Help with CodecFix -Xvid file (.xz) needed- read this Warning

Problem: Attempt to open XvidCodec.xz (it's a compressed video)



Both Win Media Play and Media Center stated:
Media Rights Acquisition – "Download Fix"


Upon clicking on Download Fix I was directed to: a10.alfafile.net
Then to the download: CodecFix.exe
Upon opening this download my computer was taken over.
Some of what happened included downloading:
-New thunder and War Frame Game shortcuts
-Video Box (installed)
-Screenshot.pro (installed)
-Traffic Exchange (installed)
-OtherSearch (Installed)
- Yellowsend (Installed)
-Anomymizer Gadget (Installed)
- Memory Optimizer (Installed)
-chedot.com (which commands yr browser and d/loads lots of ads and junk every time
you click on a new browser page.
These have all now been removed.

So here is question:
Does anyone know how can I safely open a video compressed into Xvidcodec, that is .xz format?
(my Window Updates are up to date and unfortunately the downloads did not update codecs)


Your response is appreciated, thanks!

Hi,

7-Zip is supposed to open .xz files if you already have it, try it.

Supported formats:

• Packing / unpacking: 7z, XZ, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR, ZIP and WIM
• Unpacking only: AR, ARJ, CAB, CHM, CPIO, CramFS, DMG, EXT, FAT, GPT, HFS, IHEX, ISO, LZH, LZMA, MBR, MSI, NSIS, NTFS, QCOW2, RAR, RPM, SquashFS, UDF, UEFI, VDI, VHD, VMDK, WIM, XAR and Z.

There is Easy 7-Zip it's supposed to be "easier", but I don't have any experience with it. VirusTotal has the x64 only, d/l at 0/57. It would have been 0/59 but the two listed can't/don't scan this type of file (portable.exe).

I may have mis-understood your question, and I wanted to post instead of editing to make sure you saw my additional information.

One of our members, @ThrashZone recommends: VideoLAN - VLC - Features to do what you need. Download page is here: VideoLAN - Official page for VLC media player, the Open Source video framework! I don't have a need to get into the different formats but it sounds like VLC will open, decode, and play Xvid.

Link where I found TZ's recommendation.

~~~ ~~~~ ~~~

Out of curiosity I checked the a10.alfafile.net site with virustotal and it showed 2/68, then I checked it with google's safe browsing tool and it showed a10.alfafile.net as not harmful in itself, but, the web host that carries it may be.

I've created a habit of checking a site with google's safe browsing tool the page will come up as a 400 error but paste your URL after the = sign in the address bar and click on the go icon for your browser. In the results look to the right under Testing Results and you'll see one or more web hosts under This website is hosted on , click on them to see the hosts site safety details.

Then I check with virustotal it depends if you have a URL, a file, or want to do a search for a hash, domain, or IP address, click on the appropriate tab, click on Search It! and wait for the results.

Finally I scan all downloads including ones from microsoft with my resident antivirus/malware program to see if it picks up on anything out of the ordinary, I will only open the download if everything checks out okay. The 2/68 would have been enough for me to look elsewhere.

It seems like a lot, but it hasn't failed me, knock on wood

Hello Anak,

lots of good info there for me to digest so thank you!

Yes, I use VLC vid player but it won't open these two files.
Also tried 7-Zip but it couldn't open files either (nor could All Video Converter open them to convert them to MP4 which I prefer as i can plug that directly into the TV.)

This morning Microsoft Chat help directed me to: How to Open XZ Files - File Extension XZ
(which I just checked with the Google Safe Browsing Tool and it says clean) but when I downloaded the tool and went to install it Avira anti virus went berserk and put all the files into quarantine so I didn't persist as I don't have the expertise.

As for your cautionary approach to downloads well I agree with you totally! Too much nasty stuff out there these days.
So thanks again for the websites where I can check URLs and files .

Oh... also:- I had already been to TZ's page where he recommends: Xvid - DownloadSorry to report but that's where all the junk came from ... the most persistent was chedot.com so in the end I re-loaded my
latest systems image and that gave me back my computer (phew!).

thanks again

You're welcome,

I'm not sure if we're looking at the same thing, if you look closer at the MS link TZ only suggests VLC.

Be careful of the solvusoft site, virustotal gives it a 0/69 while google safe search does not. It's okay for information but I won't ever D/L anything from it. If you search for solvusoft reviews you will find mixed emotions, here's one from the microsoft community

It seems no matter what I search for concerning xvid, either the site or its D/L shows yellow to red as far as safety. Let me drop a line to TZ and see if he can help.

nithig said:

Hello Anak,

Yes, I use VLC vid player but it won't open these two files.
Also tried 7-Zip but it couldn't open files either (nor could All Video Converter open them to convert them to MP4 which I prefer as i can plug that directly into the TV.)

When you unzip the file what file extension is displayed? Right click the file and choose "Properties"

If no extension - try renaming with .mp4 extension

Thanks Callender, you know, I forgot about that trick.

This is with a different file like an .ashx file that I know will open as a .pdf but it won't until I add .pdf to the file name, it looks like this, .ashx.pdf

nithig, I didn't know you had another thread going here: Xvid-1.3.4-20150621.exe Safe?

Two ways of doing what Callender suggests:
Xvid-1.3.4-20150621.mp4 or Xvid-1.3.4-20150621.exe.mp4

Thanks to both of you for helpful suggestions. Due to the problems I had initially I've decided that there is something suspicious about these two files (2 videos) and deleted them. I've tried all suggestions and nothing worked.

Callender, 7-Zip would not unzip the files ... nothing happened (which added to my suspicion).
Next time I encounter a .xz file I may well be better informed.
kind regards,

Next time you get a file with an unknown or suspicious extension upload to VirusTotal or run it sandboxed.

Virus Total is a very useful site ... thanks Callender, I've bookmarked it and will use it;
also sandboxing is a helpful tip for me.
best wishes.