Conflow

Igor, I also use EXIf, not for Digital, but other purposes- I downloaded your "Exif Test" Ran this on a J.Peg that Al Robins sent to me after his visit to Dublin:- Results as follows: Window: "Read EXIF from JPeg" Window: "Press O.K" Window: "Exif Test = 1,Normal" Window: "O.K" Concludes Test. Brian Kelly. Conflow.Dublin conflow@iol.ie

(Sound Drop-Out) Hi Guys, Yes, I have had this problem and it drove me mad and it happened on various Computers- I found the problem and a solution that works for us - you might like to try this:- a) Lets say you start composing a Show in the morning and you use "Save As" which is the usual method of saving changes. Come the afternoon and you are ½ way thro' the Compilation and decide for a "Preview" you might notice 'sound drop-out' or at times doubling of some 'music notes' and we found why this is ! c) When you use "Save As' you are physically over-writing a File - now if the Processor/Buss speed changes ever so slightly it wont "over-write the file in perfect synchronisation" If its too slow you get 'double notes' and if too fast it 'over-over writes' - thus dropouts. It affects Mp3 in particular because of the 'frame compression techniques' deployed. d) Our solution was to close down the Computer and evoke a 'fresh cold start'- problem is gone. e) Also, we now "Close down and Restart" before we make an EXE which we run 'once' before we burn a CD. For some reasons the Close/Start corrects the frame errors in Mp3 Files. No idea why ? - it just works. Brian Kelly.Conflow

EXIF IMAGE VIEWER Download problems ? go to:- www.nbci.com and in the Search Window, type in:- Exif Image Viewer about 6 links will appear. The program is by Michel Kowalski. Select the download site that suits you. Its also on Yahoo. There is a very comprehensive Help Folder downloaded with the Program. It looks like a Notepad with? mark. titled Exif. The Program requires that you have 2 dll Files on your PC. Check the following in the Find/Search Facility:- mfc.42.dll and also msvcp60.dll If you don't have these,go to:- www.dll-files.com and download from there. White blank image place-place, means you are missing one of the dll's. Hope this helps, Brian Kelly.Conflow.

Hi Guys, Try this little "freebie" EXIF Image Viewer it handles standard Analog Photos and Digital Photos (the lot) not only that, but it give Camera set-up data and a whole range of other facilities, its flash fast. You can move images around the "lightbox" -Sort them- Full Screen them- Thumnail them and then sequencially move them into a Folder and import that into PTE2. Althgough its "free" you still have to Register for Use. Its on:- www.members.nbci.com -give it a try. Brian Kelly.Conflow.

Hi Eric, I had the same problems as you when I first started to use PTE2 - Frustration ! The 'calculation method' simply doesn't work, because interactice computations come into play once you start to 'edit' the Show. I went out and purchased a "Quantum Digital Stopwatch" (approx $20) its a desktop model with Timer & Cumalative Timer - it sorted out all my problems. As a rough guide make the "background music" about 5% longer that the total Slide duration time. Once you are "fixed" on the total Vision duration (inc.transitions) you can then start to think about "synchronising" both the Vision and Sound. The 5% extra sound will allow scope to do this, and when you are getting near the end of the job you can edit out any excess sound. Another method is a Spreadsheet Application available from the Al.Robin web site:- Beechwood Cottage - you will find it here in the Forums. Brian Kelly.Conflow.

Hi Travis, You dont indicate what Axiam you have, Is it an X5 or X30 ? They use the Dell/Microsoft Mobile 2003 Operating System. which is not compatible to PTE2- The following is a 'shot in the dark' - you might submit your question to the Dell Community Forums at:- www.forums.us.dell.com - no doubt some 'guru' has come up with an answer or a 'converter method' - its just a idea ! Conflow.Dublin.

