# Windows movie maker problem - no audio, black preview screen and can't import files



## Mon83 (Jun 25, 2009)

Hi,

I'd really appreciate your help on this one. It's breaking my heart haha 

Here's the lowdown (I'll be as detailed as possible):

-My movie is about 25mins long, videos and clips are .avi format and from my digital camera.

- My laptop is brand new (about a week old), has tonnes of space and it has Vista.

- It was working fine, then suddenly, from about halfway, all clips play black in the preview and there is no audio. Every now and then, a clip that wasn't playing previously will work, and then stop working later.

- If I attempt to import clips, the import window shows some of the clipboard images as very pixelated or not proper clipboard image (i.e. not the pic, just the file symbol) and again, pixelated. When I select one and click import I get the message that it "cannot be imported because the codec required to play the file is not installed on your computer etc etc." Sometimes I get a message that there isn't enough space.

- If I open a new blank movie, I CAN import the clips just fine, which makes me think my movie is corrupted and not a codec problem? (for the record, I don't know much about codecs at all)

- If I open a new blank movie, import the clips, and then open my Movie file, I then have my movie open, with the clips ready to use...however...when i drag them into the movie anywhere around this half way stage, then play black and have no audio. If I drag then into an earlier time frame of the movie, they play fine except, the movies now shoved down the time line dont play..

PLEEEEEEASE, PLEASE HELP


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## fairnooks (Oct 1, 2007)

The only thing I might suggest if Windows Movie Maker (WMM) is to be used is convert the files to either .wmv or .mpg format and then try and use them in WMM. You should be able to use something like the FormatFactory (http://www.formatoz.com/) and choose the highest quality in the chosen format. AVI files can use many different codecs and are not always compatible with a program, especially WMM and audio is often the reason.


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