10 replies to this topic

[mark p]

I hope to focus the issue I raised in my earlier post. I bought a Dell Dimension E510 Windows XP SP2 in August 2006 with pre-installed Roxio DLA 5.2.0 and Roxio Creator LE-Dell Edition, Sonic Solutions 2005, which has seven modules, including RecordNow Audio and Copy.  I registered both products.

I've tried six times to access Roxio DLA but each time my password is rejected and I'm told to regenerate it, but no promised email has been forthcoming even after I disabled my Spam Blocker.  I've tried to start a fresh registration six times but always end up with a Server Error (500) or Link Error.  In short, I don't know how to logon with the DLA page and ask for tech help.

I've also been unable to navigate the Dell tech support for different reasons.

The problem began when I removed my pre-installed expired free subscription of McAfee with a tool downloaded from its site.  Then I installed with a CD the Norton's AntiVirus 2007.  But when I inserted the DLA formatted CD-RW I'd been using for daily backup, I got a blue screen with a message to this effect:
BAD_POOL_HEADER. If problem continues disable new software.  Then disable BIOS memory options such as caching and shadowing.  Use Safe Mode if necessary. Technical information: a long sting of numbers beginning with 0x00000019. (I have not uninstalled my Norton's or disabled BIOS because I don't know what the latter is and I don't want to make the problem worse.)

After I turned the power off, then back on, I had to remove the offending CD-RW immediately or the shut down would reoccur.  Microsoft's error report led to a link with its Online Crash Analysis that reported "Error likely caused by DLA" with a link to the downloaded upgrade dla4978u.exe. The download takes an hour and the first time I ran it the report was that no valid version could be found to be upgraded.  I suspect this is because my version 5.2.0 is newer than the upgrade.  I downloaded it again today but when I ran it the message was that it had been corrupted and I should obtain a new copy.  I don't want to waste another hour on an upgrade that is probably less current than what I already have on my computer.

Norton's tech suggested I check the box for tfswctrl.exe under the Startup Tab in msconfig.  But it was not listed.  I've emailed Norton's for more help.  

Thanks to the guidance I recieved from several people on this forum I know considerably more about CDs and the advantages of unformatted CD-RWs as well as the greater compatibility of unformatted CD-Rs. I have a jump drive for backup so this problem is an annoyance, not a crisis.  On the other hand, the convenience of DLA for daily backups is one I will miss.  

Since I've been unable to access Roxio tech support, I'm hoping someone on this forum can point me in the right direction.  Allow me to preempt the suggestion that it is Sonic and not Roxio that I should querry. My product is clearly labeled Roxio DLA, version 5.2.0.  Whatever the working arrangement is between the two companies, I deserve to at least be able to reach them over the Internet.  Their sites loop back on one another.  I've now wasted hours and hours on this problem and am no further along then when I started. The blue screen came up again today when I had the DLA enabled and inserted one of my DLA formatted CD-RWs.  I've again disabled the DLA.  I'm frustrated. Mark

[Larry]

mark p, on Nov 1 2006, 02:49 PM, said:

I hope to focus the issue I raised in my earlier post. I bought a Dell Dimension E510 Windows XP SP2 in August 2006 with pre-installed Roxio DLA 5.2.0 and Roxio Creator LE-Dell Edition, Sonic Solutions 2005, which has seven modules, including RecordNow Audio and Copy.  I registered both products.

I've tried six times to access Roxio DLA but each time my password is rejected and I'm told to regenerate it, but no promised email has been forthcoming even after I disabled my Spam Blocker.  I've tried to start a fresh registration six times but always end up with a Server Error (500) or Link Error.  In short, I don't know how to logon with the DLA page and ask for tech help.

I've also been unable to navigate the Dell tech support for different reasons.

The problem began when I removed my pre-installed expired free subscription of McAfee with a tool downloaded from its site.  Then I installed with a CD the Norton's AntiVirus 2007.  But when I inserted the DLA formatted CD-RW I'd been using for daily backup, I got a blue screen with a message to this effect:
BAD_POOL_HEADER. If problem continues disable new software.  Then disable BIOS memory options such as caching and shadowing.  Use Safe Mode if necessary. Technical information: a long sting of numbers beginning with 0x00000019. (I have not uninstalled my Norton's or disabled BIOS because I don't know what the latter is and I don't want to make the problem worse.)