Granot, Will you go 'outside the Forum' and contact me directly on conflow@iol.ie or on conflow@eircom.net I have tried unsuccessfully to contact you on boxiq@zahav.net.il both in Plain Text and HTML and I get the return daemon message 'No Address Exists' Have you got another EMail address I can contact you with, so I can help you thro' this the problems. I have two "Special XP-Help Sites" which will tell you everything you need to know. As I said, shut down the "Firewall" and leave it shut down until we do all the tests - XP-Error Checking is a new name for '98 Scandisk, thats why the PC found it ! Granot there are 67,000 different Virus and Worms identified in the Norton Libraries. We are looking at the 3 most recent dangerous ones each is different, so each has its own Fix Tool which you must use. Norton cant do its job properly when a 'Program is Open, or a 'Firewall' is active........because the way Norton Works. It starts at File No: 00001 and goes thro' each file in turn until it gets to the end of the stack, example: File No: 36178. yes, there are that number of Files on an XP. Now lets pretend it got to File No: 18540 and the "Firewall" is still active - that "Firewall" can bounce a virus back into the 'cleaned Files'. An infected 'Open Program' can also bounce a virus back into the 'cleaned Files'. Any "Firewall" is bloody stupid, because they take a long time to "learn" what is a 'good File' compared to a 'bad File' - in fact we dumped them all, because they are like "Spyware" they have to learn and they cause more problems than they are worth. When you contact me OUTSIDE THE FORUM we can Communicate properly, and I can Test for you - your EMails and your WEB on my PCs'. Then you will know for certain that all things will be OK because I will test with Norton and CMDiskcleaner on this end. conflow@iol.ie and also conflow@eircom.net use both of them. Brian Kelly.Conflow.

Back to you again Granot, Don't be apologetic about this ! - I also had to learn, like you, the hard way. But you are an awful man deleting those Files - restore them and leave them alone. Now read this carefully:- System 32 contains the Computers "internal drivers" - these 'drivers' make it possible for the PC to talk to its internal IDE Buss System (its Data Highway) - these Drivers talk to the Video Card, the Sound Card, the Internet, - in fact they 'drive' virtually everything in the PC. including Windows and Interactive Programs such as Adobe, IE.6 and Macromedia. So you see how dangerous it is mucking around in System 32. HOW TO RUN NORTON I have given you the Instruction how to "set-up your PC" to run Norton properly. You must do exactly as I said - nothing more - nothing less. WHAT HANGS NORTON Norton can not do its job properly if you have other Programs Open and Running. You must "Close ALL Programs" and CLOSE YOUR FIREWALL for it to work properly. Disconnect your Modem for safety reasons. THE DANGEROUS WORMS They are: "Swen", "FX Beagle", "Novarg". Fix Tools are available for all 3 thro' Google. In your case you must use Norton "Fix Tools" only. These Worms attack the System 32 and 'modify' some of the drivers and use them to infect you internally and others thro' the WEB and EMails (Simple explaination). Granot, you are driving yourself mad with all these "Scans" - Forget them, Forget Windows, etc;etc. and get on with Norton - BUT FIRST, RESTORE ALL SYSTEM 32 FILES you have removed - I mean ALL THE FILES infected or good - otherwise we are going nowhere. Brian Kelly.Conflow.

Granot, First you are OK and now you have trouble again - By your 'post' you did have the Swen Worm and the 'Fix Tool' has corrected that. You are looking at my 'post' but you are not reading it properly, you keep going into System32 - I told you that was dangerous. PLEASE STOP MESSING AROUND IN SYSTEM 32 and DO EXACTLY AS FOLLOWS Print this first A) WHY ARE YOU BLOCKING "SYSTEM FILES" - PLEASE STOP THIS ! PLEASE UN-BLOCK THESE FILES - SWITCH OFF- NOW RESTART. C) DISCONNECT YOUR MODEM D) DROP THE "FIREWALL" and SWITCH IT OFF. E) RUN ALL 3 "FIX TOOLS" F) FINALLY RUN "SCANDISK" and let the PC Fix itself - and it will do that IF it is not damaged ! JUST DO A, B, C, D, E, F, and stop messing around in System 32. LEAVE THE MODEM DISCONNECTED and TEST your PC for a few Hours. NOW 'ACTIVATE' NORTON FOR ALL EMAILS and LEAVE IT ON KEEP THE "FIREWALL" OFF Now,Connect the Modem and come back to me on: conflow@iol.ie Our Norton is always ON. We know about these problems because our Family Business fixes over 100 PCs per Year. Brian Kelly.Conflow.

