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MP3 and RealPlayer Error

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by gw1500se, 2018/11/04.

  1. 2018/11/04
    gw1500se

    gw1500se Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I tried to make RealPlayer my default for mp3 files. I can open the file with RealPlayer if I right click and select it. However, when I double click the file I get "The directory name is invalid." When Media Player was the default that did not happen. For some reason making RP for mp3 files is a royal pain. Why is making RP the default for mp3 files so difficult? TIA.
     
    gw1500se,
    #1
  2. 2018/11/05
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    How did you do that? And is RealPlayer up-to-date?
     
    Arie,
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  4. 2018/11/05
    gw1500se

    gw1500se Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks for the reply. I first used the RP preferences to make it my "universal media player." That did not work, mp3 still defaulted to Media Player. I then tried to change if manually in RP but I could not figure out how to change the type default from "none" to RP. I then resorted to changing that file type to RP in control panel which is what prompted this problem.
     
    gw1500se,
    #3
  5. 2018/11/06
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    In Windows 7, follow thee steps:
    • Open Default Programs by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Default Programs.
    • Click Associate a file type or protocol with a program.
    • Click the file type or protocol that you want the program to act as the default for (.mp3 in your case).
    • Click Change program.
    • Click the program that you want to use as the default for the file type you selected, or click the + sign next to Other Programs to show additional programs. (If you don't see Other Programs, or your program is not listed, click Browse to find the program you want to use, and then click Open. If no other programs are installed that are able to open the file type or protocol, your choices will be limited.)
    • After selecting your program, click OK.
     
    Arie,
    #4
  6. 2018/11/06
    gw1500se

    gw1500se Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I already did all that. Please see original post.
     
    gw1500se,
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  7. 2018/11/06
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Arie,
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  8. 2018/11/06
    gw1500se

    gw1500se Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks. I thought you misread that I had already done that. I'll try reinstalling RP.
     
    gw1500se,
    #7
  9. 2018/11/06
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Try within Media Player to change its settings for mp3.
    If want a "universal" player then best to use the free opensource VideoLan (VLC). It plays everything.
     
    TonyT,
    #8
  10. 2018/11/07
    gw1500se

    gw1500se Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks for the VLC suggestion. I always prefer open source applications. However, interestingly, I get the same error when I double click an mp3 file. If I right click and select VLC, it plays fine. There must be something in the OS itself that is causing the problem. I can only think to do a reboot but I have too many things going on to do that immediately.
     
    gw1500se,
    #9
  11. 2018/11/07
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    That's the 1st point of action with an MS OS if you have something weird going on ;)
     
    Arie,
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  12. 2018/11/07
    gw1500se

    gw1500se Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Unfortunately in this case it did not help. To recap my situation: If the default for mp3 is set to any application other than Windows Media Player the invalid directory error occurs when double clicked. If it is set to Media Player that does not happen.
     
    gw1500se,
    #11
  13. 2018/11/07
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Where are the mp3 files located? On a network drive? Give an actual exact directory name and exact mp3 file name here...click in the address bar and copy+paste the exact path to an mp3 file.
     
    Last edited: 2018/11/07
    TonyT,
    #12
  14. 2018/11/08
    gw1500se

    gw1500se Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    I should clarify my previous recap.

    If the default for mp3 is set to any application other than Windows Media Player the invalid directory error occurs when double clicked or right click->Play. Right click->Open with works. If it is set to Media Player that does not happen.

    Here is the path (sanitized), no network drive involved:
    C:\Users\<user name>\Music\WhosOnFirstAudio.mp3
     
    gw1500se,
    #13
  15. 2018/11/08
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Try this:

    1. Open Control Panel > Default Programs > Set your default programs.
    2. Select VLC media player on left.
    3. On right click on Set this program as default.
    4. Select Windows Media Player on left.
    5. On right click on Choose defaults for this program > uncheck all except the following:
    Extensions
    .midi
    .wax
    .wmd
    .wms
    .wmx
    .wmz
    .wpl
    Protocols
    DLNA-PLAYSINGLE
     
    TonyT,
    #14
  16. 2018/11/08
    gw1500se

    gw1500se Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    No Joy. I should note that step 5 was already set that way.
     
    gw1500se,
    #15

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