Need to reinstall WMP without affecting WMC

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Mugsy

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Need to reinstall WMP without affecting WMC

#1

Post by Mugsy » Fri Apr 06, 2018 4:54 pm

Help, I need to reinstall Windows Media Player, but I don't want to screw up Windows Media Center now that I have it working right. :eh:

For some reason, WMC12 stopped working. Launching the app briefly flashes something on the screen (for a split second), then nothing happens.

Every "solution" I've found online tells me to Run "optionalfeatures.exe", uncheck the box for WMP, reboot, then recheck the box to reinstall.

The problem with that is unchecking the box for WMP alerts you that this will also uninstall "Windows Media Center"... something I *definitely* don't want to do. :thumbdown:

I searched in vain for a download link for a standalone installer of WMC12, but the only one I could find was part of an upgrade package for "Win10-N" (I'm using 64bit Win7.) I have the WMP11 installer, but it was for XP.

I already have other 3rd Party media players installed, but sometimes you just need WMP.

Can anyone help? TIA.

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#2

Post by jachin99 » Fri Apr 06, 2018 5:15 pm

Did you install a skin or click on wmskinz under windows\ehome by any chance?

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Mugsy

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#3

Post by Mugsy » Fri Apr 06, 2018 5:38 pm

Thanks for the reply.

I didn't mod WMP in any way. I never use it, but tried this morning to test an audio CD only to discover it won't launch.

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#4

Post by jachin99 » Fri Apr 06, 2018 6:03 pm

can you open task manager and see if it is at least starting or running in some form. I would do this from a fresh startup, and DO NOT start WMC before you do this. WMC creates some WMP tasks when it tries to read WMP libraries at least.

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Mugsy

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#5

Post by Mugsy » Fri Apr 06, 2018 6:07 pm

Nope. Does not appear in the TM neither before nor after launching. Not even for a second. WMC is not open/running (though works fine.)

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#6

Post by jachin99 » Fri Apr 06, 2018 6:30 pm

I have never had to do this before but you can try going into program files\windows media player and running setupwm.exe. That might force it into restarting setup without deleting files. I have 22 files in that folder FYSA but I also have mkvs configured for WMC and WMP

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Mugsy

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#7

Post by Mugsy » Fri Apr 06, 2018 7:03 pm

.
Crud. Immediate error:

Image

I tried every other exe in there to see if anything happens, but this error produced by Setup is more than any of the others did. :(

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#8

Post by jachin99 » Fri Apr 06, 2018 7:16 pm

That red arrow over your files looks strange. It looks like you possibly have set your default programs ( file associations) to something wierd. Can you remember changing anything like that? You could also run an sfc scan but if you have changed any files for a particular reason the repairing them might revert your changes. To restore default file associations do a search in the start menu for default programs. Go into that and restore your defaults. This might or might not fix your problem. I see a few extra files I. Mine but they all relate to network sharing.

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#9

Post by DavidinCT » Fri Apr 06, 2018 7:42 pm

Well, WMC depends on WMP, so if media player is broken, you will have problems with parts of Media Center. Even the DRM subsystem for cablecard or protected music is taken care of by WMP.

If your having problems with WMP, I would start by doing a SFC /scannow

This will check all Windows files and fix any modified files then repair them. Do this and reboot, see what happens.
-Dave
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Windows Media Center certified and WMC MVP 2010 - 2012

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Crash2009

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#10

Post by Crash2009 » Sat Apr 07, 2018 3:23 am

Another thing you might want to do is get a copy of T-S's backup settings utility.

Sean's WMC Backup will save your Series setup.

There are a few more.... the names escape me ATM.

You can also do a Restore Point.

And also Create System Image

Then you can break whatever you want, and always restore back to where you started.

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#11

Post by Crash2009 » Sat Apr 07, 2018 3:31 am

I am curious though.....

Why do you think you need to re-install WMP?

Look in Event Viewer for WMP errors.

Would be nice to know what flashes when you open it.... record a video with your phone...

we need that error

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#12

Post by Mugsy » Sat Apr 07, 2018 1:00 pm

Quick reply,

My Internet connection went down in the middle of all this, and trying to reply on my phone is a PIA.

I'll get back to everyone once I'm back online. Thank s.

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Mugsy

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#13

Post by Mugsy » Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:36 pm

jachin99 wrote:That red arrow over your files looks strange. It looks like you possibly have set your default programs ( file associations) to something wierd. Can you remember changing anything like that? You could also run an sfc scan but if you have changed any files for a particular reason the repairing them might revert your changes. To restore default file associations do a search in the start menu for default programs. Go into that and restore your defaults. This might or might not fix your problem. I see a few extra files I. Mine but they all relate to network sharing.
Ugh! Sorry for the late reply! My Internet connection went down Friday night and wasn't repaired until Tuesday evening. :roll:

The red arrows mean they are (supposedly) "Symbolic links" (a Windows feature that lets you put files someplace else, but as far as other programs can tell, they are right where the link is. I don't remember creating any Symbolic Links for WMP though (and I'm finding other apps... like Internet Explorer... also with red SL shortcuts.)

