To start your troubleshooting effort, take a minute to read the "Things You Should Know" section on my "Home" page. Next, proceed to the "Troubleshooting Basics" section below and perform the steps listed. After completing that process, you'll have a rock solid foundation for your troubleshooting and can proceed with confidence to the next steps toward a resolution.
"Troubleshooting Basics"
* You need to know what version of Movie Maker you have installed and are having problems with. For version: Open Movie Maker > Help > About > See line 4 (if MM1...See
line 2). I see a lot of "5.1's" in forum posts. This number relates to the OS build number.
* If you have version 2.0 or earlier, consider updating to the latest version (2.1), by downloading the SP3 Service Pack from Microsoft. The link to it is Windows XP SP3. Many issues can be resolved by updating the version as many files are updated. If you already have version 2.1, DO NOT download version 2.0 over top of 2.1. It can create a much tougher issue to resolve. Stay with 2.1, and focus on resolving the issue with version 2.1.
* Basic Initial Steps To Perform:
Known Software Packages That Cause Issues For Varying Reasons:
"...I know that the qedit.dll issue is apparently old, however I would like to thank the persons of MMF for helping me find the solution to my problem which was infact IE7 (\"current\" version) and as a side note, I would like to say that for some of those persons who have tried this solution (removal of IE7) I would like add that they should allow the computer to remove its temp information via computer>main drive>prop.>disk clean..."
*Additional on Flyakite OSX: snippet on how to have Movie Maker co-exist with it:
Go to Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs > FlyakiteOSX (Change/Remove). There should be a box that comes up with a list of components to delete. Click on the grey arrow to the left of 'System Files', then 'EXE System Files', then check the box for 'moviemk.exe', then click on Unistall. Reboot your computer and voila, the transitions/effects are back and you still have Flyakite!
*Additional on Folder Lock: a number of posts and emails reported removing Folder Lock software resulted in import issues being resolved. The symptoms:
Additional on WinDVD Creator: Two things to uncheck in Version 2.1 (Tools > Options > Compatibility tab) if you have WinDVD Creator installed and are incurring freezes with WMM.
* If you have version 2.0 or earlier, consider updating to the latest version (2.1), by downloading the SP3 Service Pack from Microsoft. The link to it is Windows XP SP3. Many issues can be resolved by updating the version as many files are updated. If you already have version 2.1, DO NOT download version 2.0 over top of 2.1. It can create a much tougher issue to resolve. Stay with 2.1, and focus on resolving the issue with version 2.1.
* Basic Initial Steps To Perform:
- Shut down Movie Maker
- Run anti-virus
- Run spyware/adware
- Defrag your drive(s)
- Log off and Shutdown your system
- Unplug system from wall outlet for 30 minutes. (eliminates "idle" currents)
- Plug back in and boot up your system
- Recheck Movie Maker for issue
Known Software Packages That Cause Issues For Varying Reasons:
- WinDVD Creator
- Internet Explorer 7 (browser update from Microsoft)
- Folder Lock
- Codec Packs/bundles
- Bricopac
- Arcsoft video converter program-loads incompatible codecs...
(they can be disabled in Movie Maker though) - Flyakite OSX
"...I know that the qedit.dll issue is apparently old, however I would like to thank the persons of MMF for helping me find the solution to my problem which was infact IE7 (\"current\" version) and as a side note, I would like to say that for some of those persons who have tried this solution (removal of IE7) I would like add that they should allow the computer to remove its temp information via computer>main drive>prop.>disk clean..."
*Additional on Flyakite OSX: snippet on how to have Movie Maker co-exist with it:
Go to Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs > FlyakiteOSX (Change/Remove). There should be a box that comes up with a list of components to delete. Click on the grey arrow to the left of 'System Files', then 'EXE System Files', then check the box for 'moviemk.exe', then click on Unistall. Reboot your computer and voila, the transitions/effects are back and you still have Flyakite!
*Additional on Folder Lock: a number of posts and emails reported removing Folder Lock software resulted in import issues being resolved. The symptoms:
It captures with no problem, but then you get an error message saying it can't be imported (even though it does import).
From a forum post...Then I create clips and dragging clips to storyboard of anything video, audio pictures doesn't work. Even clips that formerly worked do not work now. I can watch them with Movie Maker but just can't drag them. One found a solution by installing Folder Lock on the D: Drive instead of C:, so both applications are working fine. Another said... from what I saw after installing and checking it out, it is simply a matter of what you lock with Folder Lock. I installed it and ran Movie Maker with no problems, but if I decided to lock "C:/programs" or any other folder that Movie Maker uses then WMM didn't work properly. Recently, a poster indicated that he couldn't do anything in Movie Maker..."Invalid pointer" message appeared when trying to import the source file.
You can set permissions on a folder by folder basis with Folder Lock. That is my understanding. Don't lock a folder that contains source files.
From a forum post...Then I create clips and dragging clips to storyboard of anything video, audio pictures doesn't work. Even clips that formerly worked do not work now. I can watch them with Movie Maker but just can't drag them. One found a solution by installing Folder Lock on the D: Drive instead of C:, so both applications are working fine. Another said... from what I saw after installing and checking it out, it is simply a matter of what you lock with Folder Lock. I installed it and ran Movie Maker with no problems, but if I decided to lock "C:/programs" or any other folder that Movie Maker uses then WMM didn't work properly. Recently, a poster indicated that he couldn't do anything in Movie Maker..."Invalid pointer" message appeared when trying to import the source file.
You can set permissions on a folder by folder basis with Folder Lock. That is my understanding. Don't lock a folder that contains source files.
