Use the Windows XP 'Event Viewer' to help assess problems... Start >
right-click on My Computer > Manage > System Tools > Event Viewer >
Application. Scroll through the log and check anything with a red Error icon.
Double click on the line item to read about what happened.
Be careful not to go down the path of trying to resolve crashing and hanging
issues by doing what is suggested here... if you are trying to import or use
a source file that doesn't work in Movie Maker... maybe it can't work. A
video clip with an .avi extension might be a DV-AVI file that should work...
or an Xvid encoded one that doesn't. A file with an .mpg extension could be
an MPEG-1 that should work fine, or an MPEG-2 that doesn't.
If the files should be working, this is the right problem solving page to be
checking... turning off a codec that is interfering might be appropriate.
It may be more of a need to get an additional codec rather than turning one
off... or doing a conversion to make a file that will work from one that
won't. If that's the case, then the Importing Source Files section of this
site is the better place to be.
If you don't know enough about the file types you are using, or how to
assess them to determine what codec is used or needed, seek help on ways to
check them before going into your computer and changing codecs or other
files.
The subject of codecs... getting more or turning existing ones off... is a
complex one. If trying to understand them makes your head spin, you've got
lots of company.
The conflict with the divxaf.ax codec is today's single biggest reason for
MM2 crashing. Start with that one.
If you are running MM2.1, see the Setup > MM2.1 page and the info about the
new feature for managing filters. Find and uncheck it.
If you're still on MM2.0 find the file and rename it (I suggest naming it
divxaf.ax_ so you can easily rename it back if you need to later), and then .
test MM2. You don't need to reboot MM2 or anything to test it. If that's not
it, then go down this full page. And if that still doesn't resolve it, go to
the fuller Problem Solving... Checklist page.
Thumbnail
It seems that over 95% of the time that Movie Maker 2 suddenly crashes,
freezes or otherwise completely stops working, it's because of a hardware
acceleration issue or a clash with a codec.
• The number one codec issue today is with divxaf.ax and it's so common an
issue that, if you have that file on your computer, it's a good place to
start.
• If that doesn't resolve it, try the hardware acceleration setting change.
• After that, search for the other known problem codecs. Rename all of the
problem ones you find (the record so far is 7 of them).
Don't be over-zealous in your corrective actions. Setting the hardware
acceleration too low could cause your computer to run slowly and renaming all
the codecs on your computer could result in problems in other areas. Limit
the acceleration setting change to the third notch and return it to full if
that's not the fix.
Hardware Acceleration
Hardware acceleration issues are specific to certain video cards. Try
changing your hardware acceleration to the number 3 position and, if that
resolves MM2 problems, then your card is one with such an issue. Right click
on the Desktop > Properties > Settings > Advanced > Troubleshoot
The Hardware acceleration slider goes in 6 notches from None to Full, which
correspond to:
1 - None - Disable all accelerations. Use this setting only if your computer
frequently stops responding or has other severe problems.
2 - Disable all but basic accelerations. Use this setting to correct more
severe problems.
3 - Disable all DirectDraw and Direct3D acceleration, as well as all cursor
and advanced drawing accelerations. Use this setting to correct severe
problems with DirectX accelerated applications.
4 - Disable all cursor and advanced drawing accelerations. Use this setting
to correct drawing problems.
5 - Disable cursor and bitmap accelerations. Use this setting to correct
problems with the mouse pointer, or to correct problems with corrupt images.
6 - Full - All accelerations are enabled. Use this setting if you computer
has no problems
You can try updating the video card driver, but many have found that the
issue is not resolved that way.
After running months with the hardware acceleration lowered to the 3rd
position on my main computer, I was able to raise it back to full by
installing DirectX version 9.0a (now 9.0b), moving up from version 8.1.
Version 9 is available at:
DirectX 9
Notes about issues resulting from lack of full acceleration:
There is a picture-taking option icon under the monitor in MM2. If you press
it when viewing a video clip, you get a JPG image of the frame, that is
automatically saved to your hard drive and imported as a clip. If you have
your hardware acceleration turned down, you get this note when trying to
capture a frame image ".... You cannot take a picture... if your display
adapter does not support hardware acceleration."
One work-around is to move your hardware acceleration back to full before
starting MM2, open it as usual and take your snapshots, close MM2, move your
acceleration back down, and re-open MM2 to continue work.
12/30/03 - Stuart... if I reduce the graphics card HW acceleration to notch
3 as you suggest there, I get the message that the capturing device is not
available and I have to push it back to 6 to be able to use the device. I
already installed the fix for DivX 9.0b PAL problem, did not help. The only
mode that works is the lowest (default resolution), which is unusable for
archiving. > think I have fixed this crashing problem on my system yesterday.
