None of my audio or video files show duration in Windows Explorer. What is shown is a three-digit display in which the first two digits are zero and the third is the first digit of the actual duration. For instance, a file with duration of 2:51 shows up as 0:02, one of 9:27 is 0:09. This isn't a flaw in the files. Yesterday, I purchased an album from Amazon and downloaded it, and the new files displayed in the same way. Also, I can transfer the files to another computer, and the proper duration displays in WE. When I start to play the file (typically in Windows Media Player), the duration shows on the player. I'll be most grateful for any help.
Are you talking about Windows Explorer details view? Maybe the column isn't wide enough? Try dragging the little divider, where it says "duration". If this is not the problem , please provide a screen image showing the issue.
As I said, "What is shown is a three-digit display in which the first two digits are zero and the third is the first digit of the actual duration. For instance, a file with duration of 2:51 shows up as 0:02, one of 9:27 is 0:09." That is in WE details view. I've uploaded a screen shot at - http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_sCmxrDDUPxGJ3A83U0erw Here is a list of the five tracks (11-15). Track 11 displays 0:05, but the actual duration is 5:17, and so on. There is a three-digit display, shown as zero, colon, zero, and then the first digit of the actual duration: Track 11 - 0:05 - 5:17 Track 12 - 0:03 - 3:48 Track 13 - 0:04 - 4:47 Track 14 - 0:02 - 2:46 Track 15 - 0:04 - 4:00
Has it always been like this? If not, when did it start, and what changed ? Is it only Explorer where it's wrong ? If you right click on the mp3 file and select properties/summary, does the correct time show up ? What about if you play the file in the default app ? Does the correct time show there? Possibly an obscure Windows problem. Try running SFC /SCANNOW this will scan all Windows protected files and check them. Is it 64 bit version of windows ?
"Has it always been like this? If not, when did it start, and what changed?" }}}I noticed it about two months ago, but I did not notice any other changes. "Is it only Explorer where it's wrong?" }}}Yes. "If you right click on the mp3 file and select properties/summary, does the correct time show up?" }}}There is no indicator of time/duration on that display. "What about if you play the file in the default app? Does the correct time show there?" }}}If by default app you mean Windows Media Player, as I said originally, "When I start to play the file (typically in Windows Media Player), the duration shows on the player." The correct duration, that is. "Is it 64 bit version of windows?" }}}Windows XP, 32-bit. "Possibly an obscure Windows problem. Try running SFC /SCANNOW this will scan all Windows protected files and check them." }}}I had to snoop around on the Internet to find out what this was. I ran it, and nothing has changed.
I looked on the internet for info about this strange issue and found a few posts similar to yours. One guy mentioned that Explorer gets the info from the files Metadata. I assume this is the ID3 tags. (This applies to VBR mp3) Why don't you edit those fields and see what you can find ? If it's not this, I don't know what else to suggest - it's an obscure problem.
I can add a little. Yes, metadata is tag info. It is designed only to look for metadata in certain file types. Obviously it can't know to read every thing anyone has made. You must specify what the folder holds. If you say it is an audio folder, then it will look for audio types it knows how to read. This will obviously slow your performance escecially if you have over 1000 files. May I suggest taking dbPowerAmp Converter for a spin? You get a 30 day free trial. I would rip all your CDs at that time. It has the best ripper I know of. It will install a utility that doesn't expire in the 30 days. It 'mouse bubbles' ALL the metadata for a file it knows how to read from Windows Explorer. I would install ALL the encoders (20+) during the 30 days. Then you can view the metadata for any audio file you want.
I don't believe it is the ID3 tags, because I can transfer files to another computer, and the information shows up as it should. A few days ago, I bought a new album of MP3 downloads, and they showed the same odd display on my computer (and, again, not on another computer). This same quirk shows up in MP3 or Windows Media Video. The quirk is, if a file has a duration of 2:34, duration shows as 0:02; if duration is 9:12, it shows as 0:09.; in other words, duration shows as 0:0x, where x is the number of minutes of the duration. I have one podcast that is 2 hrs. 37 min. 26 sec., and it displays as 2:37, instead of 2:37:26 On wav and flv files, although Windows Explorer displays a duration column, no duration at all appears. (I have unchecked duration in the display options, and that removes the duration column, then rechecked it, which returns the blank column.) AVI files show the correct duration. I have dbPowerAmp Converter on this computer (and have used it on my last two computers before it). It is the only thing I have ever used to rip a CD. In its "mouse bubble," it displays the same duration as WE does for MP3 or WMV, and on wav files, it doesn't even indicate duration. However, in Windows Media Player and FooBar, the correct duration displays.
It turns out that all I had to do was adjust the Regional and Language Settings from the Control Panel to display seconds. Thanks for the interest that was shown.
