My avi files are only opening with media player which causes my alot of problems since non of my other programs can run them e.g. i just got a web cam but it cannot save files because it automaticly previews them before it saves and the program crashes :( I have tried changing the program avi's run with, tried altering control panel settings, tried reinstalling the media player, tried installing other avi players and using them, tried restoring drivers, downloaded active X (latest), tested for conflicts, tried changing sound sythesizers (tried doing other various things I can't remember) and nothing works. Please please I need someone to help me !

Have you looked to see if there is a setting in Media Player that says to "automatically associate with Media Player File Types"? I know this is a setting in Realplayer, maybe Media Player has it too.

I agree w/ Dan.. check for associations within the program. You may have tried this already, but you can also check the file associations for Windows. To do this, open Windows Explorer and click on the View tab. Select the Options menu and then click the File Types tab. Check the list that appears and see that the AVI files are not associated with Media Player. If they are and they need to be changed then click on the Edit button and a new window will appear. Select an option from the Actions menu (probably Play) and click edit. Then browse to find your other AVI program and enable it Hope this helps.

Another way to unassociate file types when an app "steals" them is to go to Start, Run, and type in Winfile.exe. When winfile starts go to File, Associate, and type the offending exe in the dialogue box, scroll up the list in this box and choose None. Close winfile and double-click on the exe. It will now bring up the Open With box and you can choose the application you want it to always open with.

in Windows Explorer, highlight the .avi file, hold dwown shift, right-click and select "open with". Choose the program you want to associate .avi's with and check the "always open with" box. This is the easiest way I've found to re-associate file types.

I had the same problem after installing WM 6.4. I found that if you install WM 6.4 and then uninstall it all works fine as it leaves the codecs on the system and then the normal windows media player takes over (ie mplay.exe and not mplay2.exe) Hope that has helped.

To Jack and Kyle: Most people don't walk around with a Windows 98/95/2000 manual sitting up their collective asses as they are playing around on a comp. I'm sure you're the type that flipped through manuals for days wondering where the "anykey" was when you first got on a computer, because you were "too cool" to ask someone. *smirk*