Cannot determine format of file in windows 8.1 in GoldWave?

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csm120
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 11:09 pm

Cannot determine format of file in windows 8.1 in GoldWave?

Post by csm120 »

Hey guys I have Windows 8.1 and the latest version of gold wave. When I try and open a file either from Windows explorer, or from within Gold Wave. I get the error, "Cannot determine format of file:". I cannot install windows media components in Windows 8.1. can anyone help me get Gold Wave to work? I've tried several files and I get the same results. This wasn't a problem in Windows 8, but of course Windows 8 had the media player/components.
DougDbug
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Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 3:33 pm
Location: Silicon Valley

Re: Cannot determine format of file in windows 8.1 in GoldWa

Post by DougDbug »

I don't have Windows 8*, but what format is it?

Is it one of the supported formats?
Supports iTunes Plus, m4a, wav, wma, mp3, ogg, aiff, au, vox, FLAC, and even raw binary data

I cannot install windows media components in Windows 8.1. can anyone help me get Gold Wave to work? I've tried several files and I get the same results. This wasn't a problem in Windows 8, but of course Windows 8 had the media player/components.
If you think there is a problem running GoldWave under Win8.1, you can contact Chris (GoldWave's developer) using the contact form on the bottom of this page. This is mainly a user-to-user forum, and Chris doesn't participate here everyday.





* I bought a laptop a couple of months ago and I paid extra to get Win7. :P
csm120
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 11:09 pm

Re: Cannot determine format of file in windows 8.1 in GoldWa

Post by csm120 »

The file was just a regular mp3 file. I've tried with several different mp3 files. I've also been able to use GoldWave fine through Windows 8, but not on Windows 8.1.
Gord
Posts: 391
Joined: Thu May 21, 2009 4:26 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Cannot determine format of file in windows 8.1 in GoldWa

Post by Gord »

I just tried opening an mp3 file in GoldWave 5.70 under Windows 8.1 and it worked fine. The machine was upgraded from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1, so perhaps that makes a difference, but the test does indicate that GoldWave doesn't have a problem with Windows 8.1 per se.
csm120
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 11:09 pm

Re: Cannot determine format of file in windows 8.1 in GoldWa

Post by csm120 »

I upgraded my Windows as well. I guess I'll try a complete reinstall.
Thanks
csm120
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 11:09 pm

Re: Cannot determine format of file in windows 8.1 in GoldWa

Post by csm120 »

Actually. I've been playing with too many windows 8.1 machines. this one I didn't upgrade I did a clean Windows 8.1 install. I put GoldWave in later. Not sure, but I think if you upgraded windows 8 to windows 8.1 you keep the windows media components? Otherwise you just can't get them.
csm120
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 11:09 pm

Re: Cannot determine format of file in windows 8.1 in GoldWa

Post by csm120 »

For what it's worth, reinstalling Goldwave didn't work. As soon as I opened an mp3 file I got the same error. If I opened a .wav file no problems there. I wonder if installing some codec package would help?
Gord
Posts: 391
Joined: Thu May 21, 2009 4:26 pm
Location: Canada

Re: Cannot determine format of file in windows 8.1 in GoldWa

Post by Gord »

I just did a clean install of Windows 8.1 Pro using the ISO downloaded from the Microsoft Partners site. I installed GoldWave 5.70 and it opened an mp3 file without difficulty. Two possibilities come to mind:

1. Are you perhaps installing from an earlier Beta or Preview release of Windows 8.1 that may not have included all of the media components (because they weren't finished yet)?

2. Or, might you be installing the "N" version of Windows 8.1 which (I believe) excludes some components that are normally bundled with the "regular" install? (Stuff that the EU forced Microsoft to take out because they thought that bundling too many "utilities" along with the "OS" was anti-competitive.)
GoldWave Inc.
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Re: Cannot determine format of file in windows 8.1 in GoldWa

Post by GoldWave Inc. »

Usually if GoldWave is not able to open an MP3 file it means the Windows MP3 decoder isn't installed. The L3CODECA.ACM or L3CODECP.ACM file needs to be in the Windows\System32 folder.

Chris
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