Need Help!!

[SDWILLIA]

I'm not sure if this is where I need to go, if not, could someone please give me a site that would be able to help me with the following problem:

I just got a new computer that my brother built for me. I don't kow all the specs you need, but here's what I know. 3.4 Ghz, 2.0 RAM, GeForce 7800, 160gb HDD, windows xp professional. Not sure if you need this, but the Motherboard is a BioStar.

My problem is that I can not play any videos on WMP9 or 11, Powerdvd 6 or 7, some other VLC video player. My computer keeps freezing and then I have to hit reset. I have tried using DIVX codec, but that makes it freeze. I now have it working where I can you can hear sound in WMP w/ wavey lines, but there is no pic. But as soon as I load DIVX, my computer freezes.

I did install a few things on my computer, and thinking that maybe something wasn't compatible, I uninstalled everything except msn messenger live (which I updated the version) and winrar 3.60.

Please, can someone help me??? For two days, I have tried everything my friends have told me to do. The only thing I haven't done is update my video drivers (which are currently at something like 90.1) however, with the exception of a different motherboard, my mother's computer is exactly the same as mine and she is not having this trouble. I updated the motherboard from its manufacturer's website.

Please help!!! Thank you!

[Cheesus]

Are the videos you're trying to play on a disk or on your hard drive? If on a disk try another one on your HD, and if its off your hard drive try one off a disk. You could also try Media Player Classic.

[SDWILLIA]

I have tried to run a sample of a movie, I think it was an .avi version. I tried a clip someone sent me in an email, .wmv. all were on my hard drive. I also tried an .avi on CD and another version, but I don't know what it was.

When I had my old computer, 700Mhz, 256 RAM, 4gb HDD GeForce 2 ( I think), I was able to run all this stuff with no problems. I finally upgrade to a decent computer and now I can't do anything I enjoy. I won't be able to play any of my PC games that have video in it.

See my problem?? Its not just choosing another media player. I need to get this fixed. And I don't want to reformat. I've had this computer for 3 days.

[Cheesus]

This is affecting games aswell? Or is it solely films and videos?
try going on youtube see if the videos load. They are flash, but might aswell see how bad whatever is wrong is. Also try and download codecs. This site has many.

[ViperXtreme]

yeah, try getting some video codecs

[SDWILLIA]

I had no problems viewing videos in youtube. Just tried it and thank you for this suggestion, didn't even think of checking for this also.

Isn't "divx" a video codec?? that's what I have. I've two versions, both do the same. NOTHING. any other video codec you recommend for windows xp?? I don't know how they work, if its by windows or by video player. No clue. I just got what a friend told me to get. lol

As far as I can tell, its movies for wmp and powerdvd and pc video games. I also tried VLC.

Please, suggest anything except reformatting. This computer is 3 days old, I really don't want to reformat. I'm not reformatting friendly, at all.

Thank you!

[kinzuagolfer]

Ya I think you need video codecs. Sounds similar to when I reformatted. I got a few codec packages and I was able to view videos. K-Light codec pack was recommended to me. I also got another pack, but I don't remember what its called.

I use winamp to play the videos except some of them that don't work I use VLC media player.

I use to put my videos into a dvd iso format so I could watch them cause I didn't know about the codecs.

[SDWILLIA]

I've tried xvid, divx and k-light pack basic for WMP and powerdvd, all have given me the same results. It freezes. As soon as I take the codecs off, then I have sound again, w/ no video.

When I was installing the k-light pack, it was giving me errors for many things in my registry and said it would recommend deleting them. What does this mean?? Alot of it was for Roxio stuff, which is currently my software program for my burner, which will be replaced w/ Nero 6.

[Cheesus]

Did you install anything that might have affected media player? Worst comes to worst.... just format
OR
I know its aa long shot, but try running a virtual machine, and playing your videos from there. Download linux or sumtin, run the live cd, and see if you can play vids from there. If not, then it is in no way (or at least not as likely) related to xp.

[SDWILLIA]

I updated msn messenger and WMP. I installed ac3, divx, xvid, daemon tools, bitcomet, powerdvd, winrar, 7zip, emulators, aim, winavi, spybots, emule, I put favorites in the favorites folder. I have updated my motherboard drivers, the only thing I haven't done yet is update my video drivers and I'm scared to death to do that, because in the past, every time I did that, it royally messed up my computer.

What's a virtual machine?

[skoreanime]

How is updating video drivers a bad thing ? It's always a good idea to update your video drivers. Just make sure you uninstall the previous version correctly before installing the new ones, then you shouldn't have any problems.

[SDWILLIA]

Why do you uninstall the old first?? I had people from both sides, uninstall first and install over the old, all the time and I never know which I should do and why??

The last time, back when I had Windows 2000, I updated my video drivers, taking old off first and then installing the updated ones and I couldn't play any of my games in my emulators, so I had to go back to the old.

I'm not even close to understanding how this computer stuff works. I'm sure I caused the problem w/ my WMP. I just went and installed the same stuff I did on windows 2000, friends said everything was fine and I didn't check in between things. I just installed, installed and installed.

[refraction]

while installing over the old ones "may" work, they might leave behind dependancies and files you dont need anymore, which will cause you more problems.

so its wise to always uninstall the old before putting on the new (unless the installer removes them for you) it just prevents any possible problems.

[Cheesus]

define:Virtual Machine - Google Search

Google is your friend

[SDWILLIA]

Unfortunately, I think the only thing that is going to help my situation is to reformat. Thanks for you the help. I just wish something fixed my problem. I'll let you know how I make out once I reformat, sometime this week, hopefully.
Thank you!

[SDWILLIA]

OK, I have reformatted, and its the exact same problem. I haven't loaded anything to my computer, except a divx codec.

So now, does anyone have any suggestions, because I am at a complete loss??? I can't play any kind of videos on my computer.

Please please help, before I throw this computer into the ocean.

[SDWILLIA]

I think I figured out what the problem is. Its my motherboard. If someone could read this and tell me if they agree with me or not, I would appreciate it.

I can not play any kind of video using WMP, powerdvd, classic media, or VLC. In WMP, I can hear audio, but wavey lines are the video. Now I would have thought, it needs a video codec, however, when I install one, it would freeze my computer AND I couldn't even play .wmv files. I updated my motherboard drives and tried to update my video drives, which totally messed up my computer. Now my mother has the exact same computer, with the exception of she has a different motherboard. Her computer can play .wmv files with no problem and when I added a video codec, she can now view .avi/mpg files.

So, do you agree with me, its my motherboard, based on what I just told you???

Thank you!!