Thanks but the CPU usage is low % and it happens when it's the only program running. This problem is of a larger magnitude.

When the PC bluescreened the perfect functionality we had was compromised. We have repaired Windows and re-installed Vegas but some service or app that Vegas requires is whacked up.

Looking at Direct X next if no other input is seen.

UPDATE: Rendering is okay as a test render segment plays smoothly on my PC. Taking another forum's advice, we re-installed the Nvidia driver for the 6200 videocard. Made no difference.

The search goes on to restore SMOOTH preview.

Update: Render fine afterall, just preview choppy

Cleaned off .net with a cleanup tool, installed .net 3.5 fresh with service pack updates. No change.

Identified that he was running DirectX 9.0c; downloaded and installed as fresh. No change.

Uninstall Vegas 8.0c again; install fresh Vegas 8.0 from install disc. No change.

Conclusion: Something is still wrong with WIN XP that repair from Recovery Console didn't fix.

Before we go through with this PITA operation, can anyone here knowledgeably comment on DLLs, codecs, etc. that Vegas 8.0 requires and could be replaced more easily than a complete WIN XP re-install???

Thanks in advance.

You didn't state what format, video bitrate, and size you were trying to preview. Is it the same footage you report as previewing OK on the other identical PCs?

Since you have searched the forums regarding preview problems, you undoubtedly came across the common advice many times before undertaking such a daunting uninstall / reinstall routine. But for the sake of mention, here they are again:

-- Project Properties set precisely the same as your media properties. This is the #1 consideration!
-- Preview Properties at Preview / Auto
-- "Scale to fit Preview" turned Off.
-- "Simulate Device Aspect" turned Off.
-- Unnecessary background applications turned Off.
-- Footage with transitions / effects will usually not preview at full frame rate. This is because they need to be rendered.
-- Pre-render all transitions / effects footage per above.
-- Highly compressed, long GOP, high data rate footage will often not preview at full frame rate. This include AVCHD and sometimes HDV.
-- Did you remember to reinstall your video drivers after the DirectX reinstall? That is SOP.

Thanks for taking the time to post this list. I moderate a forum at work and have to direct users to resouces that are under their noses in Quick Answers (FAQs). Having to solve one of my problems on a forum serves to build empathy. Having said that I never came across thes items in search (much like my users complain). Were they in a thread or an FAQ area I didn't see?

Unfortunately, much of the items do not apply to our situation. These clips (and project settings) are SD Sony DV camcorder AVI format, thus quite vanilla compared to others. Just reinstalled Nvidia driver again (post DirectX) and that didn't make a lick of difference.

Rendered file was wmv about 20MB avg resolution or smaller. No heavy lifting over here. Having worked through these general observations, I'll restate the sequence and question again.

Win XP Dell running Vegas 8.0c working as advertised. Then... BLUESCREEN incident; Repair under Recovery Console, re-install Vegas, .NET 3.5, DirectX9.0c and NVidia video driver

Q: What service, DLL(s) etc does Vegas 8.0 rely on for smooth vanilla preview? It worked fine before and we just need to restore that condition! It ain't a new untested install, it was proven once.

System Restore is also something to consider if nobody knows what Vegas needs in this regard. Thanks in advance...

Now that I see the bluescreen emphasis in your post, a system restore would probably be my next line of defense. I have done it in the past to get rid of some unfavorable codec installations that did not restore the registry upon their uninstallation, and with no negative impact on Vegas 8.0c (Vista SP1 and XP SP3), only the effects desired. You can always undo a system restore if it doesn't suit you.

Be aware that the bluescreen incident may have been the result of an underlying hardware issue that is also causing your unexpected preview stuttering. so diagnostics on your power supply voltages, checking for disk surface errors, system and cpu diagnostics, swapping out the memory and video card, could be another line of defensive troubleshooting in this case.

Here's a few things you might try...

BSOD's are often caused by bad memory... Google "windows memory test" I haven't tried the following, but but it looks like in might be good: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2008.09.utilityspotlight.aspx?pr=blog

Run a "chkdsk /r" - it will repair flaws (or mark bad sectors) on your hard drive. Instructions are here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265

Finally, run the windows System File Checker "sfc /scannow" it will identify and repair any corrupted Windows System Files. Instructions are here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310747 You'll need to insert your Windows Install CD.

Best of luck!
...Jerry

on a very basic level

a. how many drives are you using?

b. is the cpu free of dust?

c. have you installed any other nle / video codecs?

d. checked memory as above?

leslie

Thanks for the replies!

I do have the memory tester burned to disc for another PC that experienced a bad stick of RDRAM that was replaced. I'll try that now, then the File Checker and then System Restore if needed.

2 Internal HDs as all 5 of our 8200s are equipped, ext 60GB and ext 400GB to shuttle files to temporary workstation.

Blown clean recently as we know that can cause problems. No other NLE programs installed.

Will advise what worked.

musicvid, you said
-- Project Properties set precisely the same as your media properties

What if your final output is different than the source, or if you have sources with different properties? I'm never sure about this.

Here's the score....

Ran MemTest to check memory and after 33 passes of perfect scores, it's safe to say memory is fine. I believe this BSOD was about 'Unmountable Volume' and unable to start Winows until after the repair under Recovery Console. Been incident free for 30 days.

Read tips on sfc /scannow where it was recommended to copy the I386 folder to C:\ and then use regedit to make a change pointing there so not to be prompted for Windows disc all of the time. Swell except this PC was at SP3 and the Windows XP disc has SP2. My SP3 downloaded and burned to disc was ignored because it didn't have the volume name/info of "Windows XP Pro SP3". Shrug.

It is possible to create a slipsltream disc combining SP3 but I don't want to fool with that at this time. So after 20 min of clicking ignore many times I elected to stop this as it was proved impractical. Thoughts of re-install SP3 cleanly would be faster entered my mind.

Deciding to fast forward this process, I initiated System Restore options. We'd isolated the BSOD incident to Sept 19 so I selected Sept 14 as target. When the dust cleared, I was informed that this date could not be recreated. Try Sept 13th; same thing. No other early dates, try Sept 19th and hope. Same thing. Restore was not going to work here as something got whacked. Hope it's writing good restore points now!

PLAN:
1) Roll back SP3 off the PC; run sfc /scannow (SP2 now all agrees)
2) Check Vegas
3) Install fresh SP3 (likely have to)
4) Check Vegas

Report back here. Thanks for continued interest.

"Unable to restore" message often means just one thing -- your registry got whacked. Had it happen to me on XP Pro after a lightning event that took out my power supply and some hard disc sectors. Never could reinstall XP either.

Finally reformatted the disk, isolated bad sectors, and am using it in a noncritical box that I take to the field for routine email, word processing, scanning, and printing tasks.

Did you do a disk surface scan?

There appears to be no known silver bullet as to what Vegas 8.0 is dependent on for smooth preview. Video and sound play fine for maybe 30 frames, then a hiccup lock, then again, then again....

Here's a recap of what made no difference whatsoever for future reference.

1. Re-installing Vegas 8.0c (several times between "cures")
2. Scan Disk, Defrag, anything to with Anti Virus
3. Recovery Console - chkdsk /r
4. Memory testing (BSOD was 'Unmountable Volume')
5. .NET cleanup and re-install .Net 3.5
6. Re-Installing DirectX 9.0c
7. Re-installing NVidia driver
8. sfc /scannow to check Windows files

At this stage, we're 6 miles past "to hell with this" and will install fresh XP Pro soon.