Additional on WinDVD Creator: Two things to uncheck in Version 2.1 (Tools > Options > Compatibility tab) if you have WinDVD Creator installed and are incurring freezes with WMM.
RealMedia Splitter
SuperDVD MPEG Audio Decoder
SuperDVD MPEG Audio Decoder
Take a look at the categories listed below, decide which one most closely relates to your issue and start there. My hope is that you are able to quickly find your issue and possible resolutions.
DISCLAIMER: All recommendations are on a "TRY AT YOU OWN RISK". I assume NO responsibility for results. I have not tested all the offerings, merely re-compiled them here as a
quick reference.
NOTE: this repository does NOT reflect the newly released Vista version of Movie Maker. Many aspects hold true between the versions, but not all. You are welcome to try the offerings listed here, but I cannot guarantee outcomes.
Incompatible codec used to encode the source file type, (some mp3's). Convert to .wav or .wma. WMA may cause sync issues as it is highly compressed.
Skier-Hughes File Type Compatibility Tutorial page
- Do not use "Preview"
- Mute the sound
- Capture "whole tape"
WMP supports more file types than Movie Maker. Determine the source file type and convert it.
If the source file is an MPEG2 file, see the "Use MPEG2 Source Files In Movie Maker - Files From the Internet, Camcorder Capture or DVR-MS" item on my "How Do I?" page.
If the source file is an MPEG2 file, see the "Use MPEG2 Source Files In Movie Maker - Files From the Internet, Camcorder Capture or DVR-MS" item on my "How Do I?" page.
Lipsync problem is caused by many factors among which are:
Use VDub to extract the audio track and convert to WAV. For guidance about extracting using VDub... Extracting Audio Using VDub.
The problem comes along when the MPEG2 files are authored to the DVD and burning commences. In the authoring, the VOB files which are created discard the program time stamp information and this can lead to very small audio and video sync problems. The more edit points there are, the greater the problem will become. Straight cuts are generally not as bad as using transitions at edit points.
See Skier-Hughes Site for more info and specialized MPEG editor program recommendations.
- Interfering background processes while encoding
- Input in highly compressed format such as WMV
- Low system resources
Use VDub to extract the audio track and convert to WAV. For guidance about extracting using VDub... Extracting Audio Using VDub.
The problem comes along when the MPEG2 files are authored to the DVD and burning commences. In the authoring, the VOB files which are created discard the program time stamp information and this can lead to very small audio and video sync problems. The more edit points there are, the greater the problem will become. Straight cuts are generally not as bad as using transitions at edit points.
See Skier-Hughes Site for more info and specialized MPEG editor program recommendations.
This symptom is caused by the deletion of the software that came with the camcorder before capturing. Capture with firewire vs. USB.
Download and install Windows Media Encoder Series 9 (32
bit). Once it's installed, go to "Start > All Programs" and look for "Windows Media" - hover your mouse over "Utilities"' and move over to "Windows Media File Editor" and click on it. Once it
opens, import your wmv file and then save it. It will then be indexed post save and should import to Movie Maker for editing.
If your version of Movie Maker is less than 2.1 then downloading and installing SP3 is the best bet to fix this and many other issues as well.
Skiers-Hughes/Problem Solving/Cannot Capture page and Considerate_Guy's Blog
- Confirm that the device is enabled in Device Manager.
- Confirm that the camera is in the "Play" mode.
- Confirm that the firewire card is properly seated in the slot.
- Most issues are with the cable.
- Try using a free utility called WinDV to capture.
- With the computer off, plug firewire into camcorder, set camcorder on to play. Then turn computer on and let it power up. Open Windows Movie Maker and go through the steps as you might normally. The video preview window will now display and record properly. Once you have the preview displaying properly you can stop the capture process and restart if necessary or open another app and capture there fine too. Seems like the hardware bus just gets confused initially.
Saving, Audio, Video and Editing
This is a big issue...
* If your CPU is not chugging along and making progress, give it a few extra minutes, but giving it another 1/2 hour or letting it run overnight won't get you there. Cancel the process...and start troubleshooting.
* Try a second or third time... and it might work fine without doing anything more.
* After a few successive failures, close Movie Maker... clear some more space on your hard drive and defrag it. Then try again.
If your movie won't save, you need to be able to answer these questions first: otherwise, you are stumbling around in the dark.
* Some forum posts have indicated that using too many clips made up of.gif files also caused this issue.
* An emailer indicated that a "end task" was necessary in Task Manager(Cntrl+Alt+Delete), for a google search program to resolve freezing issues when attempting to save a movie.
For more detailed information see PapaJohn's site > Problem Solving > Checklist and then proceed to Can't Save Movie section.
* If your CPU is not chugging along and making progress, give it a few extra minutes, but giving it another 1/2 hour or letting it run overnight won't get you there. Cancel the process...and start troubleshooting.
* Try a second or third time... and it might work fine without doing anything more.
* After a few successive failures, close Movie Maker... clear some more space on your hard drive and defrag it. Then try again.
If your movie won't save, you need to be able to answer these questions first: otherwise, you are stumbling around in the dark.
- Have you checked for source file type compatibility? What are your source file types?
- What version of WMM are you using?
- What are you trying to save your movie as? WMV or DV-AVI?
- Is this the first use of WMM, or have you used it a lot before and not had any problems?
- If the latter, how much stuff do you have in your "collections" area?
- The composition of your project...pics only, vid clips only, or combination of both? If vid clips are included, where did they come from?
- Computer specs...cpu speed, RAM, hard drive space?
- How many transitions/effects...overall length of project?
- When was the last time you defragged your system?
