Microsoft KB Archive/193656

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"The File Format Is Invalid" Playing Large AVI File

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Q193656

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release, versions 2.0, 2.1, 2.5
 * Microsoft Windows 98

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SYMPTOMS
When you try to play a large audio-video interleave (AVI) file, you may receive the following error message:

The file format is invalid.

CAUSE
This error message can occur when you try to play an AVI file that is larger than 2 gigabytes (GB) in size. Limitations exist with Microsoft Video for Windows solutions that limit AVI files to the same maximum file size as the FAT16 file system, which is 2 GB minus 1 byte.

On computers using the FAT32 file system, the maximum file size is 4 GB minus 2 bytes, which is larger than Video for Windows is designed to handle. AVI files created by Video for Windows that exceed 2 GB in size appear invalid or damaged to AVI file players.

RESOLUTION
When you are using Video for Windows-based programs, limit the size of AVI files that you create to less than 2 GB.

MORE INFORMATION
Programs using Microsoft DirectShow can create AVI files that exceed 2 GB in size on computers using the FAT32 or NTFS file system.

Additional query words: corrupted

Keywords : kberrmsg kbtool osr2 win95

Issue type : kbprb

Technology : kbWin95search kbWin98search kbOPKSearch kbWin98 kbWin95OPKOSR25 kbWin95OPKOSR210