YouTube Crashes PC

Hello,

Lately my PC starts to crash whenever I watch videos on YouTube. Sometimes I can view a couple of videos (and it won't crash at all), but usually my PC crashes like after a couple of seconds into the video. Also, when going to fullscreen and back.

The screen just stays still while the audio continues for a couple of seconds before stopping, as well. CTRL+ALT+DEL won't work, and then I see a blue screen for not even a second and the PC restarts.

Anyone know what the problem could be?

By the way, it only happens on YouTube. I can watch stuff on Dailymotion without a problem.

Most amazing jew boots

First, disable the automatic restart on BSOD (start -> control panel -> system -> advanced -> startup and recovery settings -> uncheck "Automatic Restart"), this will let you see what the BSOD message is to give a good starting point.

Try updating video drivers. Try updating/reinstalling flash. Try a different browser (different browsers use different builds of the flash plugin).

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I seem to have solved the problem. I unchecked "Enable Hardware Acceleration" in the menu when you play a video. I've been watching videos for a while now without the PC crashing.

I'm curious, what does that mean, though? Hardware Acceleration?

Most amazing jew boots

It means offloading some or all of the work in processing the video to the video card instead of using your processor to do all of the number crunching, which leads to either a video driver issue, or a video card issue.

How ya doing, buddy?

Do you ever do any other sort of computer-intensive activities? I know youtube videos can make older computers chug a little, and it might be related to an overheating issue.

I was speaking idiomatically.

If you have an Nvidia card, then it's likely the same thing I got, and the BSOD should make mention of nv4_dsp.dll.

The problem is that newer nvidia drivers can cause some infinite loop that leads to BSOD with certain hardware combinations. I found this happens with youtube (usually when clicking play or closing a tab after a while), and with certain games (happened with Crysis during one mission, every time in the same spot).

No amount of updating will fix it as the problem is the newer driver and the nv4_dsp.dll they've placed in your windows/system32/ folder. What I needed to do was uninstall my driver, manually delete nv4_dsp.dll in system32 and its backup and only then install an older nvidia driver, as if you did not delete the files, they would not get replaced with the older, working version.

I've since been using 186.18 and have not gotten any problems. I'm guessing versions after that started doing this.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Apologies for the late reply.

It was indeed the same problem you were having, Hot Yogurt Enemas. I fixed it by using an older driver.

One more thing: Windows know keeps asking me if I want to install a controller (via Windows Update?). Can I install that without getting the BSOD again?

FELIPE NO

Drivers via Windows Updates are typically pretty horrible. Example:

We got a Vista machine in our lab a couple years back. It did updates after getting setup and installed an "up to date" ATI video driver. Sent the computer into a reboot loop. Had to uninstall those, then install the catalyst drivers from ATI.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Thanks, Shade. Guess I won't be doing that.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Quote:

It was indeed the same problem you were having, Hot Yogurt Enemas

Oh god, laughing forever.

There's nowhere I can't reach.