, all is tickety boo.  Aha!  Enabled skins and exited MJ.

5.  By George me thinks I've got it.  Rebooted, started MJ hit play, waited and waited and waited, got the error message and the rest is history.

Listening to: 'Misty' by 'Stan Getz & Dave Brubeck' on Media Jukebox

Media Jukebox PLUS 8.0.260

CPU: Intel Pentium III 999 MHz MMX
Memory: Total - 261 MB, Free - 185 MB
OS: Microsoft Windows 98 SE

Internet Explorer: 6.0.2600.0000
ComCtl32.dll: 5.50.4807.2300
Shlwapi.dll: 6.00.2600.0000
Shell32.dll: 4.72.3812.600
wnaspi32.dll: 2, 0, 0, 0 , ASPI for WIN32 DLL, Copyright © Adaptec 1995
Aspi32.sys: N/A

So...  What's next?

Cheers!

George V.
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JimH

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2002, 04:34:51 am »

Take a close look at all other software running.  Either another piece of audio software is locking the sound card, or MJ is not completely terminating (others are reporting this) and so the one you see is a second process and it can't get control of the sound card.
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Jim Hillegass
JRiver Media Center / Media Jukebox

Easyrider

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2002, 07:37:31 am »

Hi



Error Starting Playback
Make sure your system has a valid sound playback device...



I have been having this same problem.

It started occuring several builds ago.  I thought it was my sound card, because it affected MusicMatch, also I could not open my control panel for my sound card. I had to reboot. Sometimes I even had to reinstall MJ.

I ran Nortons WinDoc and registray cleanup and refrag drive. It did not clear up the problem.  It comes and goes.  I can play music for hours, shutdown the computer and come back the next day cold start the computer and open MJ an MJ cannot find the sound card.

Sound Card: Sound Blaster AWE64

Media Jukebox PLUS 8.0.260

CPU: Intel Pentium II 233 MHz MMX
Memory: Total - 196 MB, Free - 109 MB
OS: Microsoft Windows 98 SE

Internet Explorer: 5.50.4807.2300
ComCtl32.dll: 5.50.4807.2300
Shlwapi.dll: 5.50.4807.2300
Shell32.dll: 4.72.3812.600
wnaspi32.dll: 4.60 (1021) , ASPI for Win32 (95/NT) DLL, Copyright © 1989-1999 Adaptec, Inc.
Aspi32.sys: N/A
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JimH

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2002, 08:26:05 am »

Reinstall sound card driver?  You're both using Soundblaster products.  Could be the same driver.  Have you tried their website?

You're also both using Win98 SE.  Have you tried the MS website?

Are you using Wave out or DirectSound in MJ?  You could try switching.  Wave out was more reliable until a bug fix for Direct Sound in the last build.  The version of DirectX could also be a factor.  Try IE/Tools/Windows Update.
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Jim Hillegass
JRiver Media Center / Media Jukebox

Easyrider

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #6 on: April 27, 2002, 10:17:27 am »

Hi Jim

It just happened again.
Had to uninstall MJ and reboot than reinstall MJ to get the sound card back!

I was updating alot of properties and got the
MEDIA JUKEBOX caused a general protection fault
in module DIBENG.DLL at 0003:00000fa9. Than tried to play a file and came up with Error starting Playback.

I was able to play mp3 files using Windows Media Player Ver 7.01., but unsuccesful with MusicMatch.  In MusicMatch there was no sound and the playback time went by in about 15 seconds for a 2:25 song. How strange is that!!

Using Wave out.

Anyway, I will try all the updates that you suggested.

Stay Tune

Thanks for your help!
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gvag

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2002, 05:08:58 pm »

Hi Jim -

"Take a close look at all other software running."  I'm starting MJ from a clean boot and nothing else is running.  Same startup files that I've been using since I got my new system three months ago.  So I am mystified as to how "Either another piece of audio software is locking the sound card, or MJ is not completely terminating" applies.

