HELP STATION
Expert solutions for everday problems.
Update Windows Media
In the February issue story on virtual machines, it mentioned that we can get images for old Windows boot disks at www.allbootdisks.com – do these images contain the original Windows version, or do they include all the updates to these older versions that were supplied before MSFT support ended? It wasn’t clear in the article.
Phil West
TechLife responds: These boot disk images aren’t suitable for installing Windows – they basically provide boot and repair functions only. If you read the article again, you’ll see that Neil has directed you to the website to obtain a boot floppy disk image for Windows 95, because the Windows 95 CD-ROM itself wasn’t bootable, and requires this to run.
When it comes to updating older machines, you’ll find that most updates and patches are available online. In the case of Windows 95, you’ll find key patches at http://bit.ly/MPCWIN, while Windows XP users can still manually download all updates – including Service Pack 3 – from Microsoft’s own catalog (go to www.catalog.update.microsoft.com and search for “XP SP3”). If you’re creating a Windows XP virtual machine, once it’s up and running you can create your own install media with SP3 and all post-SP3 updates slipstreamed into it using nLite ( www.nliteos.com). This must be run inside your virtual XP machine, and the ISO file generated, then copied to a safe location on your main machine for future use.
Sound driver lag
I recently updated the BIOS in my Asus ROG Maximus XI PC and then updated the Realtek Audio driver from 6.0.1.8557 to 6.0.1.8960. Everything appeared normal, but when I then tried to open a browser window, there was an 8-10 second delay before the window opened. No such problem in other apps. Reverting to the old driver had no effect – I had to run System Restore to revert my PC to before I installed the driver update. I tried again, but after uninstalling the original driver, I can’t install any other driver – old or new – without the lag returning. Can you help me pin down what’s causing the browser lag? I contacted Asus but they weren’t any help.
Richard King
TechLife responds: You’re not the only one to complain about a 10-second lag affecting all browsers, and at least one person has traced this problem to the Nahimic service, which is installed alongside the Realtek drivers. Nahimic is linked to the sound enhancements used by many motherboards (specifically Asus and MSI) and companion software such as Sonic Studio III, which is installed alongside the drivers.
Start by reinstalling the latest driver, rebooting, and then attempting to disable the Nahimic service – open Task Manager to the Services tab, right-click “NahimicService,” and select “Stop.” Now open your browsers to see if the problem is eliminated. If it is, then you’ve identified the cause of your problem. For a more permanent fix, right-click “NahimicService” again, but this time choose “Open services.” Right-click its entry in the Services panel and choose “Properties,” then click “Startup type” and change it to “Disable.” Click “Apply > OK” and reboot your PC – this should eliminate the problem once and for all.
Prioritising driver updates
I would like to know which driver updates are most important, and which ones can slide. I use the free version of Driver Max that only allows me to download two updates a day. After the scan there’s always a lot of drivers that are very cryptic. I do the chipset, video, LAN, and sound updates, which leaves things like buses and others that I don’t understand. My question is, what is important, and what can be left alone?
Jim Piche
TechLife responds: It’s an impossible question to answer, Jim, because while it’s advantageous to have the latest versions of some drivers – your graphics being the most notable case in point – with others it depends on whether the driver update fixes a major problem, improves performance, or adds new features. Indeed, in some cases, such as with sound cards, it’s often a case of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
That said, your main issue is relying on Driver Max to keep your drivers up to date. Any app that limits you to just two updates per day isn’t worth persevering with – either bite the bullet and purchase a lifetime license (US$29.80 at time of writing) or look for another approach. The obvious alternative is Snappy Driver Installer, which is free, portable and open source. Download and run the Lite version from https://sdi-tool.org/ – it’s a little less user-friendly than other driver tools, but it’s a good non-restricted alternative.
Most people’s needs can be met by the update tool supplied by their PC or motherboard manufacturer, which covers all the core drivers, such as chipset, SATA/RAID and
onboard graphics, sound, and network drivers. Check the support section of your manufacturer’s website for details – such as Live Update from MSI and Asus, or HP Support Assistant. Pair it with the official AMD or Nvidia graphics drivers, which automatically alert you to updates, and you’ll be covered.
