Computer systems, by default, are capable of playing videos. A monitor is basically all you need to view a video, but if the file is not playing on your computer system, several things may be causing the problem: not enough hard drive space, correct video codec not installed or the file is corrupt. Whatever the reason, it is usually possible to troubleshoot the situation and determine what, if anything, you can do about it.

Clear unneeded files and programs from your hard drive. If the drive on your system is nearly full, you won't be able to properly display content on the computer, including a video file.

Upgrade the RAM on your system. If running an older computer (such as Windows 98 or earlier), you are going to find that your system does not have enough RAM to smoothly play the video file. Increasing the RAM corrects this.

Play a different video file of the same format (such as a different .mov file, if the current .mov file is not loading onto the screen). If the second file of the same format plays properly, the file you are using is corrupt and you must find another copy (download the file again or re-export it from your video editing program).

Download a codec for the video file. There are dozens of different video files, and all require a specific codec installed on the computer. If you don't have the correct codec installed, the file isn't going to play (regardless of the media player you are using). A codec is a specific file that tells the computer how to read media files (just like a driver informs the computer how to use system hardware), with each media file requiring its very own codec. Navigate to "Free-Codecs.com," select the "Video Codecs" option, then download the codec that matches the file you wish to play. Once it's on the computer, double-click the file and follow the installation wizard's setup guide to install the codec.

• How to Fix a Computer That Won't Play Videos [09/20/2010 05:03:23]