ECW file type not recognized [13]

I cannot get my ECW's to attach and be recognized. I'm not sure if its a problem with the source image, or microstation/Descartes, but I get the ECW in another program that's georeferenced with my project. I export to .DXF of the project like I've always done but now the ECW border is showing up and it says it cannot be read. So I convert to .DGN, and it's the same problem. I add the ECW's to projectwise and try to attach them through descartes, no dice. I haven't had these problems before and nobody else in my dept. knows why I'm having these issues.