Hi, I have just installed windows movie maker on a laptop that runs windows 7. At the beginning I tried to make a movie from pictures I took and all works fine in WMM itsself. It plays nicely in the previewscreen as well. The problem is that when I save it to .wmv or .mp4, I can save the movie, but when I try to play it in media player, I can only see a black screen. Here is what I tried so far: pictures were .jpg... converted them to .BMP and tried again without succes just tried with an opening slide and credit slide, nothing else, so only things from widows media maker itsself and also VERY small and tried that. Same issue: black screen, although you can see the seconds counting... added music to it and when I play it after saving, I can hear the music, but the screen stays black. Checked divX (read on other forum) and have version 11 Nvidia graphics card issues do not apply (other forum as well) ad I have another card I have found a lot of issues on the forums, but the "black screen issue" that I can find on the forums is only after a while, when you play it or in the previewscreen. My problem is that it will not play ANY video I save. PLEASE HELP!! Thanks

Hello Tom, For troubleshooting purposes, please try to update your video card and codecs. To do this, follow the steps below: Ensure you have installed the latest version of **Windows Movie Maker** Try making movies of a shorter duration - If you have a large movie project, splitting the video into smaller projects may help. Check that the files you are using are of a supported format – Some file formats are not supported by Windows Live Movie Maker. A list of supported formats can be found here: **Movie Maker file types** Ensure that you have the proper codecs to play your videos and audio files - Audio and Video require codecs to play the file and it’s important to have the right codecs installed or updated in your PC. - Try running the Microsoft FixIt tool for codecs: **FixIT** - Media info will be able to identify any issue with missing of faulty codecs and whether it's already in your computer or not: **Media Info** Note : If can't find the codec you need you may convert the video to a supported format (eg. wmv) and then add it to your Windows Live Movie Maker project. Ensure that your video card drivers are up to date - Movie Maker makes extensive use of the video card GPU (graphics processing unit). The display driver affects the reliability, performance, and compatibility of the video card with different software. To determine the version and video card driver date, run the DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag): DirectX Diagnostic Tool Click on Start button and type “dxdiag” in the Search programs and files box and press Enter key on the keyboard. Click on the Display tab and you will see the driver details including the driver version. If your video card driver seems outdated please go to the video card driver manufacturer and see if a newer version is available. Example: **http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us** **http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx** **http://downloadcenter.intel.com/** If the issue persists, we would like you to provide more information regarding the issue by answering the questions below: What is the build and version of your Windows Movie Maker? What was the option that you select when saving your movie? (for computer, for HD, etc) Thanks!

Thanks Kailla47. I unstalled Essentials 2012 and installed 2011, it is working now. Apparently it is a compatible issue on my PCs. I have 2 identical HP desktops, running Windows 7 Prof and Essentials 2011, which works perfectly. I installed Window 7 Ultimate on one of them after my old hd crashed, then I discovered Movie maker didn't come with Ultimate installation. So, I downloaded Essential 2012 but ran into the black screen issue as other people described in this forum. I had tried all the suggestions in the forrum, e.g. the graphic driver update. None of them works. The solution is to install Windows Essential 2011. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29219

I had the black screens in WMM 2011 and 2012 versions and no version would work for me until I got a file converter program that allowed me to convert .avi format videos into .wmv format videos and I tired in the 2012 WMM and it still wouldn't work though I used the WMM6 and tried .wmv files in there and found my videos have both picture and sound in that version of WMM.I'll have to deal with the annoying file conversions before editing in WMM6 though it's the only way to use Movie Maker and have it work. I've got a few video edits in progress in the older version of Movie Maker and expect to get one finshed very soon.I wish it had worked on the newer Movie Maker though I'm grateful to have it work on any version on this computer.I have Windows 7 on my computer and the video quality is great on the older Movie Maker so I'm planning to just work with that version since it shows videos properly.

Window movie maker: saved video stays black. audio works and preview is fine too... Please help!!

Anonymous

Hi,

I have just installed windows movie maker on a laptop that runs windows 7.

At the beginning I tried to make a movie from pictures I took and all works fine in WMM itsself. It plays nicely in the previewscreen as well.

The problem is that when I save it to .wmv or .mp4, I can save the movie, but when I try to play it in media player, I can only see a black screen.

Here is what I tried so far:

pictures were .jpg... converted them to .BMP and tried again without succes
just tried with an opening slide and credit slide, nothing else, so only things from widows media maker itsself and also VERY small and tried that. Same issue: black screen, although you can see the seconds counting...
added music to it and when I play it after saving, I can hear the music, but the screen stays black.
Checked divX (read on other forum) and have version 11
Nvidia graphics card issues do not apply (other forum as well) ad I have another card

I have found a lot of issues on the forums, but the "black screen issue" that I can find on the forums is only after a while, when you play it or in the previewscreen. My problem is that it will not play ANY video I save.

PLEASE HELP!!