After I turned the power off, then back on, I had to remove the offending CD-RW immediately or the shut down would reoccur.  Microsoft's error report led to a link with its Online Crash Analysis that reported "Error likely caused by DLA" with a link to the downloaded upgrade dla4978u.exe. The download takes an hour and the first time I ran it the report was that no valid version could be found to be upgraded.  I suspect this is because my version 5.2.0 is newer than the upgrade.  I downloaded it again today but when I ran it the message was that it had been corrupted and I should obtain a new copy.  I don't want to waste another hour on an upgrade that is probably less current than what I already have on my computer.

Norton's tech suggested I check the box for tfswctrl.exe under the Startup Tab in msconfig.  But it was not listed.  I've emailed Norton's for more help.  

Thanks to the guidance I recieved from several people on this forum I know considerably more about CDs and the advantages of unformatted CD-RWs as well as the greater compatibility of unformatted CD-Rs. I have a jump drive for backup so this problem is an annoyance, not a crisis.  On the other hand, the convenience of DLA for daily backups is one I will miss.  

Since I've been unable to access Roxio tech support, I'm hoping someone on this forum can point me in the right direction.  Allow me to preempt the suggestion that it is Sonic and not Roxio that I should querry. My product is clearly labeled Roxio DLA, version 5.2.0.  Whatever the working arrangement is between the two companies, I deserve to at least be able to reach them over the Internet.  Their sites loop back on one another.  I've now wasted hours and hours on this problem and am no further along then when I started. The blue screen came up again today when I had the DLA enabled and inserted one of my DLA formatted CD-RWs.  I've again disabled the DLA.  I'm frustrated. Mark

I've noticed the contact problems on the Sonic site also. Sonic and Roxio are now the same company (Sonic bought Roxio a year or so ago). For contact info, this page has all of the information for you to select from.

As to the actual issue, I would continue to pursue the Norton side of things, as their products are notorious for causing these kinds of things to happen. It is likely to be some configuration or setting in the Norton software that is causing it. If you were to un-install it, or disable all of it (as a test), it's likely you'll find that DLA would then work.

[lynn98109]

I've crossed paths with some info that outside pressure is coming to bear on higher eschelons over the log-in problems (most of us regulars don't sign out, to avoid problems signing in that can take days to resolve).

Keep up the good work

Lynn

[mark p]

Larry and Lynn, thanks for your responses.

Larry, I went to the page you linked and immediately fired off an email to the registration department for help.  Thanks a million.  I can't tell you--and Lynn you cited this as an ongoing problem for others--how frustrating it has been to have seemingly no choice but repeat over and over submissions to which there's either no replies or the same blocks with Server Error (500).  

Larry, you mentioned that I could disable or uninstall my Norton's and see if that allowed the DLA to work. I intended to do that but hesitated for a couple of reasons.  First, I have to have the Norton's enabled to go online safely, so alternating between them for even an hour or so is not an inviting option.  As a test, which I realize is what you meant, if the DLA seems fine without the Norton's enabled, I don't know where that leaves me, other than a higher decree of certainty that the incompatibility is indeed the culprit. Until I get some hint of some other culprit, it doesn't mean much.  That is, if it's not the DLA-Norton incompatibility, I'm at a total loss and will have to work my way through Dell Support.  Anyway, now I have Norton's sending me suggestions and with luck will be able to reach Roxio Support for its guidance. If neither pans out and if Dell offers nothing then I will dump either DLA or Norton's and see where I stand.

The capper is that I'm reminded of the joke on The Simpsons when Homer says Ed Begley's energy efficient car runs on "smugness."  The truth is, the real value of DLA is it made me feel so #$^@ smug to be so easily maintaining a running update of Word Documents as I revised them throughout the day. In fact, I could have backed them up on my jump drive every few days and been perfectly safe from all but a highly unlikely disaster.  But, man, I loved that DLA.  I felt so superior in my perfect backups.  Smugness, it might be said, goeth before a crash. Thanks again, Mark

[Larry]

mark p, on Nov 1 2006, 07:26 PM, said:

Larry and Lynn, thanks for your responses.

