.mpg files

  • Thread starter Thread starter M. Elving
  • Start date Start date
M

M. Elving

When I try to insert .mpg files (by using the insert
movie from file option)into PowerPoint (on my Dimension
R450 running Millenium - the machine locks up. I can
close the program - but cannot get back into PowerPoint
again without restarting the computer. I'd appreciate
any suggestions.
 
The hourglass remains onscreen. The machine appears to
be accessing the hard drive (even when the file is on the
CD drive) and that's where it stays. I eventually Ctrl-
Alt-Del to close programand end PowerPoint which is "not
responding".
 
Will try again, but even the small files are taking way
too long - they don't take this long on my laptop and it
has an even slower processor. In fact, I can't even
open .mpg files on the R450 - (same hang up inside
PowerPoint but the files open fine as stand alones. And
the same files open and insert fine on the T20 ThinkPad.
 
Ah, that indicates another problem. Have you done your hard drive
housekeeping lately? You might be surprised what deleting all the temp
files and running defrag can do.

Austin Myers
MS PowerPoint MVP Team
 
I've deleted Temporary Internet files. Do you suggest I
go into Windows and delete files in the Temp folder as
well?
 
Yup. Also do a defrag as Austin suggested.

And one other thought -- you mentioned the MPGs are on a CD. Do they
insert if you copy them to your harddrive first and insert from there
instead of the CD?
 
I did the housekeeping tasks you recommended, also copied
an .mpg to the hard drive of that machine and still no
luck. I honestly think it is something about that
machine because I have no problems using mpg on my laptop
and PowerPoint viewer plays them fine on my Dimension
8200 (no PowerPoint installed on that machine). If you
don't have any further suggestions all is not lost, at
least the R450 is working better in general since I did
the housekeeping tasks.

Thanks to both of you for your help
 
I did try playing the files using Media Player - no
luck. Looked at Win.ini files and lots of them say
=dvdvideo. My question is - if I save the existing file
to a notebook document as backup, make changes to the
file and save it as the new win.ini - if I've screwed
something up can I get back into notebook and switch back
or can I run a system restore and get back to the
original? Or should I just wait until 2003 comes out and
install PowerPoint to another computer currently running
viewer and Office XP Small Business? I don't mind
experimenting - but don't want to damage the operating
system. Thanks for your help.
 
Will give this a try, thanks.
-----Original Message-----
Make a backup of your Win.INI file by making a copy and naming it
Win.OLD or something like that. Then change your INI settings to match
those listed in the tutorial.

I had to do that recently on someone else's computer and it made me a
little nervous, too! (Austin, Sonia, et al., reassured me about doing
it.) Changing the video settings shouldn't trash the system, and if
you're lucky (as I was) it will actually fix the problem.

So yes, what you proposed below re saving the existing file to another
system should work fine.

An upgrade to PPT 2003 or the Viewer won't necessarily fix this problem
either, M.Elving.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP]
http://www.echosvoice.com

M.Elving said:
I did try playing the files using Media Player - no
luck. Looked at Win.ini files and lots of them say
=dvdvideo. My question is - if I save the existing file
to a notebook document as backup, make changes to the
file and save it as the new win.ini - if I've screwed
something up can I get back into notebook and switch back
or can I run a system restore and get back to the
original? Or should I just wait until 2003 comes out and
install PowerPoint to another computer currently running
viewer and Office XP Small Business? I don't mind
experimenting - but don't want to damage the operating
system. Thanks for your help.
http://www.soniacoleman.com/Tutorials/PowerPoint/multimed
ia.htm
Click to expand...
.
Click to expand...
 
Austin and Echo - Thank you so much. Between your web
link and your encouragement to change the win.ini and
system.ini files - I finally took the plunge. PowerPoint
now works wonderfully. You guys were a great help.
Thanks for sticking with me on this issue!
-----Original Message-----
Make a backup of your Win.INI file by making a copy and naming it
Win.OLD or something like that. Then change your INI settings to match
those listed in the tutorial.

I had to do that recently on someone else's computer and it made me a
little nervous, too! (Austin, Sonia, et al., reassured me about doing
it.) Changing the video settings shouldn't trash the system, and if
you're lucky (as I was) it will actually fix the problem.

So yes, what you proposed below re saving the existing file to another
system should work fine.

An upgrade to PPT 2003 or the Viewer won't necessarily fix this problem
either, M.Elving.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP]
http://www.echosvoice.com

M.Elving said:
I did try playing the files using Media Player - no
luck. Looked at Win.ini files and lots of them say
=dvdvideo. My question is - if I save the existing file
to a notebook document as backup, make changes to the
file and save it as the new win.ini - if I've screwed
something up can I get back into notebook and switch back
or can I run a system restore and get back to the
original? Or should I just wait until 2003 comes out and
install PowerPoint to another computer currently running
viewer and Office XP Small Business? I don't mind
experimenting - but don't want to damage the operating
system. Thanks for your help.
http://www.soniacoleman.com/Tutorials/PowerPoint/multimed
ia.htm
Click to expand...
.
Click to expand...
 
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