Can't figure this one out

[philly tom]

I have used PTE for a few years and have version 4.30 on my Win XP Pro desktop. I have made slideshows with music before, then burned them to CD and sent them out. Typical show with music was about 40mb. It would load and then autorun in a computer in less than 1 minute.

For the past few days I have been compiling a new show with music and pared it down to about 41mb and burned it to CD adding the autorun.inf file. But the damn thing is taking almost 4 minutes to load and I am losing my mind trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong. The image files are all JPEG no larger than 800 pixels on the long side and "saved" down to "medium" compression. The music file is a mono mixdown about 25mb. I burn this to CD.

I've loaded this new, completed show-on-CD into two different computers and in each case the load time is ridiculously long - just about 4 minutes. But, running the show directly off the harddrive where it resides it runs immediatley as I expect it would. I should note again that a previous show I created with music and burned to CD would load in less than 1 minute, using same size image files and sound track size.

Questions: Is this long load time from CD unavoidable, even with a 40x CD/DVD Reader? Is the music tracks added MB's causing the long load time? Am I missing something in the "project options"? I see in the PTE advertisments that even a 500Mb show will start immediatley - but nothing about burning to CD and load times is anywhere in the manual's contents.

Any help much appreciated.

[fh1805]

Loading from CD is always slower than loading from hard-drive or from a USB memory device. But 4 minutes is indeed excessive. I cannot offer any explanation that is related to PTE but I have witnessed something similar on my own system recently.

I loaded a CD that had several hundred PDF files on it and it took several minutes to show the file lists in Windows Explorer. Because it took so long I activated Windows Task Manager so that I could see what was going on. I then ejected the CD and re-loaded it. Windows Task Manager showed that my anti-virus software had jumped into life. I concluded that the anti-virus software was scanning every one of the PDF files and that the file list didn't display until all files had been scanned.

Perhaps you are experiencing something similar.

regards,

Peter

[nobeefstu]

As Peter mentions ... virus checks play a big roll on load time.

Do you still have that same Disc that loaded in less than a minute ?

If you do ... try it again for load performance.

You using CD-R or CD-RW ? CD-RW's are slower

Even though you have a 40x CD/DVD Reader ... are the Disks 40X capable or just some cheapies with 1X-4X.

If you have something like Nero CD/DVD Speed disc check tools ... check the discs.

[davegee]

The answer seems to be simple:

Have you tried the EXE file from your hard drive? How long does it take to start up (it should be instantaneous)?

If all is well from the hard drive try a flash memory key - once again it should be instantaneous.

Try it without the Autorun - how long does it take to open the CD in Explorer so that you can start it Manually?

DaveG

[cjdnzl]

I have had a similar problem when attempting to run a another member's show at camera club - my computer just hung and hung, where the club machine - a lower-powered model than mine - ran the show almost immediately - chagrin!!

I found the reason was my machine has ZoneAlarm installed, and it was that program attempting to check the largish show program that was the culprit. Killing ZA enabled my computer to run the show more or less instantly.

I have since found that anti-virus programs that do real-time checking of programs will cause this delayed response with every program that is launched.

Colin

[Conflow]

Colin,

You are so correct, problem being that any "worthwhile" Anti-Virus Program has 'background-scanning' as a base feature.

Not only will this effect a Pte.Exe but also impacts on Adobe-Reader and in particular those Programs which have access to

any Comms-Ports despite the fact that XP and Vista have excellent (inbuilt) Firewalls as do Cable-Broadband routers.

For the past while we have a routine of physically 'switching-off' our Internet conection's and switching-off our AV

then working 'Off-Line'. It is now impossible to go 'On-Line' without being prompted to switch-on our AV first.

And practically speaking who bothers to check 3rd Party CD-Discs and Memory-Pens with the AV Program ????? well we

don't ~ but then we use a 'Sandbox-Program' into which we load 3rd Party materials and run those Programs from there.

It's very effective and it works, and the advantages far outweigh the small learing curve of a Sandbox.

This might help users with 'slow-up' problems.

Brian.Conflow.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

I use AVG 8 Free, and it's set to do a sceduled scan at 1pm each day which I tend to forget about. However, whenever I am using the computer just after 1pm on something memory hungry and things start to go pear shaped it immediately flags in my mind that AVG is running. When the sceduled scan start there is a brief flag appears for a couple of seconds then disappears, which is easy to miss. If it stayed on the screen when running I think that would be better, however it should have the facility to manually remove the flag, just a thought.

Yachtsman1

[davegee]

Eric,

One of the ADVANCED properties of AVG is to run a scan and close the computer.

So if your scan was scheduled for (around) 11pm you could safely leave the computer running knowing that after the scan it would switch itself off.

DaveG

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Eric,

One of the ADVANCED properties of AVG is to run a scan and close the computer.

So if your scan was scheduled for (around) 11pm you could safely leave the computer running knowing that after the scan it would switch itself off.

DaveG

Hi Dave

I use laptops, but I suppose it would work, however sometimes I burn the midnight oil which could affect my work.

