Windows 8 Video cannot play any files

I was trying to update my WEI, namely to get Windows to recognize my SSD RAID 0 volume as trimmable (I have since done this, but the following problem persists) and got the "Could Not measure Video Playback performance" error on media decode. Okay, so I went into the WinSAT folder and tried playing the test .wmv and .mp4 files. The first time I play one it works, but then every other time, the Modern UI Video app gives the following error:

"Can't play because the item's file format isn't supported [...] 0xc1010090 (0x00d36c4)"

This also occurs with my personal videos, and includes .avi files as well. Plays the first time, and then any other file gives the above error. Opening them with the desktop Windows Media Player has the same results.

I've tried disabling Windows Media Player, rebooting, re-enabling WMP, rebooting, and yet the problem still persists.

I've also run sfc /scannow, and it did not find any integrity violations.

Other people with similar problems suggest changing the default sound playback device. Mine was set to default anyways, but I tried switching it to my USB DAC and that didn't help.

The Video app is opened by default for all video file extensions. I tried switching them to the desktop version of WMP and that didn't solve anything.

I have no other video players or third-party codecs installed (this is a relatively new install of Win8). I do have foobar2000, but I haven't given it any defaults for file extensions, as I just import my library and open the files from foobar.

This is on Windows 8 Professional x64. If you would like me to paste some logs, let me know which ones and I will kindly oblige. Thank you!

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T-2-W

To resolve this problem, configure Windows Media Player to download codecs automatically. To do this, follow these steps in Windows Media Player 11:

On the Tools menu, click Options.
Click the Player tab, click to select the Download codecs automatically check box, and then click OK.
Try to play the file. If you are prompted to install the codec, click Install.

The following steps are intended for advanced computer users.

Obtain and install the codec. To do this, follow these steps in Windows Media Player 11:

Determine whether the codec is installed on the computer that you are using to play the file. To do this, follow these steps:
1. In the Now Playing area, right-click the file that you are trying to play, and then click Properties.
2. Click the File tab, note the codecs that are specified in the Audio codec and the Video codec areas, and then click OK. If the following conditions are true, go to step 2.
  - No audio codec is specified.
  - No video codec is specified.
3. On the Help menu, click About Windows Media Player.
4. Click the Technical Support Information hyperlink.
5. If you are trying to play an audio file, determine whether the audio codec that you noted in step 1b is listed in the Audio Codecs area. If you are trying to play a video file, determine whether the video codec or the audio codec that you noted in step 1b is listed in the Video Codecs area. If the codec is not listed, go to step 2.
6. Try to reinstall the codec. If you cannot reinstall the codec, go to step 2.
7. Try to play the file. If you can play the file, skip steps 2 and 3.
Install the codec. To do this, follow these steps:
1. If you receive an error message when you try to play the file, click Web Help. If you do not receive an error message when you try to play the file, go to step 3.
2. On the Microsoft Web site, click the link to the Wmplugins Web site. If this link is not present, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
  http://www.wmplugins.com/ItemList.aspx?typeid=8
  (http://www.wmplugins.com/ItemList.aspx?typeid=8)
3. Follow the instructions on the Web site to download and install the codec for the file. If the Web site does not automatically find a codec for the file, and if either of the following conditions is true, go to step 3:
  - You did not note a codec in step 1b.
  - You cannot find the codec that you noted in step 1b on the Web site.
4. Try to play the file. If you can play the file, skip step 3.
Obtain the codec from a third-party vendor. For information about your hardware manufacturer, visit the following Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/vendors/en-us
(http://support.microsoft.com/gp/vendors/en-us)

Note If you are using Windows Media Player in an environment that is managed by a network administrator, you may have to contact the network administrator to download and install the codec.

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JosephGibson

These instructions do not apply to the windows media player installed with windows 8. The "Download Codecs Automatically" check box does not appear on the Player tab in the 'more options' dialog'

Windows 8 Video cannot play any files

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