Skip to main content
Start a Conversation

Unsolved

This post is more than 5 years old

johnmnz

66 Posts

1967

May 15th, 2007 12:00

I've managed to destroy Media Player 11 - how to re-install?

In cleaning up my hard drive trying to get rid of AOL, I have done something nasty to Windows Media Player 11 so that, no matter what I ask it to play, it says "Windows Media Player cannot play the file. The Player might not support the file type or might not support the codec that was used to compress the file." This happens for files I have downloaded, songs I have copied from my own CDs and those I have recorded from LPs - all my music files in other words. Real Player works fine but Napster uses Windows Media Player. I tried uninstalling MP11 but Windows said it would roll back to version 10 and I'd already deleted that so it couldn't roll back and wouldn't let me uninstall MP11. I downloaded a file of new codecs from the Microsoft website but that file said it was incompatible with MP11 (and then said it was successfully installed - one of those messages had to be wrong!). So I downloaded MP11 from Microsoft and did an express install which it said worked OK but it still won't play anything. I also downloaded and installed the latest drivers for my sound card (SoundBlaster Live). Yup - I confess that I made this mess myself but can someone please tell me how to fix it beyond reformatting my C drive and starting again, please? My guess is that I have fouled up my registry but, as system restore has never worked on my computer, there's not a lot I can do about that.

johnmnz

66 Posts

May 15th, 2007 13:00

I downloaded MP11 & installed over the top. Reboot - same thing. System restore doesn't work on my machine and never has. MP10 said it wouldn't run on my version of Windows (XP Pro with every update under the sun). A number of file types are automatically associated with MP. They don't work even after rebooting, even stuff like wav & mp3. They all work fine with Real Player. I'd happily do without MP11 (especially since they added Urge and removed Help) but Napster insists on it.

dbramlet

2.2K Posts

May 15th, 2007 13:00

You know, maybe even though you have uninstalled MP10 it might be possible that windows can still roll back to 10. But if it cannot you should get a message that it can't so might not hurt to try. Have you tried to uninstall 11 from the safe mode? Might can do it from the safe mode.

dbramlet

2.2K Posts

May 15th, 2007 13:00

Have you tried to d/l MP 11 or 10 and just install it over the top? How about a system restore back to a date before you did this? But you may try going to control panel>folder options>file types and scroll through the list for file types and change any that affect sound to windows media player. If you change them correctly you would need to reboot most likely. 
 
But maybe the easiest fix is to go to control panel>add/remove programs then select set program access and defaults. Select microsoft windows and then select custom.  Then you can select choose a default media player and enable it.


Message Edited by dbramlet on 05-15-2007 09:26 AM

dbramlet

2.2K Posts

May 15th, 2007 13:00

Ok, makes no sense that 10 won't run with XP Pro. I have MP 10 on many systems running XP Pro. You may end up uninstalling Real Player and all those Napster files until you get this corrected. But if you don't care about MP11 then do the custom default setting under add/remove programs and choose another player like real player to play the files you are missing. Like where MP11 is listed. I don't mess wiith Napster or Real Player so I am not sure what else I can offer other than this.


Message Edited by dbramlet on 05-15-2007 09:39 AM

jmwills

12K Posts

May 15th, 2007 15:00

Remove thru Add/Remove Windows components and then reboot, download and reinstall.

johnmnz

66 Posts

May 15th, 2007 16:00

In desperation, I went back to a 2 week old rstore point (system restore has never worked on my PC) and, to my amazement, not only did it do the restore but WMP11 is working again. I've also managed to get AOL back (which is what I was trying to get rid of when this whole mess started) but I guess I can live with it. Thank you everyone for your helpful suggestions.

dbramlet

2.2K Posts

May 15th, 2007 17:00

Look at your default setting now that you restored and see what player controls it now. Reason I say this is because AOL will take over sounds amd media player with their own garbage. So you can under AOL setting select to not use AOL sounds and settings. If you can do away with that then you can safely uninstall AOL again. But I would go to system restore and create a new restore point now while everything is working ok. Glad you got it going.

Sagebrushfarm

1 Message

September 4th, 2007 23:00

I had the same problem. I opened my Record Now software while Media 11 was playing music and since then Media 11 will not recognize any music. I can find the files and drag them into Player 11, but it won't read anything. Says there is not music available. I also reverted back to Media 10, then tried reinstalling. My music is visible and playable in Media 10, but not there when I install 11. I have uninstalled, removed ALL of my music and reinstalled and tried to put it back in, no luck, same thing. It won't read anything, or recognize disks. I also tried to go back with the backups to a time before the issue, no luck. So I use Media 10 and continue to look for a patch or information that might help me as I like Media 11. It runs great on my laptop. I am VERY careful now about opening no more than than one music program at a time.

dbramlet

2.2K Posts

September 5th, 2007 00:00

What version of windows are you running? If XP go here to download 11.
 
If Vista use the same link and look down and to the left for Vista.
 
Also, go here and read the FAQ's
 
See how to completely uninstall 11 before doing the D/l again. If 10 is working you should b e able to download and install 11. Make sure 11 is your default player and not your web browser as in AOL. If you read this you will see how to check and make sure 11 is your default player.


Message Edited by dbramlet on 09-04-2007 08:55 PM

johnmnz

66 Posts

September 5th, 2007 10:00

I finally did a system restore back to a few weeks before - quite amazing the junk it found to restore including something I had sweated blood to get rid of. I have also changed all my file associations to point to Real Player so that MS Media Player is no longer a problem.

jmwills

12K Posts

September 5th, 2007 13:00

I have never had an issue with Medai Player, now Real Player, if you want Spyware, just keep that installed.

dbramlet

2.2K Posts

September 5th, 2007 16:00

I agree with you jmwills. Was my thoughts also but decided to just let it go. I wouldn't have Real Player installed on my computer.

View More

View All

No Events found!

Top