However, thanks for the tip, I will give it a try.

Regards Eric

[Conflow]

Eric,

Over 95% of all Virii and Invasions into any computer work as described below ~ the remaining 5% are Web Hijack Tools.

Most Virii load into a Computer automatically and reside somewhere with direct access to Memory and simply hibernate there

doing nothing waiting for you to 'Log-Off'.

When you 'Log-On' again they autostart with the PC Boot-Up process, and migrate with the starting process throught out the PC.

~then its too late~

It's absolutely vital and crucial that your Anti-Virus starts up at Boot-Up so when the Virus.Exe starts your AV catches it !!

It's been our experience that 'Times Scheduled Scans' are practically worthless because the damage has been done before that,

and because most modern infections are designed to 'gag' your Anti-Virus particularily those of the 'Timed Scan' types.

Summary

* A good Anti-Virus is designed to protect the PC ~ not try and fix it when its infected.

* 95% 0f Virii are designed to 'activate' during the PC start-up process ~ later AV scanning is useless.

* Your Anti-Virus must start-up at PC Boot-Up in order to offer maximum protection.

Hope this helps with any decisions you make...

Brian.Conflow.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi Brian

If that means a two hour scan everytime I switch on, I'm afraid that would be farsical. Touch wood I've been using computers 15 years and never got a virus, maybe I'm just lucky, or careful. Thanks for your suggestion.

BTW, I have other protections such as Spybot and Windows Firewall which are in use all the time. It's only AVG that is on a timed deep check.

Regards Eric

[Conflow]

Eric,

Just to answer that point...."If that means a two hour scan everytime I switch on"....

Certainly not ~ I don'use AVG but it must be capable of doing an 'Intelligent-Start Scan' lasting less than 2 minutes ?

In comparison Norton 2007 and Norton 2009 will 'Boot Scan' this HP Laptop in 20 seconds.....just goes to show the

differences in AV programs ~ but do keep in mind how those "bugs" operate !

Best regards and I hope things have speeded up for you,

Brian.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi Brian

I will have a look if there are any variations with AVG to do what you suggest, however this is a the free version so I should imagine more sophisticated scanning as you suggest will be at a premium.

BTW I looked at what I said previously and it's 25 years since I started using computers, 16 or 17 for the internet and past experiences with Norton & McAffee abysmal to say the least, doesn't time fly?

Yachtsman1

Eric

[davegee]

Hi Eric,

If your intended late night scan kicks in too soon you could PAUSE the scan and RESUME on completion of your work.

There is also another advanced option: "Delay this task if a full screen application is running".

Acouple of other options:

"Scan infectable files only"

In "Scan process priority" change from Automatic to "Fast scan"

Scan "C" drive only.

One of my "pet foibles" is that my "C" drive contains NO DATA (other than data which programmes write during their operation and can't be re-directed elsewhere) and this minimises the scanning time.

Hi Brian,

I bow to your knowledge on all things computing and would ask a couple of questions to improve my knowledge:

Firstly, if a late night scan is actioned would that not isolate the sneaky little Virus that is going to action itself on shut down and therefore prevent it from wreaking havoc on the next start up? That's providing that your definitions are up to date and the sneaky little virus is a "known virus".

Secondly, which is best, A or B:

A - Late night scan

B - No scan at all

Best wishes,

DaveG

[Conflow]

Hi Dave,

The vast majority of these "bugs" enter the PC during daytime operations. They don't activate during that period otherwise they

would destroy themselves. They wait for a next morning 'Boot-Up' which activates them where upon they 'Trojan' through the PC

and usually replicate copies of themselves and change signatures and try to "gag" your AV. (That is if you are not protected)

Understanding how they work is fundamental to proper protection:-

** The vast majority of Virii activate on PC Boot-Up.....Your AV is scanning for unknown Scripts (the Virus) whereas all other Programs

have a known 'tagged' signature. The unknown script has no 'tag' so the AV goes off to your Virus-Definitions and Oh.Oh !! we have a

match...Virus XXX is trying to execute (but is blocked) until recognition is established. now the AV quarantines it and so forth.

Had that been a proper Program it would have been blocked until checked for 'rogue-scripts' then rejected or passed and recognised.

Sometimes your AV makes a mistake called a 'false-positive' and you can see why from the above...

Late Night Scans would be very usefull indeed but the problem being...you have to hang around and wait for it to finish because the

AV sometimes ask's you for instructions when it finds something....so I'm afraid the Start-Up scan wins hands down.

This is by no means exhaustive but the basic operational principles are similar for all Anti-Virus Programs, some have 'patented' features

for speed and counter-checking like Norton 2009 which is extremely fast (vast improvement on old Norton)...its what you pay for

Hope this is not too complicated...

Regards,

Brian.

[davegee]

Not at all - I'm learning here.

So if a problem is encountered and requires an action, presumably the scan would stay open on screen awaiting your decision in the morning? Otherwise it would close down?

I don't really see that as a big problem - when I was gainfully employed I left my computer running sometimes for weeks on end with no adverse effects.

