device driver instability problems...

[SLLAB02]

every time i start my comp, a popup pops up (yuk yuk) in the lower right of the task bar saying that my device driver (DirectCD, roxio) may cause stability problems and is shut down automatically.

Im pretty sure my comp came with Roxio software which I dont use, so I deleted it. I use nero instead. But this has been happening for like 7 months, and incidentally my DVD drive has problems: I can't copy CDs to the RW drive and sometimes the DVD player sort of F's up.

The balloon provides a link to download the latest DirectCD patch but when I try to install it, it shuts down because it can't find the original roxio product. I prefer to use Nero to burn cds, which works fine with my RW drive but like i said the DVD drive has a few problems.

Is there a way to fix this without having to install roxio software other than the device driver, and how can I do that? Thanks

 

[PC eye]

Living with DirectCD? Here's part of one article regarding how to remove DireactCD from the active list on your system.

"Living with DirectCD

by Goran Marinic
posted to the Roxio newsletters on Oct 15,1999

Ever since the introduction of packet writing (which changed the world of CD-R almost as much as the introduction of the first recorders), there has been some confusion about the software created to actually exploit this ability. It's important to understand that packet writing software is not like other CD recording software, nor is it like most other applications in general. This software uses a new standard file system called UDF (Universal Disk Format), far more complex than ISO 9660, the file system found on 'normal' data CDs.

DirectCD is a good example of this new kind of software: at its core are drivers which allow you to treat a CD-R/RW disc like a giant floppy diskette. In order for packet writing to work at all, these drivers have to be integrated with the operating system; they cannot be temporarily disabled. These drivers are complemented by an application called DirectCD, which gives you control over several functions, such as formatting discs.

Now here's where the confusion comes in: the DirectCD application can be stopped using Windows' Task Manager (which you invoke by pressing the Ctrl, Alt, and Del keys simultaneously - the famous "three-fingered salute"). There are also a number of ways to prevent DirectCD from loading on startup. However, this does NOT stop the core drivers from running, so if you hope to "turn off" DirectCD completely in this way, forget it. Removing or disabling the DirectCD application just means that you give up control over things like ejecting a disc from the recorder. There is only one way to truly stop DirectCD from running, and that is to uninstall it.

On the other hand, there is only one occasion when such a drastic measure is necessary: when there is a compatibility problem between DirectCD and another, similar, application (in particular, other packet writing software). This is rare, but it can happen with programs which integrate parts of themselves into the operating system; the only solution is to determine which one serves you best, and uninstall the other. Almost all other apparent problems with DirectCD can be resolved simply by understanding how DirectCD works, and to know that its creators added a few functions not directly related to packet writing." http://www.roxio.com/en/support/dcdwin/livingdcd.html

I have had some fun with Roxio's intrusions while running other programs were I simply used the msconfig utility to take all of it off of the startup list while still having it onhand when needed. See if the steps given there help out.