MCI device error

Here is a Tecnet article that references MMsystem263 errors in Close Combat as well as other Microsoft games.

Craig

PSS ID Number: Q136983
Article last modified on 10-16-1998
 

 
WINDOWS
 

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The information in this article applies to:
 
 - Microsoft Age of Empires, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Ancient Lands for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Art Gallery for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Bookshelf '95 for Windows 95
 - Microsoft Bookshelf '96-'97 for Windows
 - Microsoft Bookshelf for Windows, 1993, 1994 and 1995 editions
 - Microsoft Close Combat, A Bridge Too Far, version 2.0
 - Microsoft Cinemania for Windows, 1994, 1995 and 1996 editions
 - Microsoft Complete Baseball for Windows, 1994 and 1995 editions
 - Microsoft Complete Gardening for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Complete NBA Basketball for Windows, 1994-1995 edition
 - Microsoft Creative Writer for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Creative Writer for Windows, version 2.00
 - Microsoft Dangerous Creatures for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Dinosaurs for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia for Windows, 1996, 1997 Standard, 1997
   Deluxe editions
 - Microsoft Encarta World Atlas for Windows, 1996, 1997 editions
 - Microsoft Flight Simulator for Windows 95, version 6.0
 - Microsoft Encarta for Windows, 1993, 1994, and 1995 editions
 - Microsoft Fine Artist for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Issac Asimov's The Ultimate Robot for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Multimedia Mozart for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Multimedia Schubert for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Multimedia Strauss for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Multimedia Stravinsky for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Music Central for Windows, 1996 edition
 - Microsoft Musical Instruments for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Reader's Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Guide for Windows,
   version 1.0
 - Scholastic's Magic School Bus series:
      Explores the Human Body for Windows, version 1.0
      Explores the Solar System for Windows, version 1.0
      Explores the Ocean for Windows, versions 1.0 and 1.01
      Explores Inside the Earth for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft SoundBits (all collections), version 1.0
 - Microsoft Encarta World Atlas for Windows, 1996 edition
 - Microsoft Wine Guide for Windows, versions 1.0, 1.0a, and 2.0
 - Microsoft World of Flight for Windows, version 1.0
 - Microsoft Windows 95 operating system
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SYMPTOMS
========
 
When you run one of the programs listed at the top of this article on a
computer running Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows 98, you may
experience one of the following symptoms
 
 - You do not hear any sounds in Microsoft Art Gallery or Encarta 1997.
 
 - Sound or video controls in the Media Gallery are not available.
 
 - When you attempt to play a video clip, the cursor briefly changes to an
   hourglass and the program does not play the video clip.
 
or you may receive one of the following error messages:
 
 - MMSYSTEM263  This is not a registered MCI device.
 
   This may be followed by one of the following lines depending on which
   device is not installed:
 
      device:WaveAudio
 
      device:Sequencer
 
      file: <drive>:\<path>\<file name>.avi
 
 - Wave Error 10: MMSYSTEM263 This is not a registered MCI device.
 
 - Wave Error 7: MMSYSTEM263 This is not a registered MCI device.
 
 - MMSYSTEM281 This file could not be played. Check file or install a
   driver that supports this type of file.
 
 - Failed to open Sound/Wave device driver. Please check that Sound/Wave
   is installed. For more information see Read Me.
 
 - Video not available.
 
 - The correct CD must be in drive D: to continue.
 
 - There is not enough memory available to play videos. Try closing
   other applications, or consult "Troubleshooting" from the Help
   screen.
 
 - Encarta World Atlas cannot provide access to the audio content in the
   product, because audio compression codecs are disabled or not installed.
   Try enabling the codec in the multimedia control panel, or install the
   driver if it is not present."
 
CAUSE
=====
 
This behavior can occur if one of the Media Control Interface (MCI) Devices
is disabled, not installed, or the line for the device is missing in the
Win.ini file.
 
RESOLUTION
==========
 
To resolve this issue, follow these steps:
 
1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
 
2. Double-click the Multimedia icon.
 
3. On the Advanced tab in Windows 95, or on the Devices tab in Windows 98,
   double-click Media Control Devices.
 
4. Click Wave Audio Device (Media Control), and then click Properties.
 
5. Click Use This Media Control Device, and then click OK.
 
6. Repeat steps 4-5 for MIDI Sequencer Device (Media Control) and Motion
   Video Device (Media Control), and then click OK.
 
7. Close Control Panel, and then restart Windows 95.
 
If one of the media control devices is missing, or if the issue continues
to occur, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
 
   Article ID: Q141349
   Title     : Error Message: MMSYSTEM281 This File Could Not Be Played
 
Additional query words: rise of rome expansion pack mmviewer 95 multi
media multimedia multi-media mmtitles kbmm sound bits sound-bits
soundblaster sound blaster mmsystem281 mmsystem262 win95x win95
mmsystem326 fs6 fs95
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Keywords          : kbtlc kbimu kbdisplay kbenv kberrmsg kbmm kbsound kbfaq
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb
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Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1998.


 

All my MCI devices are installed but I think the problem is that the line for the device is missing in the WIN.INI file.  If you could give me the line to type into the WIN.INI file, it would be helpfull..

You may want to install/reinstall Media Player 6 to re-register your MCI devices.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/mediaplayer/download/default.asp

Let me know if that helps,
Craig

unfortunately it still didn't work.  The interesting thing is that I had a similar problem with flight simulator which I solved by entering the line "avi = MPEG video" under mci extentions in the win.ini file.  This seemed to work for flight simulator 95 but not for close combat version 1.

Try putting:

mid=Sequencer

under MCI extensions

I tried putting mid=sequencer under mci extentions but it didn't work.

When you reinstalled your MCI extensions, did you uninstall them first?  If not, try that.  Sometimes reinstalling doesn't overwrite the ini settings.

thanks to "istekkie".  It worked!  If you would like to make your  comment an answer, I can give you the points.