Thanks

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Guys,

Finally problem solved, and I was able to save my movies properly. Yes, it was a delight to hear the 'ding' at the end of the saving process, and see a thumbnail from your movie in the dialog box that said, movie has been saved, view it now! :-)

Ok here goes...

-- The Microsoft support team are broadly pointing in the right direction, that the issue has got to do with video/graphics drivers.

-- Since most of us might have branded machines like Vaio, Dell, HP etc., the display settings may be getting over-ridden by the Branded custom system management interfaces these guys provide.

So go basic, and start from the 'Control Panel', and try and reach the display settings.

-- Here's what I did:

Control Panel >> Hardware & Sound >> Display | Adjust Screen Resolution >> Advance Settings >> Adapter | Adapter Type

This is where it checked for the latest version, and updated it automatically.

Asked me to restart the system.

I did,

Created a 2 picture test file in Movie Maker. Saved, and voila!

Basically try whatever route you can. to reach your Display Settings, and from there try and reach a driver that'll ask to be updated. I encountered a few drivers, where i was told, they're up to date, so that was a dead-end.

All the best.

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

This worked for me. It was posted on an earlier date.

Guys,

Ok here goes...

-- The Microsoft support team are broadly pointing in the right direction, that the issue has got to do with video/graphics drivers.

-- Since most of us might have branded machines like Vaio, Dell, HP etc., the display settings may be getting over-ridden by the Branded custom system management interfaces these guys provide.

So go basic, and start from the 'Control Panel', and try and reach the display settings.

-- Here's what I did:

Control Panel >> Hardware & Sound >> Display | Adjust Screen Resolution >> Advance Settings >> Adapter | Adapter Type, open Properties, click on the driver folder and choose update.

This is where it checked for the latest version, and updated it automatically.

Asked me to restart the system.

I did,

Created a 2 picture test file in Movie Maker. Saved, and voila!

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Hello Tom,

For troubleshooting purposes, please try to update your video card and codecs. To do this, follow the steps below:

Ensure you have installed the latest version of **Windows Movie Maker**
Try making movies of a shorter duration - If you have a large movie project, splitting the video into smaller projects may help.
Check that the files you are using are of a supported format – Some file formats are not supported by Windows Live Movie Maker. A list of supported formats can be found here: **Movie Maker file types**
Ensure that you have the proper codecs to play your videos and audio files - Audio and Video require codecs to play the file and it’s important to have the right codecs installed or updated in your PC.

- Try running the Microsoft FixIt tool for codecs: **FixIT**

-Media info will be able to identify any issue with missing of faulty codecs and whether it's already in your computer or not: **Media Info**

Note: If can't find the codec you need you may convert the video to a supported format (eg. wmv) and then add it to your Windows Live Movie Maker project.

Ensure that your video card drivers are up to date - Movie Maker makes extensive use of the video card GPU (graphics processing unit). The display driver affects the reliability, performance, and compatibility of the video card with different software.

To determine the version and video card driver date, run the DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag):

DirectX Diagnostic Tool

Click on Start button and type “dxdiag” in the Search programs and files box and press Enter key on the keyboard.
Click on the Display tab and you will see the driver details including the driver version.
If your video card driver seems outdated please go to the video card driver manufacturer and see if a newer version is available.

Example:

**http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us**

**http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/Pages/index.aspx**

**http://downloadcenter.intel.com/**

If the issue persists, we would like you to provide more information regarding the issue by answering the questions below:

What is the build and version of your Windows Movie Maker?
What was the option that you select when saving your movie? (for computer, for HD, etc)

Thanks!

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85 additional answers

Anonymous

2015-05-26T21:03:32+00:00

Thanks Kailla47. I unstalled Essentials 2012 and installed 2011, it is working now.

Apparently it is a compatible issue on my PCs. I have 2 identical HP desktops, running Windows 7 Prof and Essentials 2011, which works perfectly. I installed Window 7 Ultimate on one of them after my old hd crashed, then I discovered Movie maker didn't come with Ultimate installation. So, I downloaded Essential 2012 but ran into the black screen issue as other people described in this forum. I had tried all the suggestions in the forrum, e.g. the graphic driver update. None of them works.

The solution is to install Windows Essential 2011. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29219
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2015-05-24T15:14:33+00:00

I had the black screens in WMM 2011 and 2012 versions and no version would work for me until I got a file converter program that allowed me to convert .avi format videos into .wmv format videos and I tired in the 2012 WMM and it still wouldn't work though I used the WMM6 and tried .wmv files in there and found my videos have both picture and sound in that version of WMM.I'll have to deal with the annoying file conversions before editing in WMM6 though it's the only way to use Movie Maker and have it work.

I've got a few video edits in progress in the older version of Movie Maker and expect to get one finshed very soon.I wish it had worked on the newer Movie Maker though I'm grateful to have it work on any version on this computer.I have Windows 7 on my computer and the video quality is great on the older Movie Maker so I'm planning to just work with that version since it shows videos properly.
Was this answer helpful?

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