Had the same problem - Windows 7 64bit - had installed PDVD 8 w/updates and also a trial version of Arcsoft. Install of Pdvd 10 went fine, even activated. But it wouldn't start. Here is what tech support said:

What I said: Powerdvd 8 works great - bought Powerdvd 10 upgrade, seemed to install fine. After activation, which is successful, Powerdvd does not start. There is a Powerdvd process in task manager - but I can't do anything with the product. Please help! (I really liked Powerdvd 8, but want to try 10) D/L the trial, same problem.

What they said:
I understand your concern related with launching of PowerDVD 8 software.

In regard to your issue I suggest you follow the below steps to resolve your issue:

Note: Make sure that you log in as an Administrator.

1. Start Windows in Selective Startup mode.

a. Click on Start.
b. Click on Run.
c. Type msconfig and click on OK.
d. A System Configuration Utility window will come up.
e. On General tab, select Selective Startup.
f. Uncheck "Load Startup Items".
g. Click on Apply.
h. Click on OK.
i. Click on Close.
j. It will ask you to restart your computer. Click on "Restart".

Now try to launch the software.

If issue persists, please reinstall software using the steps given below :

1. Increase Virtual memory :

a. Right click on "MyComputer"
b. Select Properties -> Advance
c. Click on "settings" under Performance.
d. Select "Advance"
e. Click on "change" under Virtual memory.
f. Select "Custom" and enter initial value as "512" and Max value as "1024".

If issue persists then please let us know which version of the Windows operating system do you have is it 32-bit version or 64-bit version.

Please feel free to contact us back for any further clarification or for any assistance related to CyberLink Products. Use the below mentioned link to get back to us for your further queries:

http://www.CyberLink.com/english/cs/support/form/index.jsp

Thanks and Regards,

Aryan
CyberLink Technical Support

Not sure they knew what my problem really was - maybe I wasn't being clear but I ended of rebuilding the computer and sure enough it worked - waited 2 days for this response - rebulid took about 30 minutes and like 4 hours of moving data around. Not the easiest of workarounds, but I can now play MKV files with PDVD 10.

Dear Richard,

I can see that you have a problem with your Audio card - please check the Audio card driver.

please also try this:

- disable the Auzen Audio card
- enable the onboard audio
- reboot
- try again to startup PDVD

Br
Michael Technical Support

Werde Facebook Fan

I am not sure where you see a problem with my audio card. It is working perfectly and DXDIAG has no issues found with it either. Disabling my main audio source is not an option. This is NOT a cheap generic card. It is fully DirectX capable. I have been building systems for over 20 years so I am not exactly a newbie here. I will reinstall the audio card drivers and see if that helps, but the card should not be the issue.

Quote: Dear Richard,

I can see that you have a problem with your Audio card - please check the Audio card driver.

please also try this:

- disable the Auzen Audio card
- enable the onboard audio
- reboot
- try again to startup PDVD

Br
Michael

The problem with this solution is that Cyberlink seems to forget that disabling all startup items will disable everything from your printer monitor to your Antivirus and anti-malware packages.

Quote: Had the same problem - Windows 7 64bit - had installed PDVD 8 w/updates and also a trial version of Arcsoft. Install of Pdvd 10 went fine, even activated. But it wouldn't start. Here is what tech support said:

What I said: Powerdvd 8 works great - bought Powerdvd 10 upgrade, seemed to install fine. After activation, which is successful, Powerdvd does not start. There is a Powerdvd process in task manager - but I can't do anything with the product. Please help! (I really liked Powerdvd 8, but want to try 10) D/L the trial, same problem.

What they said:
I understand your concern related with launching of PowerDVD 8 software.

In regard to your issue I suggest you follow the below steps to resolve your issue:

Note: Make sure that you log in as an Administrator.

1. Start Windows in Selective Startup mode.

a. Click on Start.
b. Click on Run.
c. Type msconfig and click on OK.
d. A System Configuration Utility window will come up.
e. On General tab, select Selective Startup.
f. Uncheck "Load Startup Items".
g. Click on Apply.
h. Click on OK.
i. Click on Close.
j. It will ask you to restart your computer. Click on "Restart".

Now try to launch the software.

If issue persists, please reinstall software using the steps given below :

1. Increase Virtual memory :

a. Right click on "MyComputer"
b. Select Properties -> Advance
c. Click on "settings" under Performance.
d. Select "Advance"
e. Click on "change" under Virtual memory.
f. Select "Custom" and enter initial value as "512" and Max value as "1024".