Hi Kurt and Hi gr8Digital, I had not intended to 'post' again on this thread so Kurt lets "agree" on a few things which you have already stated:- 1) Your 'Notepad' is where it should be in C:\Windows....correct ? 2) You did activate the PTE 'Protection of Presentation' facility....correct? And "gr8Digital" is to be complimented for he is absolutely correct concerning the problem with your Autorun.inf File Association. What you have made is a "Trial Program or Trial Presentation" because you activated the 'Protection of Presentation' facility - there is no way of correcting your error. Believe you me many Engineers have tried this with "Trial Program Software" The PTE "Protection of Presentation" inserts a piece of code with "Title + Date + Time Stamp" into the PTE.Exe which is 'bundled' and locked up within the Exe. You cant get in to edit this nor can you "back-date" the PC.System Clock because of the System Log and Reg.Key. I also found that the PTE.Exe 'seems' to have a hook to ANY Titled Autorun.inf. Someday,perhaps Igor the PTE Designer would answer this ? Regards, Brian Kelly.Conflow.

Hi Granot - Hi Ken, Granot, as I said these 3 Worms are "multiplier worms" they take time to become evident on a PC. Swen hit the Executive Markets last September (done terrible damage). Novarg came in January and Beagle came in February. All 3 really started to impact the Domestic Market in March-April-May. They peaked in April. We were lucky because one part of our Business is Microsoft OEM.Computer Manufacturers. As I said all 3 have variants versions A to D. The earlier ones were variant A & B and its quite possible you you may have picked up C or D. YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE THEM AT ALL but just check. YOU MUST RUN YOUR SYMANTEC 'FIX TOOLS' nothing else, except those Norton Tools - there are reasons for this which would take too long to explain here. Again I say, because you are behind a "Firewall" you may be and again I say you may be infecting yourself ??? - just run the damn tools and have peace of mind, please ! The problems with "Anti-Virus Prog" behind a "Firewall" is that it never gets a chance to be updated with "New Virus Definitions" and they are issued every week or so and I suspect thats whats might have happened here. ntoskrnl.exe is not on our PC's - I would not touch it - because ifs its genuine and not a "spoof" its pointing to the System Kernel - god thats dangerous territory. Granot, please, please, please, run the Tools - let the Symantec experts do the job for you and when you finish the job I'm going for a pint of Beer, maybe 2 or 3. Good Luck, let me know. Brian Kelly.Conflow.

Hi Kurt, I can't understand all this talk about Notepad.exe ? etc;etc;etc. In our Electronic Workshops we have 5 PC's of different Makes and Ilks and 2 Laptops. On each PC, Notepad is a Windows "Application File" of 52kB approx. There is no "Notepad.exe" (exe) extension to this File on any of our PCs'. Notepad is found on the HD.Drive in the Win.Folder: Notepad...C:\Windows and thats it. Your Post of the 22nd confirms its in the right place and its not "trapped" in another Folder. There is also an LGC File: Notepad...C:\Windows\Catroot\Applog but this is not the "Application File" we are talking about. I refer again to my post of (Steve 21st June) are you absolutely sure that you had not accidentally enabled the "Protection of Presentation" facility on your PTE Slideshow? - because if you did it gives the message Time expired....etc; Make a Slide Show and set for 2 Hour "Presentation Protection" and see for yourself the message you get after expiration ! Once the PTE.Exe is made up there is nothing you yourself can do about this- Thats all I have to say on this subject - Best of Luck, Brian Kelly.Conflow.

