Deleting Windows Media Player Help...

[TRR]

I get nothing but an error message when trying to using WMP. So I uninstalled it, and pretty much deleted everything that goes with it. However, there is still a WMP folder in my program files. It won't let me delete it because it says it is being used by another person or program. How can I delete this folder, and start all over again. If I try to install another WMP, it says I already have the newest version...But the newest version I have doesn't work.


HELP!!!!!! Rep to whoever solves this one.

[Mr. Laz]

write down it's location

ie c:windows/mediaplayer/wmp.exe

restart in Dos (use startup disk/floppy)

command prompt to file

cd = (change directory dos command)
dir = list file folders in current location
del = dos command to del file


example for getting to (c:windows/mediaplayer/wmp.exe)

c: (<-- need colon, but not cd command when you change partitions)
cd windows
cd mediaplayer
wmp.exe del

[listopencil]

You should be able to open up the task manager with CTRL-ALT-DEL. If it is running it should be listed under the "Applications" tab. You can select it and end the app. If it isn't listed under App's then you have to find it under "Processes" and shut it down. Once it is shut down you can delete it. Did you try using the Control Panel (Add/Remove Programs) before deleting stuff?

[the Talking Can]

how integrated is the media player with XP...would it screw other things up to get rid of it?

[SaltyDog]

I get nothing but an error message when trying to using WMP. So I uninstalled it, and pretty much deleted everything that goes with it. However, there is still a WMP folder in my program files. It won't let me delete it because it says it is being used by another person or program. How can I delete this folder, and start all over again. If I try to install another WMP, it says I already have the newest version...But the newest version I have doesn't work.


HELP!!!!!! Rep to whoever solves this one.


This is a tough one to delete, even Microsoft says it can't be deleted.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/faq/installation.mspx

However these people say you can do it.

http://www.auditmypc.com/uninstall-media-player10beta.asp

http://www.winsite.com/bin/Info?26500000036729

Suggest you reinstall it afterwards.

[htismaqe]

My question is this:

Do you ultimately want to get rid of it, as in, you no longer want to use it but rather use something else?

Or do you just want it to work?

If your answer is the latter, download WMP version NINE here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/9series/default.aspx

By installing version 9, you'll clear up your issue with the newest version not installing because you "already have the latest version".

[TRR]

My question is this:

Do you ultimately want to get rid of it, as in, you no longer want to use it but rather use something else?

Or do you just want it to work?

If your answer is the latter, download WMP version NINE here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/9series/default.aspx

By installing version 9, you'll clear up your issue with the newest version not installing because you "already have the latest version".

I believe I tried to install V9 before, and it told me I had a newer version already installed. I installed V11 yesterday, and thought it fixed the problem, but it won't open. I click on it...And it does nothing.

[htismaqe]

I believe I tried to install V9 before, and it told me I had a newer version already installed. I installed V11 yesterday, and thought it fixed the problem, but it won't open. I click on it...And it does nothing.

:hmmm:

v11 installed correctly but it just won't open? Does it open if you try to open an associated file?

[TRR]

:hmmm:

v11 installed correctly but it just won't open? Does it open if you try to open an associated file?

associated file being? Hell I don't know....I click on it, and it does nothing. Give me a couple of things to try if you would.

[Mr. Laz]

associated file being? Hell I don't know....I click on it, and it does nothing. Give me a couple of things to try if you would.

clicking on the video file itself does nothing or actually trying to open the media player does nothing?


start > programs > accessories > window media player



file assocition

tools > file type(tab)

go through and check the various video file times (ie .wmv,mpeg,avi etc)



more information about what happens exactly would help


also after clicking with nothing happening > cntrl+alt+del ... then check to see if window media player is running in the background but just not popping up.

[htismaqe]

What Laz said.

What happens when you go to Start | Programs | Windows Media Player? I'm assuming it doesn't open.

Now conversely, what happens when you save an MP3 or WMV file to your desktop and double-click on it?

[TRR]

What Laz said.

