Anyone hear of this?: Win2kSP4+WMP9+DVDDecrypter=DESTROYED C: drive

[dmonic_one]

Maybe there is something else going on here, but lemme describe the evidence to date:

First of all - I use Dvd Decrpyter to archive my already bought (and expensive) DVDs. Fair use for sure. It's performance had been outstanding. I run win2k and kept my system regularly updated. I use the latest non beta release of windows media player since that is what works with my Yahoo music subscription (Full DRM compliancy as it were).

Then about 4 months ago my system crashed. Pow - could not find the system file in the config directory. (Cant remember the scenario in which it crashed.) Ok. Windows sucks, it happens. Recovered most of the data, updated my virus software, migrated to a larger hard drive, yada yada. Got everything up, reinstalled, and going again and in the middle of a DVD Decrypter ISO burn. Pow - happened again this time it totally scrambled my C: drive in such a way I couldnt recover any data from it. WTF I wondered.

So I reinstalled my OS. Ran all the critical updates. Installed WMP and office 2k and ran my system as bare as I could. It ran perfectly for weeks. Then I installed DVD Decrypter. and in the middle of an ISO read the same day, my computer rebooted and couldnt find my system file. Aha, this has something to do with DVD decrypter (although I dont think DVD decrypter itself is the culprit).

So I reinstalled my OS again. This time I DID NOT install the critical updates (which means I am on SP2) nor did I install WMP. Installed DVD decrypter and 2 weeks into it and no problems (other than half my favorite software is not installed!)

So here is my suspicion: Microsoft, either through the critical updates or through WMP and / or its updates, sees DVD decrpyter or some code from DVD decrpyter running and wipes the root drive as punishment. (ala sony rootkit or Starforce DRM but much much worse.)

So has anyone else seen this or something like it? Please dont tell me "upgrade to XP" or "go with I-tunes" (viable arguements for sure but irrelevant). My post here is more to inform others of a possible malicious retribution for exercising fair use and the scenario that possibly caused it.

[blutach]

Given you have had 2 crashes, it might be your harddrive going south/bad disk controller or some other hardware issues. Certainly not a DVD Decrypter issue.

Maybe even a virus.

Regards

[setarip_old]

@dmonic_one

Hi!couldnt find my system fileWhat specific "system file" was missing?

Did you do a Googlesearch for "name of your missing system file" and "virus"?

[chipzoller]

Something to also consider would be defective/corrupt RAM. Whenever I hear of or experience strange or otherwise unexplainable problems, I look to the RAM.

[dmonic_one]

Replaced the hard drive after 1st crash (crashes are a great excuse to the missus as to a reason to upgrade)

C:\WINNT\system32\config\system
comes back as saying corrupted / not found

A virus is unlikely (but not impossible) since I was running Mcafee religiously prior to the crash (even though I hated it) and went to bit defender after the first crash (I suspected Mcafee as being responsible at first since it always seemed to hijack my system resources)

A corrupted RAM (or memory controller IC) is a certain possibility, especially since ripping a DVD is so memory intensive. That is why I have been running the system in a minumum configuration to try to elimnate hardware fails. I really have not ran any other heavily memory intensive applications since then come to think of it. Hmmm. thanks for bringing this variable to the forefront of my deductive reasoning & troubleshooting. Regardless, it'll be a great excuse to the missus.

[feedback]

I agree with blutach that it sounds like hardware issues. Certainly not a DVD Decrypter issue.
It could possibly be a failing power supply.
I have been running the system in a minumum configuration to try to elimnate hardware fails.
Put a heavy load on the system, ie. pulling a high current(I) load, and see what happens.

Regards,

[blutach]

ORTHOS is a great "heavy load" for memory and other stuff. If your PC escapes after 10 hours of it, you can start smiling.

Regards