My new PC obtained in Sept 2003 is similar spec to yours - really flash, and
should edit video well. Except I have Ge4Ti4200 graphics, XP Pro. My previous
PC never once crashed MM2/1 and I had grown to love MM as the best video
editing software on my PC (and I have them all)... Why turn off hardware
acceleration? I couldnt go with that advice, when I had such an expensive
graphics card. My MM2 seemed to crash every time i used it, and most often
whilst I was dragging a thumb of a clip onto the timeline. So I guessed a new
way of fixing it : Control Panel... 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. I also hope Microsoft people take note
that they have a bug in Win XP Pro. My old PC was XP Home, Ge4MX440,P3
1000Hz, and never once crashed MM2 or 1.
3/7/03 - ookpic - I do have to switch back to play games. Games won't even
start with the setting at 3. Not a problem really as no reboot is required.
One thing I did notice though. If you switch slider to #3, then back to full
to play a game, you may require a reboot to get away from a purple hue on
Mpeg movies. May just be my setup though and only if you want to view the
movie at full accel.
Movie Maker 2 and Codecs used by Other Software
First - an evolving statement to define the issue(s):
MM2 looks at the registered codecs when it opens an audio or video file,
looking for the most appropriate one to use. It goes down a list of
'registered' codecs in sequence from first to last (not the sequence in the
lists shown here). When it thinks one will work, it tries it - and, if it's a
poor choice - you get a lockup. It's not like it is using two different
codecs at the same time.
One complexity is that the codecs themselves indicate to Movie Maker which
one of them is the right choice, and if the wrong one thinks too highly of
itself and butts in line, then things can lock up before Movie Maker 2 has a
chance to use an appropriate one.
The figures shown here are the installed video and audio codecs on my new
Toshiba laptop. I can do all Movie Maker functions with it..... and watch TV,
burn CDs and DVDs, etc. And mostly without issues. Yes, it has codecs for
Movie Maker 2 to play and use Divx and MPEG2 source files (but I tend to play
it safe and save such files as new DV-AVI or WMV source files first, just to
avoid any surprise mid-project issue).
The lists are from the GSpot utility (see Setup... Software for a link). The
figure above shows my currently installed video codecs and the figure below
shows the audio codecs.
You can see from the figures that most of the installed codecs are not .ax
files, yet the problem codec list below only has .ax ones (I don't know what,
if anything, that means). I show the lists from my laptop simply to give you
something to compare to, not that it's a good list to have or use. Computers
vary from one to the other. The lists on my other computers are different.
The Problem Codecs:
Users of Movie Maker 2 have determined by experience which codecs are
involved in problems. Check for these .ax files first.
Find them on your computer, rename them to something like *.ax_ and then see
if MM2 works OK. If this doesn't resolve your issue, you might try renaming
additional .ax files. Renaming the files should be considered a temporary
measure to determine which codec(s) Movie Maker has problems with. The longer
term resolution is to 'unregister' the codec to use Movie Maker 2 and
'register' it when you want to use the other software.
Here's one way to find and rename an .ax file on your computer. First be
sure you can see 'hidden' folders and files: open My Computer > Tools >
Folder Options > View tab > Files and Folders > Hidden files and folders >
check 'Show hidden files and folders' > OK, (2) staying in My Computer >
Search > All files and folders > enter .ax in the first entry field and run
the search, (3) check your list against the problem codecs listed on this
page > rename one by right clicking on the file in your list and choose the
rename option.
ac3audio.ax - initially reported via email on 12/04/03. The symptom was MM2
shutting down when he had 2 or more songs on the timeline and he tried to
split one of them. With only one file on the timeline, MM2 worked great. His
file was in the Windows\System32 folder. I did a Google search and noted that
some game-players had problems with the file. > A post on 11/22/03 said "I
think I've found out what was wrong. I had this files used for playing ac3
sound:- ac3audio.ax, and it was corrupted or incompatable. With this removed
WMM is much more stable."
cevideo.ax - reported by email on 2/20/05 with this comment - "... if you
try to import or add a large 100MB+ file to the storyboard, it hangs."
claud.ax - MPEG codec re-distributed by PowerDVD - check Cyberlink for a
patch that resolves this - PDVDxp4_Patch_2417.exe - this is an audio decoder
Cyberlink
claudiocd.ax - initially reported on 2/28/03 - PowerDirector 1.1 - not yet
conclusive.
claudfx.ax - initially reported on 11/4/03 via email
clmp3wrap.ax - initially reported on 2/28/03 - PowerDirector 1.1 - not yet
conclusive.
clvsd.ax - MPEG codec re-distributed by PowerDVD - maybe the Cyberlink patch
resolves this one too
cmaudio.ax - from C-Media Inc. (sound card, or audio chip) - KB article
Q317358 (written when Movie Maker version one was being used) covers problems
when you are using an Out-of-Date version of the C-Media Cmaudio.ax Driver.