Hi Steve, If you 'review' Kurts' origional post on the 20/6/04 (PAGE 1)- there are 2 queries raised,viz:- 1) Time Trial Period expired Notification....... 2) Problem trying to edit his Autorun.inf....... Answer to 1 above Surely as Forum Members we should try to establish that Kurt is using the right version of PTE in the 1st instance, and that it is being used correctly. We all make mistakes the firsttime around, its very easy to accidentally activate the 'Protection of Presentation' facility and then forget about it, and as you know this facility 'blocks' the programs' execution ?. Answer to 2 above Surely turning off the PC and 'activating' a Cold Start would re-establish Notepad, Wordpad and any other Document or Start Indexed Program as that is what the PC is designed to do under its "msconfig set-up". If that is not happening then the questions must be asked, why? Is Notepad corrupted ? Has it been "seized" by another executable ? Is it "blocked" for some reason ? Has it been "moved" into another Folder ? (and thats easy to do) And then there is the simple matter of the Autorun.inf he wishes to edit ? can he open it ?and if not, why not ? I wonder has Kurt run "Scandisk" (Thorough Mode/Auto-Fix Errors) If that don't work then he really has a problem. I don't know the answers to his Autorun & Notepad problem - I do know that a systematic approach is far more likely to identify his problems rather than making 'assumptions' that Notepad is the only issue to be concerned about. I will say that the "RJL Autorun Wizard Program" avoids all this hastle - Best from Dublin. Brian Kelly.Conflow.

Hi Granot, I know it as the "Swen Virus" - on your XP it may have a different definition - Symantecs Title for it, is:- W32.Swen.A@mm (It goes in versions from A - D) I don't know the exact path for an XP - very few people would ?? all I can say:- It attacks the System32 Drivers particularily the Webcheck Dll's and Shells etc. It 'steals' any convenient piece of document from the PC or plain text from an EMail and inserts a hidden code -'a cuckoo'- into the text. It then generates a 'dummy or alias Attachment' (which does nothing). Once you read/open the text file it automatically sends variations of itself (A-D) to everyone in your Address Book - furthermore it parks another copy of itself onto your PC. When you go on line again it now doubles its output and so on and on. YOU DO NOT NEED TO OPEN THE ATTACHMENT FOR IT TO WORK. "Firewalls" will not protect you against this as it comes in 'plain text'. The attachment is a simple decoy which the Firewall will reject, but not the plain text - unless its told to reject that 'script' format. Make sure Norton is up to date, better off to "sweep" and make sure all 3 of them are not there, see below - If you open "Google" and simply type in -Swen 32- it tells you all, and will direct you to a Emergency Server operated by Symantec. You can download the "Fix Tools" from there. The "Fix Tools" for Swen, Beagle, Novarg, vary in size from 140 -185 kB. Its well worth "sweeping for these swines" because they destroy PC's Regards. Brian Kelly.Conflow conflow@iol.ie

Hi Granot, Just to sign off - I did not know that you were using a "Firewall" you may not know that they are Bi-Directional. 1) Coming into the "Firewall" they will 'bounce back' anything thats not Plain Text - I got a bounce from your site yesterday when I was using HTML. O.K no problems. 2) They will also 'Bounce-back' anything within the PC that they dont like, for example:- when you dropped the "Firewall" to download a Presentation you probably downloaded a 'Cuckoo' or a 'Cookie'. 3) When you put the "Firewall" up again it will bounce anything it doesn't like within the PC. so you keep on "reinfecting yourself" each time you attempt to go on line. Finally, yes, your definition of the Swen Virus is correct. Again I will repeat install a good DiskCleaner like CM Software its invaluable. Best Wishes from Dublin. Brian Kelly.Conflow. conflow@iol.ie

