You are probably trying to play a file that uses a codec that is not on your computer. When you try to play a file that uses a codec that is not on your computer, the Player tries to download the codec from a Microsoft server. If the codec is available, the Player installs it on your computer and then plays the file. If the codec is not available on the server (for example, because the codec wasn't created by Microsoft), the Player displays a message that your computer is missing a codec. If you are connected to the Internet, the message usually has a
Web Help button that you can click for more information. If the Player can determine which codec you are missing, when you click that button, a Help topic is displayed that contains a link to WMPlugins.com, a Web site that lists a number of codecs that are available to download. The MPEG-2 and DivX video codecs and the ACELP.net and Ogg Vorbis audio codecs are examples of codecs that are not included in the operating system or the Player by default. For more information, see
How do I find a codec?
In some cases, the file you want to play uses a codec that isn't available or compatible with the Player. When that happens, the Player won't be able to play the file.
For information about how you can ensure that the Player will try to download codecs automatically, see
Does the Player always try to download codecs automatically?
You might be able to tell a file's format by looking at the file's extension (such as .wma, .wmv, .mp3, or .avi). However, there are limits to this approach. Many programs create files with custom file extensions. And it's possible for anyone to rename a file without changing the file's format. A file with the extension .mpg or .dvr-ms, for instance, is usually just an AVI file that has been compressed by using some version of an MPEG video codec.
Installing codecs is not typically necessary if you are running Windows Media Player 10 or later because the latest Windows Media audio and video codecs were automatically installed on your computer when you installed the Player. However, if you think your codecs are corrupted or out of date, you can download and install the latest codecs from the
Download Center.
09-14-2006, 01:22 AM
problem with my WMP 
