WMP 12 crashes when i try to play avi file

[sohaibrazzaq]

I am having this problem since yesterday, whenever I try to open any avi video file in wmp12 it crashes. These are the same videos files that have been playing fine before in wmp12 and I can still play them in vlc or mpchc.

Reasons I think that may have caused this problem

1. Ok so 4-5 days ago my windows automatically downloaded and installed updates in the background and asked me to restart my pc. I didn't restart at the time and delayed it because I was doing something however because of some power problem my pc got restarted unexpectedly and then I couldn't boot into windows. Windows tried to do startup recovery fix and after 20-30 minutes of trying it said the recovery process failed but despite that I was able to boot into windows fine again. (Its possible it may have messed up some of the files but I am not sure it actually caused this specific problem.

2. Yesterday I noticed yet another problem. It was that one of my processor core always running under 100% load even at idle. Checking resource monitor it was some deffered procedure calls and interrupt routines so I tried many things trying to fix that problem. Uninstalling my ati drivers then reinstalling, going into device manager and disabling/enabling many things and also uninstalling some audio related drivers (it was not the drivers for my audio card which is creative x-fi titanium) which windows immediately installed back after doing search for hardware changes. However my WMP problem started happening from yesterday I am pretty sure.

Things that I have tried so far without success

1. Downloading and installing latest version of ffdshow, ac3filter and xvid codec.

2. Uninstalling WMP12 using windows feature, restarting and installing it back.

I can open all other containers fine. So far I have tested wmv, mpg, mp4 and they play in wmp fine. Using mediainfo I find out that its the problem with xvid and divx codec avi files, h264/mp44 encoded avi's play fine in wmp.

[Baldrick]

Maybe you can try codec tweak tool and see if it finds any problems.

[Hoser Rob]

Codec tweak tool is very useful, though I was never crazy about tools that screw around with the wjungey perpoindows registry.

Installing new codec packs is not a good idea in cases like this. They can introduce more problems, and just complicate matters. I don't understand why so many people's first impulse when they have problems is to install codecs that microsoft specifically says in tech support should not be installed on a windows 7 system.

Actually, the only thing I ever used codec tweak tool was to point all those things that some bloody app I installed remapped back to directshow. Because the crap windows program didn't uninstall properly.

However, this is missing the point. Your basic problem is a failed windows update and a failed recovery. I don't think screwing around with codec settings is going to fix that. You need to go to the microsoft tech support site and try to find some better recovery tools.

And, after all this, set your windows update to manual. Never to automatic. It'll give you a warning message but screw them. Even if you set it to just check for updates it'll still do it automatically sometimes. It's ridiculous. Just one of the reasons I use linux now.

[sanlyn]

And, after all this, set your windows update to manual. Never to automatic. It'll give you a warning message but screw them. Even if you set it to just check for updates it'll still do it automatically sometimes. It's ridiculous.

Ditto.

[sohaibrazzaq]

Maybe you can try codec tweak tool and see if it finds any problems.

NiS blocked that file. I am 100% sure it was just a false positive but I am not gonna bother with it trying to fix WMP anymore, have wasted enough time on that piece of crap already. I already use vlc and mpchc for most of my mkv and flv videos, guess its time to use them for all my multimedia needs and time to ditch wmp completely.

@Rob

that was the first thing I did after being able to boot into windows again (turn off automatic windows updates)

[jagabo]

Try this: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/284919-Codecs-gone-not-showing-up-in-VirtualDub-or-...=1#post1726008