Why can’t I play my mp4 videos on my computer? Error -2401: an invalid sample description was found in the movie.
We got this message from A 8525 user named DarkShadows:
I am at a loss. I uploaded my videos from my 8525 (which play fine on the phone) to save space. But they will not play on my windows machine. I am trying to play them using Quicktime.
Two types of extensions are present mp4 & 3gp. the 3gp plays in Quicktime but the mp4 doesn’t play. I downloaded VCLan and it played them but with no audio, which is present when it is played on the phone. The Mp4 gives me this error message: Error -2401: an invalid sample description was found in the movie.
Any ideas? I got this wicked video of this chick from last weekend. Hook me up!
We sure do DarkShadows! And this one is a really easy fix! The MP4 file that windows media is producing is not actually a MP4 file format AT ALL! It is actually a 3GP file and if you simply rename your files extension from MP4 to 3GP it will work.
That’s all you have to do.
No really, unless you want me to give you some busy work to go along with that! :)
| Print article |
about 3 years ago
can you pls tell me why i cant play mp4 on my laptop i have windows (vista pre)but when i try to play sum files they will not play.
about 3 years ago
Did you read the above article? It is simply a file format issue. Just rename the .mp4 file to .3gp and you will be good to go!
about 3 years ago
I too am having this same problem, however I have tried many times to rename this file but it still does not work. I have gone to the properties of this file and it says that it is indeed an .mp4 file, I just can’t seem to figure out the solution to changing it. Im not the smartest with computers so hopefully it is just something I missed. Please Help.
about 3 years ago
you need to rename the extension. The extension is currently mp4 it needs to be 3gp. Let me know if you need further help.
about 3 years ago
Most people out there heard about 3GP files but the truth is that few really know how to play this format and when faced with the need to watch 3GP they do not know what to do. That is when tutorials are researched and we try to learn how to do it. Let us see what we are dealing with and this will be the only tutorial you will ever need on playing 3GP files.
3GP is a file format that is a container for video and audio streams. It basically stores streams of video and audio in one file with the extension: .3GP. The video inside the container is usually MPEG-4 Part 2 at H.264 or H.263. The audio stream is usually AAC or AMR. In most situations 3GP files will be found on mobile phones as it is a popular file format to record video
about 2 years ago
how do you make a .3gp file on your computer
about 2 years ago
I have tried to rename the extension also without success on Vista. When I do the file name becomes runningdog.3gp.mp4
Don’t know what else to do.
about 2 years ago
Well I just figured out that the file extenstions were hidden…problem solved.
about 2 years ago
Glad it worked out Terri! Thanks for stopping by.
about 2 years ago
Great…
tell us how to…
Steep by steep…
Like were idots…
or tell us where you’ve already writin this “obvious” bit of information.
or give us the link of some who will tell us.
Because repeating/refrazing the information you’ve already told us dosn’t seem to be helping.
about 2 years ago
simply rename your files extension from MP4 to 3GP
Right click the file and choose rename – then make the mp4 extension 3gp and thats it. I can not make it any easier.
about 2 years ago
Except we tride that. Now, instead of FileName.mp4, we have FileName.3gp.mp4 and when we try to open that, it gives us the same error message. I’m sorry but there is some difference between your computer and ours thats not leting us change the file extention with a simpple rename.
about 2 years ago
Nevermind, sorry, downloaded a converter now, problem solved.
about 2 years ago
You have to go to Tools- folder options and turn off hide file extensions. Then you can safely rename the extension.
about 1 year ago
error: -2041 an invalid sample description was found in the movie…I seen above responses, but I don’t know how to rename the file, much less rename mp4 file extensions to 3gp…please exlain how this is done. I have a PC Wnidows 2007 XP oper sys.
about 1 year ago
what converter was downloaded…renaming file still didn’t work?
about 1 year ago
I did the fix file extension error…it didn’t work. Please help :(
about 1 year ago
what converter did you download?
about 1 year ago
thanks. this worked for me, too
about 1 year ago
dosen’t work for n96 mp4 movies, still searching ..
about 9 months ago
Worked like a champ on my mp4 files! Thank you!
about 9 months ago
thanks. this worked for me, too
about 7 months ago
none of this works. at all.