Pardon if this is with the wrong forum. I don't really know where it belongs.

I use Irfanview to view all my videoclips. But I can't seem to view videos with the .wmv extension. I have downloaded various codecs but am not really sure which one(s) will work. Any ideas in terms of the way forward? I have also Windows Media Player 9, RealOne player, and DivX player installed. The latter two work fine but even when I try to view a video in WP 9 I get error messages like: Windows Error text: MMSYSTEM296.

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

You should feel a little guilty letting a thread go to 48 replies only to give up! I even did some research into the super 12 competition.

The plugin for Irfanview (great program, been recommending it for about eight years) to play the WMV files is IV_PLAYER.EXE. It is included in the 4 and a bit MB plugins download. I use it frequently.

The error message which you are receiving seems to be caused by the filetype being removed from the registry. This can occur if you enter windows explorer and click on view > folder options > filetypes, highlight the filetype and click remove.

The quick search I did revealed that the solution involves importing registry keys. It might be easier to find a WMV file, right click on it while holding the shift key and selecting the open with option. Choose the program you want to open it with and ensure that there is a check mark in the always open this type of file with this program.

Hi Rimfire. Nice to have you back again. Don't worry I feel guilty as hell. But you know I'm still learning the trade.

Yeah the Super 12. What can I say. The way our teams play it's a damn shame! Every now and then there's a small flicker at the end of the tunnel but it remains just that.

I'm now downloading the plugins and will install. But I have done this last night but still no luck. You mention importing registry keys. Just explain to me "step-by-step" how to go about it. Remember! I'm still learning.

Regards

Dave

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

It's probably best not to play around in the registry unless absolutely necessary.

Have a look at Sir Bill's answer, this involves downloading and running a file.

If that doesn't work, someone in Holland seems to have an alternative answer.

Hi. Nope still no luck. I have downloaded various codecs and codec packs, among other the Codecs6025 allin1. But no luck. Tell me something else. If I want to play RealOne files on Irfanview do I have to have RealOne installed? Couldn't I just install a RealOne codec into Irfanview? The same for Win Player 9.

What I can't understand is that I used to play all files from Irfanview 3.85. Now with 3.95 I'm pushed to a Multimedia Player. It seems it can only play one video without the option of going to the next track by clicking! How can I get hold of that guy in Holland?

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

In Irfanview I usually use the spacebar to advance to the next file and backspace to go back. A matter of preference. My copy has a real audio plugin. The best way to see if it works is to open Irfanview and then open a file within the program. If it runs, you can then change the file association for that type of file.

The guy in Holland is Robin van Mourik. Give his solution a try.

Hi. No luck. My problem is 2fold. When I click a file with a .WMV extension I get this MMSYSTEM@(^ error. When I click a file with a >AVI extension I get a message saying "Video not available. Cannot find vids:divx decompressor. And that's my problem. The Dutchmans article refers to a AVI File in the File Types. I don't see it there. What I do see is AVI Video. And that's it.

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

I'm running low on ideas. I did once try to install WMP 9 on my win98 machine and ended up with a horrible crash to the point that I couldn't even start windows. I've avoided it since.

Have you tried uninstalling it and then reinstalling? Personnally I would return to an earlier version such as 7.

Just to be sure, have you tried opening these files using Irfanview?

Hi. My whole problem revolves around the fact that I can't play SOME AVI files in Irfanview and ALL WMV files. I can't even play WMV files in WMP 9! Point is I used to do it in the past but something or somebody must have hacked my registry. What if I uninstall all the players and reinstall all again. Or what if I restore an earlier version of my Registry. Would that help?

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

You're having quite a time with your problems! I've done a bit of a serch around and interestily enough, when I googled 'Irfanview can't play wmv', The top response was here!

Someone or something may have made changes to your system. Have you scanned for malware?

It may be too late to try a scanreg /restore as you only have the last five days in which you turned on your computer to choose from. A scanreg /fix might help or at least won't hurt. If you have manual registry backups, you could try one which you made before the problem arose. I feel that it is more likely to be a corrupted file.

Moviecodec has a few suggestions which you might like to try.

I have done every scan to my disposal for malware but still no luck. I went to Moviecodec but the file they suggested I should download is in Russian and I couldn't find a link to an English version of the page. My Windows Explorer has finally given in as well. When I click it the left payne is greyed out! I think to clean up this mess I should reformat drive C and start afresh!

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Here we go, talking of quitting again!

I had another look at that site and followed the gspot link. There was not even a hint of russian. I am really beginning to suspect that the errors you have are a result of something else. Hence the malware scans I recommended.

Which programs at your disposal did you use?

Before you go QUITTING AGAIN, I have asked jboy to have a look in his bag of tricks (I'm sure it's the same one that used to belong to Felix the Cat) and see what he can come up with.

Ah, sure (no pressure though)

MMSYSTEM296 -- ok, nevermind, already been there

M$ codecs (WMV etc)

Even More Codecs - - - DivX 5 & xVid for AVIs - - Nimo for MPEGs

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.

Report Offensive Follow Up For Removal

OK Rimfire and hello to you and JBoy. I won't quit! I'll check out the suggestions Jboy is making and will post back. Just two other issues.

1. If I want to use Irfanview exclusively as my viewer, do I then still have to install programs like WMP 9 and RealOne. I find that when you install all three they all give you a list of extensions and I normally select "Select All". In effect I'm giving all three the right to view for example .MWV file extensions. Any suggestions here. Maybe I should be selective and share it all on equal basis.

My second problem is serious. For some reason when I click Windows Explorer it takes me right into Drive C and the left-hand pane is greyed out! I don't know how that happened.

I have the following programs installed: Ad-Aware, Spybot Search, Webroot Spysweeper,Spyblaster, CWShredder and Highjack This.

Jboy, when I opened Moviecodec I ended up in a website called Chris Lanier's Blog. There reference is made of ffdshow-20050216.exe. From there I got onto this Russian website.

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Sorry I have another question. I have many software programs "Scheduled" in Irfanview. How can I save them elsewhere, on another drive for example should I ever want to do a clean installation I can then retrieve all.

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Hi Dawie, I had another look for the link to a Russian site. I did find the blog you went to and there were lots of links on that page. None of the ones I looked weren't english.

When you associate an extension to a program, all you do is tell windows that you want it to play that type of file with the program you associate it with each time you double click on a file with that extension. That sounds a little confusing. For example, if you were to double click on a jpeg (.jpg) file, it would normally open in the default browser. Because you'd rather open it with Irfanview (at least I do), you associate jpeg files with Irfanview. From then on, each time you double click on filename.jpg, Irfanview will open and display the picture. If you allow each program to associate all filetypes, then the program you installed last will open that filetype. This is why I suggested earlier that you try to open the files you are having trouble with in Irfanview. This means open Irfanview, click file, open, navigate to the file and select it. Then click OK.

Your problem with Windows explorer, Sir Uncle Bill's Solution does provide an answer. However as this has only recently started you might like to try a scanreg /restore.

Boot to command prompt only. At the C:> prompt, type "cd windows\command" and press enter. Then type "scanreg /restore" press enter. You will be asked to choose from a list of five, choose the one from the day before it started playing up. Notice that there are spaces in the above commands (after cd and scanreg), these are important. Also, if you have installed any programs since the date you have chosen, you may need to reinstall them.