Another weird problem with Media Player Classic Home Cinema (and my keyboard)

Discussion in 'Software' started by Jesse Newell, Jun 30, 2015.

  1. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    I've been having trouble with my A key recently. Most of the time it's fine, but sometimes, like just now in fact, it doesn't respond when I hit it, and I have to hit it again, sometimes more than once. Anyway, I'm not sure if this is related to a problem I just found with MPC or whether it's completely separate. Under MPC's defaults, Alt+X should exit the program. But hitting that combo several times today has done nothing. No response at all. Both keys are functioning separately. I'm able to alter the default exit combo to just X on its own, and that works, and I'm able to change it back to Alt+X, so I know that the keys are working. It's just Alt+X will not exit the program. And now, since my last computer restart, every time I hit Alt+X, no matter what windows I have open, it opens and closes the Start screen. Is my keyboard ****ed as well as my hard drive? Should I have just bought a completely new computer? Or is it the corrupt hard drive that's messing with the keyboard? Please tell me it's the latter, because I've just gone ahead and bought a new hard drive. I don't fancy spending even more on a new computer too.
     
  2. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Really desperate for some help with this.
     
  3. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    Try using the on-screen keyboard - type osk in Start. If that's OK then your keyboard may have a problem. If it seems to be the keyboard then try blasting it while upside down - the keyboard, not you ;) - with a can of compressed air.

    and what is MPC?
     
  4. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    MPC is Media Player Classic. Don't wanna have to type that out all the time, so MPC.

    Tried the On-Screen Keyboard, same problem. Opened a video in MPC, hit Alt+X on the OSK to close it, same thing. It just brought up the Start screen.
     
  5. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Tried doing a system restore, it didn't work. Tried uninstalling MPC and reinstalling an old version from 3 months ago, to see if it was a bug in the latest version, and it didn't work. Alt+X keeps opening the Start screen again and again even though, when MPC is open, it's supposed to close MPC.
     
  6. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    I can't stay up much longer. I'm panicking here.
     
  7. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    I've got to get some rest now, but I've been experimenting, and all the other major keyboard shortcuts for MPC work perfectly normally. It's only Alt+X, that's supposed to close the program, that instead brings up the Start screen. I doubt that this is a bug in MPC, because I'm now using an older version from 3 months back, and Alt+X used to work perfectly in the latest version. That plus the fact that all the other shortcuts are working normally leads me to suspect a slight glitch with the keyboard. This is the only problem I've had so far with the keyboard. Even the A key is no longer giving me trouble like it used to. I jiggled it about a bit and that seems to have fixed it, so I think I must have just banged it too hard at some point and loosened it a bit. On the assumptions that there isn't any problem with MPC, and that the keyboard is fine physically, can anyone tell me what I should do to get Alt+X closing MPC again just like it used to?
     
  8. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    Key combinations can break when there is no apparent damage to the functionality of any of the keys. It could be that, but more likely it's (not for sure) related to your hard drive problems. Failing hard drives can cause problems satan would be proud of. Personally, I would just install the new drive, restore the image, and then see what happens...
     
  9. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Thanks. I'm a little worried though about recreating this problem on the new drive. I made a third backup image yesterday (and again had to delete the old one to make room) and only then did I discover this problem with MPC. So I'm wondering if whatever hard drive issue might be causing it could get replicated in the backup image. Also, another worry is that, as I was waiting for the image to complete, to pass time I started watching videos, and I changed one of the MPC settings without thinking. Could changing a program's settings while the backup image is in the process of being made confuse that process and damage the image of that program?
     
  10. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    In theory it's possible. However, it's not likely. When you install programs or run a backup, it is still said that it is best to close everything and just let the process finish before use the computer for anything else.

    One thing about this topic. You really don't need to make another image over this if you are expecting your new drive in the next day or two. When the drive arrives, remove your failing drive (carefully (you may still need it) and then install the new drive. Put the Macrium disk in the CD/DVD tray and then boot. Restore your image and make sure the image boots into Windows. Then we can work on the keyboard issue. Shouldn't be a big deal...

    If for some reason, the image restoration doesn't boot (98% sure it will be 100% fine), you can then replace your old drive into the PC and boot into that installation and capture another image. You won't have to do this, however. Imaging is extremely reliable.