Even though I very much doubted it, I spent the 1 1/2 hrs necessary to remove Creative from my system (there's a lot of stuff that you have to clean out manually) and reinstalled the SB Live 5.1 OEM with the "drivers only" install option.

I use wave mapper by default and always have,  MS Update says my system is up to date.

Since my last post I've installed DFX and it is running fine.  The only change has been that now it doesn't matter whether I leave MJ skinned or unskinned, if I reboot the only way to get MJ to play is start it and toggle the skin state, then everything is fine.

So...  What's next.  My only thot is I have a VIA KT133 chipset with and the 686B southbridge.  I've been researching a new sound card for my system and there's a fair bit out there about problems with the SB Live (but supposedly not the SB Live 5.1) and this chipset.  Also, general comments about the lack of quality in SB Live and latter drivers from Creative.  But none of this applies to Easyrider's situation as he is using the AWE64 which the PCAVT Tech site gives a better rating to than the SB Live.

I've discussed these deficiencies with my system supplier and we are going to swap out this MoBo and change the sound card in the next week or so.  If this problem persists it will be interesting to see what the situation is with the new system.

Thanks
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JimH

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2002, 05:34:26 pm »

Did you check the creative site for updates and faq's?
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Jim Hillegass
JRiver Media Center / Media Jukebox

gvag

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2002, 07:08:19 pm »

Jim -
Don't you know Creative never updates their drivers  Sorry, I couldn't resist.  

I went thru a lot of agony with the SB card when I first got my system.  There were many emails to Creative tech support, one recommendation I followed (procedures to follow for running SBLUpdate.exe) almost cost me my system.  So now I am a fully initiated SB Live 5.1 OEM owner.  After near system death, I did some serious sleuthing on the Web and found out that the CDRom drivers are the only ones that work with the OEM version.  I followed the instuctions in the newsgroup and got my system back.  So maybe you can understand why I was reluctant about reinstalling the SB drivers.

An interesting note, after the near system crash I immediately contacted Creative explaining what had happened, two weeks later I got a response telling me that I should not have run the SBLUpdate.exe as it does not support the OEM version of the card!

And just in case you are wondering, yes I checked their site for driver updates.  And no, I am not surprised that their driver download links have not been updated.  If I had followed them I would have wound up downloading the cursed "SBLUpdate.exe".

Cheers
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JimH

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2002, 04:48:21 am »

If it were my machine, I would try another sound card.  Something cheap.  Just to see if the problem goes away or not.
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Jim Hillegass
JRiver Media Center / Media Jukebox

UdoS

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2002, 05:09:26 am »

Did you ever try to remove all PCI-pcbs from your system,you don't need for playback (minimum configuration). I think, it is in the 'Plug and Pray' area. Also, try to move the SB to a different slot. If it works with minimum config, try to bring it up to full load one at a time. The problem might be somewhere else in your comp.

Udo
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Udo

gvag

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #12 on: April 28, 2002, 12:58:36 pm »

JimH & Udo -

Thanks but I'll pass. I'll just use the skin/unskin trick until I get my new mobo and sound card installed.  

Not sure what the new mobo will be except that it will not have a VIA chipset and the sound card will be either a Santa Cruz or an Audiophile 2496 (I'm inclining more toward the Santa Cruz as the Audiophile may be overkill for vinyl ripping).  I mention this because I have my doubts about the roots of the problem.  If I was having problems with WiMP, games or other programs then your suggestions would make sense, but I'm not, so IMHO this remains a weird incompatibility between my system and MJ.  the new system will tell the tale.

thanks
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gvag

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #13 on: April 30, 2002, 02:01:12 pm »

Have installed 261 and nothing has changed.

I am curious tho. Easyrider can you use the skin/unskin trick on your sytem to get MJ up and running for your current windows session?

thanks
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Easyrider

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #14 on: May 01, 2002, 02:13:43 pm »

Gvag

Sorry I did not get back to you sooner!

