Windows Vista

Factual Questions
1

Hi y’all
Wow, it’s been so long since I’ve been on this site. There’s been many changes.

I need tech help. I hope I’m in the right place.

I recently crashed and had to reinstall my Windows Vista. When all was said and done I found that my Media Player isn’t working. It’s installed, according to my program files, yet it doesn’t open any files. When I click on the program or the shortcuts nothing happens.

Can someone please direct me to how I can change or add Windows components? I can’t believe I’ve forgotten how to this this, I guess more that five years as a stay-at-home mom makes you lose your skills! UGH!

Appreciate anybody chiming in!

2

Try linking the files with Media Player. It could just be a broken extension link.

(I am NOT a Vista guru - just an IT guy who avoids Vista at all costs out of utter angry antipathy)

Right click on a file (.mp3, .mpeg, whatever) and select “Open With” and then choose Media Player. You may have to browse for it.

God, I hate that “user-friendly” pOS.

3

The general procedure for dealing with a program that no longer works is to uninstall it, and then reinstall it. The easiest way to reinstall Windows Media Player, in my opinion, is to download the latest version online. Despite the fact that you are using Vista, you will need to download the Windows XP version (as they are identical).

4

Whether or not you get Windows Media Player installed you might want to give VLC a go.

5
  1. On the task bar, click Start button, then Control Panel.
  2. Select ‘Classic View’ on the left to make it easier to navigate, the double click ‘Default Programs’.
  3. Click ‘Set your default programs’.
  4. Select Windows Media Player on the left, then click ‘Set this program as default’ on the bottom right, then click Okay.

If Windows Media Player is not available on the left panel, do what BigT suggests and download and install the latest version, then go through the steps above.

6

Thanks for the responses. However, it seems that my computer isn’t seeing the Media Player at all. I’ve got listings for it in my program files and a shortcut to it on my desktop that points to the right place. I go into the file in my computer and open it manually and nothing happens. When I go to the install button for it, it tells me I have a newer version and can’t reinstall.
So, I remember that with XP there was a place that I could pick and choose the Windows components, like the calculator and the word map…
How do I get to there?

thx!

7

Should be under Control Panel, Add / Remove Programs, then Windows Components.

8

That’s for XP. Vista has ‘Programs and Features’, then ‘Turn Windows features on or off’, but media apps aren’t listed there anymore.

Try this:

  1. Click on Start Button, All Programs, Accessories.
  2. Right click on Command Prompt and select ‘Run as administrator’.
  3. Type in: unregmp2.exe /UpdateWMP

This will make sure any DLLs are updated if they are out of date. Then try running Media Player again and let us know what happens.