I have windows xp on a dell computer and I'm using broadband for my internet. I download movies from limewire and I want to play them. But everytime I try to play them this is the message I'm getting: Cannot play this media file. The file is either corrupt or the application does not support the format you are trying to play. What can I do? It says that with my Nero and my windows media.

Dear Lady E, download vlc media player from here
VideoLAN - Free and Open Source software and video streaming solutions for every OS!
and try to open these files ....

or maybe you can download IT from here

FileHippo.com - Download Free Software

i am getting more file corrupt messages as well - but i seem to be able to play them with the Limewire Player. i click on the file name, and then i click preview, then the name comes up in the player in the bottom left corner of the app window. why would they play here and still be corrupt?

You are talking about audio files obviously, since LW's media player can only play audio files.

Are you getting the corrupt message whilst downloading in LW or after completing download & attempting to open with another player:

If you get a corrupt message during download, it means that the download hash of the file does not match with the file contents you have downloaded. Some more about that here http://www.gnutellaforums.com/downlo...wards-why.html. When you select a file to download, the first thing LW does is download the hash of the file which lists the properties of the file. After completing download of the file, LW then rechecks the hash versus the actual file to make sure both match.

If your player gives a corrupt message, it may mean your player is missing the correct CODEC to play the file. CODECs list for Movies/Audio/ Alternate players / Video help forums/ video-mp3 fixers

thanks for the info. by the way - about halfway through playing the corrupt file i got garbly music mixed in with what it was that i had downloaded - creatures from hell poppin out of the speakers. interesting way to write music.
thanks again
b

HI Lord of the Rings,
so here I am on my new MacBook and LW5 and it keeps stopping downloads saying files are corrupt... it seems they are not. I followed your instructions & link above but a) no recall at all of any popup having asked anything and b) can't reset the popup since no options under Tools..
Please can you help?

Thanks a lot,
Sandra