Larry, I went to the page you linked and immediately fired off an email to the registration department for help.  Thanks a million.  I can't tell you--and Lynn you cited this as an ongoing problem for others--how frustrating it has been to have seemingly no choice but repeat over and over submissions to which there's either no replies or the same blocks with Server Error (500).  

Larry, you mentioned that I could disable or uninstall my Norton's and see if that allowed the DLA to work. I intended to do that but hesitated for a couple of reasons.  First, I have to have the Norton's enabled to go online safely, so alternating between them for even an hour or so is not an inviting option.  As a test, which I realize is what you meant, if the DLA seems fine without the Norton's enabled, I don't know where that leaves me, other than a higher decree of certainty that the incompatibility is indeed the culprit. Until I get some hint of some other culprit, it doesn't mean much.  That is, if it's not the DLA-Norton incompatibility, I'm at a total loss and will have to work my way through Dell Support.  Anyway, now I have Norton's sending me suggestions and with luck will be able to reach Roxio Support for its guidance. If neither pans out and if Dell offers nothing then I will dump either DLA or Norton's and see where I stand.

The capper is that I'm reminded of the joke on The Simpsons when Homer says Ed Begley's energy efficient car runs on "smugness."  The truth is, the real value of DLA is it made me feel so #$^@ smug to be so easily maintaining a running update of Word Documents as I revised them throughout the day. In fact, I could have backed them up on my jump drive every few days and been perfectly safe from all but a highly unlikely disaster.  But, man, I loved that DLA.  I felt so superior in my perfect backups.  Smugness, it might be said, goeth before a crash. Thanks again, Mark

Hopefully you'll get some helpful responses from the companies involved.

I'd try to suggest some things to change in the Norton settings, but I haven't used it for over a year now (dropped it for similar issues and I can get equal or better A/V protection for free), so don't want to take any "shots in the dark" to lead you astray. I guess what I was thinking, was that if you wanted to try the un-install of Norton, you'd disconnect from the nest during your testing if you're concerned about security. Just a thought.

Based on your "jump drive" comment, if it was me, and this is just an opinion, I would use the jump drive for doing those document saves/backups. It's a much more reliable form of hardware to be using for that compared to a DLA disc. Jump drives were made for the purpose you are trying to use DLA discs for. DLA (and other brands of packet writing software like InCD and Drag to Disc) were "invented" to try to make cd discs act like big floppy disks. Problem is, cd (and now dvd) discs were not designed for that purpose. In addition to the stability problems with formatted cd's, the DLA discs are not compatible with the others (i.e. InCD, Drag to Disc), and vise versa. Whereas a jump drive works on any pc with a usb port without anything special. Just some more of my thoughts on the subject fpr you to consider.

[JimF]

I have the same problem.  I installed an old version of DLA (4.9) and thought I had fixed the problem but it did not.  Unchecking the tfswctrl.exe file in the startup keeps the blue screen of death from happening but I have no DLA.  I emailed Symantec but got no feedback.  Has anyone come up with a fix or workaround yet?

[Bao Pu]

Hello

I would like to add my name to the list!
I too have a Dell  (Dimension 9200)and recently installed Norton Internet Security 2007. However, my blue screen of death (Bad Pool Header) appears when using a Kingston Data Traveller (= flash drive) and not a data DVD.  A couple times upon startup I have gotten an error message which by means of Microsoft Error Reporting leads me to the Sonic site with that update for the DLA. The number of the one I downloaded was DLA498U, but it too would not install, saying that no valid version could be found. And I too have had lots of problems logging in and registering.

I never thought that Norton had anything to do with this problem. The Dell technician and I, after running hours of diagnostics for Blue Screen errors, concluded that the flash drive was corrupted, since the blue screen only occurs when I insert it or try to access it. It was working for almost a month before this problem. But now I am not so sure.

Edited by Bao Pu, 14 November 2006 - 03:24 PM.

