MIW63

Q: Windows 8.1 with .mov files crashing

I have spent 12 hours with the so called professionals at Microsoft trying to get my daughters laptop to open .mov files.

This is as I write an unresolved issue that a tier 2 technician is supposed to be responding to today 05/01/15.

Although unresolved it made me wonder if this problem is unique to windows 8.1.

The answer would seem to be NO.

I booted up my old desktop PC running windows 7 32 bit with media player 11.

Guess what. The files don't crash the explorer window or indeed media player, although they will not open either.

As these files have been on my desktop for maybe two years I have to ask is this due to some update posted by either Microsoft or Apple as part of a compatibility enhancement?

I cannot be certain, but I feel sure they used to open with no problem at all.

 

Apple or Microsoft?

 

I will keep you posted as to the outcome of my discussion with Microsoft.

In the meantime has anyone else had a similar issue and managed to resolve it?

Posted on Jan 4, 2015 5:52 PM

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Q: Windows 8.1 with .mov files crashing

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  • by Jacumba,

    Jacumba Jacumba Jan 6, 2015 4:13 PM in response to MIW63
    Level 4 (2,349 points)
    Jan 6, 2015 4:13 PM in response to MIW63

    Is there more than one user account? Check permissions.

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Jan 6, 2015 4:19 PM in response to MIW63
    Level 8 (37,958 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 6, 2015 4:19 PM in response to MIW63

    The .mov format is from Apple's QuickTime. Install QuickTime for Windows and they should play.

     

    QuickTime 7.7.6 for Windows

  • by ComptonDrake,

    ComptonDrake ComptonDrake Feb 3, 2015 11:15 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 3, 2015 11:15 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    I think it is a windows update issue. I had some success with removing windows updates. Problem is as soon as you update windows the problem reoccurs.

     

    http://windowsforum.com/threads/windows-8-1-update-crashes-mov-files-even-after- removing-kb2975719-help.200194/page-2

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Feb 3, 2015 11:23 AM in response to ComptonDrake
    Level 8 (37,958 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 3, 2015 11:23 AM in response to ComptonDrake

    Well, that stinks. Yes, it looks like something MS changed in the update broke the ability to play .mov files. Apple may have to supply an update to QuickTime for Windows before it works again. Either that, or MS releases a minor fix themselves.

  • by snycal2,

    snycal2 snycal2 Feb 6, 2015 12:22 PM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 6, 2015 12:22 PM in response to Kurt Lang

    I am so desperate to save my movies, can you suggest any alternative? All my old .mov files won't work and some are extremely precious to me and my kids. For testing purposes I downloaded an old movie to google docs and was able to play it back on my iphone 4S and Ipad just fine. Is there any program I can purchase that I can store and keep these movies for my children? I was happy to see they weren't lost completely but since I don't want to download a couple years worth of movies to google doc's I don't know what my options are. I have been working on this issue for DAYS and feel so helpless.

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Feb 6, 2015 1:46 PM in response to snycal2
    Level 8 (37,958 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 6, 2015 1:46 PM in response to snycal2

    First thing I would suggest is not to panic. The default movie format for the Mac OS is still .mov, so it's not a format that's going to be obsolete anytime soon. Meaning, don't rush to find a way to convert them to another movie format. Any conversion is going to result in quality degradation.

     

    Until either MS or Apple comes up with a fix for QuickTime in Windows 8.1, use the free VLC Player. It will open just about anything.

     

    <Link Edited By Host>

  • by snycal2,

    snycal2 snycal2 Feb 6, 2015 2:33 PM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 6, 2015 2:33 PM in response to Kurt Lang

    You are right, I am a bit panicky *breath-breath* I'm just so frustrated. Thank you though, the VLC Player only plays every fourth movie and the rest look like modern art on acid. I will hold off on any big changes though and hope for some kind of fix. I guess buying an old computer and putting it in a time capsule is out of the question.

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Feb 6, 2015 2:44 PM in response to snycal2
    Level 8 (37,958 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 6, 2015 2:44 PM in response to snycal2

    I did find a suggestion on Microsoft's site. They say to download and install this codec updater for Windows Media Player. Users who responded on the page that links to the MS download say the video for .mov files then work, but there's no sound. But that may just be for those who added comments to the topic, and works as expected for most other users. I have no way of checking as I don't have Windows 8 installed.

     

    There were other third party .mov players for Windows I found around the web, but didn't want to suggest any third party software I haven't downloaded and tested myself.

  • by snycal2,

    snycal2 snycal2 Feb 6, 2015 5:39 PM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 6, 2015 5:39 PM in response to Kurt Lang

    Oh man I was soo hoping that would work. I'll look for another player, thanks for your honest reply/post. You gave me a little hope though, so again thanks

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Feb 7, 2015 8:51 AM in response to snycal2
    Level 8 (37,958 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 7, 2015 8:51 AM in response to snycal2

    Did you install QuickTime for Windows? I linked to the latest version above. Third post from the top.

  • by ComptonDrake,

    ComptonDrake ComptonDrake Feb 7, 2015 9:03 AM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 7, 2015 9:03 AM in response to Kurt Lang

    I have tried lots of fixes including renaming files. The only thing that works for me is to remove the following windows updates:

     

    KB2995388


    KB2975719


    Turn  off auto updates before you start as you need to reboot afterwards.


    I set auto update to the download but let me choose option otherwise these 2 re install themselves.


    I'm hanging on for our free upgrade to Win 10 now....



  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Feb 7, 2015 9:17 AM in response to ComptonDrake
    Level 8 (37,958 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 7, 2015 9:17 AM in response to ComptonDrake

    Sure sounds like an issue with specific updates, then. I was wondering because I asked one of the other forum members about this topic (he knows just about everything there is to know about QuickTime) and he has no trouble using QuickTime for Windows under Win 8.1. It's possible he hasn't applied some of these latest updates, but I didn't ask.

     

    I'm waiting for Win 10, too. Heck, I can get it for free, so why not?

  • by Jacumba,

    Jacumba Jacumba Feb 7, 2015 3:37 PM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 4 (2,349 points)
    Feb 7, 2015 3:37 PM in response to Kurt Lang

      I find it hard to believe that a Windows update to an operating system could cause QuickTime to reject a .mov file? This has been the only post ever to report that, with millions of computers using both QT and Windows 8.

      I find it more likely to be a permissions issue. Who owns permissions to the .mov or who owns permissions to the location the .mov is located in on the computer? That would seem more likely where QT as a program is supported with Windows 8.

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Feb 8, 2015 11:14 AM in response to Jacumba
    Level 8 (37,958 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 8, 2015 11:14 AM in response to Jacumba

    I do, too. But not having Windows 8 myself, I can't test to see if a fully updated system would suddenly stop playing .mov files.

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