    When this part is all over, we can discuss some strategies for backup. You have large backups, so I feel like you might want to go with an imaging program that makes smaller ones. Also, you could use a like 2-4 TB drive. All of this is later.

    Let us know how the restoration to the new drive goes...
     
  11. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Sorry? What do you mean make sure it boots into Windows? I thought restoring the image meant it had to boot into Windows. Restore the image AND make sure it boots into Windows seems to imply I have to do something else apart from just clicking restore image.

    Regarding the failing drive, I'm afraid once it's out, it's out. I already have the new drive, but I have to pay someone to install it for me, because I don't have any tools for that, and even if I did, I don't have a clue how to do it, and I wouldn't wanna be responsible for ****ing it up anyway. So just have to really hope that everything goes fine.
     
  12. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    You shouldn't have a problem. Image backups are as reliable as any other, but you have been capturing images from a failing hard drive. As long as you were able to boot at the time of the creation of the image, the restoration has the same chance of working as any image of any completely healthy drive. This is virtually 100%.

    Optimally, you could have a few images that you could count on, but you say you don't have space for more. This is in the very slight chance that your backup disk begins to lose sectors (slight chance, although it will eventually happen). I personally recommend a main drive and two backup disks for this exact reason...so that you can backup your backups.

    You are just starting with imaging, don't punish yourself. You have limited space for backups, but you already have an image. That's step one. Next ask whoever installs your new drive to give you the old one in case the image restoration fails. It should work flawlessly as it does with 99+% of restorations using the imaging method, so don't worry about it...

    If you want data integrity long term, you will need to invest in multiple drives and have at least 3 total, including your main drive. This is really the price of a guarantee against data loss resulting from mechanical failure.

    Hope this makes sense to you. There isn't really another way to look at it. Images are great, but mechanical devices can fail...

    BTW...what do you mean by Sorry?
     
  13. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Thanks. As soon as I make sure I can afford it, I'll be buying at least one new backup drive. Is there a way I can run a thorough system scan on my current one, a fine toothcomb kinda scan, to make sure it's perfectly alright now? I've never had any problems with it, but, like you say, it will eventually fail.
     
  14. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Ya know, when someone says, "Sorry?", because they've failed to hear or understand something properly.
     
  15. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    You can run a hard drive test on the drive. If you use HDDScan, make sure the backup drive is connected and then where you see the dialog for selecting which drive to test, select your backup drive. Run the read test.

    To see the data, click on the running task, and a separate window will open.

    Before you start the scan, close your browsers and larger programs like office programs...
     
  16. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Great, thanks. I'll post the results as soon as it's done. Hopefully, they'll be better than my main drive's were.
     
  17. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    It'll be fine. Imaging is the portal to PC freedom. Just keep us updated...
     
  18. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Sorry? I don't understand why you mentioned imaging there. The scan I'm running at the moment has nothing to do with the image. I just wanted to test the overall health of the drive.
     
  19. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    Referring to the fact that you are beginning with imaging. Comment had nothing to do with the drive test...

    In the overall sense, it's all going to work out fine is basically what I mean...
     
  20. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Thanks. I'm getting a pretty steady line across the top so far on the graph, but it's ****ing slow. Only at 11% so far. If I paused it and shut down the computer to go to bed, could I pick it up again in the morning, or would it have to start all over again?
     
  21. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    You would have to start over if you shut down the PC. If you leave the PC in standby, you could restart from a pause and finish the test in the AM...
     
  22. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Thanks. I don't have a standby option though. I have sleep and hibernate. Which one's the equivalent, and how do I wake the computer up in the morning?
     
  23. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    It's sleep. You can test the feature now to see how your PC awakes from sleep. Pause the test and then put the system in sleep mode. Move the mouse to see if that wakes the PC. If not, press a key on the keyboard and that should do the job. If that doesn't work, press the power button once...

    Those are the three ways to wake a sleeping PC, so one of them should work...
     
  24. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Oh shit, shit, shit. I paused like you said, clicked sleep, then moved the mouse button, but when I clicked resume on the test, suddenly everything went pear-shaped. The graph, which had been holding steady across the top as far as 25%, suddenly plummeted halfway down the chart. I don't mean there was a trough; I mean the line which had been at the top suddenly dropped halfway down. Then it plummeted all the way down, and the map said I had 59,092 bad sectors. WTF?! Everything was going fine. The test looked beautiful. Now all of a sudden, just because I put the computer in standby, the scan's telling me my external hard drive is ****ed too! I panicked and stopped the scan. I'm gonna start it all over again.
     