It does not make any difference disable skin or skin on.  Most of the time I have to reboot my computer. Sometimes that does not work I have to unistall MJ and reinstall MJ.

Had same problems with build 263.

Sometimes I can cold start computer and load MJ and the sound card is gone.(Not very often)
Sound card works fine in Windows Media Player 7.0, even when MJ says it cannot find it!
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gvag

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #15 on: May 01, 2002, 03:36:58 pm »

Easyrider thanks for responding.

Just to clarify the trick is:
1. Reboot
2. Start MJ and immediately toggle the skin state.

I wonder are we the only MJ beta users running Win98 SE with SB sound cards?
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Alonso Nefarious

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #16 on: May 01, 2002, 05:51:50 pm »

Not 98, but NT with a SB Live OEM.  No problems with playback.
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Tuber

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #17 on: May 01, 2002, 06:07:12 pm »

This is just to say that I sure hope the MJ team can fix this problem (if it's truly on their end). I'm not beta-testing (I'd be useless), but I'm lurking like crazy and anxiously awaiting a super-stable MJ8 release that I can use with my SB Platinum Live.

I run Windows 98 (System Info says it's: Microsoft Windows 98 4.10.2222 A) and am not sure how to find out for sure whether it's the SE version to which you all are referring. If SE means "second edition," then that's what I have (so says my Windows installation disk).

I'm really looking forward to installing MJ8 and I hope this problem is quashed. I appreciate the work that everyone is putting in to diagnose it.
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JimH

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #18 on: May 01, 2002, 06:28:26 pm »

Builds 263 and 264 are both stable, though 263 had a painting problem.  MJ 8 is now more stable than 7.2.

I think the problems here with the sound card are not MJ problems.
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Jim Hillegass
JRiver Media Center / Media Jukebox

gvag

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #19 on: May 03, 2002, 12:03:10 am »

So I've been working on a program to build HTML files on the fly from some data files, its going well.  Thing is to check out my ad hoc Web pages I tried launching IE by double-clicking on the frameset file in Explorer.  Which gave me an error message "Access to the specified device is denied" but when I checked the task bar IE had openned the file and loaded the appropriate pages.  I tried it another way by right-clicking and selecting open from Explorer's context menu and got an error message that IE could not find frameset.htm or one of its components but again, IE had openned with everything loaded.  This behaviour and a problem with menu controls in one of the generated files led me to invoke IE's repair option.

So after the repair and reboot were completed I tried the aforementioned launch procedures with the same results.  Hmm... Shrug.  Started MJ, forgot to toggle the skin state and MJ started playing.  Toggled the skin state, exited MJ, rebooted, openned the frameset in IE with the usual error messages, exited IE, openned MJ did't toggle the skin state, hit play and away it went.  After numerous unnecessary reboots and always triggering the IE error prior to starting MJ I can report that it matters not whether MJ is skinned or unskinned it plays with no problems (though there are some weird, little right-click/crash bugs to report).

Also of interest, once I trigger the Explorer/IE launch error I can goback and repeat the same procedures with no errors.  What would you call it a one-shot initialization bug?  at any rate, I would say this takes the focus off the sound card drivers.  I'm curious, does MJ use shell-ops to open music files or roll-ur-own routines?  It might explain why WiMP plays with no problems while MJ and MM, according to Easyrider, crash.

Sorry for the run on but...

Thanks

George V.  



Media Jukebox PLUS 8.0.264

CPU: Intel Pentium III 999 MHz MMX
Memory: Total - 261 MB, Free - 172 MB
OS: Microsoft Windows 98 SE

Internet Explorer: 6.0.2600.0000
ComCtl32.dll: 5.50.4807.2300
Shlwapi.dll: 6.00.2600.0000
Shell32.dll: 4.72.3812.600
wnaspi32.dll: 2, 0, 0, 0 , ASPI for WIN32 DLL, Copyright © Adaptec 1995
Aspi32.sys: N/A


Listening to: 'It's You' from 'Cameo' by 'Joyce Cooling' on Media Jukebox
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gvag

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #20 on: May 06, 2002, 01:32:08 pm »

JimH -

No response to my last post but that's OK.  Please respond to this one.

