This document describes how to troubleshoot installed video and audio codecs on Windows XP.
Codecs are software components that define the methods that applications use during encoding to compress media files, such as songs or movies. Applications also use codecs to decompress encoded media files during playback.
Several codecs are included with Windows XP. These codecs are unlikely to cause problems in Adobe applications.
Additional codecs can be installed on the computer to add support for more types of media files. (For example, codecs can be downloaded from the Internet to install, or applications installed on the computer can add codecs to the computer.) Poorly written, damaged, or incompatible codecs can cause problems in Adobe video and audio applications, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Extended, and Adobe Photoshop Elements.
Adobe applications load codecs from different sources, and this document has separate sections for troubleshooting each of the sources that are most likely to cause problems. It's possible that some of the sections in this document don't apply to the problem that you are troubleshooting.
You must have administrator access on the computer to complete the tasks in this document. Log in to an administrator account on the computer before you begin.
Some of the steps in this document require that you determine whether you are using a 32-bit or 64-bit edition of Windows. To determine which system type you have, see Determine whether your computer is running a 32-bit or a 64-bit edition of Windows (kb407673).
After you remove codec packs, start the Adobe application and try to re-create the problem.
If the problem does not recur, then one or more of the codecs that you had installed as part of codec packs is the cause. Contact the developer of the codec pack for additional support.
If the problem recurs, then codecs installed with codec packs are not the cause. Close the Adobe application and then reinstall the codec packs.
-
Do one of the following:
- If the QTComponents folder is empty, then no third-party QuickTime components installed. Skip the remaining steps in this section.
- If the QTComponents folder is not empty, then move all files and folders from QTComponents to a temporary location. (For example, move the files and folders to a new folder on the Desktop.)
-
Do one of the following:
- If the problem recurs, then third-party QuickTime components are not the cause. Close the Adobe application and move the files from the temporary location back to the QTComponents folder. Skip the remaining steps in this section.
- If the problem does not recur, then one or more of the components that you removed are the cause. Close the Adobe application and continue to Step 6 to identify the problematic component.
-
Do one of the following:
- If the problem does not recur, then close the Adobe application and repeat Steps 6 through 7.
- If the problem recurs, then the third-party QuickTime component that you most recently moved back is the cause. Remove this component from the QTComponents folder and then contact the component's developer for additional support. Close the Adobe application and repeat Steps 6 through 7 until you have tested each of the components. (More than one component could be causing the problem.)
-
Download and then install the latest version of QuickTime from www.apple.com/quicktime/download.
To identify problematic Windows codecs, disable one codec at a time and try to re-create the problem after you disable each one. Avoid disabling codecs that were included with Windows XP; see Video and Audio Codecs Included with Windows XP below for a list of such codecs.
Disclaimer: This task requires you to modify the Windows registry. The registry contains system-related information that is critical to your computer and applications. Before modifying the registry, always make a backup copy of it. Adobe doesn't provide support for problems that arise from improperly modifying the registry. For information about the Windows registry or the Registry Editor, see the documentation in Windows or contact Microsoft Technical Support or your computer's manufacturer.
-
Do one of the following:
- If the problem does not recur, then the codec that you disabled in Step 8 is the cause. Close the Adobe application and the Registry Editor. Leave this codec disabled and then contact its developer for additional support.
- If the problem recurs, then the codec you disabled in Step 8 is not the cause. Close the Adobe application and then repeat Steps 7 through 9 for a different codec.
Once you have identified the problematic codec or codecs, re-enable any other codecs that you disabled.
If the problem recurs after you have disabled all of the codecs listed in Drivers32, then Windows codecs are not the cause. You can reenable them.
To re-enable Windows codecs:
The table below lists video and audio codecs that are included with a standard installation of Windows XP.
The information in the Name and Data columns appears as it is listed in the Windows Registry Editor. The Kind column lists whether the codec is for video or audio.
Name | Data | Kind |
aux | wdmaud.drv (See note below.) | Audio |
midi | wdmaud.drv (See note below.) | Audio |
midimapper | midimap.dll | Audio |
mixer | wdmaud.drv (See note below.) | Audio |
msacm.iac2 | C:\WINDOWS\system32\iac25_32.ax | Audio |
msacm.imaadpcm | imaadp32.acm | Audio |
msacm.l3acm | C:\WINDOWS\system32\l3codeca.acm | Audio |
msacm.msadpcm | msadp32.acm | Audio |
msacm.msaudio1 | msaud32.acm | Audio |
msacm.msg711 | msg711.acm | Audio |
msacm.msg723 | msg723.acm | Audio |
msacm.msgsm610 | msgsm32.acm | Audio |
msacm.sl_anet | sl_anet.acm | Audio |
msacm.trspch | tssoft32.acm | Audio |
vidc.cvid | iccvid.dll | Video |
vidc.I420 | msh263.drv | Video |
vidc.iv31 | ir32_32.dll | Video |
vidc.iv32 | ir32_32.dll | Video |
vidc.iv41 | ir41_32.ax | Video |
vidc.iv50 | ir50_32.dll | Video |
vidc.iyuv | iyuv_32.dll | Video |
vidc.M261 | msh261.drv | Video |
vidc.M263 | msh263.drv | Video |
vidc.mrle | msrle32.dll | Video |
vidc.msvc | msvidc32.dll | Video |
vidc.uyvy | msyuv.dll | Video |
vidc.yuy2 | msyuv.dll | Video |
vidc.yvu9 | tsbyuv.dll | Video |
vidc.yvyu | msyuv.dll | Video |
wave | wdmaud.drv (See note below.) | Audio |
wavemapper | msacm32.drv | Audio |
Note: There can be multiple instances of one or more of these audio codecs: aux, midi, mixer, and wave (for example, aux1, aux2, midi1, midi2, and so on). If the Data in the Registry Editor for an additional instance lists wdmaud.drv, then the codec was included with Windows XP. Avoid disabling it. Otherwise, disable the codec as part of the troubleshooting process.