MKV, AVI and Video files question.

[simonr1978]

I've got a number of MKV video files on my laptop currently (Running Windows 7 as OS). The problem I have with MKVs (I'm gathering that it's a pretty common problem), is that once you open them Windows wont let you delete or move them to another location, you can copy them but then you end up with the same file in two seperate locations. I've also gathered that there is a way around this, it doesn't seem too technical and beyond my grasp (IIRC it involves going into Task Manager with certain windows open and closing Explorer so that), but too be honest this is more messing around than I'm happy with doing every time I want to delete or move a video.

As a temporary measure, I'm saving all MKVs into the "D" partition so that if I need to clear the space it can be formatted. Unless anyone knows an easier way of deleting or moving them?

Long term though, I'd much rather have them in AVI or MP4 format, so that they can just be cut/paste moved or deleted as required. Rather than hunting through for the same videos in different formats, can anyone recommend a video file converter that'll take an MKV and turn it into preferably AVI, although I'd be happy with almost any other format (Even FLV). Cost is a bit of an issue as I don't want to be spending a huge amount on this, so the cheaper the better, free versions even better still.

I'm also not really interested in changing OS, I'm otherwise perfectly happy with Windows 7.

Thanks in advance.

[sigur]

I used XMediaRecorde (yes, that's the name. Not sure why it's not a RecordeR but anyways...) and it worked really nicely. Also used SUPER in the past which works as well, it's just a bit weird/creepy. I think it's rather intrusive.

[simonr1978]

Thanks Sigur, I'll give XMediaRecorde a go.

[Urgat]

Unlocker will let you move/remove any file that would pose you problems. Never heard of MKV not being movable though, and I, her, acquired many many Anyway, Unlocker can work as a regular program, or be integrated to the mouse right click. It will also kill any processes that would prevent you from deleting a file. Extremely handy.

[Sylass]

That should not be a problem connected to MKV files, I guess they are still in use/locked by the program you used to play them (or other programs like virus scanners). You should at least be able to move them after rebooting the machine, no?

What program are you using to view MKVs? I usually use the VLC media player and I never had any problems like this.

[Bombot]

Same as Sylass. I've used MKV files with VLC player and never encountered this. I don't use them very frequently - I tend to use AVIs more - but it surely can't be something that Windows does all the time.

[simonr1978]

It does seem to be unique to MKVs and a Google search does seem to indicate that it's not just me. I usually use Windows Media Player, another reason I prefer AVI/MP4 files since with MKV files I can't just highlight a batch and play them in one batch but have to individually add them to the playlist.

I have to admit though that I think I failed the first rule of IT Tech Support. My laptop rebooted itself over night and trying to replicate the error message this morning with files I couldn't move last night, they went with no problem.

Note to self (Inner voice speaking like the guy of the IT Crowd), "Have you tried switching it off and switching it back on again?"

IIRC the message I got was something about the file being in use by another program, even when I checked in Task Manager and manually closing down anything that might be conflicting, and since I don't really want to have to reboot everytime I want to move or delete a file I've watched recently, I'll still probably try converting them to a different format just for convenience.

Thanks again for the tips so far.

[Bombot]

Windows seems to fairly regularly throw up that message about drives being used by another program when I try to eject them, even though I seem to have shut down anything that was using the drives. I just shrug and blame it on Windows being flakey.

[simonr1978]

It's not separate drives that's causing the problem, I just decided to bung everything into a single partition to make deleting everything in one go easier if I wanted to by just formatting that part. It doesn't seem to matter where the files are, if I've opened an .MKV on this laptop since rebooting (Or on the other netbook we've got at all, ever) I can't delete or move them without getting an error message. I don't have a problem with any other file type, which I can cut and paste between multiple locations onboard or offboard or delete at will. The issue seems to be caused by a combination of Windows Media Player, MKV and Windows itself.

[Urgat]

To me it's faulty codecs or something like that. I've never had these kinds of problems, I can open batches of MKV files in one go alright, etc.