VLC keeps crashing it used to work beautifully

[petiteGMT]

Please can anyone help?
I have windows 7 64 bit on a probook. I had downloaded VLC player about a month ago. I finally figured out how to convert videos from asf files to others, mp4 etc. and it was working like a charm.

But something happened. I don't use it everyday, only when I had to download video in that format. What happened was when I opened it it just crashed.

So, I uninstalled and then re-installed. That has not helped. I first installed it from a cnet site, but when I went back to that site, three times my notebook froze -- bad, I had to turn it off the bad way. So I will not go back to that site to re-download VLC.

I downloaded the version I have now (I loved the older one) and it just never opens, it crashes, asks me if I want to send a bug report. I downloaded it from what I was certain was videolan's official site, it surely looked like it.

I really need VLC to convert certain videos. I am grateful for any help. I do NOT want to run it as an administrator but checking the box that says "run as administrator" is NOT checked.

Thank you again in advance. I am at a loss now what to do, where I can download a working version. Or what could be the issue. I have nothing new on my notebook that could conflict.
thanks,
Gina

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Reset preferences.

What is your CPU?

[petiteGMT]

My CPU is fast enough to run the older version. I have a dedicated graphics card, HP probook. It's pretty good running media programs and I have no issues with some of the others. CPU: 2.3 Ghz.
This is going to sound idiotic, but how to set preferences? What would be the best preferences to set to have it work like it did before?
Thanks for your help,
most grateful Gina

[petiteGMT]

Okay, I went into preferences. I am not sure what to set, but while looking around it crashed again, and then a box opened and said "issues found: incompatible application. vlc is incompatible."
Could it be incompatible with itself?
Gina

[petiteGMT]

I have been into preferences. Something went wrong,whereas it was converting to a format, the file last night I converted, it wouldn't play by ANYTHING not VLC or Media player.
NOW IT DOESN 'T STAY OPEN long enough to convert.
Okay, so one can open preferences, but this DOES NOT ADDRESS what went wrong, what is going on. Why also do I have to run it as ad ministrator, it never had that prompt before. This is so frustrating. Is there another version I might use? I think this new version is a step backward.
Also, the error message that VLC is "incompatible." incompatible with what? I am at a loss I have never received an error message like this on any software.
PLEASE can anyone help? I would just like to restore the version I had, and use that like I did before. I worked beautifully. I had learned to use it for what I needed it for.
Is it a matter of money? If you pay more would that help get help?
Gina

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

You have a driver issue, I think.

[petiteGMT]

I uninstalled VLC, then re-installed the one I had originally downloaded, from CNET. I don't know if you are aware, but that site would not let me download VCL, three times my notebook froze up seriously when I tried so I went to my original downloads.
I have it working, but there are some settings I am not sure about. Instead of saying it is "playing" which is what I want it to do (I am converting downloaded files, they are in .asf formate) then I go to convert, and choose a common format. It is converting but it is weird, I don't know how to explain. I just see it "streaming" and I guess, converting. Before, I played the file and then converted it, and went through that process and chose the destination folder.
Can you tell me what in preferences I would choose to just have it play the downloaded file to convert? Otherwise, it seemed okay yesterday.
I did have a HUGE problem, though, and I'm not sure if it has to do with your software.
THANK GOD I back up my notebook. Because when I went to see the video I had to try again converting etc. (to practice, get more familiar with the VLC) My C drive had been entirely reconfigured into something I did not recognize nor had access to.
This in my mind is no doubt the result of hacking.
There is no way any software would do that. I had to go back to Feb. 27 and restore my notebook. That God I back up every week. I also stopped media streaming, which i understand enables others to get into one's computer. ?
I would be grateful 1) to just find the easiest most straightforward way to convert files through VLC.
and if this type of thing, the alteration of a drive, has ever happened to anyone else?
thanks,
Gina

[petiteGMT]

Actually it was not a driver issue, but I am sure now an issue of downloading VLC with a virus, malware or some other toxic substance.
VLC works great for a while, but then it becomes corrupt, and I have to uninstall and re-install.
But that is NOTHING compared to everything else that has happened to my hard drive ever since this was downloaded and installed. A company I bought cameras from did this and used CNET as a source. Well, had I known ...
I don't think you can get this from CNET anymore but if so, let me warn everyone and just say this: don't.
All problems and I mean wow you have no idea my God how many system restores (and I'm not just talking about find a restore point but having to go into my windows restore) I've done, the kinds of issues I've seen from re-configuing my hard drive to corrupting my software.
I had this downloaded the very end of February. March, April and now May -it is continuing.
It finally hit me this was probably the cause when I read on the microsoft site that someone downloaded another software from CNET and though the software runs well, he also downloaded a virus with it.
Bells went off. BE CAREFUL.
If I could undo it and never have downloaded I would because so many problems have frozen my hard drive and I will need a new one soon.
gmt