text: First answer, go to Control Panel, Add Remove Programs, hopefully the codex is listed and can be uninstalled. If not, then hopefully you have System Restore in XP still turned on. You can choose a previous snap shot of your computer before you downloaded the codex. How to do it, go to Help on your Windows Task bar, type in System Restore, and it will let  you run it from there. Hopefully this will clear up all the junk. Part two, after the restore, download a reputable codex pack from: http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Codec_Pack_All_in_1.htm  I have never had problems with it to date. Best of luck.