Windows Media Center gives me black screen and powers computer down

[Autumn]

I have had my Aldi/Median 8828 computer about a month now. Initially, the media center with the TV ran OK, but now every time I click on the Windows Media Center button, it powers the computer down. It also happens if I use the remote control.

I have been doing a few tweaks to try to made Vista run more quickly and have disabled the indexing because I could not stand the noise.

Apart from doing the odd clean up using C Cleaner (Perhaps I wiped something?) I haven't knowingly done anything to it. I haven't really used it but thought I would have a look at it last night and that is what happened.

I rang Median Technical Support and the Technician said that nothing could be done other than to re install Vista.

As it seems to be running faster and quieter now with all my programs installed, I am loath to do a clean sweep unless I have no choice.

I have done a System Restore to a week ago to no avail.

I thought I might be able to reinstall the Media Center drivers, but the Technician said that they were all part of the operating system and not an option.


Can anyone throw any light on my problem?

[Stephen]

Re: Windows Media Center gives me black screen and powers computer down

I can't help feeling that it would save you a lot of grief and be easier all round if you just did a full system restore with the discs that came with the machine. After backing up any new data of course. I imagine the whole thing will take not much more than an hour

[Autumn]

Re: Windows Media Center gives me black screen and powers computer down

I suppose you are right Stephen, but it's taken so long to get it how I like it and also uninstalling the so called Freebies that were preinstalled, I just wondered if there was another way out.

I have decided that it is not totally powering down, I think it just goes to sleep. However, it wont wake up, or I don't know how to wake it!

[Patrick]

Re: Windows Media Center gives me black screen and powers computer down

I suppose you are right Stephen, but it's taken so long to get it how I like it and also uninstalling the so called Freebies that were preinstalled, I just wondered if there was another way out.

I have decided that it is not totally powering down, I think it just goes to sleep. However, it wont wake up, or I don't know how to wake it!:

I used to use CCleaner regularly on all my computers at one time three and they all ground slower and slower particularly booting up. I stopped using it and have not suffered the problem since.
Although if you read my thread is it possible my laptop is not running I believe as it should but I put that down to upgrading to Vista instead of a clean install.

Funnily enough it seams to have got over it since posting for help and is running more like it was when first upgraded.
Dashed funny things these computers.

Patrick

[Autumn]

Re: Windows Media Center gives me black screen and powers computer down

Are you saying that when you stopped using CCleaner booting up improved without doing anything else? Actually, booting up is not too bad its the processing time in CS3 that seems to take a long time even though I have 2 Gb of RAM.

Also the Internet takes for ever to load a page. I was only getting around 500 kps but yesterday Talktalk took the lock off my 2 Mg and now I am getting just under 6 Mb ps. Not 8 Mb but better than 500 kps!

Three questions:

1 Does anyone use a cleaner like Easy cleaner or Cleaner or don't people clean out their obsolete files?

2 If I did a complete reinstall of Vista and ran CCleaner say, do you think that there would be obsolete files to start with? I bet there would.

3 If I did a reinstall of Vista would I be able to control the programs I install Eg, Bulldog antivirus was installed for about 90days and everytime I booted up I was asked if I wanted to buy it. I uninstalled it because I use AVG and am very happy with it.

Also the same with Microsoft Office 2007. I already have a copy of an earlier program which is fine for me. I don't see any point in installing these programs only to have to uninstal them.

[Patrick]

Re: Windows Media Center gives me black screen and powers computer down

Are you saying that when you stopped using CCleaner booting up improved without doing anything else? Actually, booting up is not too bad its the processing time in CS3 that seems to take a long time even though I have 2 Gb of RAM.

Also the Internet takes for ever to load a page. I was only getting around 500 kps but yesterday Talktalk took the lock off my 2 Mg and now I am getting just under 6 Mb ps. Not 8 Mb but better than 500 kps!

Three questions:

1 Does anyone use a cleaner like Easy cleaner or Cleaner or don't people clean out their obsolete files?

2 If I did a complete reinstall of Vista and ran CCleaner say, do you think that there would be obsolete files to start with? I bet there would.

