Windows Vista Windows Media Player "Add to library" not working after cleanup

I had a lot of duplicate files in WMP so I followed the instructions carefully to delete them. That worked fine. When I went to add my cleaned up files, WMP wouldn't recognize them or add them to the library. Yeah, my "restore files deleted from this comp" was ticked. I was frustrated.

I went to Control Panel, intending to uninstall WMP and start over. It's not there. I went to MS and downloaded the Windows Media Player 11 and my computer said "You have a later version of WMP than this one, tough luck, have a nice day." So I cannot restore any library files. I Google some more- I am not the only one, and there is no solution.

HOW TO FIX WMP

Dave killed the WMP service in Admin Tools, Services, and the process in the task manager and located the database in the app data path (for Vista) instead of doc & settings (XP). Then he renamed my corrupted database .old. He went to WMP and made it remove everything but the specific folders I wanted and removed folders like the "/c/users" that goes on WMP by default. On this computer, that's a mess if you count pics, videos etc. He stopped all that, turned the service back on and voila, my music library restored itself like magic and he pointed out a post where someone asked if he wanted a pyramid dedicated to him and he raised an eyebrow with me expectantly.

I said I would bow to the master. Anyway, if WMP is giving you problems, that is the solution. Make sure the service is stopped in admin tools, then rename the database files. And now I must make the master some peanut butter cookies for giving me back my WMP. Ugh. I was safe though. I knew I had this comp synched with my other, and no matter what he did, I had a restore dvd and a backup...have to get a little poke in there, Dave.

Johanna

 

Hi Johanna, I know exactly what you are talking about, it has baffled me how MS have worked this one out that you can not uninstall WMP and when you try to re-install you get this stupid message that you have a later version installed but this later version does not exist on the MS website and you can not repair.
I have given WMP the boot and have changed to Media Monkey, and like you I keep all my music and pics backed up.

Reading this seems wrong to me MS are the Monkeys.