Hi Kurt, As I said, when in Notepad go to Edit - if Time/Date is checked, simply Click on it to remove the Check Tic - it has a 'toggle'action, ie:- Clk once = On, Clk again= OFF (leave it off) 2) Are you absolutely sure you are working with PTE 4.20 and not the Trial Version ?? To be sure, PTE 4.2 has a 'Video Button' on the PTE Control Bar on the bottom of its Opening Window. Following on from Fred, Mike, Steve and Ken would you do the following:- 3) Open the PTE Program as if you were going to make a New Slideshow. Clk/On-> Project Options then -> Clk/On-> Advanced Tab. On the bottom of this Window you will find a section 'Protection of the Presentation'- It has 4 Radio Buttons a Text Screen and a large a Button 'Customise Trial Use Details' 4) Make sure that all Buttons are 'blank and that the Text Screen is 'blank' 5) As Mike said - you can not have 2 Exe's in the Autorun INI. File To be honest I had a lot of problems with Autorun - IT MUST BE FORMAT AND TEXT PERFECT and must be in the root directory of the CD. To be sure,to be sure (thats Irish) click on the Explorer and when it opens make a Folder and call it "Upload" - throw the EXE and the INI and a copy of any 'Startup Window' including its WAV File into it. Now go to your Burner File and INDIVIDUALLY drag each file from the Upload Folder into the Burning Folder leaving you with an empty Upload Folder. - and even then, on some PCs' it wont run ! I got "cheesed off' with this mullarky and bought myself a Copy of "Autorun Wizard" from www.rjlsoftware.com costing$10 - it does a proper job with its own Exe, the PTE Exe, the Autorun INI, the Autorun INF and a Dat File plus Start Screen & Wav and choice of Icon and a great AUTORUN TEST before BURN facility plus ISO Save As to make multiple copies. It runs on IRISH RAILS Mainframe and everything else from '95 upwards. It was the best $10 dollars I ever spent !! Brian Kelly.Conflow. conflow@iol.ie

Hi Granot, I have just read your recent Post of the 20th June.and I hope everything is O.K DO NOT TOUCH the "INF's" as I said, they are a Programs Data & System Set-up Files. Also I am getting suspicious about that "rogue dll" - I now think it is malicious !! If this was a "Genuine dll " it would not be changing its Name every time you logged on. You did not tell me this before - perhaps you only found out ? If these are the facts then its coming from a malicious "cookie" on your PC. which is trying to log on each each time you attempt to go on line. Check that you are not "infected" with the following:- FX BEagle (Its a "script" destroyer) Novarg 32 (This attacks the Webcheck DLL) Swen 32 (This creates "Alias Addresses) Brian Kelly.Conflow. conflow@iol.ie

Kurt, I had the same problem as yourself - When I changed from the "old PTE Program" to the "new PTE Program (V4.2) I had to re-load my Subscription Key into the new Program. Then everythings O.K. Another fault that can occur is when the Computer Clock suddenly changes Date. in my case it had jumped back to 2003 - and on investigation I traced the fault to a bad Battery connection - they do get oxidized over time. I also had a similar problem with another program last year (Not PTE) -guess what ? I found out that Notepad and Wordpad are Time/Date sensitive. Because Notepad and Wordpad are the basic "scripter documents" on the PC you need to make sure that the Time/Date Tab is 'unchecked' - its found under the Edit Dropdown Tab on any Notepad Document - when checked all types of INI File problems occured. You might also check that the basic Autorun Template is clear of script - you will find it under:- Start -> Find/Search, type in Autorun -> it will be the 1st File on the list,viz:- Autorun ... C:\Windows. Its looks like a Notepad Icon with gearwheel Hope this helps, Brian Kelly.Conflow. conflow@iol.ie

