Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

WinDVD uninstall help needed

Feb 3, 2004 2:42PM PST

Can someone help me out with a predicament I am in? I just purchased DirectDVD and installed it and the tech says I need to delete and uninstall all DVD programs before it will even work. Come to find out the only DVD program I have left to uninstall is WinDVD. The problem is, I can't seem to uninstall it. I have tried editing the registry but can't seem to get it to go away. When I reboot, it comes back up. Thanks for any help you can give.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Re:WinDVD uninstall help needed
Feb 3, 2004 8:09PM PST

"I just purchased DirectDVD and installed it and the tech says I need to delete and uninstall all DVD programs before "

Let me be short and blunt.

No. You don't have to do this. I don't and I have both on a machine.

If you wanted, you could feed it the WinDVD CD and re-install which may cause either the offer to uninstall appear, or the uninstall show up in the Control Panel OR you will find the uninstall not in the Control Panel, but in the WinDVD menu off the Start, Programs, WinDVD group.

I'd take 2 minutes at this to uninstall, then if I didn't get it, install the new DVD player.

In closing, I don't see any big differences in DVD player software, so if you are expecting to fix DVD playback issues with another player, my prediction is that the issue will follow to the next player software. But you didn't reveal why the new DVD software.

Bob

- Collapse -
Re:Re:WinDVD uninstall help needed
Feb 4, 2004 3:34AM PST

I don't have the WinDVD CD. It was already installed when I got the computer. Also it doesn't appear in Start/Programs. Heck, I didn't even know it was there until I was searching for DirectDVD and it came up.

I do get an "exception log" from DirectDVD with a Win32 error. I was thinking that, since I already have a DVD program installed, it won't play.

I really want to use the program. What other info do you need from me to determine the problem? Thanks for your input. I feel I am getting close to success here.

- Collapse -
Just me.
Feb 4, 2004 3:50AM PST

I have yet to see WinDVD being installed cause another DVD playback to error out.

While I have no problem deleting the Windvd directory in the program files and fishing around the registry, I can with 100% certainty state this will not fix your issue.

-----------

What would be more productive is to find out if you motherboard, video and audio drivers are as current as they can be for this OS.

Be aware that Windows Update, Driver Update buttons are simple demo features of how things could work. You get to do this the old fashioned way.

In closing, the more clues you provide, the more the forum can think about your issue.

Bob

- Collapse -
OK...Here's the deal...
Feb 4, 2004 6:57AM PST

DirectDVD successfully installed. When I go to play a movie, the program starts to load (with the DirectDVD screen, like it wants to start). After maybe 20 seconds an exception log pops up (without the close/minimize/restore buttons, mind you). The last time I tried this it came up with (under the details tab)the message that "DirectDVD is already running". If you are familiar with DirectDVD, you may recall in the exception log the categories: address, module, method/procedure, etc.

I have the DirectDVD logo with info on startup to the right with startup under the method/procedure section. Then, all of a sudden, it comes up with the windows logo with the words "leave critical section" under method/procedure. By the way, under the module, it says KERNEL32.dll. After that, I get the DirectDVD logo with "already running" under method/procedure.

Now, under the General tab, it lists the exception as:
a win32 API something or other has occurred.

Now, all of a sudden, I have to reboot my computer because I get a message that says Directdvdx has caused an error in <unknown>. This has happened before and there is no way that I can do anything else with my computer because it won't let me. I'll post this for now though. Also, I checked my drivers and they are all current. Thank you, so far, for the help.

- Collapse -
A rollup of all you've written.
Feb 4, 2004 7:26AM PST

1. "Can someone help me out with a predicament I am in? I just purchased DirectDVD and installed it and the tech says I need to delete and uninstall all DVD programs before it will even work. Come to find out the only DVD program I have left to uninstall is WinDVD. The problem is, I can't seem to uninstall it. I have tried editing the registry but can't seem to get it to go away. When I reboot, it comes back up. Thanks for any help you can give."

(I reply) If you are expecting to fix DVD playback issues with another player, my prediction is that the issue will follow to the next player software. But you didn't reveal why the new DVD software.

2. "I don't have the WinDVD CD. It was already installed when I got the computer. Also it doesn't appear in Start/Programs. Heck, I didn't even know it was there until I was searching for DirectDVD and it came up.

I do get an "exception log" from DirectDVD with a Win32 error. I was thinking that, since I already have a DVD program installed, it won't play.

I really want to use the program. What other info do you need from me to determine the problem? Thanks for your input. I feel I am getting close to success here."

(I reply) I have yet to see WinDVD being installed cause another DVD playback to error out.

While I have no problem deleting the Windvd directory in the program files and fishing around the registry, I can with 100% certainty state this will not fix your issue.

-----------

What would be more productive is to find out if you motherboard, video and audio drivers are as current as they can be for this OS.

Be aware that Windows Update, Driver Update buttons are simple demo features of how things could work. You get to do this the old fashioned way.

In closing, the more clues you provide, the more the forum can think about your issue.

3. "DirectDVD successfully installed. When I go to play a movie, the program starts to load (with the DirectDVD screen, like it wants to start). After maybe 20 seconds an exception log pops up (without the close/minimize/restore buttons, mind you). The last time I tried this it came up with (under the details tab)the message that "DirectDVD is already running". If you are familiar with DirectDVD, you may recall in the exception log the categories: address, module, method/procedure, etc.

I have the DirectDVD logo with info on startup to the right with startup under the method/procedure section. Then, all of a sudden, it comes up with the windows logo with the words "leave critical section" under method/procedure. By the way, under the module, it says KERNEL32.dll. After that, I get the DirectDVD logo with "already running" under method/procedure.

Now, under the General tab, it lists the exception as:
a win32 API something or other has occurred.

Now, all of a sudden, I have to reboot my computer because I get a message that says Directdvdx has caused an error in <unknown>. This has happened before and there is no way that I can do anything else with my computer because it won't let me. I'll post this for now though. Also, I checked my drivers and they are all current. Thank you, so far, for the help."
--------------------------------------------

A. "If you are familiar with DirectDVD, you may recall in the exception log the categories: address, module, method/procedure, etc."

While I may know what I've seen so far, I don't know YOUR MACHINE'S errors yet. Keeping them to yourself doesn't help.

B. "a win32 API something or other has occurred."

That "something" is CRITICAL information. Don't keep it a secret.

C. "Directdvdx has caused an error in <unknown>."

Almost can be used. But it does have a typographical errror which makes me work at guessing if it's Direct.vxd or Directx.vdx or what could it really be.

Help the forum help you out.

Misspell all other words, and even skip words except when it comes to ERROR MESSAGES. Better yet, put the error message in "QUOTES".

And a short description of the machine, video card and DirectX versions would be nice.

Imagine if we find out you have a Matrox Millenium II card and I will know you can't play DVD on that?

Bob

- Collapse -
Addendum. I couldn't get DirectDVD to work either.
Feb 4, 2004 7:29AM PST
http://download.com.com/3302-2194_4-10200650.html?pn=4&fb=2

Message after message like this:

" "After 2 months, I still can't get it to work right."
This has to be one of the most unstable and bug-filled programs I have ever encountered. The tech support people at Orion are unable to troubleshoot their own software and the customer service people are unresponsive and/or rude. I have repeatedly requested a refund, which has been promised, but they still have my money. I am an IT professional and am simply trying to run this on an off-the-shelf HP with a Celeron processor; nothing fancy. I STRONGLY urge you to try WinDVD; it's a much better product."