DanMcI,

Welcome to the Dell Community Forum (DCF).
Please provide more details about your issue.

Sorry about that!

Here's the problem:  I tried to start Windows Media Player and nothing happened - no new window opened, no error message came up.  I figured that there was corruption somewhere, so I re-installed WMP version 9.  I could then get WMP to open, but it wouldn't play anything from off of the Internet.  It can play files off of my hard drive, but whenever I click on a link to play something off of the Internet, I get an error message that says that the page cannot be found.  I know that I'm connected to the Internet because I can visit any page, and I can chat in chat rooms.  For some reason, the WMP isn't talking to the Internet.

I even tried to reset my system to an earlyer date when everything was working fine.  WPM still won't work.  I've tried installing a new version several times.

Any advice?

Thanks,

Dan

Whats going on with your firewall? You running through a network, i.e. work or school? Because most networks like those have really strict firewalls that will disable most streaming media, esp. if its from a random 3rd party website. If your just working at home and have Windows XP it could be that your built in firewall doesnt like what its seeing. It could also be settings on WMP its self.

Well, I'm working from home.  My service is provided by a local cable company - I'm wondering if there's something going on there that would prevent WMP from communicating with the Internet.  (Internet Explorer is working just fine)

I'm not able to receive ANY streaming video from an outside sourse.  I've tried re-booting the computer, re-booting the modem, re-installing WMP version 9, resetting the computer to two weeks ago (when everything was fine).  I can receive sound with an old version of WMP, but nothing with the latest version.  I've followed the troubleshooting procedures found on the Dell web site.

I'm out of ideas!  Has anyone experienced this kind of thing before?

Dan

when you reinstalled, did you remove it and all of its components?

OK - I tried deleting all of the WMP files from the WMP folder.  I was able to delete all but eight of them (the same eight files kept reappearing in the WMP folder after I sent them to the recycle bin).  I reinstalled the latest version of WMP.  It still doesn't work, and it still doesn't appear as a currently installed program!  It looks like I'm going to have to find a way to delete those eight files so that the whole program can be installed from scratch.  But how...?

 

Dan

If it doesnt show up on the list of Installed Programs, you are going to have to go into your Program Files and delete all the files manually (unless someone has another way), which im sure run all throughout the system. It will probably be impossible to remove them all by hand, but get what you can.

Dan39 - no, I didn't remove WMP before reinstalling.  I looked under Currently Installed Programs in the control panel, Windows Media Player doesn't appear.  What do you suppose is going on?  Is there a way to delete WPN and its components even though they don't appear as currently installed programs?

Dan

Your going to have to find an uninstaller for WMP. WMP spreads files all through out your system, and only an uninstaller can find and remove all of them. Its also constantly running processes throughout the system. You need to remove the registration key, which I personally dont know how to do without an uninstaller. Look through Microsoft's website if you havent and try to find an uninstaller. Maybe you should just downgrade for the time being and then try upgrading through an old version rather than installing a straight new version, you know?

with a little research, you cannot uninstall wmp 9. you can only use system restore and roll back to a date previous its inclusion which probably isnt worth it...

well if you did a system restore previous to wmp 9 installation it would fix the problem. but then everything else youve added along the way would be gone also. you might want to just consider a fresh reinstall anyways.... it will give you a fresh new feeling, you just would have to make sure you back up everything. or now would be a good time to buy a new hdd if youre looking for more storage.... i would email microsoft and see if there is a fix for the problem or search their vast knowledgebase.

Well, I've just been attempting to install it straight up.  I'll go ahead and try to update through an older version...

system restore is the rollback feature of winxp. it restores to a previous date of the system. but everything will change to that previous date.

it wont reinstall straight up? check all the windows updates and get any hotfix for wmp. what happens when you try reinstalling?

Does system restore get rid of installed programs like that? i thought it just unmoved and undeleted shortcuts, etc. if there is no way to uninstall is, rolling back your system would be the only option. If that doesnt work, i still would try installing an older version of WMP then updating through the program its self. Are you doing that already or just installing it straight up?

I just tried to install an earlier version of WMP.  I wasn't allowed because it says I've already got the latest version!

I can go through the installation procedure for WMP version 9, and initially all appears to be fine, but then when I click on a link to view something off of the Internet, I get a message that the page can't be found.  WMP apparently can't talk with the Internet.  I thought that reinstalling the program would get rid of any corruption, but it doesn't. 

Now, apparently I can't get rid of the old, corrupted version.  I think that's what is keeping a reinstall from working.  I bought the computer in November, so I can't reset to to a time when there was an earlier version of WMP.  I find it strange that resetting to a time before the problem doesn't help.  I would think that going back to a time before the problem began would clear everything up.  I just don't understand it!

Dan