avi or wmv suddenly stopped playing

[mysts]

If I open a folder that contains avi files and select an avi file the whole window freezes. The only way to close the window is to use the Task Manager. This happens with Safe Mode also.
If I bring up wmp11 and select the file from within wmp the avi plays fine. Other players will play avi files but only if selected from within the player.
This also means that I can't copy/move these files since I can't select them.
I reinstalled wmp11 didn't fix it.
Other video files like mpg play just fine simply by just selecting them.

I am using winxp pro sp2

Any thoughts on this?

[JohnnyMalaria]

Try exploring the folder instead.

For example, if the folder is "My Videos", open the folder above it then right-click on it. Select "Explore". Also, make sure the view mode is set to "List".

The reason to try this is that when you view folders the normal way, Windows tries to make a thumbnail image of pictures and videos. If the software that Windows calls to create the image is problematic, it can cause the freeze.

Alternatively, switch to Tools/Folder Options/Use Windows classic folders, select the "List" view type and then navigate to your problematic folder. This turns of the preview image in the left pane.

Do you know what compression format these AVI file are?

[mysts]

To johnnymalaria:

Thanks for the reply. Your suggestions are good because that is the way I normally set things up.
Something I failed to mention before is that if I open a folder in Thumbnail mode it operates like it should. When I open it in list mode is when it freezes up.

The compression mode appears not to be a factor because the folder freezes when I click on an avi file anywhere on the computer like other drives, cd, dvd, etc.

Any other thoughts?

[JohnnyMalaria]

When I open it in list mode is when it freezes up.

List mode or details mode? The latter interrogates the video file to get metadata such as duration etc.

[mysts]

My mistake. Normal mode for me is details mode so that I can see size, type, etc.
I tried it in list mode as you suggested and it seemed to work ok.
I believe I just found it. I went to view->choose details and reselected the various columns and now it seems to work. Your mentioning interrogation is what clued me to try it.
Your knowledge of windows seems to go past what most people know. Thanks for sharing with me. I hope this closes this out.

[mysts]

To johnnymalaria:

I hope you are still there.

My problem is back.

Some new information: in list or details mode I cannot access an avi file anywhere on my computer by left or right click. I can still play the avi by accessing it from within a player.
Something I didn't mention before is that when I try to access an avi it brings up a window that say "drwatson has encountered a problem and needs to close". To close this window I have to use Task Manager.

Hope this helps.

[JohnnyMalaria]

"drwatson has encountered a problem and needs to close".

Can you provide more information?

[mysts]

I can't think of anything new.

Here's a summary:

I cannot access any avi from anywhere on my computer. Access=select, right click, left click
The problem exists in list mode or details mode.
The avi files appear to be good because they will play if accessed from within the player.
I cannot move, copy, or delete these files because the whole window freezes.
If I unrar a set of files that result with an avi the avi will be created but then the window freezes.
The drwatson window just says that drwatson failed.
Is there a log file somethere that might help?
Could I reinstall some software that might restore the avi capabilities

I do appreciate your patience while working with me.

Hope all this helps.

[JohnnyMalaria]

Try this from the command prompt:

Create a new directory somewhere convenient
Copy a single AVI file from the problem directory to the new one
Keep the command prompt window open
Try to select the file from the new folder using My Computer etc
See if it crashes

If it does, make a note of the AVI format (if you can)

From the command prompt, delete that AVI file
Copy a new one over (preferably a different format)
Try opening from My Computer

Keep doing this.

Basically, what this is doing is using the command prompt to put a single AVI file in an otherwise empty folder and then seeing if that AVI file crashes My Computer/Explorer. It may help track down if it is a particular format of AVI or not.

In the meantime, I'll dig up some info re Dr Watson options.

[mysts]

I did what you said. Boy it felt good to be back in DOS again.
I was able to copy several files but it crashed each time.
I put the copied files on another computer so as to analyze them using software called gspot.
The following avi formats were revealed: xvid, div3, div4, cvid, divx, mp42, and uyvy
One thing that I have not messed with is codecs. Is it possible that all of the avi codecs could have been compromised? I download a lot of video music such as mtv and vh1 stuff. A lot of this stuff is avi in various formats as mentioned above.
This is definitely a mystery. Why just avi?

[JohnnyMalaria]

See what Dr. Watson has to say.

From Microsoft Knowledge Base Article KB308538

If a program error occurs, Dr. Watson for Windows starts automatically. To configure Dr. Watson, follow these steps:
Click Start, and then click Run.
Type drwtsn32, and then click OK.
By default, the log file created by Dr. Watson is named Drwtsn32.log and is saved in the following location:
drive:\Documents and Settings\All Users.WINNT\Application Data\Microsoft\Dr Watson

Note Drwatson.exe is an older program error debugger that was included with earlier versions of Windows NT. Microsoft recommends that you use Drwtsn32.exe instead of Drwatson.exe in Windows XP.

The "All Users.WINNT" is probably "All Users", though.

[mysts]

To anybody following this thread:

I ran several cleaner type programs(2 hour worth) and when I finished, the avi files played just fine. I have no idea what cleared it up but everything has been ok for several days now. Let's hope it lasts. thanks