The Xvid will likely never Import properly, unfortunately, but the WMV should. While WMV's are heavily-compressed, they are generally fully-supported, though do require a lot of resources to edit and then output.
If you are able to play the WMV files on Windows Media Player (not VLC, GOM or MediaPlayer Classic - will explain in a moment), then PrE should be able to Import the files just fine, and if you have a stout computer, you should be able to edit the files.
You should also be able to Import those files into Windows Movie Maker, do light editing, then Export those files for final work in PrE. Note: the older WMM could Export to DV AVI, where, unless things have changed, WMM Live can only Export to WMV.
I would first test with WMP, and WMM, to see how that goes, then report here.
One other test to run would be to Rename your file from xxxx.AVI to xxxx.WMV, as PrE will probably not look in an AVI, expecting a WMV. [Why companies insist on doing things in a non-standard way, is a big mystery to me.] Does that Renamed file now Import and edit OK?
If not, and if WMM cannot work with either the original AVI, or the Renamed WMV, I would look into converting the file with a 3rd party program. For that work, I use an older shareware converter, DigitalMedia Converter 2.7, by Deskshare, as it is good, and will batch-convert. There are newer versions, but I have not tried them, since my old version works fine. I liked it so much, that I bought a copy for my laptop and one for my workstation. I would convert to DV AVI Type II (WMM, not the Live version, will do DV AVI Type I, which, while not perfect, usually Import and edit just fine).
Good luck,
Hunt
PS - The reason that I suggested NOT playing in VLC, GOM or MediaPlayer Classic, is that they contain their own set of CODEC's, and will play many files, that other programs cannot, until the proper CODEC's are installed on the system. WMP, for instance, will only play files, when their necessary CODEC's are installed on the system, so for our test, we want to avoid players, with their own CODEC sets - ONLY with CODEC's, that are on the system.
