Troubleshooting Display and Sound Issues Otto Cate and Mark Auld Product Support Leads Microsoft Con

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Troubleshooting Display and Sound Issues Otto
Cate and Mark AuldProduct Support
LeadsMicrosoft Consumer SupportMicrosoft
Corporation
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Overview
In this session, we will discuss methods that you
can use to troubleshoot display and sound issues,
as they relate to Microsoft games and multimedia
products. Some of the subjects we will cover

• System-level audio/video components
• Drivers (audio, video)
• DirectX layer
• Codecs/components (audio, video, Indeo,
  Shockwave)
• Device settings
• Troubleshooting
• Microsoft games products
• Microsoft multimedia and reference products

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Device Drivers

• How to obtain driver information
• Device Manager
• Dxdiag.exe
• Updating device drivers
• Locating and/or downloading updated drivers
• Removing old drivers and/or ghost devices
• Installing updated drivers

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DirectX Layer

• Where to obtain the latest version of DirectX
• http//www.microsoft.com/directx/homeuser/downloa
  ds
• Installing DirectX
• Safe mode install, if problems encountered
• Troubleshooting DirectX
• Using Dxdiag

(Note that the URL should be entered as one line
it is wrapped here for readability.)
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What Dxdiag Tells You About Your System

• Dxdiag tells you a lot about your system
• System information
• DirectX component information and status
• Driver information and status
• Troubleshooting tools
• Ability to save all information in a text file
• See the graphic on the next slide

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Dxdiag
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Description of the Dxdiag Tabs

• DXDIAG is segmented into specific tabs
• System overview of system
• DirectX files health of DirectX components
• Display information on display device drivers
• Sound provides audio device status
• Music provides DirectMusic device status
• Input information of input devices
• Network troubleshooting multi-player issues
• More help other troubleshooting tools

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DirectDraw and Direct3D Tests
Sample of the DirectDraw test
Sample of the Direct3D test
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Codecs and Components

• Windows codecs
• Using Add/Remove Programs to reinstall
• Internet Explorer components
• Downloading, updating, repairing
• Third-party components
• Downloading components/codecs
• Indeo video (.avi playback)
• http//www.ligos.com/
• Shockwave (Director and Flash movie playback)
• http//www.macromedia.com/shockwave/
• Installing components/codecs

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Device Settings and Troubleshooting

• Audio
• Volume control
• Hardware acceleration
• .wav and MIDI playback
• Display
• Adjusting display resolution
• 640x480x256
• Refresh rate
• Hardware acceleration
• Essentially forces software renderer in most
  DirectX games
• GDI resources
• Resource monitor

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How This Relates to My Games

• Resolution change (using Ddhelp)
• Monitor drivers
• Windows resolution
• Initializing DirectDraw, Direct3D, and
  DirectSound components
• Using Dxdiag.exe to troubleshoot
• Play .avi or .mpg files for introductory movie
• Testing the movie files in Windows
• File type associations

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How This Relates to My Games (2)

• Drawing textures using DirectDraw or Direct3D
• Dxdiag tests
• .wav and .mp3 audio playback (using DirectSound)
• Dxdiag tests
• Playing .wav and .mp3 files in Windows
• File type associations

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How This Relates to Multimedia Products

• Resolution change (using GDI)
• Monitor drivers
• Windows resolution
• Initializing codecs (system-level)
• Using Add/Remove Programs to troubleshoot
• Using Multimedia Control Panel to troubleshoot
• Accessing content
• Shockwave Flash and/or Director movies
• .avi and .mpg movies
• .wav and MIDI audio playback

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For More Information

• For more information, see the following Knowledge
  Base articles
• Q94651, Scratchy Sound, Erratic Sound, or Sound
  Stops
• Q136983, No Sound, MMSystem or MCI Errors in
  Windows 95/98
• Q159487, Games How to Determine the Version of
  Installed Video Driver
• Q161406, Video Display Problems After You
  Install Program
• Q166774, How to Update a Sound Card Driver
• Q172553, How To Determine Sound Card Brand and
  Model in Windows 95/98

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For More Information (2)

• More Knowledge Base articles
• Q179113, How to Download and Install DirectX
• Q179291, DirectX Game Stops Responding When You
  Attempt to Start Program
• Q181665, Game Does Not Start or Black Screen
  When Game Starts
• Q185835, DirectX Multiple Images on Startup
  Menu in DirectX-Based Games
• Q186060, Troubleshooting Active Movie Playback
  Problems
• Q238019, Multimedia Err Msg Video Not
  Available...
• Q277012, DirectX List of New Features Included
  in Microsoft DirectX 8.0

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