I recently installed a program that required Quicktime 5, so I upgraded to QT5.  After rebooting I started QT and played their sample file to confirm that QT had installed correctly.  The movie ran c/w sound, so what the hey, I exited QT started MJ hit play and all was OK.

Rebooted, tried running MJ and locked up.  Rebooted, ran "sample.mov" with QT, started MJ and no player problems.  In the light of this behaviour do you still maintain that this is a driver/system problem and nothing to do with MJ?

Listening to: 'The Sidewinder' from 'The Sidewinder' by 'Lee Morgan' on Media Jukebox

Thanks

George V.

Media Jukebox PLUS 8.0.265

CPU: Intel Pentium III 999 MHz MMX
Memory: Total - 261 MB, Free - 164 MB
OS: Microsoft Windows 98 SE

Internet Explorer: 6.0.2600.0000
ComCtl32.dll: 5.50.4807.2300
Shlwapi.dll: 6.00.2600.0000
Shell32.dll: 4.72.3812.600
wnaspi32.dll: 2, 0, 0, 0 , ASPI for WIN32 DLL, Copyright © Adaptec 1995
Aspi32.sys: N/A
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gvag

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #21 on: May 17, 2002, 02:54:40 pm »

For what its worth.  I have uninstalled my SB Live 5.1 and am now using the onboard sound, AC97 codec.  The problem persists, except that the skin/unskin trick no longer works.  the only way I can get MJ to play is to start WiMP or QT and then start MJ.

I'm still waiting for my new sound card but have decided against changing the MoBo.  When the card arrives we'll be doing a Bios flash and reinstall Win98 with the latest VIA drivers.  Before installing the new card I'll try running MJ with the onboard sound to see if the reinstall had any impact.  From what I understand the SB Live 5.1 also uses the AC97 codec for playback, so there may be something there.

OT ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.  The skin/unskin message box dialog option - don't display this message again - will not check.

2.  Download Manager is always ON TOP, if it is full screen, it blocks the task bar and will not allow Alt-Tabbing to other programs.

3.  If I hit play when in the middle of a track the start of the next track is choppy.  I have I have gap set to .5s and stop is immediate.  If I let the track play out the transition to the next one is smooth and works as per the PLAYBACK settings.

Media Jukebox PLUS 8.0.275

CPU: Intel Pentium III 999 MHz MMX
Memory: Total - 261 MB, Free - 188 MB
OS: Microsoft Windows 98 SE

Internet Explorer: 6.0.2600.0000
ComCtl32.dll: 5.50.4807.2300
Shlwapi.dll: 6.00.2600.0000
Shell32.dll: 4.72.3812.600
wnaspi32.dll: 2, 0, 0, 0 , ASPI for WIN32 DLL, Copyright © Adaptec 1995
Aspi32.sys: N/A

AOpen AX34-U motherboard
VIA Apollo Pro 133T chipset
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Easyrider

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #22 on: June 03, 2002, 05:34:42 pm »

Hi!

I just wanted to update this thread to clarify that MJ and my soundblaster sound card is working great.  Have not had any problems with MJ. Currently using Ver 8.289.  So.... all you soundblaster people using WIN98SE don't hestitate in buying MJ VER8. Your missing all the fun!!! I think it was mostly my problem anyway!
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JimH

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RE:gvag's player problems in last few builds
« Reply #23 on: June 04, 2002, 04:08:59 pm »

gvag,
Can you try 8.0.291 from our downloads page?  There was a problem with loading aspi that was fixed, and this could be the problem that you found.

Jim
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Jim Hillegass
JRiver Media Center / Media Jukebox
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