i have upgraded to ME from 98 to use ADSL...
now i find that if i try to open REALPLAYER,MEDIA PLAYER or NERO V5.5
my system hangs and i have to reboot ...i have sound blaster live value
and have updated the drivers at driver guide...any ideas please?
i am no expert and i am at my wits end....

Hello googleeyescow,

Welcome tohttp://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif Forums!

When you upgraded to WinMe did you get a chance to try out the computer before the modem installation for the ADSL? If so, did you have any of the problems you describe prior to the addition of the ADSL?

When you upgraded to WinMe, was this an "overlay" installation (you simply put in the Me disk and upgraded) or a clean install (you reformatted the Harddrive and loaded WinMe using your 98 disk to verify your ownership of a previous Win version?

Upgrading by "overlaying" can often cause buggy problems. It is recommended that when one upgrades that any pertinent data be saved and then a clean install be performed to avoid complications.

You could try SAFEMODE (this will have a minimal set of drivers loaded) and see if any of your problems go away...

Hello Whyzman many thanks for your reply ...
to answer your questions ...
All was running smoothly with 98..
I made a clean install with ME but I had the problems before installing
the ADSL modem..I have tried starting in SAFEMODE as you suggested
and I can open NERO but It does not see any ROM drives ( seperate Creative DVD and CD-RW drives)...and does not hang my system...
Also if I try to play a CD with MEDIA player likewise...
I have tried downloading MEDIA player 9 ..still the same..
tried REALPLAYER also the same...the ROM drives will play
data disc with no probs.I am thinking of taking a large
hammer to my machine maybe that will solve all?
still smiling (a little)
GOOGLEEYESCOW

WinME needs a little clean up when you first install it to run properly. It is a messy version of Windoze (more than most). You can go to Black Virper's web site (http://www.blkviper.com/WinME/winme.htm) to get instructions for cleaning it up....

Hi BUDFRED thanks for the advice.. I will give that I try and
let you know if it works..
many thanks
GOOGLEEYESCOW....

Would you tell us a little more about your system? How much RAM are you running, Motherboard, what other IDE devices etc...?

A clean install as you performed is definitely a step in the right direction! ;)

There are two problems that seem to be rearing their ugly heads...

One: It seems folks have encountered problems rather frequently when installing ADSL/DSL modems.

Two: Nero...

Do you have an internal or external ADSL modem? For the time being I would suggest Uninstalling NERO in SAFEMODE>Add/RemovePrograms and see if there is any joy...

Also, while in SAFEMODE I would take a look in Device Manager (Right click on My Computer>Properties>DeviceManager

Take a look for Duplicate Entries...especially, have a look-see at the modem. If there were difficulties installing, you might have "ghost drivers" (multiple drivers that serve only to confuse Windoze more than it already is...:p).

If you find multiples listed, Highlight and click on the REMOVE. Remove "all" the listed multiple entries and then REBOOT allowing Windoze to find and reload the drivers. If you're familiar with Ghostbusters...this is a very similar move...:D

In other words, don't just remove one of the multiple entries thinking all will be hunky-dory...Windoze will inevitably load another one on Reboot and you'll be back to where you were...That's why they're called "Ghost Drivers," they just seem to keep hanging around! ;)

Hi, Whyzman...
Its quite an old system ..and is as follows please accept my
appologies if I appear not to know very much as I dont
:(
Motherboard is an I Will XA100Plus
AMD K6..3 at 450
256 mb ram....Creative DVD 5240E-1 DRIVE.....Creative CDRW RW 121OE
10 GB Fujitsu HD...STANDARD FLOOPY DRIVE....
Creative Sound Blaster Live Value sound card...Voodoo 3000 graphics card
Real Magic Hollywood plus MPEG2 PLAY BACK CARD..
The ADSL modem is an Alcatel 330 External ...(the problem occurred
before installing that)...
a couple of other points I should say ...I have reloaded media player 9
I can open it but as soon as I move my mouse pointer over CD AUDIO
the system freezes...also If I insert an audio CD into either drive
then RUN from the start menu the tracks appear as Media player tracks
If right click on open with media player it tells me that it cannot
play that file type?
I have looked for multiple entries (none found) thanks for the suggestion....
many thanks
GOOGLEEYESCOW
:)

The process for troubleshooting a problem at some point can become a process of elimination or addition...I guess depending on which side of the glass half empty/half full you're on...;)

What you might want to do is first check with Device Manager and make sure you don't have any ! or ? showing up. If not you might want to have a look through the listing. Highlight each device and press Properties and then check Resources to make sure there are no conflicts.

If nothing, since you've recently reinstalled, I would go ahead, reformat and load up Me once again so you can begin with a clean slate. Make sure after the initial loading of the Operating System that there are no conflicts before you proceed to add drivers.

Check after each in Device Manger for problems. When you hit a bump in the road you'll know either who the culprit is or at least that one of your programs doesn't like to play fair. At that point you can selectively "decommission" and try to determine which two don't like each other.

It can be a painstaking process, but the experience can be an excellent learning curve.

After loading WinMe I would do as Budfred suggested and check out Viper's site and lean up Me. I also run Me on my main computer and keep it lean and mean...Many software companies assume that you want their programs to run each time you start your computer and without asking dump an auto start in your StartUp files. Most of these programs can be easily started using Start>Programs and don't need to load and chew up your resources.

I use RegCleaner following any software installation to remove loose ends from the Registry. www.jv16.org It also helps tremendously down the line in removing items from your StartUp list without having to reboot each time.

I also use Microsoft's RegClean following the use of RegCleaner...each seems to look for different items.

http://www.winguides.com/software/display.php/23/

Many thanks WHYZMAN I think you are right and I need to start again
in the way you suggest..as its getting late here now that will be
for the morning ... thanks again :) I will let you know how it
pans out...
GOOGLEEYESCOW

Something I still don't understand....why did you have to go to ME to use ADSL?

Hi MJC I installed ME because the FAQ listing on my comm. company site
recomended windows 98SE and upwards I have been using 98...
was I wrong ? I have said in my replies I'm not the most gifted when
I comes to PC's (far from it)
GOOGLEEYESCOW
:(

Ok, you were running 98 not SE.....

The reason I asked is that ME has been known to be a little difficult to make behave...;)

Also the best place to get driver updates is from the items manufacturer...in the case of your SoundBlaster from Creative. It is possible that the drivers on DriverGuide are not the latest or are a beta version, or otherwise "not quite right".

Here...

http://www.soundblaster.com/drivers/

ME can be very picky about drivers and at the base of this it does sound like some almost typical SB driver problem.