OK got me a problem here... I have been reconfiguring old computers to give away to people who can't afford them, with much success until NOW. I came accross a machine and decided that windows 2000 pro was a good OS for it. Actually ME would have been better but I don't use ME anymore. Here's the problem.
Everything works flawlessly except VIDEO.
1 - I play a video with windows media player OR winamp and It plays for 3 seconds then freezes up! Leaving the media player in a semi-crashed state.
2 - So I ctrl-alt-del. / task manager to shut down the media player THEN THE VIDEO STARTS TO PLAY just fine, like nothings wrong. From that point everything functions
normally as long as I don't start a NEW video I can pause fastforward whatever it's flawless.
3 - As soon as I go to play another video it plays for 3 seconds then crashes until I ctrl-alt-del/taskmanager
4 - If I watch the CPU usage meter when I attempt to play a video it shoots up to 100 percent. But after I open the task manager the video only uses like 10 percent.

So if you say the machine can't handle windows 2000 and video at the same time why does it work just dandy after I open the task manager? Also the machine plays video games online or off VERY VERY well !! I tried it without an updated directx, different video drivers, before and after win. service pack, all with the same results. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Here are some specs. THANKS.

System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 2/
Machine name:
Operating System: Windows 2000 Professional (5.0, Build 2195) Service Pack 4
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer:
System Model:
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Processor: Intel Pentium III processor, ~730MHz
Memory: 512MB RAM
Page File: 84MB used, 1163MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.0001.0904 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
Network Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: RADEON 7000 SERIES
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: RADEON 7000 Series AGP (0x5159)
DAC type: Internal DAC(350MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_5159&SUBSYS_51591002&REV_00
Display Memory: 64.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (16 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6599 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 1/24/2006 19:52:48, 255488 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: ati2mtag.sys
Mini VDD Date: 1/24/2006 19:52:31, 1478656 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-1219-11CF-756A-5371A1C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x5159
SubSys ID: 0x51591002
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Video Accel:
Deinterlace Caps: n/a
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Not Available
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0007&SUBSYS_10061102&REV_00
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: P17.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.0314 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
Date and Size: 6/4/2004 00:27:46, 840960 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Creative Technology Ltd.
HW Accel Level: Full
Cap Flags: 0x0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: Yes
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No
Registry: OK
Sound Test Result: Not run

---------------------
Sound Capture Devices
---------------------
Description: Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit
Default Sound Capture: Yes
Default Voice Capture: Yes
Driver Name: P17.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.0314 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Date and Size: 6/4/2004 00:27:46, 840960 bytes
Cap Flags: 0x0
Format Flags: 0x0

Did you install the Motherboard chipset drivers?

Don't the motherboard chipset drivers install with windows?

Usually not unless it's an old board pre windows2000, even then most boards have specific chipset drivers. But I ask this, is the graphics card an onbaord Radeon 7000 or agp, either way try using a differnet set of drivers for the card. Older ones maybe or newer ones depending on what you have installed.

If this equals that, then why does that equal this?

OK, Thanx for your help btw. The graphics card is onboard and I tried every different driver I could find. No difference. SO, I updated my chipset drivers. No difference. I play a video. It plays for three second then freezes. I open up task manager to shut down the frozen media player, and it runs fine until I try to run another video file, and the process has to be reapeted.
I noticed when I open a video file that a little media player opens IN THE EXPLORER WINDOW at the same time the normal media player opens. I have tried and tried to disable this, incase they are conflicting, but I just can't figure out how. I think when I downloaded windows sp6 it asked me if I want to play files in the explorer and I said NO. I'm thinking this may be a wondows 2000 pro glitch, maybe? Why would I want 2 media players to run at the same time? Silly little windows! Any clue on how to disable media in side the explorer?

oops POST CORRECTION. the graphics card IS NOT onboard and is in an AGP slot. Please see the post above for my question.THANKS

I'm having the exact problem with 2000 Professional and video playback. Please let us know if you solved the problem.

Seems to me that it's just a glitch with 2000 and playing back video, period. Maybe the newer codecs that are required, 2000 just doesnt work with them well.

I was thinking the same thing as you about the media view pane being a conflict but I was able to switch to classic view which hides it but I'm not sure if it actually disables whatever might be going on in the background when you highlight a video file.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, Thanks.

Fixed it.

What to do is, right-click on the Desktop, click Properties, then go to the Settings tab, click the Advanced button, now click on the Troubleshoot button and adjust the Hardware acceleration slider bar. For me, I had to move it over 3 notches which is:
"Disable all DirectDraw and Direct3D accelerations, as well as all cursor and advanced drawing accelerations. Use this setting to correct severe problems with DirectX accelerated applications".

Now all videos are playing back flawlessly no matter what player I use. Good luck, let me know how it worked out for you.