Movie maker: "the codec required to play the file is not installed on your computer"

bundly

I am trying to put together some video clips I filmed today. Windows Moviemaker, which USED to work fine, now refuses to import my AVI video clips, saying it has not the right codecs:

"The file P1070458.avi cannot be imported because the codec required to play the file is not installed on your computer. If you have already tried to download and install the codec, close and restart Windows Movie Maker, and then try to import the file again."

... so I downloaded and installed all the codecs but I still get the same error message.

It's driving me insane. A quick, 5-minute job of splicing a few bits of video together has turned into seven hours of misery.

Can anyone please please help me?

I am running Windows XP and office 2003.

bundly

On top of this, the other problem I have is that whatever program I download, after I have downloaded it, I cannot see it on the computer!

It says it is downloading to "D/Program Files" but when I look, it's not there. I have tried with about ten different programs now, and I also tried downloading to Desktop, to My Documents, and into a new folder I created within Program Files but no matter what I do, whatever the program is, it's not showing.

Can someone help before I am driven insane by this?

aerostar

bundly wrote: »

"D/Program Files"

That is not a normal directory syntax, have you mis typed ?

If the drive is correct it should read

d:\Program Files

What drive is D ?, program files are normally on drive C

so if you are going to use that directory it should be

c:\Program Files

That place is not normally the place to put downloaded files, best to make a seperate directory on the c drive called downloads and make sure you always use that.

Download "everything" (a fast file search) here http://www.voidtools.com/

once installed, run it, it will take a few seconds to look through and index your files, once index is done, put part of the name of the file you downloaded in the box, it will then show you where it is, almost instantaneously if it exists.

FAQ here http://www.voidtools.com/faq.php

It is far better than the windows search. one proviso is that your disc needs to be a NTFS disc, you can check by clicking on MY COMPUTER then right click on the hard disc, select properties, and in the box that appears you should see NTFS, if it does not then it will not search that disc.

bundly

THANK YOU for trying to help me

That is not a normal directory syntax, have you mis typed ?

Yes I just made that up off the top of my head. I mean wherever programs are.

If the drive is correct it should read

d:\Program Files

What drive is D ?, program files are normally on drive C

so if you are going to use that directory it should be

c:\Program Files

That place is not normally the place to put downloaded files, best to make a seperate directory on the c drive called downloads and make sure you always use that.

My program files have always been on D, for the past 3 yrs since the last reformat. I have downloaded lots and lots of programs since then onto d:\program files.

I have a "downloads" folder and also tried saving to that but afterwards that folder is empty.

Download "everything" (a fast file search) here http://www.voidtools.com/

once installed, run it, it will take a few seconds to look through and index your files, once index is done, put part of the name of the file you downloaded in the box, it will then show you where it is, almost instantaneously if it exists.

FAQ here http://www.voidtools.com/faq.php

It is far better than the windows search. one proviso is that your disc needs to be a NTFS disc, you can check by clicking on MY COMPUTER then right click on the hard disc, select properties, and in the box that appears you should see NTFS, if it does not then it will not search that disc.

The files do not exist on my hard drive.

If only I could make Moviemaker work I would not need to download anything :-(

Bundly

bundly

OK I have now managed to download the codecs and it is showing in my start/programs list so it must have installed.

However, when I try to import any video into Movie Maker it STILL says

"The file P1070458.avi cannot be imported because the codec required to play the file is not installed on your computer. If you have already tried to download and install the codec, close and restart Windows Movie Maker, and then try to import the file again."

So I did htat. Have now tried to import at least 50 times and got that same message. I have tried rebooting, everything.

I am tearing my hair out with this.

Not 6 months ago I used this same Movie Maker on this same PC to import video clips that I filmed on the SAME camera and it all worked fine and I uploaded the resulting film to Youtube.

I am at my wits end now.

Can anyone please help?

vale46_2

have you installed k-lite codec pack ?
and install mediainfo exe
http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en

dont install the avg toolbar it comes with

run media info open your avi in it
it will tell you the exact codec the file is using/needed to play it

you can work from there in solving your problem

NiftyDigits

What did you use to take the video? You says used to work, but did it ever work with the same camera/camcorder?

You'll probably either have to convert the video or use another video editor.