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Somewhere between 8.5c and 8.6f, I lost the ability to play .wav files (even though the relevant .dll appears to be present) in XP. I have all the latest codecs (I'm a "ripper"), and have made sure all the boxes are checked during installation.

(Suspicion, which I'll need someone to check: VirtualDubMod, when asked to save an AVI's audio stream, will save it by default with a .wav three-letter extension even if it's an mp3. Previously, VLC recognized and played those, as does MPC presently. If this is the case, someone else will be able to verify it. If not, then any other help is appreciated.)

VLC only uses build-in codecs, so external codecs don't cause issue for VLC. What does VLC log say, when you open problematic file?

I couldn't find a log file in either the Program folder or Docs & Settings.

The Errors dialogue says: "Unrecognized format for (location/name).wav'"

Have you tried resetting your preferences and cache files? Go to (in Windows Explorer):
%APPDATA%

And delete the "vlc" folder. Try a *.wav file. If it still doesn't work then does the problem occurs for all *.wav files?

If you want to know how to create a log file:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=46111&st=0&sk=t&sd ... 15#p146165

Arite.

[quote="Arite"]Have you tried resetting your preferences and cache files? Go to (in Windows Explorer):
%APPDATA%

And delete the "vlc" folder. Try a *.wav file. If it still doesn't work then does the problem occurs for all *.wav files?

If you want to know how to create a log file:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=46111&st=0&sk=t&sd ... 15#p146165

Arite.[/quote]

1. Replacing prefs did nothing.

2. Used Wavepad to convert Vdub-saved wav(shell w/mp3) to uncompressed wav; VLC played file.

3. Log file (thanks):

-- logger module started --
main debug: CPU has capabilities 486 586 MMX MMXEXT SSE FPU
main debug: looking for memcpy module: 3 candidates
main debug: using memcpy module "memcpymmxext"
main debug: waiting for thread completion
main debug: thread 3744 (playlist) created at priority 0 (playlist/playlist.c:184)
main debug: waiting for thread completion
main debug: thread 3760 (preparser) created at priority 0 (playlist/playlist.c:210)
main debug: looking for interface module: 1 candidate
main debug: using interface module "hotkeys"
main debug: thread 3784 (interface) created at priority 0 (interface/interface.c:231)
main debug: looking for interface module: 1 candidate
logger: VLC media player - version 0.8.6f Janus - (c) 1996-2008 the VideoLAN team
logger:
Warning: if you can't access the GUI anymore, open a command-line window, go to the directory where you installed VLC and run "vlc -I wx"

logger: using logger...
logger warning: no log filename provided, using `vlc-log.txt'
logger debug: opening logfile `vlc-log.txt'
main debug: using interface module "logger"
main debug: thread 3812 (interface) created at priority 0 (interface/interface.c:231)
main debug: looking for interface module: 3 candidates
main debug: using interface module "wxwidgets"
main debug: thread 3832 (manager) created at priority 0 (interface/interface.c:216)
wxwidgets debug: Using last windows config '(-1,0,0,1024,768)(0,22,22,355,94)(6,0,0,-1,150)'
wxwidgets debug: id=0 p=(22,22) s=(355,94)
wxwidgets debug: id=6 p=(0,0) s=(-1,150)
main debug: adding playlist item `C:\Download\aaaaa\Danny Phantom - They've Got Their Spirit Back (My Brother's Keeper).wav' ( C:\Download\aaaaa\Danny Phantom - They've Got Their Spirit Back (My Brother's Keeper).wav )
main debug: creating new input thread
main debug: waiting for thread completion
main debug: creating statistics handler
main debug: thread 124 (input) created at priority 1 (input/input.c:265)
main debug: drive letter C: found in source
main debug: `C:\Download\aaaaa\Danny Phantom - They've Got Their Spirit Back (My Brother's Keeper).wav' gives access `' demux `' path `C:\Download\aaaaa\Danny Phantom - They've Got Their Spirit Back (My Brother's Keeper).wav'
main debug: creating demux: access='' demux='' path='C:\Download\aaaaa\Danny Phantom - They've Got Their Spirit Back (My Brother's Keeper).wav'
main debug: looking for access_demux module: 1 candidate
main debug: creating access '' path='C:\Download\aaaaa\Danny Phantom - They've Got Their Spirit Back (My Brother's Keeper).wav'
main debug: looking for access2 module: 5 candidates
vcd debug: trying .cue file: C:\Download\aaaaa\Danny Phantom - They've Got Their Spirit Back (My Brother's Keeper).cue
vcd debug: could not find .cue file
access_file debug: opening file `C:\Download\aaaaa\Danny Phantom - They've Got Their Spirit Back (My Brother's Keeper).wav'
main debug: using access2 module "access_file"
main debug: pre-buffering...
main debug: received first data for our buffer
main debug: creating demux: access='' demux='' path='C:\Download\aaaaa\Danny Phantom - They've Got Their Spirit Back (My Brother's Keeper).wav'
main debug: looking for demux2 module: 45 candidates
wav debug: chunk: fcc=`fmt ` size=30
wav debug: format: 0x0055, fourcc: mpga, channels: 2, freq: 48000 Hz, bitrate: 15Ko/s, blockalign: 1, bits/samples: 0, extra size: 12
ffmpeg debug: detected format: mp3
ffmpeg error: Seeking too far : EOF?
ffmpeg error: av_open_input_stream failed
ps error: cannot peek
vobsub debug: could not read vobsub IDX file
main error: no suitable demux module for `/://C:\Download\aaaaa\Danny Phantom - They've Got Their Spirit Back (My Brother's Keeper).wav'
main debug: removing module "access_file"
main debug: thread times: real 0m1.452088s, kernel 0m0.040057s, user 0m0.100144s
main debug: thread 124 joined (input/input.c:412)
main: nothing to play

Does the file work in VLC if you rename it to wav -> mp3 ?

No. Adding ".mp3" to the name doesn't change its filetype in XP once it already has a file-type.

-- VLC *used* to be able to play an mp3 inside a wav wrapper -- so some functionality has been lost relative to other players and applications which can play and/or open them just fine.

BTW, didn't VLC used to be able to play APE lossless audio archives? (I can't play those either.)

http://teamtutorials.com/windows-tutori ... windows-xp
you can so the file extension in XP and after that you can change them also.
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=27422
I don't think stable versions support APE files.

1) File-extensions aren't the issue -- VLC should be the player with a "cast-iron stomach" that can digest anything. At present, it cannot play something which it used to be able to play -- and that's a retreat.

2) Are there any "unstable" versions that DO play APE files? If there are, got a link?

http://nightlies.videolan.org/
nightlies might or might not play APEs. I am not sure.