This is the only help info I could find on the Microsoft website that seems close to the problem I am having. I installed Kazaa (or K-lite?) on my computer 2 days ago and that's when I started having the same problems that you described. I'm pretty sure this is the issue. If so, that's too bad because this basically says you must go back to an earlier restore date or uninstall the program. I enjoy using Kazaa. I hope this info helps you guys
The Player interacts with many system components, including drivers, codecs, and DirectShow® filters. It is possible that the Player is not responding because of a faulty or incompatible component from another provider, such as a codec pack. (Examples include the DivXNetworks Nimo, Tsunami, and K-Lite codec packs, and the SoftRom.Net ACE Mega, and All in 1 codec packs.) Incompatibilities are known to exist with some of the components in the packs. The incompatibilities can cause serious playback issues in Windows Media Player and other players, lead to system corruption, and make it difficult for Microsoft Product Support Services to diagnose and troubleshoot playback issues. For more information about resolving this problem, see question 8 in the Playback Issues section. on your system? Will installing the DivXNetworks Nimo or Tsunami codec packs solve all of my playback problems? No. The Nimo and Tsunami codec packs are untested compilations of various codecs and filters commonly used on the Internet. Incompatibilities are known to exist with some of the components in the packs. The incompatibilities can cause serious playback issues in Windows Media Player and other players, lead to system corruption, and make it difficult for Microsoft Support to diagnose and troubleshoot playback issues.
For these reasons, we strongly discourage you from installing these codec packs, and recommend that you remove the codec packs if you have installed them and are having problems such as the Player not responding. Instead, we recommend that you only install the specific codecs, filters, or plug-ins that you need, and that you acquire these components from trusted, authorized sources, such as the Web site of the official supplier. Even then, you should exercise maximum caution, because many suppliers offer minimal customer support. For example, if your computer is running Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition or Windows XP, we recommend that you set a system restore point before installing any digital media components. This enables you to return to your original system configuration, if necessary.