after xvid codec installation, just clicking on an avi file freezes everything

I've read quite a bit about this problem in xvid.org. No clear cut
answer. I'm going to try to install their beta version now.

After installing the xvid codec, you can no longer even click on an avi
file, it freezes everything up. Explorer crashes. It must have
something to do with the Windows prefetch thingy. In xvid.org some
people said that uninstalling and reinstalling all codecs worked for
them. I personally found that uninstalling the xvid codec returns
things to normal.

I can handle avi files with the preexisting divx codec, but I want the
xvid for editing, since with the divx codec I have to save the finished
product in divx format, and it's no longer in the same format as the
original xvid movie.