Computer freezes...please help

[arrosen]

OK...here's my very frustrating story.

After our family vacation, I used Windows Movie Maker to put together slides and video of our trip. the whole thing is about an hour long, so I broke it up into 17 chapters. I saved each "chapter" to a avi file. No problems so far. I can view all of the avi files on my PC.

Now, I try to write the whole thing out to DVD. I tried Sonic MyDVD, Roxio DVD creator, Tmpgenc DVD and Pinnacle Studio 9 to get these onto a DVD. Sonic and Roxio both freeze up and Tmpgenc and Studio won't recognize the file format.

OK, so I figure there is something wrong with the file format, so I decide to try and convert the avi's to MPEG-2. I try Premiere, Procoder, Cleaner and Tmpgenc Plus, and they both freeze up. Procoder and Premiere won't recognize the avi format.

Being extremely frustrated, I replace my CPU, motherboard, memory and hard drive (ok...it was an excuse to upgrade). Everything still freezes.

I still think that has something to do with the AVI files, so I re-author the chapters in Movie Maker to a WMV file. The files are smaller, but Sonic and Roxio still freeze!!! (and not too much else recognizes a wmv file.)

Does anyone have ANY ideas??? I've spent WAY too much time on this and am about to throw my computer through my plate glass window!

Thanks

Allen

[redwudz]

I would check the AVI files with AVIcodec or Gspot to see what format they are, framerate, resolution, codecs, audio and video.

If the encoding programs you are using won't open them or the computer freezes, sounds like there is something wrong with them, not the computer.

[arrosen]

Thanks for th tip, but all of Codecs seem to be OK. They are all Sony Digital Video codec.

Also, my PC seems to freeze somewhat randomly, but only as I am converting to MPEG-2. Could my MPEG codec be bad? How/where do I check it? Can I get a new one?

[ZippyP.]

Also, my PC seems to freeze somewhat randomly, but only as I am converting to MPEG-2.

Conversion is cpu intensive and I suspect you have a hardware problem that shows up when components heat up. Make sure your power supply fan is working, then your cpu fan, then try replacing your ram.

[Grey land]

Download this tool from Microsoft. Save it and install it on a floppy. Then restart and boot from the floppy drive first. Let it run the test for about 10 minutes to see if any errors are found. If none are found, memory is not the problem.

[arrosen]

My power supply fan is working as well as my cpu fan and case fan. Just in case, I replace my mobo, CPU and memory. I am using an Athlon XP 2600+. How hot is too hot?

[pchan]

Please check the following...
1. Do not overclock. Set the cpu clock as per spec.
2. I hear you upgrade your mobo and cpu. Did reuse your hard disk ? If yes, then the old motherboard drivers maybe conflicting with the new drives. The best is to start with a clean hard disk.
3. Turn on your hard drive DMA.

[Richard_G]

Something that may be worth looking at. I had Nero and Ulead Mediastudio Pro installed on my machine when I bought my DVD writer. This came with a copy of Sonic MyDVD and Roxio CD/DVD Creator so I installed them to try out. I then found that Nero and Mediastudio Pro would no longer work and freeze the machine. Uninstall of Sonic and Roxio made no difference, roll back made no difference but a complete re-install of everything except Sonic and Roxio restored the machine to it's previous state where everything worked again. I now use Nero to burn, Mediastudio Pro to edit and Ulead DVD Workshop to author and everything works as it should.

[arrosen]

Thanks...I'll give those suggestions a try.

[Capmaster]

My power supply fan is working as well as my cpu fan and case fan. Just in case, I replace my mobo, CPU and memory. I am using an Athlon XP 2600+. How hot is too hot?

Get above 150F or so and you're getting a little too warm.

[Marco33]

I just had a problem were my system was fine, as long as you don't do anything. It would site for hours, fine. Once I started doing anything it would "blue screen" then TRY to reboot. Unsuccesfully.

A capacitor on the mother board went bad.

Had to change the board.

My 2C.