Windows Vista Windows Media Player - can't find it, open it

I saw a similar post, but a little different than my problem, so I am posting as a new problem. Windows Media Player is listed in 'all programs' but when I click it, it acts like it's going to open it, but then does nothing. I was going to uninstall and reinstall but cannot find it in the programs list. I can open Windows Media Center, but when I try to access library it says I need to set it up, so I try and it says it's missing a component. When I try to download WMP from the Microsoft site it says I already have a newer version.

We have been using itunes for quite a while and I think it's listed as our default player.

Also, I can't play videos that are sent to me in emails that require WMP.

I hope you can help me!

Thanks,
Christy

 

Hi and welcome to the BBS,

Look in Control Panel -> Programs and Features -> Installed Updates. Try uninstalling any Media Player/Center updates. If they will not reinstall properly again, look at "something" that may be interfering, like a similar software program (a third party media player).
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/faq/installation.mspx#q2_3

Issues:
http://support.microsoft.com/ph/7763/en-us
Look at any "drives" (USB) you may have attached.

If you don't use Internet Explorer or Vista Mail, you may need to add a "plug-in" to run to Media Player.

In Media Player -> Help, get it to search for updates.

Matt

 

Hi Matt,

Thanks for responding. I uninstalled WMP updates, then tried to reinstall and response says update not applicable. (as if I don't have WMP?)

I'm wondering if this might all be related to some other issues I had. I installed firefox, but some in my family still used explorer, then explorer quit working. This has been a while back, so unfortunately I don't recall all the details. I ended up having to uninstall explorer and there's been some goofy things happening since around then. ((?))

I also thought maybe I should just try a system restore, but when I go into help and support from the start menu, the window comes up all out of whack. Instead of icons or images it shows the little box with a red 'x' in it and the text is spaced funny...

I'm beginning to think I have bigger problems than I can tackle! What do you think?

Thanks,
Christy

 

How did you uninstall Explorer? I can't see that you can even "repair" it, like in Win XP. Did you install IE 8.0 Beta and that is what you uninstalled?

Matt

 

I did a search for IE and it appears I still have it, just not the shortcut. It's version 7. I launched it and it seemed to work just fine. Also, when I do a search for Windows Media Player, it comes up under programs, but if I click to launch nothing happens. Under properties it shows the TArget as "C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" /prefetch:1

'Start in:' is blank

I don't know if any of this is helpful?

 

Hi I've found an article regarding "Windows Media Player stops responding after you install a third-party product that registers its own version of the Wmp.dll file" which includes a fix. If you think it's applicable to you please read the warning in the Resolution section.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947541

By the way your shortcut properties are the same as mine so that's not the problem.

Hope it helps.

 

Iam using VISTA-Business--I am having the same problem. Media player just will not open. But then when I install any VISTA MP, it starts to work again. I life of its own. I have been told one cannot unistall and reinstall VISTA's media player--Its all in one. Is there an improvement on this with SP1?
Suggestions--I have done the updates--and get a message that I have the most recent updates installed--

 

Given up on Media Player for Now

Media Player has gotten worse and worse. Plays fewer and fewer things.
Tried everything suggested to get it to work reliably if at all. Freezes and stops responding and you name it.

Now we use Real Player to download and/or play and I-Tunes.

VLC Media Player, (free download) will play every type of file I have ever thrown at it. Never had a demand for codec downloads.

If I want to burn a cd or movie, either Real Player or CDBurner does a fine job.

Vista Home Premium btw.

 

Does anyone know if Microsoft is preparing a patch/fix for VISTA's media player?

 

To be more specific

My Vista Home Premium had no other Media Player besides Windows Media Player. I checked all the updates and tried all the advised things.

Got sick of spending the time on this and got Real Player, I-Tunes and VLC Media Player.

To burn excellent cds and dvds, I use CDBurner XP Pro (for Vista latest version).

I don't have the time to spend fixing it other than intelligent weekend attempts.

Much as I love Windows and admire Microsoft, Media Player is inadequate, unstable and very limited.

I don't think the ordinary pc user, even a smart, experienced one is going to want to dig into what it might take to fix the Vista Media Player.

Microsoft needs to fix it, expand it and take a look at the other media players listed above and see where they blew it with the Vista one on my pc.

 

Thanks for the advice kkaylynne. I have Real Player running, but for some reason recall that sound quality with MP was better. At any rate, I agree and will stop waisting my time with MP, until MS fixes it.

 

Investigate if it is being blocked by a security program. Maybe like User Account Control or a security suite program.