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More => Old Versions => Media Center 12 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: gordoncanada on September 24, 2007, 08:14:12 pm

Title: Computer Freeze [solved -- it was a virus]
Post by: gordoncanada on September 24, 2007, 08:14:12 pm
Hello again. I posted "mysterious computer freeze" a week or so ago when I first tried JRiver. Basically, when JRiver is on my computer, it sooner or later causes a state in which programs will not open. Whatever is open continues to run, including JRiver, but once closed no program will open (including task manager). The only way to fix the problem is to unplug the computer, and the only way to prevent it is to uninstall J River.

I cleaned, checked, ran virus and spyware checks, and everything I could think of. The computer always runs great until I install JRiver.

I have an HP PCm7350n with a Pentium D processor, and use a Hippauge WinTV PVR PC tuner card with Media Center 2005. i-tunes and too many programs to mention are installed, and I think there is some conflict. Are there some known issues or is this something that doesn't happen to anyone else?

I love the program, and wish I could use it.

Thanks for any help you can give!



Title: Re: Computer Freeze
Post by: rjm on September 24, 2007, 08:31:24 pm
First thing I would try is to turn off auto-import in MC and see if problem goes away.
Title: Re: Computer Freeze
Post by: JimH on September 24, 2007, 08:45:19 pm
That's almost certain to be a basic hardware problem with the PC.  MC could not put the machine in such a state.

Bad CPU, bad memory, heat, etc.
Title: Re: Computer Freeze
Post by: rjm on September 24, 2007, 08:50:56 pm
I was not implying a problem with MC.

My theory on this type of lockup is that auto-import is attempting to import video files and in the process of building the associated thumbnails the codec crashes the system.

If disable auto-import solves the problem then the next step is to update video codecs.
Title: Re: Computer Freeze
Post by: glynor on September 25, 2007, 10:59:52 am
Does the issue occur only when MC is open and running, or even when MC is not running (and never has been since the last reboot), but is installed?  Make sure you don't have the Media Server running (which runs MC all the time) before you answer.
Title: Re: Computer Freeze
Post by: Higginz on September 25, 2007, 11:44:24 am
Quote from: glynor
Make sure you don't have the Media Server running (which runs MC all the time) before you answer.

Sorry for bumping in like this, but how can you check if the Media Server is running?.
I often experiencing som heavy computer activity even if I have closed everything down.
Title: Re: Computer Freeze
Post by: Higginz on September 25, 2007, 11:55:21 am
Quote from: gordoncanada
Are there some known issues or is this something that doesn't happen to anyone else?

I had this happening when I first installed my MC. I'm not sure if you use Firefox or IE, but I read somewhere that FoxyTunes (for Firefox) could cause problems. I uninstalled FoxyTunes and the computer freezing stopped.
Title: Re: Computer Freeze
Post by: glynor on September 25, 2007, 03:23:01 pm
Sorry for bumping in like this, but how can you check if the Media Server is running?.
I often experiencing som heavy computer activity even if I have closed everything down.

Options --> General --> Shell Options --> Run Media Server on Windows Startup

There will also be an icon in the Task Tray area (a MC icon with a "page-like" picture behind it), and you can see the Media Center 12.exe process running in the Processes tab of Task Manager (or a better app like Process Explorer).

Also, yes, FoxyTunes is known to cause problems.
Title: Re: Computer Freeze
Post by: Wile E. One on September 25, 2007, 06:24:54 pm
Is there any particular reason why you are running the Hauppage card on top of the pre-installed HP tuner that comes as part of the m7350n Media Center PC? Perhaps you are experiencing a conflict between the two tv tuners?
Title: Re: Computer Freeze
Post by: Higginz on September 26, 2007, 10:43:20 am
Options --> General --> Shell Options --> Run Media Server on Windows Startup

There will also be an icon in the Task Tray area (a MC icon with a "page-like" picture behind it), and you can see the Media Center 12.exe process running in the Processes tab of Task Manager (or a better app like Process Explorer).

Thanks glynor.
I didn't have the server running.
Title: Re: Computer Freeze
Post by: Higginz on September 27, 2007, 12:00:27 pm
It turned out that I had a worm/trojan/virus thing going on.
Task manager showed that this "system.exe" was working like hell, cpu ratings at 100%.
First I didn't reflect over it, since system.exe didn't sound that suspicious.
But I did a google on this, and it turned out that many people had gotten this "thing" into their computers.

Higginz
Title: Re: Computer Freeze
Post by: JimH on September 27, 2007, 12:12:21 pm
Thanks very much for reporting the solution.