"wmv" format files cause PC to crash!

[Jon]

I am using W2K and have Windows Media Player 9 installed.
Whenever I try to open a *.wmv file, I continue to hear
the sound, but my display is totally frozen, so that I
HAVE to reboot to do anything else.

If I try the same file using another player....it
sometimes works, and sometimes its the same.
In WMP9 it never works!

Can anyone suggest what might be wrong, or indeed where to
look.

Incidentally I have a Laptop with W2k and WMP9 and the
same files play without a problem on that!??

 

[Mike Lowery]

I am using W2K and have Windows Media Player 9 installed.
Whenever I try to open a *.wmv file, I continue to hear
the sound, but my display is totally frozen, so that I
HAVE to reboot to do anything else.

If I try the same file using another player....it
sometimes works, and sometimes its the same.
In WMP9 it never works!

Can anyone suggest what might be wrong, or indeed where to
look.

Incidentally I have a Laptop with W2k and WMP9 and the
same files play without a problem on that!??

First thing I would do is ensure you're running the latest video drivers for your system. Also download DirectX 9.0b if you haven't
already.