- Have you run anti-virus and adware/spyware?
- Are all your source files on your hard drive, and on the same drive where WMM is located?
- Error message? Exactly when and what does it say if anything?
- Some possible causes:
* Incompatible file types (e.g. DivX, XviD, MPEG, etc.) These all need to be converted and then you need to redo your project. Same for audio (.mp3 should be converted to .wma).
* Too complex a project (many clips, photos, transitions, etc.) - If so, split the project in two, or three parts and save the parts.
* Conflicting codecs on the system - Try changing settings on Tools> Options > Compatibility. Or rename the .ax files.
* Incompatibility between capture setting and save setting. Rule of thumb for quality retention: Capture as DV-AVI...Import and Edit...Save as DV-AVI.
..."Or the forecast time to completion stops going down and then starts going up. You wait and wait, and finally give up, thinking that Movie Maker has stopped working. The problem is often the result of:- Insufficient computer memory for the complexity of your project, combined with other tasks your computer is doing as it renders the movie.
- Using source files that don't work with Movie Maker, or are corrupt.
There are other reasons also that are not listed here. - For version checking...Open WMM > Help >About -->See line 4 for 2.x versions, and line 2 for 1.xversions. It is not "5.1xx". This number relates to the OS build.
- This is the save profile you selected during the save wizard when you clicked "Save to my Computer" under section 3- "Finish Movie".
- Self explanatory
- If you have a lot of pieces and parts of other projects in collections, remove them. Keep only the items you need for your current project. Several forum posters have been able to save their projects by removing the clutter.
- Self explanatory
- Start > right click "My computer" >Properties > See the information under the "General tab".
- Self explanatory
- Do this! It should be a part of your maintenance schedule to do regularly. Start > All Programs > Accessories> System Tools > Disc Defragment. It will reorganize files on your system, not change them. It will speed up your systems processes by not having to "go all over the place" to find what you asked for.
- Run these program(s) and clear out the riff - raff.
- If you have Movie Maker on your C:/ drive, your source files should be on this drive too. There are situations where they can be other places, but for simplicity sake...keep your project sources together.
- Note WHEN, exactly WHAT you are doing at the time you get this error message, and exactly what the error message says.
* Some forum posts have indicated that using too many clips made up of.gif files also caused this issue.
* An emailer indicated that a "end task" was necessary in Task Manager(Cntrl+Alt+Delete), for a google search program to resolve freezing issues when attempting to save a movie.
For more detailed information see PapaJohn's site > Problem Solving > Checklist and then proceed to Can't Save Movie section.
*Source file compatibility issue. See Skier-Hughes
File Type Compatibility Tutorial page
*AVS Converter
*Uninstall codec packs/bundles.
*Open Movie Maker > Tools > Options >Compatibility Tab > Uncheck the listed files that end with ".ax"> Test Movie Maker.
*Ineffective install of SP2 or SP3 update - Re-install the update or try a manual re-registering of these five ..dll's: if all 5 DLLs are not registered... MM2 opens and appears to be functional, but only 5 of the original effects appear in the collection (Blur, Grayscale, Mirror Horizontal, Pixelate, Slow Down - Half, Speed Up - Double) and they don't preview, transitions don't preview, clips of all kinds in your collections preview, the timeline of a project looks normal but when you preview it you hear audio and music, but don't see any pictures or video. The text wizard appears functional but you don't see any text previews and the text clips in the project don't preview.
...you may need to register 5 of the DLLs. It can't hurt to re-register them even if they're already registered. There are a few more DLLs in the folder but they can't be manually registered.
Register one by using start > Run > copy/paste one of the entries below. Do them one at a time...
*AVS Converter
*Uninstall codec packs/bundles.
*Open Movie Maker > Tools > Options >Compatibility Tab > Uncheck the listed files that end with ".ax"> Test Movie Maker.
*Ineffective install of SP2 or SP3 update - Re-install the update or try a manual re-registering of these five ..dll's: if all 5 DLLs are not registered... MM2 opens and appears to be functional, but only 5 of the original effects appear in the collection (Blur, Grayscale, Mirror Horizontal, Pixelate, Slow Down - Half, Speed Up - Double) and they don't preview, transitions don't preview, clips of all kinds in your collections preview, the timeline of a project looks normal but when you preview it you hear audio and music, but don't see any pictures or video. The text wizard appears functional but you don't see any text previews and the text clips in the project don't preview.
...you may need to register 5 of the DLLs. It can't hurt to re-register them even if they're already registered. There are a few more DLLs in the folder but they can't be manually registered.
Register one by using start > Run > copy/paste one of the entries below. Do them one at a time...
- c:\windows\system32\regsvr32.exec:\progra~1\moviem~1\wmm2ae.dll
- c:\windows\system32\regsvr32.exec:\progra~1\moviem~1\wmm2ext.dll
- c:\windows\system32\regsvr32.exec:\progra~1\moviem~1\wmm2filt.dll
- c:\windows\system32\regsvr32.exec:\progra~1\moviem~1\wmm2fxa.dll
- c:\windows\system32\regsvr32.exec:\progra~1\moviem~1\wmm2fxb.dll
Running MM2 with an older version 6.5 QASF.DLL file results in movies being able to be saved as DV-AVI but not WMV. Check that your QASF.DLL is version
9.0.0.2980 or newer. It's in the c:\Windows\System32 folder and you can check it with a right mouse click on the file name and a check of it's properties. To "reinstall SP2", it does not mean that
you have to uninstall anything... all it means is that you re-run the installer and complete the installation steps. It should not affect anything; no settings or data files change by doing this.
