Video from net or CD/DVD player freezes and buffers after a shot while.

[rogerb]

Thanks beeceebee thats reassuring as I appreciate your efforts. I think it just spikes as the "buffering" starts but I will check if it continues when I get back to the home computer in a couple of hours. I will let you know.

[BeeCeeBee]

Roger you keep using the word "buffering" in quotes as i just have. Are you getting a message that tells you it is buffering or are you drawing a conclusion based on what you may see on streaming video sites?

[rogerb]

Sorry if I am using the wrong expression. What happens is that after a short while the video becomes "jerky" as though it freezes on a frame them jumps some and freezes again. Sometimes the audio continues with the frozen frame being displayed and sometimes the audio "drops out intermittently" also. I think this is the same effect that you get when streaming video sites sometimes?

 

I have checked the Task Manager Performance tag whilst playing a CD with video on it. At the time the "freezing" etc occurs the CPU usage leaps to 100% and stays there or at high 90% while the effect is happening.

[BeeCeeBee]

First the Youtube buffering issue. This appears unrelated to your disc drive problem. Prolonged buffering and stop and go playing of streaming media is probably associated either with your ISP or possibly some issue with browser settings. You have performed the malware disinfection process so we can probably rule that out.

 

The problem with the DVDs seems to be a different issue altogether. While a spike is to be expected when you start the drive, prolonged excessive strain on the cpu is not normal. It could be the drive itself, the cpu or something in between. Watch this space for possible causes and sugestions, you will not be forgotten.

[rogerb]

Thanks forn this. I have run the speedtester.bt to see if this is causing the buffering on You tube and this seemed OK and the streaming indicator seems to show plenty of lead time.

 

I get the same problem with iTunes that I have saved to my playlist.

 

Whilst the DVD does exhibit the same effect it is nothing like as pronounced as the CD Drive playing CD's with video.

 

I'll do as you suggest and watch this space. Thanks again for trying.

[rogerb]

Tootech suggested earlier in thge thread that I download drivers from the Clevo website to ensure all are up to date. There are a number of different drivers listed against my model. Am I safe to download and run all of these or do I risk making matters worse. Is it worth a try?

[BeeCeeBee]

I would just download the latest one being careful to make sure that it is an XP driver and not a vista driver.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, this leap in CPU usage, suggests there is something running in the background, but only now and then. Next time it happens have a look in task manager, processes, and see if anything shows up as high usage at that time. Let us know and we may get to the bottom of this.

[rogerb]

Thanks Plastic Nev. have done as you suggested. When the video from CD is playing properly the CPU usage from task manager allocated to CD is c.30 -50%.

When the freezing etc starts the usage allocated to the CD is at the same level but services.exe jumps to c.30-50% also.

[rogerb]

I have now uninstalled iTunes/QuickTime and other Apple programmes to see if these were causing or contributing to the problem.

 

No change - just as bad. It seems that the problem starts 2-3mins into the programme whether that be the CD with video on or You Tube. Both show 100% CPU usage when the freezing starts and then stays at that as mentioned above.

[Plastic Nev]

The sudden rise in "services.exe" is daft. However a thought went whizzing by and I caught it in time to ask, Can you keep a check on "Services.exe" while doing anything else except trying to play a CD or DVD, also does the same thing happen whether connected and on line, or also when off line?

[rogerb]

I have just checked again when off-line. The same thing happens with CPU usage in "Services.exe" jumping a couple if minutes into the video from 4-5% usage to 30-50% usage at the same time that frame freezing and stuttering begins.

[rogerb]

I have run a prerecorded DVD in the DVD slot and it runs fine with Task manager showing CPU usage at 18-20% and "services.exe" at 4-6% consistently.

I have streamed a video from YouTube and that behaves in exactly the same way as the CD - freezing and stuttering after about 2mins and "services.exe" jumping to 30-50% at the same time.