Movie Maker... may unexpectedly quit while you are importing, previewing or
publishing source content that uses the driver, and you may receive the
following error message: Moviemk.exe has encountered a problem and needs to
close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
divxaf.ax - 'Digital Anti-Freeze' - part of the Nimo Codec package - causes
crashes when trying to preview or play transitions and effects
DivXG400.ax - first reported problem with it was on 3/31/03 from Jean-Marc
DVDAudio.ax - first reported problem with it was on 7/31/04 via email....
the user had to rename it along with Divxaf.ax and mpeg2Parser.ax
ffdshow.ax - the first reported problem with it, resolved by renaming, was
in a 1/15/05 email. A 3/1/05 post at windowsmoviemakers.net said "In....
(MM2.1)...Tools menu, check Options, then Comaptibility tab and there I was
able to turn off the vidoe filter ffdshow.ax. I downloaded a ffdshow.exe a
few weeks ago...to view cdr's in windows media... maybe that's why I've
started having problems..."
iviaudio.ax - ships with WinDVD (effects MP3 files over 160kbps - chipmunk
sounds, clipping sounds; MM2 can crash when saving movies made with Divx
encoded video clips) - installed in a couple folders - also found in
InterVideo and GraphEdit folders - this is an audio decoder - the latest
version of WinDVD (apparantly version 5, because the file with version 4
results in problems) resolves this issue:
WinDVD
iviaudioncss.ax (InterVideo NonCSS Video Decoder) - 9/11/04 - PapaJohn -
When I have an MPG file on the Audio/Music track of the timeline, and try to
save it as a WMA file.... ripping the audio track from the MPG file, Movie
Maker 2.1 will crash about 75% of the time. The other 25% of the time it
won't crash. All crashes point to this codec, but if I remove it from the
picture using the new option in 2.1, it won't even attempt to save the audio
file. Even after the crash message, it often continues to finish the saving
process and the WMA file is fine, as long as I don't press any buttons on the
crash window.
ksproxy.ax (don't rename this one unless you have specific problems with it
and want to have it refreshed - it's in the list of 'trusted filters' in
version 2.1) - WDM Streaming ActiveMovie Proxy (Direct Show filter) in the
Windows/System32 folder (version 5.3.0.900 on my laptop - size of 117,248,
dated 12/12/02) - 8/25/03 - Reece - (I did delete the KSPROXY one but it
reappeared). > 10/18/03 - When trying to write to DV-Tape, it starts and at
about 70% I get this message - Faulting application moviemk.exe, version
2.0.3312.0, faulting module ksproxy.ax, version 5.3.0.900, fault address
0x0000379e. MM2 crashes.
l3codecx.ax (this one is also in the list of 'trusted filters' in version
2.1 - rename it with appropriate caution) - MPEG Layer-3 audio Decoder -
initially reported on 3/6/03 as follows - "I had an mp3 that I loaded into
Movie Maker 2 and it didn't play the audio. If I moved the slider bar around,
it would play. However, when I created the movie file for export onto DVD,
the music didn't play for that mp3 file. I renamed my l3codecx.ax file and it
worked. But now, I can't play movies in full screen in Movie Maker 2. Small
trade off."
lmpgad.ax - initial report by email on 2/18/04 - looks like it was installed
with Sonic's MyDVD, in the Ligos Decoders folder.
mediaxw.dll - initial report by post of 10/17/04 - Symptom: when i click on
a clip on the storyboard, MM2.1 crash with error pointing to "mediaxw.dll &
moviemk.exe" - Solution: Menu Tools/Options/Compatibility/ ... UNselect
corresponding filter(s) ; eg the filter "mediaxw.dll" in my case -
Explanation: I've recently installed audio ogg Vorbis decoder; it seems that
this king of decoder / filter interracts with MM2.1 and makes it crash.
mmswitch.ax - from the SLD codec pack (version 1.5 of the SLD codec pack
with mmswithc.ax 0.9.7.0, seems OK, need cofirmation of other versions that
result in the problem)
mpeg2parser.ax - first reported by email on 8/15/03 - debugging moviemk.exe
on the Microsoft development environment on visual .NET determined that, with
divxaf.ax and mpeg2parser.ax installed, the problem was with mpeg2parser.ax
from the Nimo codec pack.