[mark p]

Thanks for comments from Larry on 1 Nov, JimF on 12 Nov, and Bau Pu on 13 Nov. I have not progressed much.  
Larry, the link you sent for Registration did not work. The response was "non-delivery."  Your advice to use my jump drive instead of DLA formatted CD-RWs, on the other hand, works great. After all this hassle I've pretty much decided to forget about the DLA entirely.
JimF, the fact that you had a tfswctrl to disable and still wound up with an unusable DLA is disheartening. Both Roxio and Symantec techs wanted me to disable tfswctrl, but it was not displayed in my Systems Configuation Utility Startup Tab.  I queried both for additional guidance.  Symantec sent me a link:
Title: 'How to start your computer with only Symantec and Microsoft services loading'
Document ID: 2005110811012639
> Web URL: http://service1.syma...src=con_ols_nam

I thought it was too complicated for me to use.  I don't want to create a bigger mess over the DLA now that I have decided it is not worthwhile.

As to Roxio, the tech told me to deselect DLACTRLW in the Startup Tab.  I did it both with and without Norton's enabled and the result was the same.  I could access my old DLA formatted CD-RWs with data already writtten to them but they were "read-only."  I had this same problem earlier and as far as I'm concerned this turns the CD-RW into a CD-R, which is of no practical use to me for daily revisions and continuous backups.  At one point I also ran into the orginal problem of the blue screen and BAD POOL HEADER error that shuts the computer down.  I still don't know what causes that. I assume the basic problem is an incompatibility with different programs at the startup phase that is later triggered when one actually opens one of the programs.  But I don't know.

Bao Pu, you and I had the same experience with dla498u.  I assume it is because our DLA program is of a more recent vintage than the upgrade.  I don't think it will help, but you might review my earlier post on this problem.  See Mark P on 26 Oct: Roxio DLA 5.2.0, Computer Shuts Down.  Your experience with a Kingstan flash drive worries me.  So far I've had no difficulty with either my Lexar Secure II Jump Drive or my Memorex USB Flash Drive.  So, if I had to guess, it is not your flash drive that is corrupted, but rather some incompatibility between competing programs at the startup.  I hadn't tried Dell Support because I couldn't get though the requisite self-diagnostics and also thought it was more of a tech problem for Symantec and Roxio (Sonic).  From your message, it sounds like Dell would not have been of much help anyway.

As of now, I'm at a loss about the nature of the problem or any relatively simple means of trying to solve it. I've made a virtue of necessity and reconciled myself to not using the DLA.  It is easily disabled and replaced by the Recording Tab under Properties when you right-click the drive in My Computer. I'll monitor  post updates in hope of a solution, but I feel I've wasted way too much time on this. Thanks, Mark

[JimF]

mark p, on Nov 14 2006, 08:01 PM, said:

Thanks for comments from Larry on 1 Nov, JimF on 12 Nov, and Bau Pu on 13 Nov. I have not progressed much.  
Larry, the link you sent for Registration did not work. The response was "non-delivery."  Your advice to use my jump drive instead of DLA formatted CD-RWs, on the other hand, works great. After all this hassle I've pretty much decided to forget about the DLA entirely.
JimF, the fact that you had a tfswctrl to disable and still wound up with an unusable DLA is disheartening. Both Roxio and Symantec techs wanted me to disable tfswctrl, but it was not displayed in my Systems Configuation Utility Startup Tab.  I queried both for additional guidance.  Symantec sent me a link:
Title: 'How to start your computer with only Symantec and Microsoft services loading'
Document ID: 2005110811012639
> Web URL: http://service1.syma...src=con_ols_nam

I thought it was too complicated for me to use.  I don't want to create a bigger mess over the DLA now that I have decided it is not worthwhile.

As to Roxio, the tech told me to deselect DLACTRLW in the Startup Tab.  I did it both with and without Norton's enabled and the result was the same.  I could access my old DLA formatted CD-RWs with data already writtten to them but they were "read-only."  I had this same problem earlier and as far as I'm concerned this turns the CD-RW into a CD-R, which is of no practical use to me for daily revisions and continuous backups.  At one point I also ran into the orginal problem of the blue screen and BAD POOL HEADER error that shuts the computer down.  I still don't know what causes that. I assume the basic problem is an incompatibility with different programs at the startup phase that is later triggered when one actually opens one of the programs.  But I don't know.

