VLC crashes on opening - uninstall/reinstall didn't work

[oconnortf]

VLC 2.21 - Had VLC open when Windows shutdown system for software update etc. When the system was back up - VLC crashed every time I attempted to play any file. I uninstalled and reinstalled clearing cache and preferences as well. Same issue - Download earlier version 2.07 - same result.
Came to forum and read up on few subject lines that sounded like my issue to see if the solution was in those replies.
Nothing worked, one post that asked to run a command line and run a logger on VLC - it started to run - ten apparently could not find things it was looking for or getting no or wrong responses. Then the command window went gray and closed down on its own.

Lenovo All in One system
Windows 7 home premium and SP1
Intel i3-2120 cpu - @ 3.30GHz 3.30 GHz
12 gigs ram
64 bit OS

[Lotesdelere]

Reset the preferences:
https://wiki.videolan.org/VSG:ResetPrefs

Then reinstall VLC.

[oconnortf]

Thanks for answering - no luck -
Tried everything - even installing and earlier version -
error log from 2 separate attempts - and after trying the steps you suggested


Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: vlc.exe
Application Version: 2.2.1.0
Application Timestamp: 00000000
Fault Module Name: StackHash_f5df
Fault Module Version: 6.1.7601.19045
Fault Module Timestamp: 56259295
Exception Code: c0000374
Exception Offset: 00000000000bffc2
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: f5df
Additional Information 2: f5dfdeff732043fd4d5617dcad4b1155
Additional Information 3: 5d9e
Additional Information 4: 5d9e43cde5685953046336075b3e2681

_____________________________________________________

an other attempt extracting and running the exe file from WinRAR

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: vlc.exe
Application Version: 2.2.1.0
Application Timestamp: 00000004
Fault Module Name: StackHash_a637
Fault Module Version: 6.1.7601.19045
Fault Module Timestamp: 56258e62
Exception Code: c0000374
Exception Offset: 000ced0b
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.768.3
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: a637
Additional Information 2: a637df446762d90a504e8ec0b1e66d08
Additional Information 3: 1824
Additional Information 4: 18249285275001de98ee1566a53199be

[oconnortf]

I went to using the windows player - but keep hitting file formats it can't handle - Loved VLC because it could play just about anything.

[NomadicWolf]

I have the exact same problem. VLC crashes on EVERY file it tires to play now.
Here is a long explanation that I posted in a window group to see if someone there could help me as I don't think it is a VLC file causing the issue:
(But I am looking here also in case someone know the solution)

I have been having all kinds of weird issues with my laptop for months now. I have been trying to schedule a re-install, which I have never done before, but part of me just CANNOT give up on trying to find the cause of the issues
FYI: I am running 64-bit Windows 7 Pro on a Dell M6600 with 8GB of memory, booting off a 126GB SSD with a 750GB hybrid data drive.
It would seem there are multiple issues, but the major one is that (up until yesterday) I could no longer play any videos on my system. Any video player would blow out attempting to play any type of video file. I normally use VLC but also tried Windows Media Player and other Video tools that I have (Adobe, Nero, etc). All would blow out with the generic Windows Error "<Program_Name> has stopped working.".

One of the things I did recently is run the "System File Checker" (sfc) with the "\scannow" option. After digging through the log file, I discovered that sfc found (and "fixed") 4 corrupt media .dll files. The lines from the log file are as follows:
Repairing corrupted file [ml:520{260},l:46{23}]"\??\C:\Windows\System32"\[l:30{15}]"msmpeg2adec.dll" from store
Repairing corrupted file [ml:520{260},l:46{23}]"\??\C:\Windows\System32"\[l:30{15}]"msmpeg2vdec.dll" from store
Repairing corrupted file [ml:520{260},l:46{23}]"\??\C:\Windows\System32"\[l:28{14}]"MSMPEG2ENC.DLL" from store
Repairing corrupted file [ml:520{260},l:46{23}]"\??\C:\Windows\System32"\[l:36{18}]"DShowRdpFilter.dll" from store
Once this was done Windows Media Player could play some video files, but VLC still would not play any and always blow out. I uninstalled it, re-installed it, uninstalled, installed the 32-bit version, un-installed again, ran CCLeaner, re-installed the 64-bit version. It just keeps blowing out on every media file. (that was version 2.2.1).
(I did run "VLC- reset preferences and cache files").

One of the other, and I'm sure related, issues, is that I have one directory with some video files in it, and if I navigate into this directory with Windows Explorer, W.E. blows out with the generic error: "Windows Explorer has stopped working".

I believe the issue is due to Windows remembering this folder wants the "Length" column displayed (as in the play length of the media file). Now, if I rename 2 specific files (with a different file manager), so that windows does not know what file type they are, then W.E. does not blow out. The extensions of these files are ".ts" and ".mpg". The files that do not make IE blow out are .mp4 files (among other non-media files). All three of these extensions are (currently) associated with Windows Media Player. And, if I navigate to this directory without the "Length" column displayed, then I can double click any of the files and Windows media Player will play them. So, the issue seems to be with the process that W.E. uses to determine the "Play Length" of the 2 specific media file types: .ts and .mpg. It is obviously not using the same decoder file that Windows Media Player is using as WMP plays the files just fine (but VLC will not play them at all).

I've had been scouring the Internet looking for a good way to "re-install all audio/video codecs" but I have not found anything so far.

If anyone understands the process that W.E. uses to extract the play length, or why VLC will no longer play ANY media file let me know. I have used VLC for years and it's been great. I even used process explorer to make a list of every dll that WMP and VLC loaded thinking I could easily determine the problem files VLC was using but it looks like VLC loads every dll on my whole system! WMP loaded 190 dlls but VLC loaded 486!

Thanks.

[NomadicWolf]

Well, I don't know why this worked, but VLC now works. Here is what I did.

I took a suggestion to go back and look through my Event Viewer for errors. I have done this before, and there are errors, but nothing I thought would relate to a video playing issue.
The first error I came to was as follows:

“The application-specific permission settings do not grant Local Launch permission for the COM Server application with CLSID {C97FCC79-E628-407D-AE68-A06AD6D8B4D1} and APPID {344ED43D-D086-4961-86A6-1106F4ACAD9B}
to the user NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE SID (S-1-5-19) from address LocalHost (Using LRPC). This security permission can be modified using the Component Services administrative tool. ”

This "AppID" is for the "IPBusEnum" service (like I thought that would relate to video playback. ???)

I did an Internet search on this whole error string and found the following link and I followed all the steps:
http://www.itexperience.net/2010/10/29/ ... ad6d8b4d1/

And then VLC would play all videos. Go figure.