My Windows Media Player 9 is refusing to play .avi movie files

It has played them in the past--no problem. I discovered this today when I tried to play a file called exam.avi. WMP came up and the sound was there but not the movie. I checked to see that under Options --> File Types tab, the avi box was checked. It was.(All file type boxes were checked.) Tried again to play the file (it was on a CD where I'd saved it). Again, sound only.

OK. I went to the site where I had originally obtained the file and again playing the file directly from the site I got sound only.

So I then re-downloaded and reinstalled WMP 9, went back to the site I'd gotten the file from and tried again to view it. But still I got only sound.

Has someone some ideas as to what I can do now?

wumply

Install Codecs from here:

http://home.hccnet.nl/h.edskes/mirror.htm

I use the mega codec pack.

You can also try another media player. I also use QCD Player for some filetypes. It's a great player and it's free. You can get it here .

Conan (or anyone): I went to the site you sent, downloaded the mega codec pack but when I tried to run it I got the message: "The setup files are corrupted. Please obtain a new copy of the program." So having previously downloaded WMP 9.0 on top of itself, I thought to uninstall it (from Add/Remove) and then reinstall it fresh. But it was not listed in add/remove and though I entered "uninstalling WMP 9.0 from XP", at Microsoft's Knowledge Base, I came up empty-handed. (I DID find how to remove WMP from MacIntosh--but that, of course, was useless.)

How do I uninstall my WMP 9.0?

If what you downloaded is corrupt, delete it and re-download it again.

even my wmp is not playing .avi files ... i had even installed the codecs

Either reinstall wmp9 over the top of your current installation,or upgrade to wmp10.

download wmp10 here

"even my wmp is not playing .avi files ... i had even installed the codecs"

Since my last post, the situation has gotten weirder. Conan's codec link didn't help.

Reverend, I tried reinstalling WMP 9 over itself--that did not help. I don't like WMP 10 but it's a practical suggestion.

Then I discovered that though I could play only the sound of exam.avi from my CD I could experience both sound AND picture with 2 other avi files from an internet site. Then I wondered if I would be able to play my exam.avi file if I downloaded it from my CD to my hard drive. Once on my HD it I got sound and picture but I still got only sound if I played it from the CD. Also, I had that file saved in each of 2 different sessions on my CD, yet regardless of which session I tried, I got only sound. And before all this, avi files played sound and picture with no problem.

GO FIGURE!

Try installing the Windows Media Codecs Pack.

This package can be used as an alternative to automatically downloading Windows Media Codecs, or to correct problems experienced with previously-downloaded codecs.

Windows XP | Windows 98, ME,2000

More info here

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Reverend

Either reinstall wmp9 over the top of your current installation,or upgrade to wmp10.

download wmp10 here

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i am using wmp 10 only buddy .. well i have to try to re install codec pack again .. i have already done it a couple of times till now .... lol may be i get lucky this time

Download and install of the WMP 7 and up codec package changed nothing when I tried to play the two exam.avi files from my CD, but did work when I played the same file from my Documents. Just as before.

I suspect the problem occurred when I was learning how to use my CDROLLER program (which lets me access each session on my CDs...I'd used Roxio's ECDC session selector before, but that would not work after the installation of XP SP2.) I suspect this because it's the most recent thing I changed--the only trouble is I can't remember if I actually played avi files before CDROLLER. Guess I'll try, at this point, a reinstall of CDROLLER.

Why don't you guys try GSpot It'll tell you what codec you need for the file and whether or not you have the codec.

Fastgame...

I must have the codec because (see my previous posts) the avi file in question had both sound and video when I downloaded it from my CD back to my HD. Go figure. But appreciate the GSpot tip.

wumply

@wumply, I mainly mentioned GSpot for anyone who may read this thread because they have a codec problem. It's a tool that may help.

Is it possible to get a link to this file so I can test it ?

Fastgame:

Here's the link: http://www.pibmug.com/files/?M=D. You will see a long, long list (with many delightful jpgs and short clips). There are at least 3 avi files on it. The list unfortunately is not alphabetical. The exam.avi file is at least 1/2 way down the page.

I wrote the CDROLLER people about my problem (once convinced that the problem was not a codec) and got back the suggestion that I should download any file I wanted to view from my CD to my HD first and then view or play it. Yet I never used to have to do this. Should I have to do this--I mean is this standard, normal or should I be able to play CD files I've saved directly from the CD? I'd appreciate opinions on this question!!

wumply I don't know if I'm understanding you correctly :confused: are you saying that you download directly to a CD ? your burning the file while it's downloading ?

You should make a folder called downloads, if you want sub folders within downloads thats up to you...After I download my files I scan them with AV and then I extract the files inside the DL folder and scan them (safety freak) again. I then move or use the files as they are intended. From there you can burn them to CD if you want.

I got the file but I don't know if it's the right one "exam.avi 06-Nov-2002 14:59 3.9M" lol it's pretty funny what the student does :D

Oh it played fine both from HD and burned to CD.

Fastgame...No, I had only burned from my HD. I think what I was talking about in an earlier post was telling my CDROLLER program to play my selection from the CD from CDROLLER's main screenf instead of having to download it from my CD to my HD in order to play it.

You had the right exam.avi. I still enjoy that one every time I watch it--wish I could have been that student and had his presence of mind. Other favorites from that site are (though I can't guarantee all come from that site) Modelo, strangeland_dot_com_ultimate chain saw, well-built, nailgun, tech support,women drivers, McIndecent Exposure, and Hahn_bounce. If not at the site, Google might find them.