Hi Bill, Another way of doing this (Converting WMA Files to Mp3) is to take the Sound directly from your Modem (Live) and run it into "Audio Recorder Pro 1.5" and convert to Wav or Mp3 or PCM "on the hoof". You can select the 'quality factor' you want and you CAN LISTEN TO IT as you record. Drop the File into 'My Documents' and presto ! First try the 'Trial Version of ARP 1.5 - we bought it because it works for us. Audio Recorder Pro 1.5 from Web Site:- www.ezaudiorecorder.com Brian Kelly.Conflow. conflow@iol.ie

Hi Melanie, There is a wonderful German Program (In English) for making Mp3 from CD's and for importing Mp3's from the Web. It also has a built in Player for Pre and Post Review of your Sounds. It comes with and excellent Help Manual that explains all - oh,I nearly forgot, you will need an Mp3 Encoder for it to operate - They also offer a Web.Link to download that Encoder. "TIP" Dont try to copy the entire CD to Mp3 (its illegal) just select the Track(s) you want and go ahead, you are entitled to do that for personal purposes, you did pay for the CD. Program Title:- "Audio Crusher" Web Address:- www.sysdeck.de Brian Kelly.Conflow

Hi Granot (Return Call) Excellent,we are on the right track - it pops up when you open IE. This means it can only be in 5 places and because the INI & INF are still there a new Reg Key will be re-installed every time IE. opens - until you delete these two. Proceed to find Files as follows:- 1) From an INI File (Just open C:\Windows all the INI's are in front of you - find and delete) 2) From an INF File (Just open C:\Windows\INF Folder - Find the INF and delete it. 3) From C:\Windows Temp Folder (Open the Folder and delete contents - NOT THE FOLDER) 4) From IE. Cache (Open C:\Windows\ Temporary Internet Folder- ONLY DELETE CONTENTS. A copy could be left in Rundll, Rundll32 - I doubt it, but check anyway at C:\Windows you will see both files with large Icons. Finally search for and delete the re-entered Reg Key - it may not be there - but check. You must Close All and Re-Start the Computer immediately for these changes to reset Registry. Urgently you need 'CM-Diskcleaner' available from www.webattack.com or from the their Website www.cmdiskcleaner.com I have the Beta version and ITS IN USE EVERYDAY. Also they are looking for an "Associate Agent" which would suit you. This cleans out IE.Cache. Win Temp. System Temp. All Cookies. All URL's in IE. all other URL's in Shell Address (your problem). Resets-Registry. and a whole range of System Items. We have not had 1 Spam nor Spy Infection nor Virus in 6 years - Let me know how you get on ? Brian Kelly.Conflow.

Hi Granot - This is going to be a little long-Apologies. I may be able to help you with your problem. Firstly I am not a Software Engineer I am an Applications Engineer - I use PC's to execute diverse Engineering functions, Datalogging, System Controls, Motor Speed Controls, Auto-Presentations, Announcers, etc;etc- I had a look at your "rogue" DLL (IjTio.dll) and I think you accidentally downloaded what we call a "Cuckoo" Question? Were you downloading a Show or a set of Jpegs or Images and then afterwards all things went wrong ?? A "Cuckoo" can be a Text File or Exe that is 'encryptionated' and embedded within a Jpeg. It is invisible - its works the same way as an embedded "Flash Object" where you click on the Flash Image and an automatic Html starts running - in your case its a DLL trying to run an Application extension. The title - ijTio.dll/index.html#96676- is the format that a 'cuckoo' would use - its probably quite genuine, but because its missing its Application extension it (auto-generated) Reg Key is still looking for the Application. Look-up www.phsoft.nl for a utility "File Camouflager' and it will show you how these things work. The problem is that this file is an Exe. and as such will have an .INI and .INF and an entered Registry Key - so deleting the File wont work - you have to delete the REG KEY and the INI and INF and the EXE if there is one remaining If you dont do this the "stupid system" will try and point to another Application of equal size and format and try to run that - in your case that seems to be happening ? I always use the "Find or Search" under the Start Button and simply type:- DLL and click run. Now you have to find the associated INI and run and also type INF and run, and again type EXE and run - Finally you have to delete the associated Reg.Key through "regedit" Eventually you will find the whole lot one by one, when you do delete them all but first make a copy of the Reg Key just in case its needed for the Shell.Dll of which there should be 5. 2 in Win.System and a further 2 in System32 and also Shellext. In reIation to your Shell.DLL vanishing it really isn't because the real Shell.DLL is kept in the CAB.Directory (Bombproof) its simply that this 'auto-exe' needs a 'Shell Copy' to point to and then operate the 'Internet Finder' - where your problem came from in the 1st place. This "orphan file" is simply looking for its Application which you have removed, tut,tut ! For this 'tricky work' I use a little freebie called "Smart Uninstaller" from webattack.com. You are a Software Man - you can see where I am coming from - Hope this helps ? Brian Kelly.Conflow

