Ripping driving me nuts

[kuhli]

Howdy,

Anybody have tips on solving Windows XP crashes during the ripping of CD's? If I do a cold restart the machine is fine for between 3/4 of a disk to 2 disks. If I do a immediate restart the machine just crashes again.

Obviously a hardware/memory issue but I'm loosing it trying to solve it. BTW, it'll do it in Media Player, just never mattered until I wanted to rip my music for the Phatty. There's next to nothing on Google, Microsoft or Phatnoise.com on troubleshooting the issue. Any help appreciated!

Colin

[Kor]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

Here are some ideas.

1. You can download and run a memory tester/checker. If it detects bad ram, you should replace it.

http://www.memtest.org/
http://www.memtest86.com/

2. Run hijackthis and kill all of the stuff that you don't need.

http://www.merijn.org/files/hijackthis.zip

C. Before you start, make sure there arent any un-needed processes running. You can get a process list using CTRL-ALT-DEL. You usually can close programs in the windows tray by right-clicking on them.

5. Make sure virus scan is not running!

4. Make sure you are not running Daemon Tools or Alcohol at the time.

G. WINDOWS XP SERVICE PACK 2 updates ATAPI.SYS. If you are a geek you can check to see if you have version 5.10.2600.2180 which sucks. You could replace it with version 5.10.2600.1106. Only for the serious computer nerd.

[boosty]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

In addition to what Kor said, you may want to ensure your PC is clean of spyware. I like using Lavasoft Adaware, Spybot Search and Destroy and Microsoft Antispyware.

Adaware - http://www.lavasoftusa.com
Spybot Search and Destroy - http://security.kolla.de
MS anti-spyware - http://www.microsoft.com - scroll down and it's usually the top 'most popular downloads'

Also, it doesn't hurt to perform all Windows updates.

[Kor]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

Good point about the windows updates.

Hijackthis gets rid of spyware too, but you need to know what each registry entry is etc.

Speaking of spyware we recently started using this at work and its pretty good!

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...e/default.mspx

Its a spyware prevention system that integrates into XP and will probably be a part of the next windows. Its not a resouce hog and doesnt slow down the system (I compile software all day long and would notice slowdowns).

[kuhli]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

To get you up to date on what I did last night:

1. I've run memtest86 and it went about 5 or 6 percent and crashed.
2. Lavasoft has been updated and run on full system scan (not smartscan which finds only part of the trash)
3. All the Windows Updates have been run.
4. I removed and reinstalled the IDE channels and CD-Drive. Probably useless because if the drivers were corrupt Windows would probably just reuse them.

I'm a little confused that memtest crashed...to me if all is well other than the RAM, there should be no reason for memtest to crash. So, I'm a bit fearful that there's a hard drive or main board issue of some sort.

I was thinking it was the CD-ROM driver, but the fact memtest crashed kind of removes that hypothesis.

[Mr. Burns]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

Stop using Windows Media Player to rip. WMP is a Memory HOG. Use the Phatnoise software for ripping.

[Kor]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

I think for memtest there is a way to boot off of a CD or disk and totally bypass your OS to run the check? Did you do it that way or just ran it in windows?

[kuhli]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

I ran memtest86 from a bootable floppy, so the crash can only be attributed to a coding exception in memtest or hardware failure...is my interpretation.

I get the crashes regardless of what software I use.

[Kor]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

I ran memtest86 from a bootable floppy, so the crash can only be attributed to a coding exception in memtest or hardware failure...is my interpretation.

I get the crashes regardless of what software I use.

I doubt it is a code problem since it just loops through memory addresses. I am guessing you have a memory problem or else your computer has become unstable due to another issue.

[kuhli]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

That's where my confusion is...is there anything other than RAM memory that could cause a replicable failure like this. And if it's the memory, why doesn't memtest86 just come up and say...memory test failed?

[boosty]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

That's where my confusion is...is there anything other than RAM memory that could cause a replicable failure like this. And if it's the memory, why doesn't memtest86 just come up and say...memory test failed?

Just thinking aloud here but is your CPU overheating/overclocked? RAM timings in bios too fast?

Do you have problems with Windows crashing when doing anything else? If it crashes in memtest from a bootable floppy then I am inclined to believe that there is a problem with the RAM itself. Are you running one or two sticks? If two sticks, pull one, re-run memtest from a bootable floppy and do the same with the other stick to determine which piece is bad. If only one stick, see if you can find a friend to borrow a stick of RAM from.

[Kor]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

Well memtest does its best but its tough to recover from a memory failure. Memtest itself has to be in memory and if its own program gets corrupted then its going to crash.

It could also be power/heat related or the mainboard could be going (this often causes power problems).

You can try taking out 1 stick of ram at a time and checking each one if you have >1 stick. Edit: As the poster above me said already!

[kuhli]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

The machine is fine doing anything but ripping...and it's a notebook so overclocking hasn't happened. Having said that, I could try slowing things down in the bios and see what happens...

Unfortunately I've only one memory chip in the machine so a swap is not in the cards unless I can diagnose the memory as having failed.

[Davetronz]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

I see this quite a bit being a laptop tech...

If you have already checked to see that spyware and viruses arent causing the issue we are pointing towards hardware... I hate using Windows Media for ANYTHING so I would advise you to use something different there as well.

If the ram test failed, yea try another one and see if you get similar results. If you keep getting ram failures try replacing your memory module (if it is removable). If the module is integrated/soldered on you will need a new motherboard.

If the ram isnt the problem you are probably having a heat issue... I see this more commonly with laptops (especially during summer). Take it to someone who can pull her apart, clean out the dust and whatnot and get some fresh thermal compound on the processor and ensure that the fan bearing is not going...

Hopefully you are under warranty (which will cover mobo and parts replacement but will not cover software issues, or environmental issues (ie dust, hair, tobacco).).

[kuhli]

Re: Ripping driving me nuts

If you have already checked to see that spyware and viruses arent causing the issue we are pointing towards hardware... I hate using Windows Media for ANYTHING so I would advise you to use something different there as well.

DONE

If the ram test failed, yea try another one and see if you get similar results. If you keep getting ram failures try replacing your memory module (if it is removable). If the module is integrated/soldered on you will need a new motherboard.

TEST FAILED, I'm going to try rerunning it to see if it fails in a consistent place...The machine is a Compaq 1520CA and the Ram is removeable.

If the ram isnt the problem you are probably having a heat issue... I see this more commonly with laptops (especially during summer). Take it to someone who can pull her apart, clean out the dust and whatnot and get some fresh thermal compound on the processor and ensure that the fan bearing is not going...


Hopefully you are under warranty (which will cover mobo and parts replacement but will not cover software issues, or environmental issues (ie dust, hair, tobacco).).[/QUOTE]