If issue persists then please let us know which version of the Windows operating system do you have is it 32-bit version or 64-bit version.

Please feel free to contact us back for any further clarification or for any assistance related to CyberLink Products. Use the below mentioned link to get back to us for your further queries:

http://www.CyberLink.com/english/cs/support/form/index.jsp

Thanks and Regards,

Aryan
CyberLink Technical Support

Not sure they knew what my problem really was - maybe I wasn't being clear but I ended of rebuilding the computer and sure enough it worked - waited 2 days for this response - rebulid took about 30 minutes and like 4 hours of moving data around. Not the easiest of workarounds, but I can now play MKV files with PDVD 10.

Dear Richard,

I only tried to help.....

Please contact our customer support team for technical assistance

https://membership.cyberlink.com/prog/support/cs/index.do

br
Michael


Technical Support

Werde Facebook Fan

I appreciate the help. I just need to find a solution that doesn't involve disabling all of my security software. I am wondering if one of the old trial versions of the software might have left something in the registry that is preventing it from launching. Hmmm. I have contacted support. I am pretty sure they are using some kind of script. Not much help there.

Dear Richard,

the first thing we need to do is to identify the root cause - then we can think about an solution, but as long as we just have the info that PDVD is not starting it is necessary to narrrow down why it fails to start up in your environment.

from the DXDIAG I can see that there is not any codec installed - so it seems that something is gone wrong while installation. This can be casued by some Antivirus Software (too agressive) or by some clean up/optimization tools.

woudl be great if you could check it - in case we can narrow down the root casue we are maybe able to pass info to our RD to check it and prevent it in the future.

EDIT:
can you please forward the CSID to me by PM ?

Br
Michael Technical Support

Werde Facebook Fan

Hello.

I have had the same problem, installation went fint until entering activation code and registrating. When trying to start Power DVD 10..nothing happened.
This is what I did:

1. Removed old "dead" powerDVD entries in Registry with Autoruns
2.
a. Click on Start.
b. Click on Run.
c. Type msconfig and click on OK.
d. A System Configuration Utility window will come up.
e. On General tab, select Selective Startup.
f. Uncheck "Load Startup Items".
g. Click on Apply.
h. Click on OK.
i. Click on Close.
j. It will ask you to restart your computer. Click on "Restart".
3. Uninstalling PowerDVD 10
4. Unstalling drivers for motherboard audio (not used anyway)
5. Restarting
6. Reinstalling PowerDVD 10.
7. Everything starts up fine!!!

System:
Windows 7 64bit
Silverstone LC10E HTPC with remote
Zalman ZM750-HP 750W
Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4
AMD Phenom II X4 965 AM3
Corsair CM3X2G1600C9DHX 2x2GB
Powercolor ATI Radeon HD 5700 1GB
Auzentech X-Fi Home Theater HD
Corsair SSD 64GB system disc
WD WD5000AAKS 500GB storage disc
Zalman Reserator v2 cooling

Mirai DTL-642E500 LCD tv
Onkyo TX-NR3008 reciever

Mikael
Sweden

PowerDVD Version 10 as well as Version 9 does not start on my computer (Windows 7 64 bit) when the audio device from my graphic card (SAPPHIRE Ultimate HD 4670) is active. I just have to disable the "ATI High Definition Audio Device" in the device manager and PowerDVD starts without a problem.
It looks that PowerDVD has a problem with more than one audio device in the pc. There was a comment about deinstalling the audio drivers of the mainboard which was not used.
Very strange for a software in Version 10.
(It took me too many hours to find this out :evil

Quote: PowerDVD Version 10 as well as Version 9 does not start on my computer (Windows 7 64 bit) when the audio device from my graphic card (SAPPHIRE Ultimate HD 4670) is active. I just have to disable the "ATI High Definition Audio Device" in the device manager and PowerDVD starts without a problem.
It looks that PowerDVD has a problem with more than one audio device in the pc. There was a comment about deinstalling the audio drivers of the mainboard which was not used.
Very strange for a software in Version 10.
(It took me too many hours to find this out :evil

I too spent much time trying the sometimes complicated suggestions from Cyberlink to fix this problem. After disabling the HD audio for my HD5770 card, it worked. PowerDVD 8 OEM worked fine, but not PowerDVD10. Thanks for this insight !

Windows 7 64 bit
Auzentech HD Home Theater