Vista + Windows Media Player = SLOW!

Hi guys.

Not sure if you noticed that when you change a mp3 song track (skip next for example) takes flipping ages to load and I thought I'll run Resource Monitor to see what happens and this is what I saw.

These two slows my laptop right down:

• svchost.exe (DcomLaunch) - 90% sometimes
• svchost.exe (LocalServiceNetworkRestricted) - 40%

These two things also slows the laptop down when I'm just playing my music, if you guys have read my other threads.

 

You posted this in another thread (and in fact started another thread on Quicktime being slow) and I answered your question there, as I'm sure others will as well. It's not a good idea to double post as it clutters up the forums, but if you want my thoughts, please check the original thread.

 

Yeh I know but it seems to be two problems but similar in a way.

Cause that happens randomly (the other thread) this one happens when I skip tracks so I can actually reproduce it manually but the other doesn't make any sense what so ever.

 

This happens with my laptop too. I think there is a bug with wmplayer.

Mike.

 

Phew - well glad I'm not the only one!!!!

So glad.

Its really frustrating to explain to someone else if they haven't experienced it before themselfs.

 

. vista ultimate/slow amd64-3400+/9700+128mb/80gb 7200rpm/1.5gb ram
. folding@home, firefox minefield, yahoo.messenger, total commander, wmp11 accessing ALL music libraries currently running
. online video news (cnn, cbs...)
. if for any codecs reference, powerdvd6, vlc installed
. ZERO slow down, ZERO stuttering

.... ladies/gentlemen - as they say CHECK(start) ur engines

cheers ...

 

What?

What are you implying mate?

Update

Its' definately a Windows Media Player probem cause I just installed iTunes (even though it doesn't say it's supported under Vista), when I skip tracks, there's no 100% CPU load and no slow down so far during my audio playback.

Once again the Windows product has failed. Ah!! It worked perfectly fine with my WinXP, but this version of Windows Player needs some patching up I think.

I'll just use iTunes for my music now while they do something about it cause its just not going away.

 

implying nothing, really - but really meant that wmp11 and vista and microsoft products r intertwined, so i would (personally) use this as a benchmark to review ur set up to see if anything is being mis.configured - a tip/hint more than anything else

oh, & i do believe u when u say that u have an issue with wmp11 and vista and slowness,

cheers ...

 

That's good then.

Well I've been playing my music through iTunes for the past 2+ hrs and it hasn't slowed down once, while all this is running:

• iTunes
• FTP folder
• Folder
• Sidebar
• Macromedia Dreamweaver
• Google Earth
• MSN Messenger (2x convo)

So I'm pretty damn sure its the stupid WMP playing up.

CPU -> 2%
RAM -> 45%

 

glad to hear that iTunes work for u

i could never get iTunes to work on my environment, it either crashed on me or make my surfing experience miserable .. with many vista users vowing for iTunes, i should go back and see what i did wrong

cheers ...

 

I have no problem with WMP and Vista.

 

Well iTunes sound quality is crap but it was crap under XP anyway but its much faster than WMP!!

What the hell is wrong with it!

 

I'm using winamp with no problems so far. (there is a plugin for itunes support)

You can try going into sound properties and "disable all enhancements".

that works for some

 

Does this spike in activity happen only when you have WMP 11 open, or does it happen even if WMP 11 is not open? (do you see it active in task manager when WMP is closed?)

 

Yeh I do see it when its' NOT open but it doesn't seem to spike. Just spikes like hell during WMP music playback and during track change. If I click on 'next' it will spike to 100% for 10seconds or so before it changes track.

 

There is already another thread going on this here on Notebook forums. Turns out this problem is is due to Microsoft's DRM paranoia. That periodic CPU spike is your laptop "spying" on you, searching to see if you are evading the built in DRM features.

Crazy thing is: the dummies programmed this to happen even when you are not playing protected or DRM'ed music/video. What morons....

 

I had the same problem, took me ages to start/change songs.

Here's how I fixed it:

Start > Control Panel > Sound > Playback Tab > Double-click "Speakers/Headphones" > Effects Tab > Check "Disable System Effects"

Now switching between songs is pretty much instant.

 

effects/enhancements

You can try un/reinstalling it.

If you don't want to try winamp, check this digg thread, that are lots of suggestions in the comments for alternate players if disabling enhancements doesn't work for you for the time being.

http://www.digg.com/music/Winamp_vs._iTunes

 

THANK YOU CHAIN!

Its switches song really fast now!! Instant and the svchost.exe doesn't spike up either!!! : WOOOW!!

Many thanks.

But jtse - do you mean like enabling and disabling again or how to install/reinstall that thing? And does it mean it won't make any Windows sound effects now such as errors messags?

 

Good question. Other than solving this issue, what does "disable system effects" actually do?

 

Don't know but my pop up messages still make sounds and things like MSN Messenger.

 

So Syl, you don't get that spike in CPU / hard drive activity anymore once you checked that box?
If you used a different media player did you get a spike as well previously?

 

A problem in Sony laptops?

 

In my first post in this thread, I suggested you disable enhancements in the sound properties.

Chain suggested to disable effects.

On my hp notebook with vista premium its called enhancements, I don't know if it's called effects on other notebooks.

On the dell forums was a similar issue with vista/wmp, disabling enhancements, was the suggestion to fix it for them.

 

It was enhancements for me before I installed the Sony audio drivers. But during that time I didn't have to disable it and had no problems. However, once i installed the Sony drivers it started giving me problems until i disabled what is now called "system effects".

 

It's only been Windows Media Player that's been spiking. I ran iTunes and its' been fine absolutely.

Well I disabled the 'System Effects' only.

I don't have enhancements installed on my systme.

What's that?

 

This Solved My Problem!! Thanks Mate! Really Appreciate It!!!

 

Brilliant. Thanks very much for this tip. The start/change problem has been v.annoying.

 

thnk u so much


on my dell its a little different w/ the steps

 

Thank you Chain and Sylonian!
This same annoying problem had been plaguing me on my Dell E521 desktop with Vista Home Premium and Windows Media Player 11.

I went to Control Panel -> Sound -> Playback tab -> double-click "Speakers/Headphones" -> Enhancements Tab -> check "Disable all enhancements". And *poof* the annoying svchost.exe spike that delayed switching tracks went away.

Thanks!