Hi Forum, Just passing on a 'little bit' of information about Mp3 Sound Files and how they are assemble and problems experienced with Windows XP. You may not be aware that Win.Media Player is embedded in XP and although PTE does not use the Media Player your Sound Card is still monitored by the XP System. Sometimes after downloading an Mp3 Media Stream or after converting a CD Track (CDDA) to Mp3 - it may not "run" on your PC - the reason being that the Mp3 or CD music stream may be "Copyright Protected' and preclude 'copying'. After the Napster problems a few years ago, XP is now "hyper-engineered" to specifically check the Copyright status of ALL music played on an XP System -unfortunately- Microsoft do not make any distinction between a genuine private user (having paid for the Music) and others who dont wish to pay. Audacity can get around this problem, simply import your Mp3 Sound File and re-export it again but this time delete any references to "Tags" and select the 'gendre' as 'other' and give it a new File name. Nero Wave Editor will do the same job. Full Mp3 Descriptions both simple and complex can be had from www.id3.org Brian Kelly.Conflow

Ash, Glad to hear you got around your problem by pushing your 'pics' out to 4 secs.manually-that got around the problem between Mp3 'link points' conflicting with the Effects Transition point. You will have another problem if you dont use "Music Sync" because when you play your CD on another PC both the music and slides will be out of 'sync' - the reason being that Graphic and Sound Cards run at slightly different speeds even when the PC's are produced by the same Manufacturer. The advice given by Al Robin and Ken Cox is most important - learn how to use 'Audacity' but remember NEVER let Mp3 File 'links' coincide within an Effect Transition Period. By the way the 4 sec.Slide period is very tight if you are using the default Effects Transition period of 1500millesec. better off stretching the Slides out to +5 secs each. Brian Kelly.Conflow.

Hi Ash, I had a similar problem when I first started to use PTE both versions V2 and V4 and after days of 'hunting' I nailed it down. In my case the PC did not like the transition from one Mp3 file to another Mp3 within the Effects Transition period (say 1500millesecs). This despite the fact that the Mp3's were properly 'stitched together' (no gaps at all) but one must not forget that the Mp3 Tags are still embedded within the Music so the PC see them and must 'clock them' for the files to work in the 1st instance. (A simple explaination) May I suggest you have a look at the Timeline. Background music transitions from one Mp3 to another Mp3 are indicated by a thin 'blue line' and if this falls within an Effects Transition period (the dark band) you will get problems depending on the make of Sound Card in use. I got these problems, and simply shifted the Mp3 'crossing-points' to be outside the Effects Transition periods - a safe margin is approx: 250millesecs either side of the Effect Transition. It cured the problem because the PC no longer had to "buffer up" a starting Mp3 whilst at the same time "processing an Effects Transition". At the end of the day I changed the Sound Card to one that had adequate "On Board" buffering - since then, no problems at all - but I am always wary about about that point. This might help you, it may not, but more than likely your problem is in this area. Brian Kelly.Conflow