PFC.sys again

TheMusicGeek · #1 July 13th, 2011, 05:18 PM

Since the earlier thread has been closed I am starting over again here. I was told that I needed 4.23 to resolve the pfc.sys issue I was having. I purchased another year of Microstudio bug fixes from MTU in order to get this current release.

My first install of 4.23 did not remove the pfc lower filter as expected, so I uninstalled Microstudio and rebooted. The pfc issue remained so I manually removed pfc from the lower filter keys in all three registry control sets. Additionally I removed any refrence to pfc.sys in the shared dlls and deleted the file itself. Upon reboot the error was gone so I reinstalled Microstudio 4.23. Low and behold all the pfc files and registry keys were reinstalled with Microstudio as well as the return of the errors.

I thought this was supposed to be fixed with 4.23

Roy Dennis · #2 July 13th, 2011, 06:21 PM

What exactly is this pfc issue ?
Does it cause something to happen in Microstudio or is it causing problems with other programms ?

TheMusicGeek · #3 July 13th, 2011, 06:49 PM

PFC.sys is an older lower filter driver for CD\DVD drives. It is NOT compatible with 64 bit Windows and when enabled causes system instability and blue screen errors. Windows attempts to automatically disable it and records it as errors in the event viewer.

MTU acknowledged this to be installed with earlier versions of Microstudio but according to their support ticket: "mtusupport - If you are running 64 bit, then you need to have version 4.23, which pulled this file out and will run under 64 bit."

The Microstudio installer did not pull this file out as I had to manually remove the file and all references to it in the registry. Microstudio 4.23, in fact, reinstalled it!

Roy Dennis · #4 July 13th, 2011, 07:30 PM

I expect you have already searched this problem but anyway is this link of any help: http://crypt-sdk.blogspot.com/2010/1...s-problem.html

TheMusicGeek · #5 July 13th, 2011, 07:49 PM

I deleted the pfc from the lower filters again as well as pfc.sys in other spots in the registry. Additionally I deleted the pfc.sys file again and rebooted the computer.

Upon reboot no new errors were recorded in the event viewer. I then tried Microstudio and burned a disk (just two songs). So far everything looks good.

This leads me to believe one of two things. MTU did not actually remove PFC from their installer for 4.23 or they still use it for 32 bit windows and their install program does not do a vercheck to determine what OS version you are running so they install 32 and 64 bit code.

ddouglass · #6 July 14th, 2011, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMusicGeek

I deleted the pfc from the lower filters again as well as pfc.sys in other spots in the registry. Additionally I deleted the pfc.sys file again and rebooted the computer.

Upon reboot no new errors were recorded in the event viewer. I then tried Microstudio and burned a disk (just two songs). So far everything looks good.

This leads me to believe one of two things. MTU did not actually remove PFC from their installer for 4.23 or they still use it for 32 bit windows and their install program does not do a vercheck to determine what OS version you are running so they install 32 and 64 bit code.

Did this cause a problem only when you tried to burn a disc? I have just loaded this on a new Win 7 64 bit laptop, so am not real familiar with Microstudio on 64 bit or Windows 7 for that matter. And it is late so not going to try to burn a disc tonight.

**MTUSUPPORT** · #7 July 14th, 2011, 01:58 PM

I have tested this on 2 computers. You are correct, it DOES install the Pfc.sys files, which I thought we were no longer using. I can burn discs using Duplicate Disc and also Write disc without any issues with the PFC.sys installed and running on 64 bit Windows Home Premium.

I checked the Event Viewer and did not see any errors for PFC.sys or any other items relating to Microstudio.

I searched for and renamed the pfc.sys file to pfc.OLD in the Syswow64 directory. Then I deleted the Pfc entry in Lowerfilters In the registry and rebooted the system.

Once the system came back up, I checked to make sure that the lowerfilters was still not showing the Pfc entry, it was not, then I checked nad pfc.old was there but no pfc.sys file.

I opened Microstudio 4.23. and put 5 tracks in the write list, it wrote the disc without any issues. I then put a full Karaoke CDG disc in the drive and clicked on Duplicate Disc, it also copied the Disc without any issues or errors.

Can you tell me exactly what the error is that you are receiving? Also what other programs are installed on your computer, for burning? These systems I tested on were 2 brand new Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit and our programs, I was testing.

TheMusicGeek · #8 July 14th, 2011, 02:27 PM

The event viewer (Windows Log - System) will show two errors. I've cleared it since then so I can't quote exactly but the first will say that PFC.sys is not compatible with this version of Windows and the other will say that it has been blocked due to incompatibility.

You said that you have PFC.sys installed and running. I admit that I'm a little confused by that statement as 64 Bit Windows blocks it automatically from running. If you force it to run Windows crashes with a BSOD.

ddouglass · #9 July 14th, 2011, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMusicGeek

The event viewer (Windows Log - System) will show two errors. I've cleared it since then so I can't quote exactly but the first will say that PFC.sys is not compatible with this version of Windows and the other will say that it has been blocked due to incompatibility.

You said that you have PFC.sys installed and running. I admit that I'm a little confused by that statement as 64 Bit Windows blocks it automatically from running. If you force it to run Windows crashes with a BSOD.

After you installed version 4.23 was the event log entry the only problem you were seeing? I ask because I also tested this on my laptop and even though the file is present and listing an error in the event log, it is not causing any problems other than that because Windows blocks it from loading.

TheMusicGeek · #10 July 14th, 2011, 03:33 PM

As long as it's blocked, the only issue is the event viewer report and the Windows error reporting. Like I said earlier, if it runs Windows becomes unstable and crashes with BSOD.

If you decide to remove it from the lower filters, make sure to remove it from all three control sets. Otherwise the optical drive(s) may disappear.

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