NevDec.ax - reported by email on 1/6/04 - installed (he thinks) as part of
the Nero burning package - in the Program Files\Common Files\Ahead\Dsfilter
folder
subtitds.ax - installed by SLD Codec pack - in System32 folder
wtwmplug.ax - apparently associated with Wild Tangent games
It's best to first rename all of those you have from the above list, in case
MM2 clashes with more than one. If MM2 works OK after renaming them, you
might rename them back, one at a time, until you determine which one(s) are
clashing. Then think about how to continue to use MM2 and the other software
that uses the .ax file(s). You can leave the files on your computer and use
MM2 or the other software, but not both at the same time.
If you find that renaming a different .ax file than these resolves your
problem, please let us know by posting on microsoft.public.windows.moviemaker
or sending an email.
Registering and Unregistering a Codec
This section is for those who have sufficient computer skills and feel
comfortable with things like codecs. Others should ask a friend for help.
Doing the wrong thing to a codec could result in computer problems.
Personally I have two of the problem codecs that I sometimes want to use to
run the software they came with. I made two batch files for each, one to run
when I want to register the codec, and the other to run to unregister it. I
have the batch files in the folders that the problem .ax file are in. To
illustrate, here's the content of the batch files used to register and
unregister iviaudio.ax:
Register.bat has one line that reads - regsvr32 iviaudio.ax /s
The corresponding Unregister.bat has one line that reads - regsvr32
iviaudio.ax /s /u
One person I heard from has gone further, using a single batch file to
unregister the problem codecs, startup Movie Maker 2, and then re-register
the codecs when MM2 closes. By linking the desktop shortcut for Movie Maker
to the batch file, the whole process happens in the background and without
effort. If you have the computer skills to do this... fine. If you don't,
turn to your closest friend with the DOS skills to set it up for you.
To see if you are effectively 'unregistering' the problem one(s), check with
the GSpot utility. If you need a copy, see the link in the Setup... Software
page.
Make a Tweak - here's what one poster did (I'd like to hear from others who
try it)
9/3/03 - I'm very excited today because I got MM2 working! I'm keeping my
fingers crossed, but its been working for an hour, which is way longer than
its ever worked before.
I applied this tweak:
http://www.tweakxp.com/display.aspx?id=1501
Basically its some NVIDIA/XP tweak that fixed my crashing/lockup problems.
Now I can generate WMV videos without trying 10 times. I was also able to
backout all the other changes that I made (disabling AX files, turning down
hardware acceleration). Before this fix I was only able to output AVI files.
So far so good! This may help a few of you out there since NVIDIA chipsets
are so common.
Put Movie Maker in Isolation - if you don't want to wrestle with codecs,
maybe do what this poster did - put MM2 into isolation so it won't run into
issues with other items or software:
8/1/03 - I tried all of the workarounds, but never could get MM2 working. My
problems were the same as everybody else's, MM2 was shutting down the moment
you hit a transition or effect panel. In the end I used Partition Magic,
created a new install of Win XP, which I will use for video editing only. I
have not installed any other software in this partition, through fear of a
conflict, and I am happy to report it is working fine. DX9 and latest ATI
Radeon drivers have also been installed without a glitch. It's a lot of
hassle, but for those who have had no luck in getting MM2 working, it could
be a good option. Don't forget, with Parition Magic, you create the new
partition without losing any existing data. Hope this helps.
Manage Your Codecs - 11/28/03 - Can any one tell me, how to tell what CODECS
are installed on my machine? I know which CODECS are the ones I have
installed. But where is the list of ALL CODECS installed. > Download &
install ZoomPlayer (a free media player). Click on the Options button (icon
with a check mark). Select Manual Filters in the column on the left. Click on
Registered Filter Manager in the center panel. Not only will this show you
all the CODECs that are installed/registered on your PC, it provides you with
the ability to unregister them, or change their merit values. > Digger - Here
are a few of the codec utilities that I either use myself, or have used at
some point. All have strengths and weaknesses, but, short of spending some
really big bucks for a commercial utility, should give you some good info:
GSpot: Codec Information Appliance...
http://www.headbands.com/gspot/
Analogx: ACM Properties...
http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/program/acmprop.htm
DXMan...:
http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/audio/dxman.htm
You do not need any special mega-buck set of tools or any tools that are "free" All you need do is......... Click Start > Control Panel > System > Hardware tab > Device Manager button > expand Sound Video and Game Controllers and right before your eyes will be the complete list of both Audio and Video codecs. Double-click on one > Properties tab
From those windows you can remove, change settings where allowed and change
the order they are inspected by for example movie maker (you change the order
by changing the priority). Special software is not required.