Only thing that should be affected is if any file is misplaced for some reason should get fixed and if anything has become unregistered it should get registered again. It can be classed as a safe
procedure.
From a post...
12/16/03... I then went hunting for QASF.DLL. I suggest if you're getting a Save Movie error, you visit this link as your first port of call...download the file relevant to your OS. I can happily report my MM2 is working like a treat again. KB 830415
The article is "QASF Update Improves the User Experience for Windows Media Player Content" and the download provides version 9.0.0.3080 of QASF.DLL, file size of 241,664, dated Oct 7, 2003. Windows XP SP2 installs a version 10.0.0.3646 file, file size of 221,184, dated Aug11, 2004.
*Updating the qasf.dll can sometimes be achieved by simply downloading Windows Media Encoder Series 9.
From a post...
12/16/03... I then went hunting for QASF.DLL. I suggest if you're getting a Save Movie error, you visit this link as your first port of call...download the file relevant to your OS. I can happily report my MM2 is working like a treat again. KB 830415
The article is "QASF Update Improves the User Experience for Windows Media Player Content" and the download provides version 9.0.0.3080 of QASF.DLL, file size of 241,664, dated Oct 7, 2003. Windows XP SP2 installs a version 10.0.0.3646 file, file size of 221,184, dated Aug11, 2004.
*Updating the qasf.dll can sometimes be achieved by simply downloading Windows Media Encoder Series 9.
When QDV.DLL isn't registered - a key file needed to save a movie as a DV-AVI type. For some reason the codec needed to save a DV-AVI file isn't registered. Try
registering it manually per this post: ...try this magic line on your Start -> Run dialog: regsvr32%windir%\system32\qdv.dll when you press OK it should result in a message: "DllRegisterSever
succeeded in qdv.dll". Afterwards restart Movie Maker and try saving the file as DV-AVI again.
The preview is just that, a low quality preview, it runs smaller than full size physically, 320x240 and at 15 frames per second. The lower the computer specs, a
small processor, low amount of RAM, small full hard drive will all have a detrimental effect. Also, the higher the complexity of the movie, the worse it may appear. If you expand it out to full
screen, it is still at 320x240 and most likely will look even worse. Your rendered movie will look much better depending on what save setting/profile you opt for.
Understanding source files...and the big red "X".
Source files are the digital media files (for example, audio and video files) or pictures that you import into your current project. When you import a video, audio, or picture file, the file remains in the original location from which it was imported. The resulting clip that appears in Windows Movie Maker is a representation of the original source file; it is not a copy of the source file.
In other words, if you edit the source file in another program after it is already imported into Windows Movie Maker, the changes that you make to the file automatically appear in Windows Movie Maker and in any Windows Movie Maker projects that include the edited clip. And, if you delete the thumbnail or clip for the file in Windows Movie Maker, the source file still remains unchanged in the original location. To ensure that you can continue to work with a project, avoid renaming, deleting, or moving the original source files.
I'll add to the help file explanation...if you do rename, delete, or move the source files after importing, you will see the big red "X". If you click on them, a dialog box will come up and tell you Movie Maker cannot find the file and ask you if you want to browse to find them. If you know where they are, you can locate them and reassociate them so Movie Maker can find them in the future.
Source files are the digital media files (for example, audio and video files) or pictures that you import into your current project. When you import a video, audio, or picture file, the file remains in the original location from which it was imported. The resulting clip that appears in Windows Movie Maker is a representation of the original source file; it is not a copy of the source file.
In other words, if you edit the source file in another program after it is already imported into Windows Movie Maker, the changes that you make to the file automatically appear in Windows Movie Maker and in any Windows Movie Maker projects that include the edited clip. And, if you delete the thumbnail or clip for the file in Windows Movie Maker, the source file still remains unchanged in the original location. To ensure that you can continue to work with a project, avoid renaming, deleting, or moving the original source files.
I'll add to the help file explanation...if you do rename, delete, or move the source files after importing, you will see the big red "X". If you click on them, a dialog box will come up and tell you Movie Maker cannot find the file and ask you if you want to browse to find them. If you know where they are, you can locate them and reassociate them so Movie Maker can find them in the future.
Run disk cleanup and defrag your system.
Open Movie Maker > Help > Contents Tab >Understanding the WMM > About the Panes > About the Collections Pane.
Also, see Video Tutorial #2 on this website.
Also, see Video Tutorial #2 on this website.
Unless you are using a Media Center edition, the "Save to CD" option in Movie Maker encodes the project file to "HIGHMAT" format. It will play beautifully on
any computer, but is not readable by stand alone DVD players. To achieve the necessary file conversion to be able to view on a TV, you need a third party disc authoring program. Many have trial
versions available for download. This "try before you buy" trial period will sometimes watermark your output. Most trial periods range from 15-30 days. Some trials have limited features as well. A
good example of one that does not watermark your project is DVD MovieFactory® 6 Plus
- Trial From ULEAD. This trial version has blueray HD disc support features included.
Roll back from Windows Media Player 11 to version 10 by the Add/Remove programs method. Be sure you also remove "11 Runtime One" along with the player.
Full forum thread here.
Full forum thread here.
Clean out your collections area. Keep only the ingredients for your current project in collections.
Some versions are limited to an hour or less.
This is a symptom of one of those mp3's that don't work in Movie Maker. Most mp3's will work, but some don't. Convert the source file to WAV/WMV/WMA using the
Windows Media Encoder. There is a step by step guide for it on the "HowDo I?" page. See 'Use a Given Converter'. For a tutorial, see PapaJohn #10.