PC switches on and off randomly
I feel my sanity fraying. My HTPC has started powering on (and off) randomly. I’ve ruled out the PSU with three different tries. I’ve flashed my BIOS. I’m fairly confident I don’t have a short anywhere. Is my Z87M-plus motherboard just going bad? James Breen
TechLife responds: There are a few more tests to perform. First, check the various cables connecting bits and pieces to your PC. If these appear to be undamaged and securely plugged in – or the problem persists after you’ve swapped them – then you’ll have to bite the bullet and strip your PC down to its bare bones (don’t forget to earth yourself first). This involves unplugging everything from the motherboard, including components, cables and - yes – the CPU fan and heatsink, and CPU itself. Next, remove the motherboard from your case. Carefully clean off any dirt or grime you come across using a can of compressed air for loose debris, and a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol (you’ll find plenty of advice online) to ensure all connections are clean. Make sure the board is left to dry completely.
Check your case carefully to ensure there are no loose screws that may have been responsible for any shorts, then refit the motherboard carefully before plugging in all removed components and cables, checking each one for possible signs of wear and tear. Finally, power the PC back on to see whether it’s made any difference. If the problem remains, then it may be time to look at replacing it.
No 4K encoding?
When attempting to convert (encode) a 3,840 x 2,160 video using Wondershare UniConverter on my Dell XPS 15-inch 9500 ‘Creator Edition’ laptop, Task Manager shows the encode process immediately switch from my Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU to the integrated Intel UHD GPU. It seems the GTX 1650 Ti is only capable of converting video up to 1,920 x 1,080 with Nvidia GPU acceleration enabled. Anything higher – including 2,704 x 1,520 – defaults to the slower Intel UHD GPU, where encode times are tripled. Wondershare states it’s a hardware limitation of the GeForce GTX 1650 Ti, but why? I can find no definitive answer via Dell or Nvidia’s online communities.
I’ve tried disabling the Intel UHD graphics driver with Device Manager to try and force priority onto the FTX 1650 Ti. System stability is compromised, and it has no impact on Nvidia GPU acceleration. Why is the GeForce GTX 1650 Ti not capable of converting video resolutions above 1,920 x 1,080? If it’s a hardware limitation, why did Dell offer a 4K-limited GPU on a premium system that promotes 4K creativity?
Derek R
TechLife responds: There’s no hardware limitation we know of preventing you from using Nvidia’s NVENC encoder to rip 4K video with a GeForce 1650 Ti chip – have you tried a different software package? For example, HandBrake ( www.handbrake.fr) supports NVENC-accelerated encoding, and APC has successfully converted 4K video using its NVENC codec with a GTX 1660 Super.
There are, however, good reasons why you might prefer to put up with the slower CPU-based encoder. First, the NVENC encoder is optimised primarily for real-time streaming, which basically means it uses higher bit-rates to produce video of comparable quality to the CPU encoder, which translates to significantly larger file sizes – more than twice the size in your case thanks to the GTX 1650 Ti’s older Volta architecture. There may also be visibly inferior image quality. However, if space isn’t an issue but encoding times are, then give HandBrake a try using its Production Max or Production Standard presets if you’re looking to convert to 4K.
AMD USB Follow-up
Thank you for your response to my query regarding my USB issues on my Asus X570 ROG Crosshair Hero VIII. I wanted to follow up and let you know my findings.
Unfortunately, none of your suggestions worked, and I ended up buying a new motherboard of the same model. Surprisingly, the new motherboard exhibited the same issues, which meant it was not the motherboard.
After much trial and error, it turned out that my Corsair Commander Pro module that controlled the RGB lighting and case/ AIO fans on my Corsair was the culprit. The Corsair H115 RGB Platinum AIO is plugged into one of two USB ports in the Pro, which was defective. If I plugged the AIO into the second USB port, the errors vanished.
Secondly, I also purchased the Phantaks RGB NEON light strips, which are supposed to work with Corsair’s iCue app. While the app recognised the light strips, it couldn’t control the RGB colour effects. To get it to work, I had to disable the Asus plug-in from iCue and install Asus Aura Sync, which controlled the light strips with no issue. I should note that you can’t use Asus’s Armory Crate as it conflicts with iCue, which loses the AIO cooler in the app. Again, thank you for your support.
Jon Shimamoto
TechLife responds: Thanks for following up with us, and for sharing your eventual fix, as well as tips for handling various lighting setups. It just goes to show that trial and error is often the only way to truly get a handle on a problem – glad you’ve finally got it sorted.