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Question: Should I be concerned about the inability to restore my system to a previous restore point because there are absolutely NO restore points available except for one and do I need to repair my XP operating system?
I have a Dell Dimension 8200 desktop, 80GB hard drive, 512 RAM, Pent. 4 - 2.26GHz processor and a PhilipsD28 DVD+RW/+R CD-RW combo drive. It came with the Premium Dell Movie Studio (which I now understand to include the Dazzle Mojave Device and the VideoWave 4) and Sonic MyDVD 3.5 installed.
Here's my SAD story: I have used the VW4 to capture a VHS tape and burned a DVD using the Sonic MyDVD before with no problems. When I recently captured a VHS movie, about 2 hrs, 40min. long, using VW4, I was getting a message that I was running low on memory and did I want to continue? Like an idiot, I chose ok since it was nearly complete. Once finished, "My Computer" showed I had less than 2 GB of memory free.
The next day I uninstalled a few programs not needed , used disk cleanup and defragged before editing my files in VW4, then produced the final AVI files to create my project in Sonic. When creating a custom style that I wanted in Sonic, the program would give me a box: "Runtime Error!", (the exe of Sonic MyDVD) and "abnormal program termination", then a box appeared saying " The instruction at 'Ox5f4012a1' referenced memory at '0x00000004' The memory
could not be 'read'. Click OK to terminate the program." and the program shut down. I believe I eliminated some more memory intensive files and defragged again at that point, only to receive the same results but without the second message. Figuring that some of the program files had been corrupted I uninstalled and reinstalled the Sonic program, but it continued to terminate when creating custom styles.
The next day I used System Restore to restore my computer to the most farthest point available, since I only had the prior two days to choose from, there was nothing prior to when the problems started. This didn't seem right. I called Dell and spent 3 hrs. going thru a system memory check - which passed, uninstall - reinstall Sonic with all startup programs disabled, downloaded an update for the Philips DVD drive and was then instructed to save any important files on my computer, then sent to take a survey and was cut off with the technician.
Thinking the stupid Sonic 3.5 was my problem, I went out and bought the "Roxio Creative CD/DVD Creator 6." Installed it the next day and it would not recognize my Dazzle capture device. Called Dell once again, talked to 4 different people, none of them could tell if my Dazzle device came bundled with the Movie Studio when I bought it, because I wanted to know if it was on the list of incompatible devices on Roxio's website. In the process of going round and round, we discovered that I now had only one restore point which was that very morning. Again they left me to back up my files, to call back and be walked through a reinstallation of XP. Called back that evening, but this one just wants me to check with Roxio about the compatibility issue on Monday (It's Sat.). AUUUUUGH! "Great! Screw Roxio! I'm taking it back!" Took it back for a store credit - Thanks, Comp USA!
Soooooo, I'm using my computer to download and view some pictures Sunday night and the monitor is flickering, blurring in and out of focus, and making a sizzling sound on occasion. Then the screen disappeared to the center making a snapping sound that made me jump. Shut everything down and went back a little later to turn everything back on, it was fine for about 20-30 min., then went blurry. It did the same thing today, clear about 30 min and now its blurry. The monitor may be totally unrelated to the main issue, (whether I need to reinstall Windows XP?"), but I thought I'd throw it in there just the same.
I can see, now, that I blindly dove into this video capturing/authoring "hobby" before I knew what I was doing. Reading this forum has helped me more than all the Dell technicians ever could. Besides you Speak "American!"
Please offer any experience you may have relating to my problems.
:( Thanks for listening!
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