Windows Media Center crash after W7 update

I installed some 'important updates' to W7 (32 bit) last night, and now
WMC - or rather the whole PC - crashes when I try to watch live TV via
my USB-based Freeview tuner.

It will run for a minute or so, and then stops dead. The picture freezes
and a distorted sound loop about a second long keeps repeating
relentlessly. The whole laptop freezes, and doesn't respond to any
keyboard or mouse inputs - so the only way out is to hold down the power
button until it turns off, and then re-boot.

Anyone else experienced this - or have any suggestions about how to fix
it? As with most freezes, I can't find anything in the Event Log.
--
Cheers,
Roger
____________
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

In ,
Roger Mills wrote:
I installed some 'important updates' to W7 (32 bit) last night, and
now WMC - or rather the whole PC - crashes when I try to watch live
TV via my USB-based Freeview tuner.

It will run for a minute or so, and then stops dead. The picture
freezes and a distorted sound loop about a second long keeps repeating
relentlessly. The whole laptop freezes, and doesn't respond to any
keyboard or mouse inputs - so the only way out is to hold down the
power button until it turns off, and then re-boot.

Anyone else experienced this - or have any suggestions about how to
fix it? As with most freezes, I can't find anything in the Event Log.

That is a common problem with updates and why I have experimented with
about a dozen laptops here and I have stopped updating half of them
without ill effects.

But on to your problem. System Restore should get you back (if you have
it enabled). Also some updates can be uninstalled is another choice. If
neither is possible and you don't have a backup of your system. Then
maybe the manufacture for your USB tuner has an updated driver for the
Media Center.

Say how do you like the Media Center for saving recordings anyway? I
like the Media Center for watching TV or timeshifting, although it takes
a big CPU hit. Otherwise I like the DVR software that comes with most
tuners better, plus they don't hit the CPU so hard and you can get more
multitasking done.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3

On 18/12/2011 11:28, Roger Mills wrote:
I installed some 'important updates' to W7 (32 bit)
last night, and now WMC - or rather the whole PC -
crashes when I try to watch live TV via my USB-based
Freeview tuner.

It will run for a minute or so, and then stops dead.
The picture freezes and a distorted sound loop about a
second long keeps repeating relentlessly. The whole
laptop freezes, and doesn't respond to any keyboard or
mouse inputs - so the only way out is to hold down the
power button until it turns off, and then re-boot.

Anyone else experienced this - or have any suggestions
about how to fix it? As with most freezes, I can't
find anything in the Event Log.

I had a problem with jerky video playback and live TV
in other apps after installing the batch of 64-bit
Windows Updates dated 13th December. I did a System
Restore to get rid of the updates (and the problem)
then added them back one-by-one. The restore also got
rid of an update to a 3rd party app, which could have
been the culprit.

The problem seemed to have gone after the re-update,
but it returned the next day, so I restored to before
the last update (IE9 fix) and repeated that fix. I'm
still monitoring to see if the issue comes back.

On Sunday, December 18th, 2011, at 11:28:57h +0000, Roger Mills asked:

or have any suggestions about how to fix it?

First do a web search to see if anybody else if having problems with
your specific USB box.

Other than that, all I can suggest is to completely remove the
drivers and user front end software for the USB box (including
registry keys) and then reinstall the USB box drivers and
software from scratch.

You may try asking for specific help for your USB box at

http://www.tv-cards.COM/messageboard/

Roger Mills wrote:

I installed some 'important updates' to W7 (32 bit) last night, and
now WMC - or rather the whole PC - crashes when I try to watch live
TV via my USB-based Freeview tuner.

It will run for a minute or so, and then stops dead. The picture
freezes and a distorted sound loop about a second long keeps
repeating relentlessly. The whole laptop freezes, and doesn't respond
to any keyboard or mouse inputs - so the only way out is to hold down
the power button until it turns off, and then re-boot.

Anyone else experienced this - or have any suggestions about how to
fix it? As with most freezes, I can't find anything in the Event Log.

USB Freeview tuner (Pinnacle PCTV Nano Stick) inserted into the laptop
and running W7 Ultimate and WMC, updated automagically last night ...
all works absolutely fine, no issues.

Checking this, I have W7 (same setup) on a computer in one room, all
updated as of last night automatically. It's connected via ethernet
directly to the TV in the front room .. Currently streaming Fawlty
Towers with no issues .. Ran fine for 5 minutes or so .. Swapped to
music, pictures and a film and all ran fine .. Swapped to streaming
wirelessly from (as above) laptop and same, all works fine .. Only
checked for a couple of minutes each, mind, but no hint of issues at
all.

--
Paul - xxx
"You know, all I wanna do is race .. and all I wanna do is win"
Mark Cavendish, World Champion 2011.

BillW50 wrote:

In ,
Roger Mills wrote:
I installed some 'important updates' to W7 (32 bit) last night, and
now WMC - or rather the whole PC - crashes when I try to watch live
TV via my USB-based Freeview tuner.

It will run for a minute or so, and then stops dead. The picture
freezes and a distorted sound loop about a second long keeps
repeating relentlessly. The whole laptop freezes, and doesn't
respond to any keyboard or mouse inputs - so the only way out is to
hold down the power button until it turns off, and then re-boot.

Anyone else experienced this - or have any suggestions about how to
fix it? As with most freezes, I can't find anything in the Event
Log.

That is a common problem with updates and why I have experimented
with about a dozen laptops here and I have stopped updating half of
them without ill effects.

