# Solved: Win8 won't allow vlc media player to work



## grissom (Apr 14, 2006)

Hi support people,

I have the new win upgrade installed over the consumer preview. It works ok basically, liking it or not is something else!

I have installed both the 32 bit and 64 bit videolan vlc media player progs (not together). Neither will work with any video file.

I've been in settings and set it to work with all media files (not something I've needed to do ever before).

The vlc pane opens ok; but if I launch the pane from a video file it siezes after about 4 seconds. The same if I open the player and select a file to play it.

It seems that Mr. gates has stopped it working so that we need to buy his 'stuff'.

Can anyone help us all get everyones favourite media player (vlc) working in win8 please?

Thank you for any help.


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## Courtneyc (Dec 7, 2003)

Works fine. It just uses the conversion files from Windows which you don't have installed (by default). Go to the "Store" and update the 15 or so updates you have waiting for you. You should then be good.


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## grissom (Apr 14, 2006)

Hi Courtneyc,

That's great news. Granted its fairly early morning but the store is full of things and I cant find any mention of codecs. Not that I've looked at the store previously - too busy trying to get my programs onto what amounted to a clean install.

I've looked and found nothing, I would really appreciate it if you could be much more specific about what to download and where to find the 15 or so updates that I need please?

Thank you for your co-operation, and for giving me hope.

Kind regards,


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I stumbled around a bit when I tried to update, and I'm not on Windows 8 now so can't give specifics. If the Store icon has a number in the upper right corner I think that you right click (or left click) on that to get an update started. If you are already in the store then there is some way (right click maybe?) to get to the updates. It will tell you what Apps have updates ready and you can pick the ones you want or just do them all. I'm sure Courtney or somebody will give you better directions.


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## grissom (Apr 14, 2006)

Nope, done all that and still no joy. Thanks for the guidance though.

I have a 64 bit win8 version installed (did have before too). Tried both 32 and 64 bit versions of vlc, still wont play (siezes on startup).

Any more suggestions please?

Many thanks.


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## grissom (Apr 14, 2006)

Hi,

I been bumbling around and found that in device manager, my video card was shown as windows media default. I knew that it was an Nvidia GE force fx5500 so I searched in vain for an updated driver. I had also noticed that vlc player did in fact play any video in a very small pane but 'froze' when made larger - full screen usually. Therefore, I suspected that my video card driver was at fault.

Luckily, I had a spare Nvidia GE force 3200, so I swapped the cards. Lo and behold, the screen immediately looked right (previously 'stretched' and without configuration options). More importantly, every type of video file played perfectly with vlc media player.

The lesson is; couldn't care-less, - 'buy a new video card' Nvidia, aren't supporting the FX5500 card, and, no doubt, many others, and 'we don't care' Microsoft obviously hadn't brought pressure to bear on the manufacturers to do so.

So be warned, look in device manager if your video's wont play.

Thank everyone for the help. That particular problem solved for me. No doubt result will be useful to many other users too.


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

The NVidia FX series have long been discontinued due to the cards being awful. The card is also from 2003 so its pretty old and manufacturers cannot support products forever.


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## grissom (Apr 14, 2006)

So I've found! 

Mind you, I have an Nvidia GE force 6200 just about as old which works fine. Win8 has a driver for that one.

And to think that my (then) local shop salesman at websystems.co.uk, sold me the FX as an upgrade to my GEforce 6200!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I never liked the FX, and windows 7 never rated it better than my 6200 (3.2).

Anyway, as I said, video playing solved, look to your graphics card if vlc doesn't play your video files.

Thank you.


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

The Geforce 6x00 series was the replacement for the FX or 5x00 series, it came after the 5x00 series and is fully DX9.0c compliant.


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## grissom (Apr 14, 2006)

Thank you for that information. (Did you get mixed up at the end though and mean 'it came after the 5500.....')?

So much for relying on the salesmen to sell me an upgrade.

Funnily enough, I did find a link to a site which had drivers for all the FX cards for win 8 preview, but only the (e.g. FX5500 i), not the 5500 etc were supported.

Oh well. Thanks for the info. I would expect any modern card would support DX9.0c?

Just a pity I need to buy one for my other 'try it out here first' desktop pc and throw my 5500 in the bin.

Thanks for the tips.


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

Yes, I've corrected that. Currently we're at DirectX 11 with DX 11.1 already introduced in Windows 8 but previous version support is included.


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