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johncrafts

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Windows Media Player will not launch in XP2 (sp3) & I have tried all the solutions in Microsoft Knowledgebase (inc reinstall of WMP)

My windows media player will not launch & I have tried all the solutions from the Microsoft Knowledgebase & reinstalled.
It will only launch from appropriate email attachments from which it will work fine, & I can access the library etc.
Also I should say that I have used Regeasy & Regedit to ensure that the Registry is OK
Real Player is also on my PC & works fine, but I have not made it the default player.
My computer shop thinks it is a problem with my Windows but have not been able to suggest a solution except a complete reinstall, which I would prefer not to have to do.

Hopefully somebody will have some other ideas.

Thank you
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torimar
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This may not be the solution you are looking for, but have you considered using Media Player Classic instead? (http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Media_Player_Classic.htm)

It is small, free, fast, not bloated, non-MS and it plays pretty much everything, with the correct codecs installed. I never liked Micosoft's WMP, and I must say, I never missed it either.
maybe some system files missing? try Start > Run > sfc /scannow
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johncrafts

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Thank you for you proposals. Yes, I could use another media player, but I have got used to wmp, like it & have playlists set up - so it seems like a failure to dessert it & get another one.

re: the scanfiles answer for missing system files - I tried this, but the box that pops up says
Windows cannot find "scf/scannow" ............
sfc /scannow
I did type in sfc/scannow exactly as instructed, but just the error message - sorry
Apologies, cybrexus, that in my further comment to you I transposed 2 letters of sfc. I did in fact type them into the "run" box correctly but alas only the error message that Windows cannot find it
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cybrexus
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Thank you Torimar - you are quite right! - so now I need to find my Windows XP disc, which I have mislaid at the moment.

WMP ran fine on this PC until a couple of weeks ago when my on/off switch broke & the local PC shop transferred everything into a new case.

However they say that it could not be anything to do with this & every other aspect of the PC works fine except for one of the DVD drives, which will not open when it is in the correctly mounted position.

However if I push it about 2 cms further into the case it seems to work - don't know whether this is relevant.
did you try to go to Add/Remove software - uninstall it and run Windows update to reinstall it through there
also try this:
Click  Start, click Run, type regsvr32 jscript.dll, and then click OK.
then
Click  Start, click Run, type regsvr32 vbscript.dll, and then click OK.
Cybrexus

Yes I uninstalled via Add/Remove software - although it was difficult to remove completely as it kept just going back 1 version (to v 10 which I used successfully for sometime).

I have done both the regsvr jobs & they were successful; however sadly still won't launch (except via the email attachments)

Hope I am not taking too long to get back to you, but am also mowing the lawn to keep my wife happy
PS Yes I reinstalled from Windows' download site (but version 11!)
did you try to reboot after reinstalls and regsvr32?
does wmp hang in the task manager under processes after you "launch" it?
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johncrafts, when you boot up wait till your windows loads, then open the task manager and check if WMP is already running?
If it's running it maybe off your desktop screen if you have used dual monitors,
Try stopping it from the task manager look in the start all programs start-up to see if it's loading with windows.
Could also be in mini mode
wpmnetwk.exe & wpmnscofig are both running in processes.

Should I end them

Although I have a small homenetwork not sure that I have ever enabled any particular networked version of wmp

no I haven't rebooted PC this am but will do so now

Many thanks for the help -  all
if it doesn't work after you reboot your pc, then end those two processes and see if you can launch media player
- Do you receive any error message or does nothing happen at all when you try to launch WMP?

- Do you try launching it by clicking on a media file or by clicking on the WMP icon? If the latter is the case, right click on the icon, choose properties, and check whether "mplayer.exe" is called with any command line options. Tell us which.

- Does WMP appear in the task bar (without showing a program window)? If yes, go to the directory where WMP is installed (usually c:\program files\windows media player), select the subfolder \skins and double-click on a skin file.

- Search your disk for two files called "wmsetup.log" and "wmp11.log" - they should normally be in your /windows folder. Open the files in an editor and search for the word "error". Report back with the error messages found.

1. no error message when I try to launch WMP - nothing happens
2. WMP does not even appear in the task bar
3. Has not launched (a) after I reebooted PC or (b) after I terminated the wpmnetwk.exe & wpmnscofig processes in task manager

Will act on Torimars suggestions tomorrow, as have to go out now.

Thank you all for help to date.
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Merete; I have a home network, (desktop & laptop), but each of the computers has its own full software, inc wmp & I have never knowingly run this programme from the other networked computer.

Now I have totally uninstalled both WMP & WMP Runtime successfully, & reinstalled WMP 11 from the Windows website. It launched successfully immediately after the "install", but once closed, would not relaunch.
- just nothing happens when I try.

In msconfig, only Widows Media Player Network Sharing Service is listed.

I have tried to carry out a system restore to 1 month ago when it was working fine but this has not been successful - I just get the message that it was not possible & the system has rebooted unchanged. It suggested that I tried another date but this didn't work either.
wow it launched immediately. But then you closed it?
how did you close it?<<<
Did you press stop first then the X tab? to close
i've see this the cause of this problem actually now that i think of it
Stop the video playback first then close it.
You may see it running in the task manager
wmplayer.exe
Make sure your not using any old shortcuts. Now that you are sure it's not running launch it again from all programs
press stop on the video first then close

are you sure it's not sitting on the taskbar?
I find when open programs automatically drop they sit on the taskbar, the cause is something on your desktop
No stuck key on your keyboard WMP uses shortcut keys too
Is your computer connected to the TV or any other devices that may use the video playback?
In the tools settings check if it has play in minimode enabled for audio devices deselect that, always on top enabled
Troubleshooting Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP
If you have a question about using Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP, the following resources are available to assist you.
Self-Help Options
Use these options to quickly find answers to other common questions.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/11/troubleshooting.aspx

Go Back to WMP 10 the most stable and best for xpsp2
XP2 (sp3)<<<uninstall xpsp3 even better idea
Thank you very much again.
Our garden is one of the local "open gardens" this afternoon, so have to work in it this am.
Have taken on board all the suggestions & will implement this eve, keeping my fingers crossed!
Think all started to go wrong when I used a programme on CD Rom from windows XP magazine to make the PC boot more quickly - & it reduced the stuff that opened in the system tray. But I think I have undone all this now & everything (except WMP) opens.
Can't understand why I can't go back to a restore point before this.
Cheers for now

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Wow thanks for the headsup johncrafts, new problem I never heard of before.
May indeed help a few others.
So glad to know you have it all worked out now.
Cheers Merete