But on to your problem. System Restore should get you back (if you
have it enabled). Also some updates can be uninstalled is another
choice. If neither is possible and you don't have a backup of your
system. Then maybe the manufacture for your USB tuner has an updated
driver for the Media Center.

Say how do you like the Media Center for saving recordings anyway? I
like the Media Center for watching TV or timeshifting, although it
takes a big CPU hit. Otherwise I like the DVR software that comes
with most tuners better, plus they don't hit the CPU so hard and you
can get more multitasking done.

Hmm, my laptop (Dell E5500, W7 Ultimate 64 bit) and USB card (Pinnacle
Nano) running WMC is way better than the supplied software which was
buggy, slow, crashed frequently and was an absolute pain to navigate!

Recording in WMC is good, navigation is slow and awkward but works ..
I've never had a lock-up or crash with W7 or WMC, no matter what other
tasks I'm doing, which is mostly browsing, Word-processing and Usenet
...

--
Paul - xxx
"You know, all I wanna do is race .. and all I wanna do is win"
Mark Cavendish, World Champion 2011.

In ,
Paul - xxx wrote:
BillW50 wrote:

In ,
Roger Mills wrote:
I installed some 'important updates' to W7 (32 bit) last night, and
now WMC - or rather the whole PC - crashes when I try to watch live
TV via my USB-based Freeview tuner.

It will run for a minute or so, and then stops dead. The picture
freezes and a distorted sound loop about a second long keeps
repeating relentlessly. The whole laptop freezes, and doesn't
respond to any keyboard or mouse inputs - so the only way out is to
hold down the power button until it turns off, and then re-boot.

Anyone else experienced this - or have any suggestions about how to
fix it? As with most freezes, I can't find anything in the Event
Log.

That is a common problem with updates and why I have experimented
with about a dozen laptops here and I have stopped updating half of
them without ill effects.

But on to your problem. System Restore should get you back (if you
have it enabled). Also some updates can be uninstalled is another
choice. If neither is possible and you don't have a backup of your
system. Then maybe the manufacture for your USB tuner has an updated
driver for the Media Center.

Say how do you like the Media Center for saving recordings anyway? I
like the Media Center for watching TV or timeshifting, although it
takes a big CPU hit. Otherwise I like the DVR software that comes
with most tuners better, plus they don't hit the CPU so hard and you
can get more multitasking done.

Hmm, my laptop (Dell E5500, W7 Ultimate 64 bit) and USB card (Pinnacle
Nano) running WMC is way better than the supplied software which was
buggy, slow, crashed frequently and was an absolute pain to navigate!

Recording in WMC is good, navigation is slow and awkward but works ..
I've never had a lock-up or crash with W7 or WMC, no matter what other
tasks I'm doing, which is mostly browsing, Word-processing and Usenet
..

Yes I agree pretty much with WMC, but the format seems to be only
playable on WMC machines. A stock XP machine won't play them for
example. Yes some TV DVR software probably isn't too good. I have used
other like older versions of KWorld and InterVideo WinDVR. And those
were really buggy.

Although I am very happy with AVerTV 6. Lots more options available.
Even timeshifting the FM radio which comes in handy from time to time.
And I don't think WMC can wake up a computer and record a program and go
back to sleep after it is done. Although I do this all of the time with
AVerTV 6.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3

On 18/12/2011 7:28 AM, Roger Mills wrote:
I installed some 'important updates' to W7 (32 bit) last night, and now
WMC - or rather the whole PC - crashes when I try to watch live TV via
my USB-based Freeview tuner.

It will run for a minute or so, and then stops dead. The picture freezes
and a distorted sound loop about a second long keeps repeating
relentlessly. The whole laptop freezes, and doesn't respond to any
keyboard or mouse inputs - so the only way out is to hold down the power
button until it turns off, and then re-boot.

Anyone else experienced this - or have any suggestions about how to fix
it? As with most freezes, I can't find anything in the Event Log.


Maybe try re-installing or updating your video drivers?

The whole Windows Update thing scares the #ell outa me. How they can
change OS files and settings while the OS is still running and being
used and supposedly not affect any other software stuff. I've been
bitten too many times, I usually make a Ghost or Acronis image before
ANY Windows Update.

--

/Tazz

In article , Tazz wrote:
The whole Windows Update thing scares the #ell outa me. How they can
change OS files and settings while the OS is still running and being
used and supposedly not affect any other software stuff.

They don't. If an upgrade includes files that are being used, you have
to restart your computer to allow the new files to be used and the old
ones to be deleted.

Rod.
--
Virtual Access V6.3 free usenet/email software from
http://sourceforge.net/projects/virtual-access/

In .myzen.co.uk,
Roderick Stewart wrote:
In article , Tazz wrote:
The whole Windows Update thing scares the #ell outa me. How they can
change OS files and settings while the OS is still running and being
used and supposedly not affect any other software stuff.

They don't. If an upgrade includes files that are being used, you have
to restart your computer to allow the new files to be used and the old
ones to be deleted.

Rod.

Tazz is very smart. As any programmer that is worth a damn knows that
making any changes to an OS carries a risk. OS are written to minimize
such problems, but there is no way to eliminate all risks. So it is
always best to have a backup plan if an update goes wrong.

There are tons of examples where this is true. For example my
KW-TVUSB506RF-PRO tuner driver breaks if used on anything higher than XP
SP2. So can OE6 break with XP SP3 as well. As it can hang on compacting
on the folder.dbx file due to changes in SP3. And I am sure somebody
could write a book on why updating an OS can break your OS and
applications.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3