SFC finds no problems, and "file associations" aren't an issue. If I open a file still linked to WMP, it doesn't open. If I right-click a media file and select "Open With" WMP, it likewise doesn't open (but opens fine with other players.)

Thx.

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#14

Post by Mugsy » Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:41 pm

Crash2009 wrote:Another thing you might want to do is get a copy of T-S's backup settings utility.

Sean's WMC Backup will save your Series setup.
Thanks, but unless that backup utility will also "backup" where WMC downloads its TV Listings from, if I remove WMC, I'll have to repair the TV Listings again... and that was a nightmare that took me weeks to fix when MS changed things two years ago... something I'm not interested in going through again. :D

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Mugsy

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#15

Post by Mugsy » Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:52 pm

Crash2009 wrote:I am curious though.....

Why do you think you need to re-install WMP?

Look in Event Viewer for WMP errors.

Would be nice to know what flashes when you open it.... record a video with your phone...

we need that error
I think I need to reinstall WMP because it won't even open when I run it. No error, no crash, nothing.

The Event View reports NO error or warning related to WMP. The closest thing I get is under "Information":

The WinHTTP Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Service service entered the stopped state. - Event 7036

I have no idea what that means. But it's the only event generated when I attempt to open a file using WMP.

Depending on the filetype, sometimes nothing "flashes" at all when I attempt to open a file, but when I attempted to open an .m2ts file, I DO get the following error dialog: "Server execution failed". :?:

Any ideas? Thx.
Last edited by Mugsy on Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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#16

Post by jachin99 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:57 pm

Mugsy wrote:
Crash2009 wrote:Another thing you might want to do is get a copy of T-S's backup settings utility.

Sean's WMC Backup will save your Series setup.
Thanks, but unless that backup utility will also "backup" where WMC downloads its TV Listings from, if I remove WMC, I'll have to repair the TV Listings again... and that was a nightmare that took me weeks to fix when MS changed things two years ago... something I'm not interested in going through again. :D
You could convert to epg123 and have better guide data. Crash will have to chime in about retaining your guide though. If those really are just symbolic links that might explain your problem. If they are and you can find out the location they point to then you might find your actual files as well. If WMP sees itself as a link file it likely won't open. These are just hunches but I think that might be worth investigating. If you right click and select properties it might show you a target or something similar.

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#17

Post by cwinfield » Wed Apr 11, 2018 3:58 pm

You should try to remove then add in windows features. Any message about uninstalling WMC is likely due to the need of having it installed to work but once reinstalled will likely be fine. If not then you can likely just reinstall WMC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4RoJfeMmg4 If your worried about something breaking make a system image that way you can revert if it does break something and you can't fix it.

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#18

Post by Mugsy » Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:17 pm

jachin99 wrote:
Mugsy wrote:
Crash2009 wrote:Another thing you might want to do is get a copy of T-S's backup settings utility.

Sean's WMC Backup will save your Series setup.
Thanks, but unless that backup utility will also "backup" where WMC downloads its TV Listings from, if I remove WMC, I'll have to repair the TV Listings again... and that was a nightmare that took me weeks to fix when MS changed things two years ago... something I'm not interested in going through again. :D
You could convert to epg123 and have better guide data. Crash will have to chime in about retaining your guide though. If those really are just symbolic links that might explain your problem. If they are and you can find out the location they point to then you might find your actual files as well. If WMP sees itself as a link file it likely won't open. These are just hunches but I think that might be worth investigating. If you right click and select properties it might show you a target or something similar.
Thx for the reply.

Is "epg123" a fee-based (subscription) service? I find the free channel lists are adequate for me. I'm not willing to spend any money just to get WMP working again. :D

I checked the Symbolic Link Properties for WMP and it has an added tab: "Link Properties":

C:\Windows\winsxs\wow64_microsoft-windows-mediaplayer-core_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.23930_none_745446cdb34ba2d8\wmplayer.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe


...specifying the two places the file is located. But the links in both locations have the red SL arrows on them, so I can't tell which it the real copy and which is the link. Deleting one deletes both. :(

I don't know how to remove a Symbolic Link. I Googled the issue but most just tell you to simply "delete the link" to break it. :(

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#19

Post by jachin99 » Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:34 pm

To be clear, have you tried following the link's target to see if the actual files are still there. Removing, and readding the feature might be what you have to do in the end anyway, and right now, this is kind of manually accomplishing the same thing. If you can follow the links the ACTUAL program, try opening it, and see what happens. If it starts, you might copy all of the files, and put them into WMP program files folder but I don't know how much windows will like you transplanting files on your own. Remove/add features does that on its own in a way that is friendly to windows.

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#20

Post by Mugsy » Wed Apr 11, 2018 5:02 pm

I can't determine which is the link and which is the target since both have the red arrows on them and contain the same "Link Properties" (itself, and the matching file at the other location.)

The "feature" is WMP. Attempting to remove it via "Turn Windows Features On/Off" (on "Programs & Features" in Control Panel) automatically warns you "Windows Media Center" will also be uninstalled if you remove WMP. :(

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