Windows DVD Maker Aspect Ratio problems

I have the same issue, except the symptom is the opposite - I am trying to burn a DVD in which the video aspect ratio is 4:3 (and I have WMM set to 4:3), but when I select "burn DVD" it states widescreen, and the resulting wmv file is changed to widescreen.  I cannot figure out how to set the burn aspect to 4:3.

It just seems to me that there is a bug in the protocol between the DVD burn utility and the file.  Occasionally I have seen an issue where the saved project gets into a mode in WMM where the 4:3 aspect is stretched to 16:9, and nothing seems to fix it except to abandon the project and start over (this is the only way I have found to fix that issue).  So this aspect ratio bug is not limited to dvd burn, but also appears in WMM.

Personally I would rather see a solution in the current or subsequent WMM and not have to revert to earlier versions to work around the problem.  Version 2.6 was designed originally for XP and made to work in Vista, and was never tested in W7 which I have.  Just saying I would rather not do that experiment, as it might corrupt some W7 files.  I am currently using version 2011 (Build 15.4.3555.0308).

Sorry you were not successful. Maybe I missed an important step i.e you must first UN-INSTALL version 2012 of Movie Maker (MS Essentials). Otherwise the NEXT download will report that you have a later version and will not proceed.

There is also one important step you may have missed, you certainly don't mention it. AFTER ROLLING BACK TO V2.6  you must then install Microsoft essentials v2011. (note v2012 caused my problem). The reason for the two step instal (v2.6 and then 2011) was  a gamble to somehow ensure that certain driver files DLL, etc were restored to BEFORE v 2012 sat on my machine.

Personally I'm convinced the problem lies with the latest version of MM which updates (corrupts) a vital video driver. Another tip to save disks test only a short DVD say no more than 5 mins. Yes I have spent some time getting it right but I have not wasted any disks.

I certainly agree with your sentiments about MS - they should have recognised this problem and FIXED IT.

PROBLEM NOT RESOLVED

Hi kisbeSL.  Thank you for your reply although I'm sorry to report that this solution didn't work for me.  I think I first noticed the problem after my computer was restored by Dell after the Windows 7 system developed a separate fault.  I've never installed any of the other Microsoft Essentials.  I did try rolling back my current Movie Maker to v2.6 like you said kisbeSL and then tried burning a DVD in DVD Maker but the same problem was duplicated I'm afraid.  I really don't think that rolling back one program can fix another.  I started out yesterday with ten new blank DVDs and that's six failed attempts I've made now to resolve the matter.  What really gets my back up is that nobody from Microsoft is dealing with this!  The DVD Maker is a pretty integral part of the Win 7 Multimedia experience and is simply bugged and unusable and this fault has been around for 3 long years without any peep from Microsoft offering a solution.  Judging by this thread, Gokul's assertion that converting the movie to WMV format in Movie Maker "has helped a lot of users in fixing the 16:9 aspect ratio issues" sounds baseless so my advice to anyone else suffering this problem is: don't go wasting your valuable time and disks trying any of the above 'fixes'.  I'm afraid you will need to accept that Windows DVD Maker simply doesn't work and move on.  Face the fact that Windows are ignoring the problem (they haven't visited this thread for 3 years), look for a third party app for creating DVDs instead, and next time you are thinking of buying a computer, think seriously about whether you can risk the idea of having a Windows system that doesn't do what you originally bought it for in the first place

Problem Resolved - see my latest thread.

PROBLEM RESOLVED

I have actually resolved the problem. It struck me that my problem only started when I updated my version of Movie MAKER (yes MOVIE MAKER). So on the search for an older version on the MS Website I found version Movie Maker v2.6, downloaded and installed. Next I downloaded a later version (2011) of Microsoft Essentials and then using DVD Maker,  I re-burnt a previous failed WMV file and Hey Presto! everything was back to normal. I can only assume that the latest version of Movie Maker(2012) somehow corrupts an important DLL or AX file. Incidentally I now have 2 versions of Movie Maker on my PC i.e. 2.6 and version 2011 (Build 15.4.3555.0308). Obviously I use the latter. 

I hope this helps.