3 If I did a reinstall of Vista would I be able to control the programs I install Eg, Bulldog antivirus was installed for about 90days and everytime I booted up I was asked if I wanted to buy it. I uninstalled it because I use AVG and am very happy with it.

Also the same with Microsoft Office 2007. I already have a copy of an earlier program which is fine for me. I don't see any point in installing these programs only to have to uninstal them.

Sorry I may have misled you, I had to reinstall to repair damage on a Laptop I did this over the old system as a repair I was using XP then. You can in fact reinstall windows Visa over your existing Vista and this should reinstate any damaged files and leave your settings untouched, it will however need to get all the Vista updates again.
Alway a good practice to do a system backup just in case.

My reply was a friendly warning about CCleaner and other such programs, they are capable of removing files you don't want removed. Slowly degrade performance until in my case a complete crash on two PC's within weeks of each other. I bought as a result thinking they were dead new machines, a Dell Inspiron laptop and a Dell Dimension PC.
Formating the H/D on the two crashed machines proved them both working fine, sold one on ebay with bits from the second to give it the highest possible specification, and the old laptop is now doing good service with a friend that bought it.
Needless to say I haven't installed CCleaner on my new machines.

Patrick

[Autumn]

Re: Windows Media Center gives me black screen and powers computer down

Thanks for that Patrick.

[Tinka]

Re: Windows Media Center gives me black screen and powers computer down

Hi Autumn,
Just spotted your post so this may be a bit late, I hope you have found a cure by now. I have taken a new computer useing VISTA, I also have tweeked the settings to gain speed and stop NON VITAL background services running, I have found it better to set them to MANUAL rather than disable them (I do disable indexing) as when they are needed the computer calls for them, you will get a little box pop up saying a program is calling for another program or action just click on the X in the corner to close the box or tempararily enable the action. Up to now I have always clicked close and so far have had no problems.
Good luck,
Dave

[Autumn]

Re: Windows Media Center gives me black screen and powers computer down

Well Dave I think it is improving.

I did a reinstall and the Windows Media Centre returned to normal, but of course I had to delete all the rubbish they put on and reinstall my own programs. So time consuming.

I ran C Cleaner again and guess what The Big Black Screen returned. But ... ... I had saved the files that I had deleted. I clicked on my saved file and they popped back - just like that! I clicked on the Media Centre and it was back to normal.

I HAVE UNINSTALLED C CLEANER.

The hard drive noise has been driving me mad. Anyway, I have disabled the indexing and my AVG was doing a full scan every day which took over an hour so I think I have altered that. Tonight the hd was clattering away again and I found that somehow Google desk top (or something like that had installed along with Google Tool Bar (which I like). Anyway the Google desk top was indexing. So I have uninstalled that.

I also found (could not find it again) a place where I could disable dropped shadow under the menu and other fancy animations related to Vista. As soon as I disabled these (about 5 things) my computer must have speeded by about 30%!!

This is crazy to supply a top spec computer which needs loads of attention to get it anything like my 4 year old one -particularly as I did a full reinstall on that and have added the Service Pack 2 again and all updates. It just FLIES and my husband keeps bragging about how fast it is. He even wanted a race to see which loaded the quicker. My daughterinlaw called 1,2 3 GO and we both switched on and his loaded quicker than mine. I do have Messenger though and as I said, I have disabled certain things since then.

Anyway, Dave or anyone else for that matter, if you have any tips into how to get the best out of Vista, I should be pleased to hear.

It does seem pretty quiet ATM and very fast.(I'd put a "Fingers Crossed" smilie here if I could find one.

[Stephen]

Re: Windows Media Center gives me black screen and powers computer down

I said you should have got a Mac Audrey

[Autumn]

Re: Windows Media Center gives me black screen and powers computer down

Dont you start. My son said "I can't understand why you didn't get a Mac mum with all the photographs you do."

I got a lot for my money and Macs are very expensive to get one like yours.

I think it's improving so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I would like to indulge in a new 22" or 24" screen sometime and also invest in someone to help me to print what I see. I enjoy printing but am getting nothing like what it on screen. But that is another story.