Microsoft KB Archive/203795

= Computer Stops Responding When You Play Very Large .wav Files =

Article ID: 203795

Article Last Modified on 1/23/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 98 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 95
 * Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition

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This article was previously published under Q203795



If this article does not describe your hardware-related issue, please see the following Microsoft Web site to view more articles about hardware:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/w98?sid=460



SYMPTOMS
When you attempt to play a large wave (.wav) file in Microsoft Sound Recorder (Sndrec32.exe), your computer may stop responding (hang).



CAUSE
This issue can occur if the size of the file you are attempting to play is equal to or greater than the amount of Random Access Memory (RAM) installed in your computer. Before playing the file, Sound Recorder tries to load the entire .wav file into memory, but may not be able to do so. For example, if you attempt to play a 32 megabyte (MB) .wav file and your computer has 32 megabytes of RAM or less, your computer may stop responding.



RESOLUTION
To work around this problem use the appropriate method:

Use Microsoft Windows Media Player 7
You can use Windows Media Player 7 to play the file.

Use Microsoft Active Movie to Play the File
Use Active Movie to play the file:
 * 1) Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to Multimedia, and then click Active Movie.
 * 2) On the File menu, click Open, open the folder that contains your .wav file, click the file, and then click Open.

Install More RAM
You can increase the amount of ram in your computer to enable this tool to play large .wav files.



MORE INFORMATION
Active Movie does not load the entire file into memory before playing it, instead, it buffers it in segments from the hard disk or CD-ROM.

Additional query words: HWSNDTS HWMEM

Keywords: kbprb kbsound KB203795

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