Cannot view properties for Video Codecs!

[Milonen]

Hello all. I'm using Windows XP, and I'm having a problem where I cannot seem to see the properties for Video Codecs under Control Panel --> Sounds and Audio Devices --> Hardware. All I get is this strange error message:

An exception occurred while trying to run "shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL "C:\WINDOWS\System32\MMSYS.CPL",@0"

I've searched in Google many times and this message doesn't come up at all. Am I the only one with this problem? Is there a fix for this?

[MPS]

have you perhaps accidentally deleted this .cpl file?

if not, then try to run the cpl file by :

"control mmsys.cpl"

if the properties window will not open, then you probably have the cpl file damaged, try copying the correct file from win xp cd.

[Milonen]

I get that window, but whenever I try the Hardware tab --> Video Codecs --> Properties...I get that above message...then I get Run a DLL as an App has encountered a problem and needs to close (something like this) and they ask me if I want to send an error report

[Milonen]

However I think copying it from the CD will work. Thanks a lot.

[MPS]

your welcome, try to do it and let us know here of your success

[Milonen]

Nearly forgot about this thread, but I'm still having that problem even though I replaced mmsys.cpl with the one on my Windows XP CD...I have no idea what else to do, If I reinstalled Windows over mine here do you think that would help? Will I lose any data? Or is there another way other than that to fix the problem?

[Phytrax]

Reinstalling windows should fix it. That might be the easiest way. You won't really lose any data as long as you know where to find it. You will lose all of your settings and have to reinstall all of your software though.

[Milonen]

Well that's an option I guess. Thanks for the post

[Phytrax]

If you knew when the problem started, system restore could probably fix it.

[MPS]

system restore is a messy thing, but sometimes it works might as well try this.
system reinstall i always see as the last measure, who'd have time to spend approx. an hour with setting everything up for hardware, reinstalling software if necesaary etc.