  25. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    Never run into that before. When you bring a PC out of sleep mode it takes about 10-15 seconds for it to restart everything that has been stopped. It's best to wait until everything is quiet to resume activities. If you did that, then it must be a bug in the software.

    That's how it is with programs, sometimes. I'll test it here to see if I can duplicate the issue...
     
  26. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Oh thank christ for that, because I didn't wait at all. The second I saw the test window back on the screen, I just immediately clicked resume. Didn't know I should have waited.
     
  27. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    Didn't happen for me just now running HDDScan. Put the PC into sleep and when I woke it, I waited a few seconds and then resumed the test with no effect...
     
  28. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    As I said, I didn't wait.
     
  29. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    You can run a chkdsk on the drive if you would rather. Open your Explorer window with the drives in it and right click on the drive with your backup files and images on it. Click on Properties->Tools tab->Error-checking (Check now)->check both boxes and press Start->wait for the test to finish...

    Jesse, do you have private messages turned off. I'd like to send you a PM...
     
  30. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Oh I've done that before, I think, and it's come back fine. But it's too quick for my taste. I prefer a slower test so I can be sure everything has been checked. Besides, I'm afraid Windows 8.1 looks quite different from Windows 7, so when you try to advise on what buttons are where, I'm afraid you're giving me outdated information. A lot of things aren't where you think, and some options don't seem to exist at all anymore.

    I think I have PMs on.

    EDIT: Oops, sorry, I hadn't. Now I have.
     
  31. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    nm on PMs. When your test is over, please post the pic requested.

    I'm going to PM Earthling as he's an expert on partitions. He can fill you in on what you will need to do to get everything on your current drive onto your new drive...
     
  32. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Don't make me sweaty. You wouldn't like me when I'm sweaty. I thought it was supposed to be easy. Just click restore image and voila.
     
  33. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    It is important that you got the image you got. However, you have several partitions on the drive, apparently. If so, you may need to have an image containing more partitions than just the one to restore everything on the drive.

    Alternatively, you may have all the partitions in your current image. Do you recall if you checked all of the partitions to be backed up when creating the image of your drive or just the C partition? If you did not check them all, you will need to create another image, which will be guaranteed to be larger than the current one.

    Earthling should be able to help, but it probably won't be until tomorrow. He is in the UK...
     
  34. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Oh I definitely checked all partitions alright. They were all checked anyway by default. I wasn't gonna UNcheck any of them. I wanted EVERYthing backed up. Although I do find it worrying that my C drive says I've used 190 GB (although that keeps changing; due to the failing hard drive, space keeps appearing and disappearing quite randomly), but my backup image is only 177 GB.
     
  35. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    OK, that's great. I don't think you will even need to do the partioning mentioned earlier. I believe the process is identical in Windows 8.1 to Windows 7, but it looks like your current drive is 1 TB total, which is the same as your new drive if I have that correct. That means no need for moving partitions.

    The 178 GB is actually large for a single partition containing 190 GB of data, so I am not surprised to hear that you checked all of the boxes. The extra partitions are the reason the backup is so large. As I mentioned to you, for a single partition with Paragon Backup and Restore, I am seeing image sizes of about 16 GB for a drive containing 35 GB of actual data (160 GB drive). That's about 40% the size of the amount of data due to compression, and I would think Macrium achieves a similar level of compression. Anyway, since you got all the partitons, all you have to do is make sure all of the check boxes are checked when you restore to the new drive. That should be the end of it...

    Don't worry about disappearing space. System Restore adds and deletes restore points automatically, and this process can cause fluctuations of 10 to even 20 GB, sometimes in a matter of minutes. I have seen this numerous times. One minute I have 150 GB free and the next it's 160 GB or whatever. Anyway, that's what's in the difference in size of the images you have created.

    You should be ready to go. To verify that you chose all of the partitons, you can find the image using Macrium (in Windows) and then check the information on the image. Not sure exactly how to do this with Macrium, so you may have to fish around a little bit...
     