Maybe that's a good idea? If you don't reboot you don't get any problems?

But we have to be green don't we?

DaveG

[Conflow]

Dave,

In a perfect World you would be correct ~ in fact most Mac PC's do just that when they go into hibernation, but then Mac is Mac

and they re-start without a re-boot. You could do that with older Win '95s and '98s unfortunately modern Windows PCs are usually

'Energy Compliant' particularily Laptops.

It's been our experience here in our Workshops when you leave Pro 2000's or XP's overnite (even with HD's always on) you

arrive in the morning to a blank Screen where the darn PC or Laptop has gone into 'hibernation' or 'standby' and has consumed

most of its Virtual-Memory overnight then when its activated it either does a Re-start ~always with Memory refresh~ or a partial

Boot-up again with Memory refresh and there in lies the problem.....

Memory being re-freshed without a full Boot-Up Scan. Been there and got caught out a few times.

So much for Energy-Compliant Pc's. The way around that is to wake it up then hit the Start Button and do a full Re-Start and

as you know it closes down first ~ and then hopefully it Re-Starts with an intelligent Scan.

I've come to the conclusion about these things....you can never win !! and you would need eyes in the back of your Head !

Below is a little known Utilty which says it all, see Attachment

Link:- http://www.snapfiles.com/reviews/ScripTrap/scriptrap.html

Brian.

[davegee]

Brian,

I have to say that I don't copy your experiences with shutting down / hibernation - whatever you care to call it.

Many's the time I have gone out for the day and forgot to turn the darned thing off.

I've come back 8-10 hours later and just hit the enter key and there it is. I don't advise it, but it happens - I've never experienced anything like you describe.

So, in theory, what are we talking about? How many times do we do a scan and it finds absolutely nothing?

Is it a huge problem, if on one overnight scan out of a hundred, that the machine stays on waiting for an answer?

I think I'll give it a try and see what happens. My laptop's Power Scheme is configured for mains power and never switches off etc.

Best wishes,

DaveG

[philly tom]

Thank all of you for the suggesstions. I am going to shut off Zone Alarm and Spy Bot S&D, physically remove my internet conenctions -both wired and WiFi - and try the autorun once again. My suspicion is that ZA and SBSD are the culprits. I will re-post with results.

[philly tom]

Success! That filthy sod Zone Alarm has caused all the problems! Now my slide show with stereo sound track auto loads and runs immediatley. Thanks again to those of you who have shared your expertise and helped me solve this problem. Death to the infidels who create virii, worms and other forms of digital mayhem. May their bones become the resting place for the dung of a thousand swine.

[cjdnzl]

Success! That filthy sod Zone Alarm has caused all the problems! Now my slide show with stereo sound track auto loads and runs immediatley. Thanks again to those of you who have shared your expertise and helped me solve this problem. Death to the infidels who create virii, worms and other forms of digital mayhem. May their bones become the resting place for the dung of a thousand swine.

Well, that's a bit of a theatrical response there, Philly!

When you've done with the sword-wielding, chest-beating, and righteous epithets, don't forget that basically those programs are your friend in ordinary usage.

Seriously, I would like to see these programs and their ilk fitted with a 'suspend' switch so that where unfettered performance is required they can be turned off for the duration, when disconnected from the net of course. As it is, I go through the rigmarole of killing ZA for several operations, like running a PTE exe file, and burning CDs and DVDs - an intervention from ZA or an anti-v program is a sure way to wreck a burn. a 'suspend' option would be very nice to have.

Colin

[Conflow]

Colin,

That's a heck of a surprise ~ I would have thought such a good program like Zone Alarm would have

an 'unload' feature activated by RH.Clk on its Tray Icon such as Norton 2007 in the 'attachment' below.

This is not a criticism, I'm just surprised by that omission ~ and I must say ~ I sympathise with 'Philly'

and very much appreciate his theatrical frustration (wry smile) but had it been me, it would have

have been Ships-Engineers language in use...

Best regards,

Brian.

[cjdnzl]

Colin,

That's a heck of a surprise ~ I would have thought such a good program like Zone Alarm would have

an 'unload' feature activated by RH.Clk on its Tray Icon such as Norton 2007 in the 'attachment' below.

This is not a criticism, I'm just surprised by that omission ~ and I must say ~ I sympathise with 'Philly'

and very much appreciate his theatrical frustration (wry smile) but had it been me, it would have

have been Ships-Engineers language in use...

Best regards,

Brian.

Hello Brian,

Well, no, ZA doesn't work like your illustration of Norton. You have to actually close down the program, and it asks if you really want to do it, and warns that you are unprotected, and then XP leaps up and says you're unprotected - none of them check to see if the computer is off-line - somewhat of a pain in the nether regions. Then you have to launch ZA again when you want to restart. There's no way out for me, I would be paranoid about being on-line without ZA Pro running.

I think the problem with slow loading is that ZA figures a checksum every time you open an executable file - thorough but slow. I dunno about ship's engineer's language, electronic tech language would run it close at times!

Kind regards,

Colin