Insert sound file greyed out

[Corinne]

I am trying to add a couple sound tracks to a picture slide show I am working
on and when I try to add the music, the insert sound file is greyed out. I
have the slide selected but it won't give me that as an option. What can I
do?

 

[Corinne]

Oh and I am using Powerpoint 2003

 

[Austin Myers]

Corinne

Go to Start > Run and type "mplay32.exe". This *should* start the Windows
MCI player. Now using File > Open select your MP3. Does it play properly?



Austin Myers
MS PowerPoint MVP Team

Provider of PFCMedia, PFCPro, PFCExpress
http://www.pfcmedia.com

 

[Corinne]

No, I get a problem occurred in initializing MCI error message. We play
these things all the time, why won't it work this way? And does this error
have something to do with why it is greyed out in Powerpoint?

 

[Austin Myers]

No, I get a problem occurred in initializing MCI error message.

Ok, I suspected this was the issue.

We play these things all the time, why won't it work this way? And does
this error
have something to do with why it is greyed out in Powerpoint?

Absolutely! PowerPoint uses the MCI player for all media in PowerPoint. If
the MCI player is not working, PowerPoint can't do anything with the media.


Let's try the easy solution first. Download and re-install Windows Media
Player 10 (NOT 11) on your PC. Although PowerPoint doesn't use it directly,
reinstalling the Media Player should reset your codecs, filters, and file
associations. Hopefully that is all it takes to get you running again. Be
sure to holler back if it doesn't.


Austin Myers
MS PowerPoint MVP Team

Provider of PFCMedia, PFCPro, PFCExpress
http://www.pfcmedia.com