'General Error' message when playing clips
Why do I receive a "General Error" message?
You might receive a "General Error" message if the clip you are playing is unavailable or damaged, or if you have a damaged installation of RealPlayer.
Solution 1: Try playing a different file.
It's possible that the file you were trying to access was either corrupted, or used a file type or codec that is incompatible with RealPlayer. If that was the case, then other files should play successfully. If no files of any type will play, then it is an issue with either your firewall (see Solution 3) or RealPlayer itself (see Solution 4).
To rule out a problem with the file itself, try playing other files from the web, such as this video clip.
Note: You may also receive a "General Error" message if the file you are attempting to play is on a network drive that is not connected. Try re-downloading the clip to correct this problem.
Solution 2: Check the file format and/or install codecs.
Read more about installing codecs for unsupported file types.
Solution 3: Configure your firewall.
Follow our instructions for configuring RealPlayer to work with a firewall.
Solution 4: Update RealPlayer.
It's always best to make sure you're using the most up-to-date version available at www.real.com.
After updating, please re-download the videos that previously received the "General Error" message.