Captured video file exceeds the FAT32 4-gigabyte file size limit - The video file created when you capture video exceeds the 4-gigabyte (GB) file size limit
supported by the FAT32 file system. This message occurs if you are capturing video at a higher quality setting on a volume or partition that is using the FAT32 file system. The file system is used by
MS-DOS and other Windows-based operating systems to organize and manage files.
To fix this problem, do one or more of the following:
To fix this problem, do one or more of the following:
- Reduce the amount of video you capture in Windows Movie Maker.
- Choose a lower video setting for your video.
- If your computer hard disk has multiple partitions, and one is formatted using the NTFS file system, go back in the Video Capture Wizard, and then save your video to that partition.
- Convert your file system to use the NTFS file system, which does not have a file size limit.
- Save your current project in Windows Movie Maker and then close Windows Movie Maker.
- Close any open applications.
- Convert your file system to use the NTFS file system. For more information about converting a volume to use NTFS, see the topic "To convert a volume to NTFS from the command prompt" in Windows Help and Support.
The explanation you are looking for is this...when you click on Import Video, Movie Maker automatically looks for files with the type(s) it can work with...ones
that are compatible. If you select "all files" from the import window, then it will look for ALL video clips. You will then see your clip that you want to import. If you click on it, you will get the
message that it can't import "your clip name" because....
Now you know you need to convert the source file to something compatible to Movie Maker.
Now you know you need to convert the source file to something compatible to Movie Maker.
Fix the problem by slowing down the video acceleration.
- Open Windows Media Player
- Click on Tools and select options
- Click on the "Performance" tab.
- On the bottom you will see a slider for Video Acceleration. Try sliding it to the left to slow your video accelerator. If this doesn't resolve the issue, move it back to full.
Most people DO NOT have a problem with JPEGs. Review PapaJohn #78, PapaJohn #44 and PapaJohn #114 to prep pictures before importing to Movie Maker. It has been noted that the
.bmp file type is preferred by Movie Maker.
Movie Maker collapses the timeline automatically at close. Expanding the timeline will enable you to see them easier for editing. To do it from the timeline
view, just click on the magnifying glass to the left that has the "+" sign in it. Each click will expand the timeline more. If you still can't see the title/overlay track, re-adjust your window size.
The title/overlay track is the lowest track in the timeline view.
Tweak virtual memory. Here are the steps:
..."you can watch your memory usage as the movie renders or saves... if it gets to the point that it needs more than you have, or gets to the 2GB level of memory needed, the process stops and you get "the message". On PapaJohn's site > Problem Solving > Can't Save a Movie page has info about your memory settings and how to watch it during the saving process."...
- Start > right-click 'My Computer' >Properties > Advanced tab
- In the 'Performance' box, click 'Settings' (this brings up the "Performance Options" window) > Visual Effects tab
- Which one do you have ticked? ... "let windows choose what is best for my computer" (not best performance or best appearance) > click OK
- Repeat the steps above. This time, when you open the "Performance Options" window, choose 'advanced tab'. See Virtual Memory section at bottom... if you click the "Change" button there, you can up your virtual memory.
..."you can watch your memory usage as the movie renders or saves... if it gets to the point that it needs more than you have, or gets to the 2GB level of memory needed, the process stops and you get "the message". On PapaJohn's site > Problem Solving > Can't Save a Movie page has info about your memory settings and how to watch it during the saving process."...
The problem comes along when the MPEG2 files are authored to the DVD and burning commences. In the authoring, the VOB files which are created, discard the
program time stamp information and this can lead to very small audio and video sync problems. The more edit points there are, the greater the problem will become. Straight cuts are generally not as
bad as using transitions at edit points. See Skier-Hughes Site for more info and specialized MPEG
editor program recommendations.
Reported causes of this problem are:
- Spyware on your computer.
- Corrupt .dll files.
- Missing Globally Unique Identifiers (GUIDs) in registry; view post #25993 for fix.
Check your Key Frame level in WME during encoding. From a forum post:
I believe it was because my initial recording from Windows Media Encoder 9.0 (WME) didn't include enough Key Frames. I re-ran my last recording in WME using the Convert a File
option in the wizard but this time customized the profile to use a Key Frame Interval of 1 second. That seemed to take care of the issue and Windows Movie Maker (WMM) works fine now! Saves and
everything..... To keep file size down in my custom profile for WMM I just cranked up the Key Fame Interval again....I set it to 5 seconds.For full thread... forum post #101312.
You need to first perform a version integrity check on MM for XP versions.
To Do It:
What happened:
There are two causes for this scenario. The result is a mixed .dll file version of Movie Maker.
To fix the problem:
To Do It:
- open MM > Help > About WMM
- look at line 2...see if it references SP2 Service pack update
- look at line 4...see what version -->should read version 2.1.4026.xx
What happened:
There are two causes for this scenario. The result is a mixed .dll file version of Movie Maker.
- an incomplete or ineffective install of the SP2 or Sp3 Service Pack update.
- an errant download and install of an older version of Movie Maker overtop of a newer version.
To fix the problem:
- The best way is to do a system restore back to a date before the download was attempted...whether it was a service pack download or a net download.
- The other way is to see the XP Issues page > SP2 Install Issues section > See the third issue there and follow the link to "Dean Rowes Blog" and follow the steps provided there.
To Access Task Manager, press "Ctrl+Alt+Delete" all at the same time.
Use the "Application" tab and the "Processes" tab to view what is running on your system. The "Processes" tab will show quite a number of items in it's list.
To decide what is unnecessary, take a look at one of these two sites:
Answers That Work
Process Library
Use the "Application" tab and the "Processes" tab to view what is running on your system. The "Processes" tab will show quite a number of items in it's list.
