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[JustinChase]

I downloaded a bunch of movies a while back, all in wmv format (I think) and they all used to play fine in MC.  About 6 months? ago or so I noticed some of the files will not play ("Visualizations not available for this file type").  I noticed all the files with this 'error' are all .asf files.  I know they used to play.  i have no recollection of changing the file type, I don't even know what an .asf file is, but I have 10 files that are of this type and they won't play.

any thoughts or suggestions about this?

[Wile E. One]

Advanced Systems Format (ASF) Specification

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/format/asfspec.aspx

The movies you downloaded with the .asf extension were probably just stored in your system cache. When you cleaned your cache, they probably got deleted...which is why they no longer work.

[JustinChase]

I checked and they ARE on my hard drive.  I sorted the files in the folder by file type, and they are sorted alphabetically with the wmv files.  It's as if they are actually wmv files, but just have the asf extension.  I don't know how this happened.

I tried to rename them in MC, but that didn't work.

Maybe i'll try to rename them in explorer, and see how that goes.

[JustinChase]

I renamed one file in explorer, reimported from that directory, and it found the file, and it shows as a wmv file, but it still says cannot display visualization for this file type, which is what is says for the asf files (which this was until I renamed it)

I KNOW this file used to work.

How did it get changed, and how to I get it back to working?

[Wile E. One]

Can you get the same file to play in WMP?

[JustinChase]

No, it says I need a coded, which it can't find.  i found it and installed, and it says I already have a newer version installed, but WMP says i don't.

 ? ? ? ? ?

[Alex B]

GSpot tool may help in finding out what codec is used:
www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/video_tools/gspot.cfm

I don't know if this makes any difference, but have you upgraded to WMP10?
www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/

[JustinChase]

Thanks for the advice, unfortunately...

GSpot can't/won't tell me anything about the file (except that it's an .asf file)

WMP v10 doesn't play it either.

It says it's downloading the codec, and counts to 100%, then fails, and tells me to go to web help to find the codec.

Aaarrrgggghhhhh!!