Can No Longer Open Wmv Files In Os9.2.2

drum2000 · #1 October 27th, 2005, 11:30 AM

For some reason I can no longer open wmv files in OS9.2.2 even though I have WMP7.1 installed. When I try to drag and drop I have no luck either. Any ideas?

ElDiabloConCaca · #2 October 27th, 2005, 11:46 AM

What exactly happens when you try and open the files? Is there an error message? Does something happen? Does nothing happen? Where are these WMV files coming from -- some WMV files on the 'net can only be used with the latest versions of WMP, which, unforunately, is not available for Classic anymore...

drum2000 · #3 October 27th, 2005, 12:15 PM

is that it tells me that the file cannot be opened as the application program that created it cannot be found. The wmv's are coming from a friend who has sent me many over the last few years. I'm not sure if she has upgraded her system or not. Thoughts?

ElDiabloConCaca · #4 October 27th, 2005, 05:07 PM

Try opening Windows Media Player, then doing a Command-O (or "Open" from the File menu) and manually locate the WMV file. Does it open them this way? If not, what error messages are given?

drum2000 · #5 October 27th, 2005, 05:55 PM

Sadly. the same as before - can't find the application program that created it. Frustrating really as I even dumped my WMP folde and re-installed it trying to solve the problem. Not a happy bunny.

ElDiabloConCaca · #6 October 27th, 2005, 05:57 PM

I don't understand why it's saying "cannot find the applications program that created it" because you're opening Windows Media Player application directly.

Are you sure you're launching the Windows Media Player application, then doing a File > Open from within Windows Media Player, then opening the WMV file from the "Open File" dialog box?

drum2000 · #7 October 27th, 2005, 06:47 PM

That worked a treat! Many, many thanks! But why is this required when I used to just double click to open?

ElDiabloConCaca · #8 October 27th, 2005, 08:56 PM

It may help to rebuild the desktop database -- this is where critical file association information is kept, and in the Classic Mac OS, required "rebuilding" sometimes...

If you've never done this before, it's easy:

1) Restart your computer

2) Immediately hold the shift, option, and command keys all at once and keep them held down as the computer reboots.

3) Keep them held down as the computer goes through all the motions of loading extensions and what-not, and when the Desktop finally appears, a dialogue box should appear asking, "Would you like to rebuild the desktop on (blah balh)?" -- click OK and let it rebuild.

After it's done, restart again without any keys held down to re-enable your extensions.

Holding Shift is optional in that key combination -- command and option held together rebuild the desktop, and shift held by itself disables the extensions during startup. Holding all three does both tasks, and, from experience, I always rebuilt the desktop with extensions off.