To decide what is unnecessary, take a look at one of these two sites:
See this issue's expanded content:
Movie Maker Closes After Adding the 6th or 8th clip Issue
Crashes, Hangs and Error Messages
"A Few Things First"
*A word about codecs...you preview a clip in your collection and it plays great... Movie Maker only needs to deal with a couple codecs for the single source file... then you have 50 video and music/audio clips on the timeline and preview your movie. With the many codecs involved, previewing the timeline is that much more complex, so Movie Maker has to shift gears to preview things differently. Sometimes a clip plays fine in the collection but not on the timeline...that's how things work or don't with codecs.
*If you have Version 2.0, consider updating to the latest XP version (version 2.1) by downloading Windows XP SP3 from Microsoft. This update can solve many issues that you may be experiencing.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you already have version 2.1, Do Not download and install version 2.0 over top of 2.1! It can create a much bigger issue. Stay with 2.1 and troubleshoot the issue(s).If you already have, and are seeing a "software restriction policy" message...try this from an emailer: "...I opened the XP Pro group policies system tool, and browsed through everything! Under Adminstrative templates/windows components/ -> i saw movie maker! And "Do not allow windows movie maker to run" was enabled. All I had to do was unconfigure that and now it's up and running again..."
* Make sure you have the latest version of DirectX. DirectX Update and Diagnostic Tool.
* Other information that you may need or find helpful is available to you by running the Belarc Advisor. It will give you a text printout of everything on your system including version numbers.
* A helpful tool to assist you in troubleshooting is the Event Viewer. To access Event Viewer:
Start > Right click "My Computer" > Click "Manage"> click "Event Viewer" > double click "Application"
Right click on the error(s) with the red X > click "Properties" to see the error.
This will tell you the faulting module.
Right click on the error(s) with the red X > click "Properties" to see the error.
This will tell you the faulting module.
* Where to download .dll's
* Where do you find codecs? How do you install them manually?
Just download the codec as instructed, there are instructions on Codec Central and other sites which explain precisely how to do this - installation varies by codec and most
codecs will have installation programs that handles this automatically.
Codec Central
CodecCorner
Codec Central
CodecCorner
"SP2 Install Issues"
Dean Rowe's blog - If MM2.1 didn't install correctly
or
PapaJohn's site > Setup MM2 In XP > MM 2.1
Both of these sites will show you the detailed steps of manually registering .dll files.
or
PapaJohn's site > Setup MM2 In XP > MM 2.1
Both of these sites will show you the detailed steps of manually registering .dll files.
"Error Messages"
Some users have not had issues with the below packages, while many others have solved this issue by doing the following:
* See PapaJohn's site > Problem Solving > Checklist
* Update DirectX to version 9.0c. See link above.
**From an e-mailer:
"... I have XP Pro and SP3 and am running MM2.1 - this works on one laptop fine, the other not. Why? The problem is Intervideo WinDVD Creator - this is the only difference between the two laptops in setup (though one runs MCE, the other not but that is immaterial). I tried PapJohn\'s suggestion of a batch file and it worked!
Ergo, no need to uninstall IE7 or Intervideo WinDVD Creator at all but simply create a batch file with the following code:
regsvr32 qedit.dll /s /u
\"C:\\Program Files\\Movie Maker\\moviemk.exe\"
regsvr32 qedit.dll /s
It seems Intervideo WinDVD Creator changes the qedit.dll somehow..." >
- Uninstall the IE 7 browser update. *See the note below from an emailer before uninstalling*
- Uninstall WinDVD Creator. *See the note below from an emailer before uninstalling*
- Do a system restore back to a date when Movie Maker worked (some have reported that it won't let them do this) If this is the case, try running System Restore from Safe Mode.
- Re-install the SP2 Service Pack
* See PapaJohn's site > Problem Solving > Checklist
* Update DirectX to version 9.0c. See link above.
**From an e-mailer:
"... I have XP Pro and SP3 and am running MM2.1 - this works on one laptop fine, the other not. Why? The problem is Intervideo WinDVD Creator - this is the only difference between the two laptops in setup (though one runs MCE, the other not but that is immaterial). I tried PapJohn\'s suggestion of a batch file and it worked!
Ergo, no need to uninstall IE7 or Intervideo WinDVD Creator at all but simply create a batch file with the following code:
regsvr32 qedit.dll /s /u
\"C:\\Program Files\\Movie Maker\\moviemk.exe\"
regsvr32 qedit.dll /s
It seems Intervideo WinDVD Creator changes the qedit.dll somehow..." >
Originates from using MPEG2 source files. Convert the source files before importing to Movie Maker.
Also, see the item entitled "Use MPEG2 Source Files In Movie Maker - Files From the Internet, Camcorder Capture or DVR-MS" on my "How Do I?" page. Possible solution there to quickly get you moving forward with your project.
* From Forum member - "Tools > Options > Compatibility Tab. Unchecked "MPEG2 Splitter Pixella"
* For more information, see PapaJohn's site > Import Source Files > Video > MPEG2
If you get this message and you don't want to start your project over, here is a workaround:
If you used source files you wish you didn't - like MPEG2
If you've gone down the road so far with MPEG2, DivX, XviD or other file types that it would be a major effort to convert them and start the project over, here's a work-around.
Convert the source file(s) to AVI, using a compression codec that is known to work in Movie Maker... see PapaJohn's site... Import Movie Source Files > Video> Video Codecs page for pointers.
Replace the existing source files with the new AVI files, in the same folders and with the exact same file names. Movie Maker 2.1 will use the new source files without having to import them.
