VLC does not play files that end with .mp3

[benlucky]

I use VLC on my Asus netbook EEPC. Os is EasyPeasy, 2.6.27-8-eeepc (ubuntu re-worked). VLC is 0.9.4-lubunutu3.2.
When I open an mp3 file whose name ends with .mp3, the filename flashes briefly on the titlebar, and does not play.
When I copy the file to the same directory, change the name of the copy to not have an .mp3 filename extension, the audio file plays just fine.

I play music from a usb hard drive that is rsynced from my home desktop music archive, and it is not convenient to rename all the 6300 files to not have file name extension. That defeats the idea of using rsync to keep the usb drive up to date for my mobile music. (I use this drive on several Windows machines as well as the linux netbook.)

Any help is appreciated.
~ benlucky

[whatdoesitwant]

I don't know the solution. I've experienced this with some files from a friend of mine. They play perfectly in Windows Mediaplayer but do nothing in VLC. This is the first time ever that it's not the other way around. This is on Windows 7.

[xtophe]

We don't have a crystall ball.

Please provide the logs (-vvv or tools/messages+verbosity=2)