SONY VAIO VGN-NR - REALPLAYER AND QUICKTIME NOT PLAYING

[azabs24]

Hi - I'd appreciate any help you can give.

I can no longer seem to access websites which have Realplayer or Quicktime videos running. I used to be able to just go to a site and if there was a Realplayer/QT video in it, it would play.

I can access BBC website and play videos, also on Youtube without any problems. I have uninstalled both Quicktime and RealPlayer numerous times now, but no success. When I go to a page which has a Realplayer video embedded, nothing shows. If I right-click my mouse, it says download to Realplayer, which still doesn't work. When I go to the Apple website to watch movie trailers, I can no longer view these.

But the weird thing is that if I go the Real webiste, I can watch their videos on the site. Just not when it's in another site.

I believe a video driver may be missing, or some sort of plug-in, which is preventing embedded videos in a website from playing. I can play Windows Media Player fine. Unfortunately, I did not create a Recovery disc when I purchased the laptop and I am confused on which drivers may fix the problem if at all. For example, on the Totalfilm.com webpage, there was a video clip under the text. But all I could see was a blank space. The video is there, but I cannot see it. I have Kapersky security, but don't believe this is causing a problem. Any suggestions? This is really bugging me!

[markj1993]

Hi Azabs,

Did you download or uninstall anything around the time that it stopped playing?

Also if you have a new security check that there is not a message at the top saying this website wants to run realtime player or something along those lines

I will look at my internet settings to see if i can offer you any advice.

[azabs24]

Hi MarkJ2008,

Well, come to think of it, I did decided to change from Norton to Kaspersky Internet security because it was far cheaper and had great reviews. My laptop is much faster with Kaspersky so reluctant to uninstall or revert back to Norton, but am willing to do this if necessary. I just hand on heart can't say whether this is directly attributable, as I haven't been to the Apple site for a few months, so cannot be 100% certain that it's due to Kaspersky.

But last night, I added both the Total film website, where it has a Realplayer clip embedded (but all i can see is white space)and the Apple site (for movie trailers) to the trusted URL lis, but this is making no difference. I've also enabled Active X controls in the security settings but to no avail. I'm not great on PC tech side, so just don't know if the Sony drivers are at fault or Kaspersky.

I also disabed Kasperksy for a few minutes last night (used Windows firewall) but still couldn't load any Quicktime movies.

Would a total recovery of my laptop be overkill to resolve this? Thanks again.

[azabs24]

Hi - sorry to post another plea for help.

I've now uninstalled Kaspersky and still, Realplayer doesn't play (eg, BBC radio 'listen live'). Nor do any Quicktime files. But videos on the Real site play.

I can however play BBC iPlayer, You Tube clips and BBC News pages audio and video. I know it's a small problem, as the rest of my laptop runs smoothly, but this is bugging me now. I don't know what i've done.

I emailed Sony support, who directed me to their website of drivers, which I downloaded but made no difference (and not that confident on what to do).

I'm considering the option of a full system recovery, but to compound it, I didn't make the necessary discs when I first bought the laptop a year ago. If i were to create them now, would they be a snapshot as of 'now', or a copy of when the machine was new and out of the box?

As I've not got a Vista OS disc, would purchasing one and then getting a brand new system recovery disc from Sony, work??? Sorry to be thick! Thanks.

[markj1993]

Hi azabs,

Well i can't think what might be causing it but setting the system back to factory default should fix this. But is it worth it, if you have downloaded anything you will have to save it all to a memory stick as it completey sets everything to original from new. If you have payed for software though you can reinstall it using the same code as it recognises it as the same computer

If you really want to do factory default you have to turn on your laptop and repeatidly press F10 when the VAIO logo is showing.

Think before you do this and look at other options or even wait for any other replies

Hope this helps, Mark.

[azabs24]

Thanks again,

I'm quite happy to restore to factory settings. I only have music and pictures on my laptop, all of which are backed up twice over anyway. Other documents I will see to. I don't have many paid for applications either.

I just want this back to the original state. If the F10 works as you say, will I still retain the Vista OS and the other Sony peripherals - ie, it will be as 'new'?

To you, and anyone else reading this, are Sony able to send brand new recovery discs to customers, even if for a small fee?

Also, if someone would clarify from my earlier posts, is a set of recovery discs made 1+ years after using the machine pretty redundant because it will no longer reflect the original state of the machine. And if so, the F10 will suffice anyway?

Cheers.

[markj1993]

Making recovery discs now will only save the settings as it is now and not from new. Pressing F10 however will set it back to new original state

For the recovery discs im afraid i cant help you

Mark.

[Thalamus.]

Making recovery discs now will only save the settings as it is now and not from new.

I'm afraid that's not correct Mark...

Hi azabs24,

welcome to Club Vaio..

Recovery disc's created using the Vaio Recovery utility simply allows you to recover your Vaio back to the original factory settings, ie Sony supplied OS (Vista) and all of the pre-installed applications, etc.. Therefore it doesn't matter when you create a set of recovery disc's the image will always be the same.

To create the recovery disc's..

Click Start, All Programs, then Vaio Recovery Centre..

Click Continue on the User Account Control window

Select Create Recovery Disc then press Start..

[markj1993]

Sorry for the incorrect information azabs,

Another thing i was thinking is have you downloaded the latest version from the apple website? If you're unsure go to apple.com/quicktime

Mark.

[azabs24]

Hi Thalamus,

Excellent - thanks for the confirmation. I was hoping that was the case. I managed to create the recovery discs the other night following the instructions provided. Although I'm far from an expert, as the guide talked about the recovery data being kept in a hidden partition, I was sincerely hoping that this would be protected and ringfenced from any systems changes made since.

Luckily, my laptop is far from being in an unrecoverable state and fortunate that I was still able to create some recovery discs. It's just that this whole Quicktime / Realplayer anomaly is bugging me. I've downloaded the latest versions of everything, but still won't play these files.

Thanks also MarkJ2008 for your help - we all learn something new every day. If I encounter any more problems, at least I know where to come.

Fingers crossed!