For the past six months I have been using a new computer (an IBM Thinkpad
notebook) which came with Windows XP (Home edition) pre-installed  A few
days ago a problem developed with Windows Media Player (version 9, which
also came pre-installed). It suddenly won't play ANY movie files, whether
in MPEG/MPG or AVI format. In all cases the error message is the same: a
pop-up windows says

Error performing inpage operation.

I get two choices, "close" or "Web help", the latter takes me (if I'm on
line) to the Windows Media site which just says that no further help is
available for my problem.

The problem seems to be more than just Windows Media Player. I also have
Irfan View (a great program) and this too doesn't work. I don't know if
it's related but at about the same time my Adobe Acrobat 5.0 also failed
and I had to reinstall (it now works, after reinstallation). My guess is
some key file seems to have been destroyed, removed, or been damaged but I
don't know how or which, or how to fix it.

Need help to guide me in the right direction. I used to be comfortable in
using - and fixing problems with - Windows 98 and before that Windows 95,
but XP is new to me and I don't know where to begin.

Hope someone can help. With regards -

         = Cheeta Gauba

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