To test the workaround, I...
Also, see the item entitled "Use MPEG2 Source Files In Movie Maker - Files From the Internet, Camcorder Capture or DVR-MS" on my "How Do I?" page. Possible solution there to quickly get you moving forward with your project.
* From Forum member - "Tools > Options > Compatibility Tab. Unchecked "MPEG2 Splitter Pixella"
* For more information, see PapaJohn's site > Import Source Files > Video > MPEG2
If you get this message and you don't want to start your project over, here is a workaround:
If you used source files you wish you didn't - like MPEG2
If you've gone down the road so far with MPEG2, DivX, XviD or other file types that it would be a major effort to convert them and start the project over, here's a work-around.
Convert the source file(s) to AVI, using a compression codec that is known to work in Movie Maker... see PapaJohn's site... Import Movie Source Files > Video> Video Codecs page for pointers.
Replace the existing source files with the new AVI files, in the same folders and with the exact same file names. Movie Maker 2.1 will use the new source files without having to import them.
To test the workaround, I...
- copied the VTS_01_1.VOB file from a DVD to my hard drive
- changed the file extension so the file name was VTS_01_1.MPG
- imported it into Movie Maker 2.1
- used it in a project
- saved the project file
- closed Movie Maker
- converted the VTS_01_1.MPG file to a file named Substitute.AVI using VirtualDubMod with the Panasonic DV codec for compression
- moved the file to the folder that had the VTS_01_1.MPG source file in it
- renamed the original file to VTS_01.old and the new file to VTS_01_1.MPG
- opened MM2.1 and the project
- Confirm you are selecting "video" disc - not a data disc.
- Possible bad disc - use a reputable manufacturer's disc.
- Lower your burn speed.
This error originates from using Movie Maker on Windows 2000 operating system. It has been reported that Movie Maker will run on this OS, but it was not
designed to. No known resolution at this time.
First, clear out your "collections" area to only include the necessary pieces for your current project.
Second, see the question "Movie Maker Can't Save Or Takes Too Long To Save My Movie" and pay close attention to source file compatibility.
Third, see this KB Article (814836).
Fourth, see PapaJohn's site > Problem Solving > Can't Save Movie.
Second, see the question "Movie Maker Can't Save Or Takes Too Long To Save My Movie" and pay close attention to source file compatibility.
Third, see this KB Article (814836).
Fourth, see PapaJohn's site > Problem Solving > Can't Save Movie.
Try clearing out your "collections" area and retest Movie Maker.
Check your system for "FolderLock" software. If you have it installed, either uninstall it, or change your folder permissions.
A forum posting on 3/12/06 provided the following "unspecified error" resolution:
Check your system for "FolderLock" software. If you have it installed, either uninstall it, or change your folder permissions.
A forum posting on 3/12/06 provided the following "unspecified error" resolution:
"I had this problem and I just did some debugging and found the cause in my case: I had changed the folder attributes on my temporary files folder. Movie Maker 2.1 checks the
attributes on startup and fails if the folder is read-only. I guess it'll also fail if the folder is missing but I haven't checked that.
This instance of the problem is easy to fix. Go to a command prompt (Start > All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt) and type
Set
followed by the Enter key
The resulting output usually contains a line like:
TEMP=C:\DOCUME~1\UserName\LOCALS~1\Temp
The stuff after the = sign is the path to the temporary files folder. You need to change directory to the parent folder of this temporary files folder (usually C:\DOCUME~1\UserName\LOCALS~1) by executing command
CD C:\DOCUME~1\UserName\LOCALS~1
followed by the Enter key
Then check that the Temp sub-folder exists using the dir command. If it doesn't already exist, create it using
MD Temp
followed by the Enter key
In my case the folder was there but the attributes included the read-only flag, so I reset the attributes by executing command
attrib -r +a -s -h Temp
followed by the Enter key
Start Movie Maker and it works.
Note: you can perform all of the above steps using Windows Explorer if you aren't using the defaults of hiding system files etc. but it's easy using the command prompt."
This instance of the problem is easy to fix. Go to a command prompt (Start > All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt) and type
Set
followed by the Enter key
The resulting output usually contains a line like:
TEMP=C:\DOCUME~1\UserName\LOCALS~1\Temp
The stuff after the = sign is the path to the temporary files folder. You need to change directory to the parent folder of this temporary files folder (usually C:\DOCUME~1\UserName\LOCALS~1) by executing command
CD C:\DOCUME~1\UserName\LOCALS~1
followed by the Enter key
Then check that the Temp sub-folder exists using the dir command. If it doesn't already exist, create it using
MD Temp
followed by the Enter key
In my case the folder was there but the attributes included the read-only flag, so I reset the attributes by executing command
attrib -r +a -s -h Temp
followed by the Enter key
Start Movie Maker and it works.
Note: you can perform all of the above steps using Windows Explorer if you aren't using the defaults of hiding system files etc. but it's easy using the command prompt."
"Crashes and Hangs"
The best source to check out is PapaJohn's site > Problem Solving > Checklist and then on to the
Crashes and Hangs section.
Here are a few things to look for up front:
*The most common fix reported is to uninstall IE7 > Test Movie Maker > Re-install SP2 update if necessary.
Here are a couple of selected posts from the Movie Maker forum:
*The second most common fix is to uninstall WinDVD Creator > Test Movie Maker.
This is probably an issue of what is installed on your system that can be resource hogs...not an issue with the program itself.
