Problem Opening Avis

[Darien Shields]

I have a problem opening Avi files. I wasn't sure what forum to use, so I thought I'd use the newbie forum just to be safe.

The problem started a little while ago, three or so days ago (I would have posted about it at the time, when I heard about the forum, but the whole two-day wait thing), and let me make this clear: I did not have any problem before. I happily played avi files to my heart's content. Then I was trying to write a japanese film to a DVD to show my friends, and I downloaded the free trial of Nero. However, I discovered that it couldn't write avi files into a format suitable to play in a DVD player... so I started looking for converter programs to turn these avis into something suitable. I found one program and used it (I'll find a link in a minute and edit it in...) but it suffered an error whenever I tried to use it. So I downloaded another program with a similar purpose and tried again. It also suffered an error. Around this time I decided to check the avi file to make sure it hadn't been scrambled or something. When I tried to play it with Winamp (I use winamp, normally, to play Avi files) but it had an error. It didn't give me details but asked if I wanted to report it to Microsoft (I elected not to.) I thought at this point that the avi file itself was broken somehow. I found a DVD I had earlier burned a data copy to, and tried to play that. I had the same error. I tried playing random Avis and got the same error. I switched betweem programs, and neither Winamp, Quicktime, or Windows Media Player could play them. But Nero Showtime could (I downloaded that earlier, by accident, while looking for the trial DVD burning Nero.)

Now I'm in a bide, because it's only a free trial of Nero I've got, and I won't be able to play any Avi files when it runs out unless I fix this problem. Does anyone know what is wrong?

[thecoalman]

What's the error?

[Darien Shields]

Sorry, didn't put much emphasis on the error itself...

Well, when I run them with those other programs, a window pops up saying that there has been an error "{The program in question} has developed an error and has to be closed" and asks if you want to send an error report to microsoft. As a result, I can't then watch it.

If you want I will get a screen-shot.