  36. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    You misunderstand. The 1 TB drive I have is my external hard drive. My main drive is only 500 GB. Remember how I panicked earlier when I thought I couldn't replace my current 500 GB drive with the 1 TB one I'd already bought?

    When you say I should make sure that all the boxes are checked, do you mean there'll be another step after clicking restore image? How many steps will there be in total?

    I'd rather not "fish around" in Macrium. I only do exactly what I'm told when it comes to my computer. That way, if I **** up anything, it's the fault of the person who told me and not my own. I'd rather you find out how I should do it and then just tell me, thanks.
     
  37. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    My mistake, yes your current drive is 500 GB. I see in the info you posted previously about your partitions. Following two threads about the same topic is a little bit difficult. For now, if you would please just post in this thread until you have restored the OS, that would be great.

    Your new drive being 1 TB won't affect the restore or the functionality of Windows on the drive, even though your current drive is only 500 GB. However, if you want to add the extra 500 GB of space to the main partion after the restore, you will need to move partitons to do accomplish this.

    When you are able please post the picture of your current partitions as requested...
     
  38. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    When you say move partitions, do you mean follow the steps in that link you posted earlier, or will I have to do something different now?

    I'd say the picture will be a long time coming. The scan is at only 31%. But the graph is amazing so far. Consistently at the top of the chart, with no major troughs.
     
  39. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    What I have seen about Windows 8.1 indicates that you cannot extend a partition into free space unless the free space is immediately to the right of the partition. Your image will be copied as such onto the new drive:

    ===============C:===============|==Restore Partition==|===============Free Space===============

    Since the Free Space partition will not be directly to the right of the C drive (adjacent), you will need to move the Free Space partition to the left of the Restore Partition. Then you will be able to merge the C drive partition with the free space partition. This is different than would be the case if your current drive were a 1 TB (same size as new drive). There would be no free space, so you wouldn't need to move anything.

    Earthling is a specialist with this, so I would wait for him to drop in tomorrow before moving ahead with this part of your restore. However, you can go ahead an restore the image to the new drive and use the PC just as you do now and then make this change later, once you get a chance to hear from him (or anyone else with knowledge in the area). 8.1 has more extensive capabilities than Windows 7, which is what I am using on the PCs I have here at home, so I don't know the details of the process in 8.1...

    The pic will help, when your scan finishes...
     
  40. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    39% now. Think I'll just leave it running, and go and get a few hours sleep. Is moving partitions more difficult than just extending them?
     
  41. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    On moving partitions...not sure whether this can be done in Windows 8.1 using Windows Disk Management or whether you will need a partition management program like Aomei or Easeus. If it comes to that, it could be a small project for sure. You may need to work from a partitioning software that is available as a bootable program (like Macrium) to do this type of thing.

    It's a fairly standard problem to have, so I am hoping it won't be much of an ordeal. The only thing that concerns me is the UEFI partition you have there between the C drive and the restore partition (forgot to include it in the diagram). Not sure how much of a hindrance that will be to the process, but I am confident it can be done somehow.

    Earthling or someone who happens along should have the information on that you will need. His expertise in this area is worth waiting on for sure...
     
  42. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Not UEFI, just EFI. Is there a difference, or are they synonymous?
     
  43. _nullptr

    _nullptr Major Geeky Geek Geek

    UEFI/EFI = synonymous (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface)
     
  44. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Jesse Newell...

    They are essentially the same as _nullptr has stated. UEFI is the equivalent of EFI 2.0. For your purposes it doesn't matter. You will either way be needing to find a way to get the free space next to the main drive...
     
  45. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Damn... :(
     
  46. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Here are the results of the scan on my external hard drive. Here's the report first:

    Open Disk
    Test : RD-Read


    Executing
    Block start at 3828224 time 84ms
    Block start at 8387328 time 73ms
    Block start at 57464832 time 69ms
    Block start at 86575872 time 184ms
    Block start at 102344192 time 94ms
    Block start at 147379200 time 89ms
    Block start at 192234496 time 86ms
    Block start at 201694976 time 51ms
    Block start at 237201664 time 69ms
    Block start at 281993472 time 83ms
    Block start at 326525696 time 74ms
    Block start at 371301888 time 68ms
    Block start at 402925824 time 194ms
    Block start at 402926080 time 180ms
    Block start at 402926336 time 154ms
    Block start at 402927360 time 69ms
    Block start at 407384064 time 65ms
    Block start at 411862784 time 67ms
    Block start at 416363008 time 72ms
    Block start at 420924928 time 70ms
    Block start at 425388800 time 69ms
    Block start at 429887744 time 68ms
    Block start at 434330368 time 60ms
    Block start at 438795520 time 71ms
    Block start at 443235072 time 68ms
    Block start at 460667648 time 74ms
    Block start at 504914176 time 86ms
    Block start at 549725440 time 60ms
    Block start at 594770688 time 69ms
    Block start at 639559936 time 68ms
    Block start at 684676608 time 73ms
    Block start at 729369088 time 60ms
    Block start at 774349056 time 82ms
    Block start at 819266048 time 69ms
    Block start at 864281088 time 60ms
    Block start at 909316352 time 60ms
    Block start at 954263040 time 79ms
    Block start at 965262080 time 52ms
    Block start at 966200832 time 80ms
    Block start at 966707968 time 56ms
    Block start at 966775552 time 93ms
    Block start at 966839808 time 71ms
    Block start at 999197952 time 60ms
    Block start at 1044109824 time 61ms
    Block start at 1088961536 time 78ms
    Block start at 1133943296 time 77ms
    Block start at 1178574848 time 68ms
    Block start at 1222946816 time 60ms
    Block start at 1267775744 time 61ms
    Block start at 1312615680 time 70ms
    Block start at 1357356800 time 74ms
    Block start at 1390811136 time 118ms
    Block start at 1390812416 time 68ms
    Block start at 1390812672 time 289ms
    Block start at 1402193664 time 192ms
    Block start at 1406644992 time 62ms
    Block start at 1411139584 time 52ms
    Block start at 1415657216 time 56ms
    Block start at 1420199424 time 55ms
    Block start at 1424711680 time 62ms
    Block start at 1429214976 time 57ms
    Block start at 1433710336 time 65ms
    Block start at 1447184896 time 73ms
    Block start at 1492055552 time 60ms
    Block start at 1501770496 time 149ms
    Block start at 1536906496 time 73ms
    Block start at 1581815552 time 64ms
    Block start at 1626236416 time 53ms
    Block start at 1677296896 time 157ms
    Block start at 1761711104 time 70ms
    Block start at 1807003648 time 61ms
    Block start at 1852331520 time 52ms
    Block start at 1897637120 time 53ms

    And here are the graph and the map:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  47. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    And here's the Disk Management image:

    [​IMG]
     
  48. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    OP SOLVED!

    Alt+X is now back to exiting MPC as it should. There was no hardware or software glitch. It suddenly occurred to me that, because I'd installed Start Menu 8, and my Windows key now brought up the Start menu instead of the Start screen, that Start Menu 8 might also be the reason why Alt+X had taken on another function. Sure enough, when I uninstalled Start Menu 8 to test that theory, and opened up MPC, Alt+X closed it just as it should have. Gonna reinstall Start Menu 8 though because I want to keep it, so from now on, when I want to exit MPC, I'll use the other default key combo someone on another forum told me about, Alt+F4 That works fine.
     
  49. Earthling

    Earthling Interplanetary Geek

    Jesse - AtlBo has asked if I can help at all with this. First thing to do is to stop worrying about how to combine the additional space and get your image restored to the new drive. In another thread you told me you had already done a dummy restore with your rescue CD so you should already know how the procedure goes but ask of course if you aren't sure exactly how to proceed. When the restore has completed and you are booted up please post another pic from disk management but this time try to include the top half in the shot too. At that point we can decide how best to proceed so as to use the additional space. It would also help a lot if you would keep all non-relevant info like StartX etc out of your replies and, if possible, avoid raising or adding to other threads of yours while this is going on. Our only objective right now is to get your system running in its present state from your new drive. Everything else is a distraction.
     
  50. Jesse Newell

    Jesse Newell MajorGeek

    Don't quite understand. What's StartX? Are you talking about Start Menu 8 and Alt+X? The original post of this particular thread was about a problem I was having with MPC and the Alt+X shortcut, so saying how I've now resolved it is hardly irrelevant. And although getting my new drive running is my MAIN concern, I do still have other issues that I'm still gonna bring up in other threads.
     

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