Playing DVD's freezes my laptop. (software decoding)

[Burnt]

I'm running a gateway solo 2550, pentium3 450mhz, 192megs ram, on win98. Everytime I try to play a dvd with windvd or powerdvd, it locks up my computer and I have to use the emergency reset. Is my processor not fast enough to handle it? Would a dvd decoder card be better?

Edit: it plays divx's fine.

 

[kami]

Your processor is fine...could be a heat issue.

 

[Burnt]

hmmm...well there's a metal piece on the cpu where the heatsink is supposed to touch...would artic silver help that?

 

[jschuk]

Does it lock up right away or after time? If it is right away, then re-install your video drives (shot in the dark), but more likely it is a conflict with the software. If it locks up after some time, then it could be the video chip (again, shot in the dark).