Bao Pu, you and I had the same experience with dla498u.  I assume it is because our DLA program is of a more recent vintage than the upgrade.  I don't think it will help, but you might review my earlier post on this problem.  See Mark P on 26 Oct: Roxio DLA 5.2.0, Computer Shuts Down.  Your experience with a Kingstan flash drive worries me.  So far I've had no difficulty with either my Lexar Secure II Jump Drive or my Memorex USB Flash Drive.  So, if I had to guess, it is not your flash drive that is corrupted, but rather some incompatibility between competing programs at the startup.  I hadn't tried Dell Support because I couldn't get though the requisite self-diagnostics and also thought it was more of a tech problem for Symantec and Roxio (Sonic).  From your message, it sounds like Dell would not have been of much help anyway.

As of now, I'm at a loss about the nature of the problem or any relatively simple means of trying to solve it. I've made a virtue of necessity and reconciled myself to not using the DLA.  It is easily disabled and replaced by the Recording Tab under Properties when you right-click the drive in My Computer. I'll monitor  post updates in hope of a solution, but I feel I've wasted way too much time on this. Thanks, Mark

Mark,
Thanks for the comments.  I was also using the DLA for data backup bit using a USB Flash Drive is an excellent idea.  Guess I will trash the DLA also.  Jim

[Bao Pu]

mark p, on Nov 14 2006, 08:01 PM, said:

...

Bao Pu, you and I had the same experience with dla498u.  I assume it is because our DLA program is of a more recent vintage than the upgrade.  I don't think it will help, but you might review my earlier post on this problem.  See Mark P on 26 Oct: Roxio DLA 5.2.0, Computer Shuts Down.  Your experience with a Kingstan flash drive worries me.  So far I've had no difficulty with either my Lexar Secure II Jump Drive or my Memorex USB Flash Drive.  So, if I had to guess, it is not your flash drive that is corrupted, but rather some incompatibility between competing programs at the startup.  I hadn't tried Dell Support because I couldn't get though the requisite self-diagnostics and also thought it was more of a tech problem for Symantec and Roxio (Sonic).  From your message, it sounds like Dell would not have been of much help anyway.

I have corresponded with the Dell tech some more. I had him read the relevant posts at this forum and he believes the problem is indeed the DLA. He suggested I uninstall it and see what happens (or doesn't happen). I think for now I will just disable the DLACTRLW and disable the DLA on both of my drives (right-click the drive>properties>DLA> uncheck "enable DLA"). I have been able to access my flashdrive several times now with no problems. Although I originally got the blue screen when I tried to access my flashdrive or plugged it in, the problem still may have been with the DLA formatted discs, as I may have had one in one of the DVD drives. But I really don't know.

Quote

As of now, I'm at a loss about the nature of the problem or any relatively simple means of trying to solve it. I've made a virtue of necessity and reconciled myself to not using the DLA.

I hear you.

good health,
Bao Pu

[mark p]

Bao Pu,

Thanks for comment and messages. To be clear, I reversed the deselection of DLACTRLW.  It's box is checked.  I, too, have disabled DLA on both my CD and DVD drives through the Properties box and the DLA Tab.  I hope it turns out that your problem with a flashdrive was a DLA formattted disc. My understanding of Lynn's explanation about "session" recordings on CDs is described in my last comment to my post on the next page of this forum under the title of Roxio DLA 5.2.0, Computer Shuts Down.  Without DLA formatting the CD-RW seems to overwrite with a revised file but doesn't really overwrite.  It merely creates another file, taking up KBs on the disc, which are displayed at the Creator Home Tools Disc Information. I haven't returned to either Roxio or Symantec support.  I've given up.

As to the sluggishness of your Word and the Normal.dot template, I haven't created a new Normal.dot since I bought this Dell with XP in August.  It used to be easy to run a Search, rename as Old Normal.dot, and automatically create a fresh one with its 26KBs.  The Normal.dot is hidden in XP so you have to jump through some hoops, or at least that is my understanding from a quick Internet search. I noticed two others potential culprits for sluggishness in Word: the "allow fast saves" under Tools Options; and good old Norton's Antivirus.  I don't feel I'm having the problem but I suppose you good open Norton's and go from Settings to Options to MIscellaneous to the box about Word Documents and uncheck it.  Again, I haven't done that, so am not advising you based on personal experience.  Just something to consider. Mark