Cannot open .avi files?

Recently, my computer has been acting a bit weird when trying to open .avi files. When I try to open the .avi files, an "explorer.exe/ mediaplayername.exe has encountered a problem" message comes up, and the program closes. This also happens when I view a folder with a .avi file in it. Any clue on what's the problem?

Thanks

 

em, try to clean your system up, do a disk defrag, disk cleanup, antivirus, spyware and registry cleaner scans, after all those it might work, either that try vlc player, its free from cnet.com and plays EVERYTHING

 

Thanks. I've ran disk cleanup, several antivirus/spyware scans, and system restore. Not sure what a disk defrag is, but I have tried downloading VLC and it works!

However, when I play an .avi file, VLC comes up and plays the .avi while all Windows files close ('it has encountered a problem').

Also, if I were to burn the .avi into a data disk for example, the burning tool says that it cannot open the .avi file. Do you know what the problem could be? Could the other problem relate to the hardware?

Thanks again.

 

is it one pecific file or all avi, and for disk defrag go into start, all programs, accessories, system toolz, disk defragment.
em i dont think that this is hardware related.

 

It's all .avi files. And I ran Disk Defragmenter, and the problem still occurs.

Any other ideas that could help?

 

have u tried k-lite codecs???

 

Yeah, I tried it before. Any other ideas?

 

divx codec?

 

I'm not sure if the problem relates to a codec though.

 

the only possible solution to fix ur problem that i know of is to format ur pc.

 

Would that mean reinstalling Windows? Or just tweak some things on Windows?

 

yes reinstall windows. that would mean that u will loose all of ur files so i would recommend that u back up any important files that you need.