Brendan--
You failed to say what is important here, and really haven't provided any
info at all on what the problem with WMP is for you. You've said
essentially you're bothered because WMP is not working. We need more than
that. It's like telling the doctor you don't feel well and refusing to
provide any more history. You failed to state how it is not working. What
is WMP doing when you open it, try to rip/play or otherwise use it?
What error message are you getting either on your desktop or at EV. Type
"eventvwr.msc" in run box (lose quotes) and in left pain expand Windows
logs>Application and use the down arrow to look for a WMP error at the time
you experienced it.
Have you added any app that interacts with WMP lately or media like
SatelliteTVforPC 2006 ?
If you try to rienstall it onto Vista you can't. You could on XP with WMP
and prior. You'll get an error that says it's already installed in Vista.
Here's how I see your problem. You say you're unhappy with Vista and it
seems like WMP's not working and I know WMP is very important to you. I
think WMP is just one part of Vista, and if you provide specific information
like the wording of an error message for WMP when you try to open it and
what's happening when you try to use WMP one of us could help you fix it.
If you have other specific Vista problems, list them and we can try to help
with each of those. Once we can fix WMP, I think you'll find a lot to like
in Vista and a lot it does well.
Here's what else I would try not knowing much information about your system
or the precise problem you're having with WMP11.
There are a several specialized WMP KB sites from MSFT but I prefer Chris
Lanier's blog for fixes under WMP on the left:
http://msmvps.com/blogs/chrisl/
___________________________
4 Other very successful options you have:
In case you cannot find/match an error to one of the many fixes that Chris
has, then I'd either use System File Checker (and if that does not help
you), Startup Repair (if you own a Vista DVD), which does not require a no
boot situation to help you fix many Vista components, or try Sytem Restore
from either the Vista DVD's Recovery link or from the F8 menu. Links that
show you how to do this are below.
***SFC as a Remedy***:
SFC or System File Checker is a bit like the spare tire in your car or a
backup battery I suppose. In Vista of course, they have changed it somewhat
and come up with a new name--Redmond stands for name it something different
twice a year and now it's part of WRP or Windows Resource Protection. It
scans protected resources including thousands of files, libraries, critical
folders, and essential registry keys, and it replaces those that are
corrupted with intact ones. It fixes a lot of problems in Windows XP, OE,
Windows Vista, Win Mail, IE6, and on Vista or if it is installed on XP, IE7.
It protects these things from changes by any source including
administrators, by keeping a spare of most of them.
How to Run SFC:
Type "cmd" into the Search box above the Start Button>and when cmd comes up
at the top of the Start menu>right click cmd and click "run as Admin" and
when the cmd prompt comes up at the cmd prompt type "sfc /scannow" no quotes
and let it run. This may fix things quite a bit. It replaces corrupt files
with intact ones, if you're not familiar with it.
If no help from SFC, you can try a restore point to before this happened or
you try the steps below if you have a Vista DVD:
***Startup Repair from the Vista DVD***
How to Use The Vista DVD to Repair Vista (Startup Repair is misnamed by the
Win RE team and it can be used to fix many Vista components even when you
can boot to Vista):
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm
If you elect to run Startup repair from the Vista DVD (it can fix major
components in Vista--I've verified this many many times; it's good for more
than startup problems, and the Win RE team simply screwed up when they named
it not understanding its full functionality):
Startup Repair will look like this when you put in the Vista DVD:
http://www.vistaclues.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/click-repair-your-computer.png
You run the startup repair tool this way (and system restore from here is
also sometimes effective):
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925810/en-us
How To Run Startup Repair In Vista Ultimate (Multiple Screenshots)
http://www.windowsvista.windowsreinstall.com/vistaultimate/repairstartup/index.htm
It will automatically take you to this on your screen:
http://www.vistaclues.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/click-repair-your-computer.png
That will allow you to go to the Vista setup that has a Repair link on
thelower left corner>click it and then you'll see a gray backgrounded list
and I want you to click Startup Repair from it and follow the directions.
The gray screen after you click the first link in the above pic will look
like this:
http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winvista/images/repair/staruprepair/Image17.gif
Click Startup Repair, the link at the top and after it scans>click OK and
let it try to repair Vista. It will tell you if it does, and if it
doesn't, try System Restore from the Recovery Link on the DVD. If these
don't work booting into Safe Mode by tapping the F8 key and using System
Restore from one of the safe modes besides VGA may work. That means you
have the option to try 4 different safe modes to get to system restore, (one
from the Recovery link on the DVD) and sometimes one will work when the
others won't.
You could also try a Repair Install with Vista which is done exactly the
same way as in XP:
***Repair Install Steps*** (can be used for Vista) MVP Doug Knox
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx
***Using the F8 Environment***
***Taking Full Advantage of the F8 Options (Windows Advanced Options Menu)
by starting the PC and tapping F8 once per second when the firmware screen
with the pc manufacturer's name shows a few seconds after restarting***:
The F8 options in Vista are the same as XP, and the link for Safe Mode Boot
options is labled XP by MSFT but they are the same for Vista (they haven't
updated to add Vista to the title as they have with several MSKBs that apply
to both).
Again, pressing F8 repeatedly when you seem the firmware screen may be is a
generic way to launch Windows RE on some OEM Vista computers.
You could also:
Think: I have 4 different ways to get back my XP at F8 and try 'em in order.
1) Safe Mode 2) Safe Mode with Cmd to Sys Restore which is simply a cmd
prompt in safe mode 3) Safe Mode with Neworking 4) LKG or Last Known Good
Configuration
Try to F8 to the Windows Adv Options Menu>try 3 safe modes there (I don't
use WGA) and Last Known Good>then I go to Win RE in Vista. That gives you a
choice of Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking,and Safe Mode with Command
Prompt.
These methods are outlined in
A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP/and Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding System Restore from MSFT:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/plan/faqsrwxp.mspx
System Restore can be run from the Win RE recovery environment from the same
link as Startup Repair, and sometimes it will work from one F8 safe mode
location or from the Win Recovery Environment when it won't work from other
locations.
How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449
Good luck,
CH
