PPT2000: Unable to Insert a Movie from the Selected File

• Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 For Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to insert a movie file(a .avi, .qt, .mov, .dat, .mpg, .mpa, .mpv, .enc, .m1v, .mp2, .mpe, .mpeg, .mpm, .au, .snd, .aif, .aiff, or .aifc) into Microsoft PowerPoint, you may receive one of the following error messages:

MMSYSTEM281 This file could not be played. Check the file name or install a driver that supports this type of file.

-or-

MMSYSTEM348 This file could not be played. Check the file name or install a driver that supports this type of file.

-or-

MMSYSTEM296 This file could not be played. Check the file name or install a driver that supports this type of file.

-or-

PowerPoint couldn't insert a movie from the selected file.

CAUSE

This problem may occur when you insert a movie file by pointing to Movies And Sounds on the Insert menu, and then you click Movie From File.

The problem occurs if the installation of a third-party party program, such as Apple QuickTime for Windows, makes modifications to the [mci extensions] section in the Win.ini file. The [mci extensions] section determines the driver that the movie file format uses. The native media player in PowerPoint must use the MPEGVideo driver, which makes a call to the mciqtz.drv. If this setting has changed, the problem occurs.

NOTE: This problem may also occur if the mciqtz.drv file is missing from your system folder. The mciqtz.drv is a driver for ActiveMovie.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this behavior, follow these steps:

1. Click the Windows Start menu, click Run.



2. In the Open line, type Sysedit to display the System Configuration Editor.



3. Click the System.ini window, go to the [mci] section, and then look for the following lines of information:
   

   
      [mci]
      AVIVideo=mciavi.drv
      MPEGVideo=mciqtz.drv 

   
   If any of the lines are missing, type the line as shown.



4. Click the Win.ini windows, go to the [mci extensions] section, and then look for the following lines of information:
   

   
      [mci extensions]
      avi=AVIVideo
      qt=MPEGVideo
      mov=MPEGVideo
      dat=MPEGVideo
      mpg=MPEGVideo
      mpa=MPEGVideo
      mpv=MPEGVideo
      enc=MPEGVideo
      m1v=MPEGVideo
      mp2=MPEGVideo
      mpe=MPEGVideo
      mpeg=MPEGVideo
      mpm=MPEGVideo
      au=MPEGVideo
      snd=MPEGVideo
      aif=MPEGVideo
      aiff=MPEGVideo
      aifc=MPEGVideo 

   
   If any of the lines are missing, type the line as shown.



5. Click Save on the File menu, and then close the System Configuration Editor.



6. Start PowerPoint. Point to Movies And Sounds on the Insert menu, and then click Movies From File.



7. In the Insert Movie dialog box, locate the movie file you want to insert, and then click OK.

Additional query words: MMSYSTEM 296 348 281 ppt9 ppt_2k powerpt qt for win 9 9.0

Keywords          : kb3rdparty kbgraphic 
Version           : WINDOWS:2000
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto kbprb 

Last Reviewed: June 28, 1999