DOCUMENT:Q193656  13-JUN-2001  [win95x]
TITLE   :"The File Format Is Invalid" Playing Large AVI File
PRODUCT :Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
PROD/VER:WINDOWS:95
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:kberrmsg kbtool osr2 win95

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The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release, versions 2.0, 2.1, 2.5 
 - Microsoft Windows 98 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you try to play a large audio-video interleave (AVI) file, you may receive
the following error message:

   The file format is invalid.

CAUSE
=====

This error message can occur when you try to play an AVI file that is larger
than 2 gigabytes (GB) in size. Limitations exist with Microsoft Video for
Windows solutions that limit AVI files to the same maximum file size as the
FAT16 file system, which is 2 GB minus 1 byte.

On computers using the FAT32 file system, the maximum file size is 4 GB minus 2
bytes, which is larger than Video for Windows is designed to handle. AVI files
created by Video for Windows that exceed 2 GB in size appear invalid or damaged
to AVI file players.

RESOLUTION
==========

When you are using Video for Windows-based programs, limit the size of AVI files
that you create to less than 2 GB.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Programs using Microsoft DirectShow can create AVI files that exceed 2 GB in
size on computers using the FAT32 or NTFS file system.

Additional query words: corrupted

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Keywords          : kberrmsg kbtool osr2 win95 
Technology        : kbWin95search kbWin98search kbOPKSearch kbWin98 kbWin95OPKOSR25 kbWin95OPKOSR210
Version           : WINDOWS:95
Issue type        : kbprb

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