No one wants to deal with Windows Movie Maker problems.
While Windows Movie Maker remains one of the very best programs ever devised for those that have a love for creating video files, it is not software that is without its problems.
There will always be issues and bugs associated with using this or any other type of software program. And then there will be those Windows Movie Maker problems that are serious and then there will be those that are exceedingly annoying.
Problems associated with the codec needed to play a file can fall under the category of annoying.
A message displayed by the program reads something to the effect of Windows Movie Maker will not import a particular file because it cannot locate the codec. That means you are basically out of luck as far as working with such a file. Or are you?
You are not so much out of luck as much as you are going to be in need of effectively dealing with the problem in the most appropriate manner. This should not prove too difficult since it can be handled relatively easily.
Wrong Codec
When you do not have the right codec for a particular file, you will not be able to play it on the media player you have selected. Why is this so?
Codec is a word that derives from the term coder-decoder. That means it is involves translating the audio and video signals found in a digital data stream. Without the appropriate codec in place, it would be impossible to effectively transmit or store any audio/video signal. Hence, you would need the proper codecs in place in order to use the Windows Movie Maker system in the most effective manner.
Conversely, if you do not have the appropriate codecs then you will have to deal with the resultant Windows Movie Maker problems. And who would want to deal with them?
In all seriousness, there are steps that can be taken to install the proper codecs. This could eliminate any future error messages in regard to codec issues.
Downloading Codec Packs
It certainly would not hurt to download the appropriate codec to your computer. This would be the simplest means of dealing with such Windows Movie Maker problems. Often, simply visiting the main website of Microsoft will present access to all the codec downloads you will need in order to run the files you need to run.
Codecs are generally available in packs so you will not be required to locate a single codec that you are missing and download it individually.
If you do not see a listing for the codecs on the Microsoft homepage, just run a search through the help section. This will assuredly reveal where on the site you can download the codecs.
Upon downloading them, be sure to reboot your computer. In some instances, a codec will not work unless a reboot is performed. Some may wrack their brains as to why the proper codec is not working. Again, it is commonly because a reboot of the computer has not been performed.
Avoid making the mistake of skipping this simple step since it is often the ‘linchpin’ to making sure the codec is properly installed.
Conversions
Some may discover that downloading codecs will not solve their problems as far as being able to use the media file in question. That is because there may be some files or formats that are not supported by the program. This can lead to the assumption that there is no solution to Windows Movie Maker problems such as these.
That would, however, not be the correct assumption. The solution can come in the form of converting the file to a format that is supported by the Windows Movie Maker program.
Conversion programs are generally very easy to operate and many quality ones can be acquired for free. As with the vast majority of Windows Movie Maker problems, a scan of the registry with a registry repair program is suggested as well.
The reason is that an error in the registry could undermine the codecs that are present in the system.
A proper scan may locate and correct such problems easily. This, of course, would remove any impediments to the operation of the program.