What happens when you go to Start | Programs | Windows Media Player? I'm assuming it doesn't open.

Now conversely, what happens when you save an MP3 or WMV file to your desktop and double-click on it?

When I go to start, programs, WMP, it doesn't open. I saved a file to the desktop, and tried to open it. It doesn't open either. I tried going to start, programs, accessories, WMP...But it isn't listed in the accessories file. WMP isn't even listed in the add/remove section either.

Lost...

[htismaqe]

When I go to start, programs, WMP, it doesn't open. I saved a file to the desktop, and tried to open it. It doesn't open either. I tried going to start, programs, accessories, WMP...But it isn't listed in the accessories file. WMP isn't even listed in the add/remove section either.

Lost...

Your registry thinks that it's not installed.

This is a touchy process, but likely the only way you're going to fix it short of reinstalling from scratch.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm#RI

[Mr. Laz]

Make a backup copy of the registry before attempting to uninstall media player

Make a copy by selecting: Registry / Export Registry, save it on your Desktop.


Click the START button and select Run.

Type in: regedit in the command box.

When the regedit window appears, expand the HKEY LOCAL MACHINE by clicking on the plus sign to its right.

Now Click on the plus next to SOFTWARE, then MICROSOFT, then WINDOWS, then CURRENT VERSION and finally UNINSTALL

When you expand the Uninstall folder, you'll see all the programs currently installed, such as the uninstall Media Player 10 or Media Player, etc.

Click on the folder you want to uninstall, in the box on the right you will see two strings:

DisplayName and UninstallString.

Double click UninstallString and a box will appear with the uninstall string highlighted.

Right click on the highlighted entry and select COPY.

Close the Regedit window.

Select the START button and click RUN.

Right click inside the command box and paste the uninstall string and click OK to uninstall Media Player

[htismaqe]

Whoa. I found this right after I posted that. Try this first, since it's alot less harsh...

Currently it appears that wmploc.dll in C:\Windows\System32 is the file causing hell for some users while trying to WMP 10. The solution might be rather simple, navigate to C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles\i386 and copy wmploc.dll to C:\Windows\System32. Now, run the WMP 10 installer again and see what you get.

[htismaqe]

Make a backup copy of the registry before attempting to uninstall media player

Make a copy by selecting: Registry / Export Registry, save it on your Desktop.


Click the START button and select Run.

Type in: regedit in the command box.

When the regedit window appears, expand the HKEY LOCAL MACHINE by clicking on the plus sign to its right.

Now Click on the plus next to SOFTWARE, then MICROSOFT, then WINDOWS, then CURRENT VERSION and finally UNINSTALL

When you expand the Uninstall folder, you'll see all the programs currently installed, such as the uninstall Media Player 10 or Media Player, etc.

Click on the folder you want to uninstall, in the box on the right you will see two strings:

DisplayName and UninstallString.

Double click UninstallString and a box will appear with the uninstall string highlighted.

Right click on the highlighted entry and select COPY.

Close the Regedit window.

Select the START button and click RUN.

Right click inside the command box and paste the uninstall string and click OK to uninstall Media Player

I'm not sure that will work for him. He said it doesn't appear in "Add/Remove" so there's likely no reg entry in HKLM/SOFTWARE/MICROSOFT/WINDOWS/CURRENT VERSION/UNINSTALL...

[Mr. Laz]

I'm not sure that will work for him. He said it doesn't appear in "Add/Remove" so there's likely no reg entry in HKLM/SOFTWARE/MICROSOFT/WINDOWS/CURRENT VERSION/UNINSTALL...
maybe but he said his OS won't let him update because he already has the newest version.

That prolly means registry entries are still there

... i was thinking maybe it didn't uninstall it completely and left some registry entries.


if it's there ... yes, if not then no harm done.

[htismaqe]

Yeah, it really doesn't hurt anything.

I'm guessing he's never gonna be able to uninstall. The fix is rather to trick it into reinstalling despite the existence of the older registry entries that got left behind...

[Mr. Laz]

Yeah, it really doesn't hurt anything.

