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[RussellS]

Hi, My Media Center server has been running for a few years now and lately I have been getting an increasing number of crashes so I thought it was about time I re-installed Windows 7 from scratch so that MC20 would have a clean system to work with.

This I have now done and the crashes have calmed down a lot. However, I still get an occasional one where Windows displays the message "MC20 has stopped responding". Normally I just close it and then re-launch MC again and everything is fine but today when it happened I was unable to re-launch it because it was still running although there was no GUI running. When I start Task Manager there is a process running (Media Center 20.exe *32) but I am unable to end the process. When I right click on the process and select 'End Process' I get the confirmation window up but when I confirm that I want to end the process it is still running. The only way I can re-launch MC is to restart the computer. As I said earlier this doesn't normally happen and usually I can just re-launch MC without any issue.

So basically what I would like to know is firstly whether there is any other way to kill a running process that doesn't want to die other than restarting the computer.

Secondly, how should I go about trouble shooting MC failing to respond in the first place. I don't get any other errors or any other programs failing to respond although to be fair there isn't really anything else running on the PC. I do however run FlexRAID on this machine but that doesn't give me any problems.


If anyone could offer any advice I would be very grateful.


Russell


EDIT: Before anyone responds, I've just found the 'Troubleshooting Guide' in the Wiki  so I'll have a good look throughh that first.

[glynor]

EDIT: Before anyone responds, I've just found the 'Troubleshooting Guide' in the Wiki  so I'll have a good look throughh that first.

That's what I was going to respond.  

A word to the wise, a FlexRAID system would absolutely count as a "slow drive". Make sure to read through the section on troubleshooting network and slow disks, as that's a pretty likely culprit (perhaps second only to Anti-Virus) for periodic hanging and other issues like that.

[Hendrik]

I have my media storage on FlexRAID without any issues whatsoever. The Library itself isn't on FlexRAID though, but on a SSD. I agree that putting the MC library onto FlexRAID is probably not the best idea.

[RussellS]

That's what I was going to respond.  

I knew you would, that's why I got my edit in quick before you could tell me off 


As Hendrik said, I only have my media stored on the FlexRAID system. My OS, MC20 and the library are on an SSD.

I will check out the Anti Virus though, although I'm rather loathe to test it for too long without protection.

[glynor]

As Hendrik said, I only have my media stored on the FlexRAID system. My OS, MC20 and the library are on an SSD.

Then you should be fine there, as long as your FlexRAID isn't all pissed off.

I will check out the Anti Virus though, although I'm rather loathe to test it for too long without protection.

Doesn't take long. It'll either be way better, or it won't.

[RussellS]

Ok, so I finally got around to completely uninstalling my security suite and MC has run all day without any crashes or errors. So it looks as though it is my internet security suite that was causing the issues.

Now, my question is what should I replace it with. The suite I was using was McAfee Internet Security which is provided by my ISP as part of my Broadband package.

Does anyone have any recommendations for an internet security suite that behaves well with MC. I have a license for Kasperspy Internet Security (provided by my bank) and also obviously Microsoft Security Essentials.
Has anyone a positive experience with either of these or even recommend a different package that works well with MC.


Thanks for any advice