*If Movie Maker just started doing this, try a System Restore back to a date to when it did work correctly. Go to Start > All Programs> Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. It is reversible if it does not resolve the issue. Read the info provided...and as a note, if you proceed with the restore, and it doesn't solve the problem, Undo that restore procedure, before doing another restore back to an earlier date if you think you didn't go back far enough.
Here are a few things to look for up front:
*Crash - Imported illegal file name...you must delete the collections database to resolve.
*Crash - Incompatible codecs from bundled codec packs...uninstall these bundles/packs > re-install SP2 update.
*Close - possibly an issue with qedit.dll... To check your qedit.dll: Go to your c:\Windows\System32 folder ... right click on it > Properties > Version tab. Update your qedit.dll file.
*Crash - Incompatible codecs from bundled codec packs...uninstall these bundles/packs > re-install SP2 update.
*Close - possibly an issue with qedit.dll... To check your qedit.dll: Go to your c:\Windows\System32 folder ... right click on it > Properties > Version tab. Update your qedit.dll file.
*The most common fix reported is to uninstall IE7 > Test Movie Maker > Re-install SP2 update if necessary.
Here are a couple of selected posts from the Movie Maker forum:
10/28/06 - forum post... Movie Maker started producing the error...failure with qedit.dll mentioned in the Error Report. It was working fine up until the moment I installed IE7. I
tried all the remedies mentioned here to no avail. When I UNINSTALLED IE7 and REVERTED TO IE6 - all was well again !?!
10/23/06 - forum post... Yesterday I upgraded to IE7. Prior to that Movie Maker has worked fine. Today it crashes no matter what. I really don't want to get rid of the IE 7 unless there are no other options....I went ahead and uninstalled IE7. Will put it back when a fix becomes available....The error it gave was with qedit.dll. Tried renaming it and all that. It would work fine and then I got another qedit.dll and then the problem would start all over again. I did a lot of googling to find possible fixes. There were others with the same issues, but no one had a solution.
10/23/06 - forum post... Yesterday I upgraded to IE7. Prior to that Movie Maker has worked fine. Today it crashes no matter what. I really don't want to get rid of the IE 7 unless there are no other options....I went ahead and uninstalled IE7. Will put it back when a fix becomes available....The error it gave was with qedit.dll. Tried renaming it and all that. It would work fine and then I got another qedit.dll and then the problem would start all over again. I did a lot of googling to find possible fixes. There were others with the same issues, but no one had a solution.
*The second most common fix is to uninstall WinDVD Creator > Test Movie Maker.
This is probably an issue of what is installed on your system that can be resource hogs...not an issue with the program itself.
*If Movie Maker just started doing this, try a System Restore back to a date to when it did work correctly. Go to Start > All Programs> Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. It is reversible if it does not resolve the issue. Read the info provided...and as a note, if you proceed with the restore, and it doesn't solve the problem, Undo that restore procedure, before doing another restore back to an earlier date if you think you didn't go back far enough.
I caution you before using this solution. It involves editing the registry manually. Any error in here can ADVERSELY affect the basic operation of your
computer!
The solution is here.
The solution is here.
Can be associated with using some of those mp3's that don't work in Movie Maker, especially if you use enough of them. Convert the files to WAV or WMA before
importing.
Here's a simple workaround that worked for a forum member.
*Another poster indicated that they had their source clips in a folder that was in another folder (part of a file management method they were using), This effectively acts as a form of compression like zipping them. Make sure your source files are not stored this way before importing.
*Several have had success by Uninstalling WinDVD Creator.
*Failed or incomplete SP2 update.
..."My MM2 seemed to crash every time I used it, and most often while I was dragging a thumb of a clip onto the timeline. So I guessed a new way of fixing it: Start > Control
Panel > Performance and Maint. > System > Advanced tab > Performance 'Settings' button > Visual Effects tab...TURN OFF Show window contents while dragging. FIXED! Great I'm happy. My
suggestion to you is to leave Hardware acceleration at full speed, but turn off all or some of the visual effects. I only had to turn one off."
*Another poster indicated that they had their source clips in a folder that was in another folder (part of a file management method they were using), This effectively acts as a form of compression like zipping them. Make sure your source files are not stored this way before importing.
*Several have had success by Uninstalling WinDVD Creator.
*Failed or incomplete SP2 update.
The cpu is overheating during rendering, as rendering is cpu intensive (as the cpu heats up,the fan will go to a high speed whine). Clean the fan grill area,
and provide more cooling air flow toward the tower. The forum poster reported back that he defragged his pc, and was able to save his project then. This is a self-protect mechanism in Windows. See
the full forum thread here.
cevideo.ax - reported by email on 2/20/05 with this comment -
maybe give this a go...came from another poster...
Tweak Your Direct X Settings - 1/13/04 email -
*Update your DirectX to version 9.0c. See link above.
*Update Video card drivers.
"... if you try to import or add a large 100MB+ file to the storyboard, it hangs." - go to Tools > Options > Compatibility Tab...uncheck this codec. Test MM.
maybe give this a go...came from another poster...
Tweak Your Direct X Settings - 1/13/04 email -
I had the same problem, as have many other frustrated MM2 users, with MM2 crashing with no info., no warning, randomly. None of the suggestions on your web site helped. My son and
I started to muck around the 'puter and did this to cure the problem: Start > Programs > Accessories > System Information > Tools > Direct X Diagnostic Tool > More Help >
Override. In the box that opens select Default. My 'puter was set to Override Value with 60 in the box. After selecting Default, I had no MM2 crashes and it ran perfectly stable. I hope this helps
the innumerable users having trouble with MM2 crashing.
*Update your DirectX to version 9.0c. See link above.
*Update Video card drivers.