AVI file problem

[Miles]

All of a sudden my computer has a new problem.
When I try to open an AVI file, the CPU usage
surges to 100% and the computer is stuck.
Using CTRL-ALT-DEL does not immediately
stop the program trying to display the video,
but takes quite a few minutes to work. It doesn't
seem to matter what program I use to open the
AVI file; the same thing happens. I am using
Xp Professional.

Any idea what could cause this situation?

Thanks,
Dick

 

[Big_Al]

Miles said this on 4/1/2009 12:01 AM:

All of a sudden my computer has a new problem.
When I try to open an AVI file, the CPU usage
surges to 100% and the computer is stuck.
Using CTRL-ALT-DEL does not immediately
stop the program trying to display the video,
but takes quite a few minutes to work. It doesn't
seem to matter what program I use to open the
AVI file; the same thing happens. I am using
Xp Professional.

Any idea what could cause this situation?

Thanks,
Dick

I get that quite often, oh 1 out of 100 maybe, but I consider that
often, and I attribute it to a corrupted file. I just toss them. If
its all of them then I'd agree you have a problem. But one here and
there, nah! VLC player seems to work better than windows media
player for me.

 

[ju.c]

The problem may be this AVI Properties registry key, export
it then delete it and restart. Open the Run box and enter,
one at a time:

reg export HKCR\CLSID\{87D62D94-71B3-4b9a-9489-5FE6850DC73E} "%UserProfile%\Desktop\AVI.reg"

reg delete HKCR\CLSID\{87D62D94-71B3-4b9a-9489-5FE6850DC73E}

Another method is to un-register the shmedia.dll file. Open
the Run box and enter:

regsvr32 /u shmedia.dll


ju.c

 

[Randem]

You can check to see if yoru AV software is attempting to scan these files
when you open them...

--
Randem Systems
Your Installation Specialist
The Top Inno Setup Script Generator
http://www.randem.com/innoscript.html
Disk Read Error Press Ctl+Alt+Del to Restart
http://www.randem.com/discus/messages/9402/9406.html?1236319938

 

[Rex]

Mind you this may not be your problem - but a word to the wise..

I had a client who had this problem-of-sorts, and it was the "AVI" file -
but it wasn't an AVI file at all, but an extension-renamed file with
spyware/malware onboard. After loading the alleged AVI file you'd have to
Ctrl-Alt-Del to Task Manager, and stop the player manually, and upon
scanning with Ad-Aware there were no less than 40 bugs now attached to his
machine, including the awful DNSChanger trojan. The client admitted to me
that he'd downloaded the thing via the old Kazaa P2P system, which of course
had/has no management of individual files, nor pre-scanning of them. Advise
if this is your problem: get your audio or video from actual sources, as
opposed to non-verified rubbish.

Sounds scary. I've heard WMV has some scripting features present,that
could be exploited for malicious use. Could this be a similar case (i.e.
a renamed WMV)? I've heard of files being opened by windows based on
content rather than extension.
I don't understand how a normal video file with an intact header could
harbor malware. If the header was corrupt, wouldn't the video
application complain about it?

 

[Miles]

I tried the reg export and reg delete. Had no effect on problem.
How do I un-register a dll file?
Thanks,
Dick

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[ju.c]

RE: "How do I un-register a dll file?"

Open the Run box and enter:

regsvr32 /u shmedia.dll


ju.c

 

[Miles]

I unregistered the shmedia file and that didn't help. Any program that is
used
to open an AVI file hangs up my computer, as before, and now the photo on
the AVI icon is now missing. How do I re-register the shmedia file.
Thanks,
Dick

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Tim Meddick]

Hi Miles,
to re-register the file copy and paste in the "Run" box the
following:

regsvr32.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\shmedia.dll

....although the file shmedia.dll is not your problem, it is responsible for
extracting the file properties from media files. Try running your system
file checker program by typing:

sfc.exe /scannow

....into the "Run" dialogue box. This will restore any corrupted files in
the system32 directory. If still no joy, try installing a new AVI-playing
program and see if that does the trick.

 

[Kelly]

Hi,

Common issue: 100% CPU usage when using Media Player/AVI files

This has to do with how Windows XP previews files when opened with Explorer.

Suggestions:

1. Disable thumbnail view by going to Start/Run/CMD: regsvr32 /u
shmedia.dll
2. And/or run this edit. This edit prevents high usage when browsing AVI
files.

Automated:

AVI Search Remove (Line 74)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Manual Edit: Go to Start/Run/Regedit and navigate to the key below and
delete the default data (right pane).

Or:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\.avi\shellex\PropertyHandler

Windows Stops Responding When You Click a Large AVI File in Windows
Explorer" http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=822430

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool Plus!
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

[Miles]

This sounds exactly like my situation. I ran the AVI Search Remove.
I checked the registry and the data value is "not set".
AVI files still hang up. Is there anything else to try?
Thanks,
Dick

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Miles]

I installed VLC and tried to use that since it doesn't use codecs. It
seemed to work once, but subsequently displays a "AVI INDEX" error saying
"seeking will not work correctly." This is all so weird, since avi files
have always played just fine on my computer until a week ago.
Thanks,
Dick

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Rev Norle Enturbulata, DTS, COD, SPx]

Sounds scary. I've heard WMV has some scripting features present,that
could be exploited for malicious use. Could this be a similar case (i.e. a
renamed WMV)? I've heard of files being opened by windows based on content
rather than extension.

I'd postulate that opening on the basis of content would be an
application-controlled thing, unless the system itself were subverted to
open the file. File extensions have been a guiding factor for file opening
since Windows 1.0, I believe.

I don't understand how a normal video file with an intact header could
harbor malware. If the header was corrupt, wouldn't the video application
complain about it?

With a deliberately modified or renamed file, it wouldn't be a case of a
corrupt header necessarily. In that case the intent of said malicious
person who did the Bad Thing to it would be defeated.

I believe there are video file 'fixers' out there but at my stage in things
I usually just delete the file and find it elsewhere.

HTH.