Why can't I play wmv mpg avi quicktime movies anymore?

I have Vista Business on my E1505 and suddenly videos have completely stopped working on my computer. Some embedded videos online work still, but just about anything else I have won't play anymore in Firefox, WMP, Nero, VLC, or DivX. Is this a codec issue or is this the Vista DRM stuff? Anybody have any ideas?

 

hmmm - reinstall codecs / wmp - possible updates to vista?
system restore?

 

I've tried to install any codecs I can find - but none have worked. I tried to redownload WMP from Microsoft, but the latest version there is older than the version on my system. I have all current Vista updates, and I did a system restore the other day for other reasons, but the videos still won't play.

 

Actually, you know what? .mp3's aren't working anymore either! I had problem playing something before, and thought nothing of it. But I'm trying to play some in iTunes now and it's not working. **** this is annyoing. I think I might just reformat my computer again. I got another key for Business that I can use (though it really sucks to have to use a second key!)

 

Were they working under Vista before? Use VLC player if nothing else work.

 

Yes they were working originally. I don't know where to get the codecs. VLC player has probably been the worst one I've used so far. Whenever I start any movie in VLC all I get is a white screen with no sound, but it says it's playing.

 

Do you remember when this started happening? Did you install something immediately prior to the problem starting?

 

I would start by installing this for starters... wmpcodecs

With mp3s does it look like it is playing (progressing through the song, visualizations are moving etc)?