I'm guessing he's never gonna be able to uninstall. The fix is rather to trick it into reinstalling despite the existence of the older registry entries that got left behind...

ya, there is a entry in the registry that tells the system what version is there.

hopefully the registry thing with delete that line


i don't know exactly where that registry entry is though :shrug:

[Mr. Laz]

reinstalling the latest service pack my do it too

[Mr. Laz]

Q. How do I uninstall the Player?

A. Windows Media Player is a feature of the Windows operating system and cannot be removed entirely. However, depending upon which version of the Player and Windows that you are using, you might be able to roll back to the version of the Player that was previously on your computer. The procedure varies depending upon which version of the Player you are running.

Windows Media Player 11

1.
In Category View of Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs.

2.
Click Remove a program, and then, at the top of the list, select the Show updates check box.

3.
In the Windows Updates section, click Windows Media Player 11, and then click Change/Remove.

4.
If prompted, restart your computer, and then log on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group.

5.
In Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs.

6.
In the Windows Updates section, click Windows Media Format 11 Runtime, and then click Change/Remove.

7.
If prompted, restart your computer, and then log on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group.

8.
In Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs, and then click Remove a program.

9.
Click Microsoft User-Mode Driver Frameworks Feature Pack 1.0, and then click Change/Remove.


Note

If you remove Windows Media Player 11 and the Windows Media Format 11 Runtime, and you try to play a protected file, you may get an error message indicating that the Player cannot play, burn, or sync protected files. To resolve the problem, you can install the Windows Media Format 9.5 Runtime. For information about installing the Runtime, in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, see article 891122, "Update for Windows Media Digital Rights Management-enabled players."

You can also use System Restore to roll back to the previous version of the Player. For more information about System Restore, see Use System Restore to Undo Changes if Problems Occur.



Windows Media Player 10

If you have installed Windows Media Player 10, you can roll back to the version of the Player that was on your computer before installation by doing the following:

1.
In Category View of Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs.

2.
Click Remove a program, and then do one of the following:

• If you are running Windows XP Service Pack 2, at the top of the list, select the Show updates check box, in the Windows Updates section, click Windows Media Player 10, and then click Change/Remove.

• If you are running Windows XP Service Pack 1 or earlier, click Windows Media Player 10, and then click Change/Remove.



You can also use System Restore to roll back to the previous version of the Player. For more information about System Restore, see Use System Restore to Undo Changes if Problems Occur.


Windows Media Player 9 Series

The method for removing Windows Media Player 9 Series from your computer varies depending on the version of the Windows operating system your computer is running.

If your computer is running this operating system Do this
Windows Millennium Edition, Windows XP Home Edition, or Windows XP Professional

Use System Restore in Windows. Windows Media Player 9 Series will be removed and the previous version of the Player will be restored. Any CD tracks that you had ripped (copied) to your computer will remain and can be played in the previous version of Windows Media Player. For more information about System Restore, see Use System Restore to Undo Changes if Problems Occur.

Windows 98 Second Edition or Windows 2000
In Control Panel, click Add/Remove Programs, and then click Windows Media Player. Windows Media Player 9 Series will be removed. For more information about adding or removing programs, see Windows Help and Support.

[Mr. Laz]

btw-

i was just able to download windows media player manually and reinstall it over the same version.


might work


here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/AllDownloads.aspx?displang=en&qstechnology=

[Hootie]

Yeah, that pisses me off.

I like using WMP more than Winamp, but that ****ing error message came out of nowhere and I've tried everything and can't get it to work.

[Rausch]

For anyone with OSX you'll have the same problem (throw it in the trash but it won't let you empty the trash, saying it's in use.)

Move all files to trash, hit control and click on the trash can icon in the toolbar, then select empty trash.

For some reason that's the only way to delete it, secure empty trash/empty trash from the apple menu won't work...

[htismaqe]

btw-

i was just able to download windows media player manually and reinstall it over the same version.


might work


here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/AllDownloads.aspx?displang=en&qstechnology=

THAT is what I was looking for. Thanks.