Other tasks on the computer don't seem to have a material effect on CPU usage of "services.exe"

[Tootech]

Am I right in assuming the latest 'test' is with iTunes and Quicktime still uninstalled?

 

What happnes if ....when your video begins to stutter you press Pause on the Youtube controls?

 

Does the CPU usage drop, does it stay the same?

 

And.....if you leave it paused for say a minute and then press Play, does the stutter begin immediately or does it take while to come back?

[rogerb]

Yes with both uninstalled.

 

The effect of "pause" is that the CPU usage drops after a minute or so and then the video will play again and repeat the problem. It takes a few seconds when you press play again after pausing to play properly.

When the freezing starts and you try to press pause it is very slow to pause.

 

The task manager shows "services.exe" jump then after a minute or so of pause drop back to 4-6%.

[RandyL]

Roger have you actually updated the drivers yet?

 

You said you downloaded some but you never said if you installed them.

[rogerb]

RandyL I have downloaded all of the drivers from the Clevo website that relate to my model. I have installed the video and audio ones only - I think/hope!!! I am not at all confident abouwhat I am doing with these. Each download is a zip folder which when I open has other folders with a number of different files and several with .exe extensions. Do I need to "run" every file with an exe extension?

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Roger, that is right. Once you have done that with all driver "exe's" at least we will know they were or weren't the cause. However the results so far do seem to indicate a faulty driver that needs replacement. Good luck.

[rogerb]

I have been through each of the folders and run all of the exe files that will run - with the exception of those that are for uninstalling. There were about 30. I didnt run those that were stated as earlier versions of windows. Some would not load giving me various error messages ie FGL panel "unable to detect hardware"/ GIG LAN "instruction@ 0x7c910f9 could not be read". Some of the exe files seem to be duplications of others within the head folder.

 

No difference in the problem and I now can't get any sound and the manual buttons at the front of the laptop won't adjust volume.

[BeeCeeBee]

Roger after 43 posts it seems that either you have a real problem with hardware failure or your windows has been corrupted in some way and you will need to try to restore your system back to factory settings.

 

I would suggest that your most immediate concern is to make certain that all of your data is backed up to some external media (hard drive, dvds, etc.)

 

It would also be helpful if you let us know what discs you have that came with your laptop.

 

Once this is all done we can try to format and recover your machine back to factory settings. At very least that will confirm a hardware problem. If, on the other hand, it is not a hardware problem, this should get things up and running again.

[Tootech]

It may seem a bit off the wall, but what security software do you use?

 

Some of the more comprehensive ones suck the life out of slightly older pc's.

[rogerb]

Sorry if this thread seems interminable - I am computer illiterate and that probably doesn't help but at this rate I will be a lot wiser by the end of it and certainly less intimidated by the technology!!!

 

The disks I have are:

Product Recovery WinXP Home SP1 and System Security for AJP Products (the laptop supplier)

Device Drivers and Utilities and User Manual (Clevo I Presume)

The security software is Avast Anti Virus.

[BeeCeeBee]

Believe me Roger it is not the length of the thread it is the prospect of finding a solution that is always the primary concern. The good news is that you seem to have all that is needed for a clean recovery if it comes to that.

 

Regardless of how we proceed, have you backed up everything that you may want to retain and, if so, how did you do it. Once we are confident that you have everything you want the rest becomes less daunting.

[rogerb]

Thanks.

I haven't yet backed up but was proposing to copy all of "My Docs" onto my external hard drive and to check that the iTunes items that I have purchased are copied to the external in My Music (although at the moment I have not re-installed iTunes). Is there anything else I need to do? I'll be back when this has been done but it might be later today or tomorrow.

[BeeCeeBee]

Some people are concerned about retaining their favorites and email (if they use an email client such as Outlook Express.) If your email is web based that is not an issue. You only need the data regarding your iTunes. (Stored Music etc.) You can install the program later.

 

If there is something that you want saved that is not obvious (the contents of "My Docs" being obvious. Just ask how to go about it and we will help.