View Full Version : Computer Gurus! Hear me!
Hey everyone,
I installed the Service Pack 2 for windows XP today, and lost the ability to use, open or basically do anything with Windows Media Player. I tried re-downloading it and installing the newest version, I tried uninstalling WMP and reinstalling it (can't uninstall it via any normal method that I can see)...
And it still doesn't work.
Does anyone have any recommendations?
Thank you,
Solid
NousDefionsDoc
09-26-2004, 19:30
Did you download the patches for Media Player?
I don't think there are any patches out- maybe I wasn't looking in the right place.
Do you have a URL?
Sorry,
Solid
NousDefionsDoc
09-26-2004, 20:00
I just downloaded them with the Windows update. I do it automatically, but I think they were for the very thing you are describing.
It says I'm all up to date :(
Thanks for the help, though.
This is just like microsoft- release a massive patch and create a whole slew of new errors in the process. :D
Have a good evening, everyone.
Solid
I had too many problems and took the easy way out. I dumped IE and switched to Netscape as my primary browser. Not advertising but it worked. ;) ;) ;)
You may be using the...
Express Install (Recommended): High Priority Updates for Your Computer
Choose this for the fastest updating. Quickly scan for, download, and install only the critical and security updates your computer needs.
...instead try using...
Custom Install: High Priority and Optional Updates for Your Computer
Choose this to scan for optional, critical, and security updates your computer needs, choose from all the updates on the site, and review updates before downloading.
...to select any updates that aren't of high priority. You may notice that you may notice that you have a place to "Select optional software updates"...I manually update my drivers, so recommend to stay clear of the "Select optional hardware updates" section.
When asking troubleshooting questionsit helps for us to know the version of software your currently using/having problems with. Also, do you get any error codes? If so then please post them.
Possibly recommend that if you haven't already updated to "Windows Media Player 10" that you do it and see if it fixes your problems. If not, then fo to your control panel, then to your add and remove software, then to add and remove windows components, then deselect the media player, then reboot, then reinstall. If it still doesn't work make sure you let us know what the error codes are or go find another player like Winamp, Jukebox, etc :)
Dan,
I just tried removing, rebooting, reinstalling and rebooting without success. All my drivers, as far as I can tell, are up to date. There are no error messages- I double click (or click-open) on the WMP program or a WMP file and simply nothing happens.
Dagnabbit!
Thanks for the help,
Solid
Kyobanim
09-27-2004, 06:37
What version Media Player do you have?
What is the exact error message?
These will help in diagnosing the problem.
Kyo:
It's WMP 10, and the problem is that there IS no error message- it just won't open, no matter how many times or different ways I click the program or a WMV file. The computer doesn't even really register it TRYING to open.
It's so confusing!
Thanks for the help guys,
Solid
Kyobanim
09-27-2004, 07:22
Recommend uninstalling vs 10 and reinstalling vs 9. Do this in the Control Panel. On the left of the window is a button to Add/Remove Windows Components. This will remove all instances of media player. Reboot and DL vs 9 from here
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/default.asp
If this works create a restore point before installing anything else.
Kyo,
I went into remove integrated programs menu, selected WMP and removed it, rebooted and then tried to install WMP9... it says that there is a newer version of WMP on my computer and then exits the installer (no prompts given).
Is there anything more I can do other than the really drastic things? I've tried system restores back to before I updates to Service Packet 2 but they fail.
Thanks,
Solid
Kyobanim
09-27-2004, 08:31
2 things. first run disk cleanup under System Tools and remove everything you get an option for. second, run Defrag and Analyze the drive first. when it's done analyzing click the View Report button and make a note of any files listed in the \windows\system or system 32 path. then defrag whether you need it or not.
Sometimes cleaning up temp files and defragging helps situations like this.
Solid,
A couple of things you can try and some questions:
Do you know how to clean your registry of the old WMP files? If so, clean out the WMP10 files and reload WMP10.
Is the file wmplayer.exe in your Windows task manager under Processes and Applications after you launch the program? This will tell you if the program is even attempting to load/loaded.
(you can get there by pressing Ctl-Alt-Del and then going to processes and applications windows.)
Get back to us after trying this.
Mike
Ambush Master
09-27-2004, 11:25
Something that happend to me, one of the kids downloaded "RealPlayer" and it de-activated my WMP !! I had to remove the RealPlayer and then go to the Microsoft site and reinstall the WMP. If you have RP on there, it may be what's inhibiting the Windows operations !! I also attempted to do the "Reload" before I removed the RP and it wouldn't work.
Something that happend to me, one of the kids downloaded "RealPlayer" and it de-activated my WMP !! I had to remove the RealPlayer and then go to the Microsoft site and reinstall the WMP. If you have RP on there, it may be what's inhibiting the Windows operations !! I also attempted to do the "Reload" before I removed the RP and it wouldn't work.
One of the problems with some installs is that they will ask you if you want the program you are installing to be the default player for a list of file extensions. (typically the default install setup) If you do not uncheck the boxes upon install, it will be launched automatically when you open that type of file.
WMP should still have been there, however, RP overwrote the default players for the file extensions.
You can negate this by file when you open them.
Follow this:
Right mouse click on the file
Open with
Choose Program
Then select the program you want to use. You can also set it as default at that time.
:lifter
Solid,
I have heard of issues with WMP when using a laptop that has ATI video. Apparantly it's a video driver issue.
Cheers,
GK
I downloaded that new Windows XP2 and caught HELL!
Stopped me from logging on to the internet because of some firewall?
I have a Linksys wireless router that supposedly has a built in firewall and ZoneAlarm Pro.
My Laptop is hooked wireless yet, I keep gettting these Windows Updates are available?
Question:
Is XPS2 Update needed?
Kyobanim
10-19-2004, 11:59
Yes, XP2 is needed. There's a lot of security updates in it.
Open up the Control Panel and open the Windows Firewall. You can turn it off from here. It sholdn't affect your ability to get onto the internet even if you have 2 firewalls running. Turn it off anyway, though.
My Laptop is hooked wireless yet, I keep gettting these Windows Updates are available?
After the SP2 update is installed there will be another which is important, it's GDI security update, I think. Put that in, answer no to all the questions it asks. That should hold you for a week until the next up date is out.
That should hold you for a week until the next up date is out.
DUCT TAPE holds up longer than a week!
No wonder I like shooting so much; at least it's constant!
from google groups search 'windows media player +sp2'
Sounds like a successful fix:
I found that wmploc.dll was not in my system32 folder.
So I did a search for that .dll file in my system and I
found it in my c:\windows\ServicePackFiles\i386 folder.
For some reason, the file was in what I assume is the SP2
installation folder, or something to do with the
install. I copied the file from there into my system32
folder. I started Windows Media Player and version 9
started. I installed the upgrade to version 10 and it
worked fine.
Full thread details here (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&threadm=32f601c4a819%24488ee6b0%24a601280a%40phx.g bl&rnum=7&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dwindows%2520media%2520player%2520%252 Bsp2%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN%26tab%3Dwg)