Need to reinstall WMP without affecting WMC

[Crash2009]

Sounds like you need to upgrade the video card or update the drivers from the manufacturer.

Then you need to repair the damage to your operating system..... In-Place upgrade should be the least painless.

The information that I pasted into this post is right from your own link.

do you have one of the computer models that are mentioned in the list?

what kind of video card do you have in that box is it a hybrid what's the model number?

[Mugsy]

I am running IE 10 on my win7 HTPC, I am unaffected. I have never heard of this problem before can you point me to a link that that will show me this well-documented problem

See my comment above posted at 1:14 on April 13th (the "solution" suggested there doesn't work BTW.) The problem with IE has nothing to do with my video card (a GTX670). I have tried using the on-board Intel video (bypassing the card) and it didn't help.

Ah, you found it. That's the oldest link I found dating back to 2013. There are many more such links dating every year since then.

But I'm not here to discuss IE not upgrading. I use Firefox. IE isn't a significant problem. My big issue is WMP not working (at least IE9 "works".)

In one of your previous threads you say you went into programs and features and unchecked WMC and media center then boot it when you came back it was still unselected and it still didn't work.

I believe you misread what I wrote. I disabled WMP (which automatically disables WMC too) and tried to let Windows reinstall WMP, but it fails and upon reboot, both "features" remain unchecked/uninstalled. The only way to get them back was restore my backup.

WMP12 is obviously broken/corrupted and Windows seems to be unable to reinstall it on its own.

[Crash2009]

We are sort of saying the same thing.

When you go into programs and features and uncheck Windows Media Player and then you get the warning WMC is going to get knocked out to and then you reboot.

After the reboot and you go back in there those boxes should not be checked because you unchecked them and uninstalled Windows Media Player. What you said in the first post and it sounds like you just said it again, you did not say that you put a checkmark in the Windows Media Player box and click apply.

When you put a checkmark back in the box for Windows Media Player then click apply and it should be reinstalled.

So which way is it?

After the uninstall after the reboot you go back into programs and features

did you put a check mark back in the Windows Media Player box, then click apply,

or not

[Mugsy]

After the reboot and you go back in there those boxes should not be checked because you unchecked them

I am aware of this. But Windows does not indicate which program failed to install: WMP or WMC?

Since both remained unchecked and WMC depends upon WMP, it was obviously WMP failing to reinstall.

Yes, I tried reinstalling *only* WMP. Same result.

[jachin99]

Maybe wmp hasn't been there the whole time and this is why it wasn't working before and it won't restore. I can't remember if you have tried this but have you found a standalone installer for wmp 12?

[Mugsy]

Yes, WMP was installed & working until "recently" (at least within the past three months.)

Yes, I've searched extensively for a standalone installer of WMP12. MS never released it as a standalone installation. The closest is it's inclusion in an update for tablets running "Win7-N", but when I try to run it on my computer, it says "Wrong version of Windows" and quits.

[jachin99]

Have you installed or uninstalled anything in the last few months? Have you tried using event viewer? You have probably already seen this but I'll post a link just in case because it sounds similar to your situation. They didn't resolve their issue but it might help some anyway. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 21e32c82ee

You could also try installing the windows media feature pack from here which is supposed to include WMP: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... x?id=16546.

WMP standalone installers do exist but they aren't made for the US. In Europe I think MS is required to not bundle some software with the OS to give users more choice.

[Mugsy]

Yes, I have installed dozens of programs. No way to know which... if any... corrupted WMP.

Yes, I've tried using the Event Viewer (question asked and answered previously). No errors related to WMP. Not even a Warning.

I am unable to find even a "European" copy of WMP12 for Windows 7.

The installer I linked to for "Win7-R" is the only thing I've found. It is an .msu executable file from which I can open and extract an XML file and two .cab files. If I knew of a way to install WMP manually using these files (bypassing the installer that reports "Wrong version of Windows") I'd be in business.

[jachin99]

There is a program called WinAero Tweaker that gives you the option of adding an "extract .cab file" to the windows explorer context menu. I can't promise it will perform how you need it to BUT I do know those context menu additions are stored in the registry, and can be changed so the script that the context menu entry uses can be tweaked. The WMC for WIn 10 installer also uses a script to extract cabinet files. You could also look at the powershell to script this. See here: https://errorfixer.co/extract-cab-file-powershell/

I bet by looking at that xml file, you can find the locations where the installer extracts the files to. Post the xml file if you want to.

[Mugsy]

Thx for the reply.

I'm able to extract/view the cab files using 7zip, but the contents are useless. Over 10,000 files with no clear identification (Files named "0" thru "4747"... no extension) followed by 4390 "manifest" files and a few other non-specific file types. CAB files don't contain anything like identifiable "exe" or "dll" files. And the XML file contains nothing useful as well:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
<servicing>
<package action="install">
<assemblyIdentity buildType="release" language="neutral" name="Microsoft-Windows-MediaFeaturePack-TopLevel-OOB-Package-TopLevel-MergedCab" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" version="6.1.7600.16385"/>
<source location="%configsetroot%\Windows6.1-KB968211-x64-RefreshPkg.cab" />
</package>
</servicing>
</unattend>

[jachin99]

I can tell you the manifest files help register the assemblies in the installer. I still think installing that pack is a matter of scripting things correctly. You could also try to dig in and find the language restriction somewhere in the package. If you know the language the installer was meant to be used with then search the cabinet files for that term, and open the file to see what is inside.

[Mugsy]

I wouldn't have a clue where to begin to attempt any type of installation script. There are so many files (over 10,000) extracting them all looking for anything useful is a lot more work than I care to attempt for something like this.

I don't know if it helps, but when I delete WMP's "Preferences" from the Registry (as suggested in your earlier link), WMP opens as if running for the first time and asks me to set my preferences, but once I do, WMP never opens again (not even an error. Even when trying to run as Admin.)

[jachin99]

when was the last time throughout this process you ran an sfcscan? You have removed WMP, and tried readding it, and delted files since your last one, correct? if so, try again and see what it picks up. you might also chase down SFC's log file, scroll to the bottom, and paste the errors here

[Mugsy]

Thanks for the reply, but this was already covered many pages back. I ran SFC multiple times. No errors are found. I can't do a repair from the Windows Installation DVD. My original DVD is pre-SP1 OEM and reports my copy of Windows is "too new" to be repaired with it. The Event Manager contains a few errors, but nothing new and nothing related to WMP. Attempting to reinstall WMP using "Windows Features" (inside "Program Files & Features" in the Control Panel) fails. I can remove it, but not put it back (I had to restore a backup to get WMC back.) Review the thread and you will see everything that has been tried.

Thx.