How can i delete windows media player?

F

fullcollapse

New Member
my media player is complete crap. it will not play videos. some sites say you need to download a newer version of wmp to use this site. i then go through downloading the latest wmp, and it says "error: you have a better version already installed" grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. this brings me to my current problem.

how the hell do you delete windows media player? it is not on the add/remove programs list, and when i access it through the c drive it won't let me erase it.

i just want to be able to play videos. somebody pleassssseee help me. i'm so annoyed.
 
Starman*

Starman*

New Member
The fact WMP isn't working well is really down to you. Many people use it without problems.

Do you really care if it's there or not? Just configure it out of the game. Get other players for audio and video. When you are satisfied they are OK, including working online:

Make the new players the defaults for audio and video files

Go into the options of WMP and turn off everything that allows it to connect outside your pc.

Block WMP from accessing the Net at your firewall.

You may have to do the above earlier than indicated depending on how you use the pc.

Starman*
 
P

PC eye

banned
"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 installing Windows Media Player 10.

To roll back from Windows Media Player 10 to a previous version, do the following:
In Control Panel (Category View), click Add or Remove Programs.
Click Remove a program, and then do one of the following:
If you are running Windows XP Service Pack 2, select the Show updates check box (at the top of the list), click Windows Media Player 10 (in the Windows Updates section), and then click Change/Remove.
- or -
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 the Use System Restore to Undo" Where else do you go but http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/faq.aspx to get instructions on how to remove a Microsoft product. And it is fouind in the add/remove section of Control Panel. WMP isn't garbage. You probably lack the needed video codecs to run certain file types. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/mp10/codecs.aspx
 
youtin

youtin

New Member
Hmm, I think almost any media player can play any type of video file as long as it has the proper codecs. Do you know what type of file you're playing? Try installing some codecs first. Download the K-Lite Codec Pack and install it. I suggest you get the Standard Version, it comes with the nifty Media Player Classic which I believe beats WMP any time :D

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_Lite_Codec_Pack.htm

Then you'll be able to play most formats in both WMP or Media Player Classic ;)
 
computerhakk

computerhakk

VIP Member
youtin said:
Hmm, I think almost any media player can play any type of video file as long as it has the proper codecs. Do you know what type of file you're playing? Try installing some codecs first. Download the K-Lite Codec Pack and install it. I suggest you get the Standard Version, it comes with the nifty Media Player Classic which I believe beats WMP any time :D

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_Lite_Codec_Pack.htm

Then you'll be able to play most formats in both WMP or Media Player Classic ;)
Click to expand...
Yeap! It really just depends on your codecs.

One player that have always played almost anything with the proper codec is VNC. You can give it a shot. Media classic is also good.
 
QACJared

QACJared

New Member
You Can't its build into windows. Unless you have Windows Xp ____ N in europe there is nothing you can do to uninstall it.
 
Geoff

Geoff

VIP Member
Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Add/Remove Windows Components > Un-Check Windows Media Player > Next

Then your done :)
 
OvenMaster

OvenMaster

VIP Member
[-0MEGA-] said:
Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Add/Remove Windows Components > Un-Check Windows Media Player > Next

Then your done :)
Click to expand...
All that does is remove ACCESS to the program in the Start Menu and Desktop. It will not remove the program from Windows; it's embedded. That's the entire reason for the stink in Europe, the EU wanted a version of XP without WMP.

If you go to Add or Remove Programs, you'll see an entry for Windows Media Player 10's removal, but all that does is revert to the original version of WMP that came with your install of XP, which would be WMP 8... and THAT can't be removed, either.

Tom
 
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Starman*

Starman*

New Member
There's ton of Windows stuff that I never use, Outlook Express and Messenger for example. I really don't care if they are there or not as long as they do not get in the way. As I said earlier, just configure the application out of the game.

Starman*
 
F

fullcollapse

New Member
thanks for all the quick responses.

starman- that sounds like a good idea, i'll probably just download realplayer and set it as my default. i was never a big fan of windows media player anyway.

youtin, computerhakk- to be honest, i'm a little worried about downloading new codecs. i tried doing that about 2 weeks ago, and i acquired spyware and viruses instead. i'm sure i just downloaded from the wrong place, but it still worries me a little.

qacjared, ovenmaster- i had no idea that you couldn't remove it, that is annoying. thanks for your help.

pc eye- i might try your suggestion also, thanks.


what media player do you guys prefer? what works the best for you?
 
computerhakk

computerhakk

VIP Member
fullcollapse said:
youtin, computerhakk- to be honest, i'm a little worried about downloading new codecs. i tried doing that about 2 weeks ago, and i acquired spyware and viruses instead. i'm sure i just downloaded from the wrong place, but it still worries me a little.
Click to expand...
That depends on which one you got probably.

Let me know the extension of the file. Also, let me know the codec that you tried to install.
There are so many codecs out there that if you just get any random one.. things like that will happen.
 
B

Bobo

banned
You also might want to try WMP 11, I really love it. And it wouldn't be able to give you the "you already have a newer version installed" error.
 
Geoff

Geoff

VIP Member
OvenMaster said:
All that does is remove ACCESS to the program in the Start Menu and Desktop. It will not remove the program from Windows; it's embedded. That's the entire reason for the stink in Europe, the EU wanted a version of XP without WMP.

If you go to Add or Remove Programs, you'll see an entry for Windows Media Player 10's removal, but all that does is revert to the original version of WMP that came with your install of XP, which would be WMP 8... and THAT can't be removed, either.

Tom
Click to expand...
It may not completely get rid of it, but it will get rid of all the shortcuts, and any extensions that are associated with it, so it will seem like its not even there. You can also delete the folder "Windows Media Player" from the Program Files folder.
 
F

fullcollapse

New Member
computerhakk said:
That depends on which one you got probably.

Let me know the extension of the file. Also, let me know the codec that you tried to install.
There are so many codecs out there that if you just get any random one.. things like that will happen.
Click to expand...

i don't remember exactly where i got it. im pretty sure i opened a random vid and it said "you need this a new codec to play this file", then all hell broke loose. i'm sure if i download from one of the links already given i should be ok right?
 
F

fullcollapse

New Member
Bobo said:
You also might want to try WMP 11, I really love it. And it wouldn't be able to give you the "you already have a newer version installed" error.
Click to expand...

that's the weirdest part....i did try version 11, and it still gave me that response. how insane is that? it's just not possible.
 
B

Bobo

banned
fullcollapse said:
that's the weirdest part....i did try version 11, and it still gave me that response. how insane is that? it's just not possible.
Click to expand...
Beta or final version? Because the final version technically doesn't come out until tomorrow
 
P

PC eye

banned
fullcollapse said:
thanks for all the quick responses.

starman- that sounds like a good idea, i'll probably just download realplayer and set it as my default. i was never a big fan of windows media player anyway.

youtin, computerhakk- to be honest, i'm a little worried about downloading new codecs. i tried doing that about 2 weeks ago, and i acquired spyware and viruses instead. i'm sure i just downloaded from the wrong place, but it still worries me a little.

qacjared, ovenmaster- i had no idea that you couldn't remove it, that is annoying. thanks for your help.

pc eye- i might try your suggestion also, thanks.


what media player do you guys prefer? what works the best for you?
Click to expand...

WMP 10 is made for XP while WMP 9 was intended for use on 98SE, ME, and 2000. By going into Settings on the Start menu there you can proceed to the Task bar and Start menu link at the bottom there. Then you click on the Start menu tab since the Task bar is seen first. Click the customize button to open the new screen. At the top of that you will see the add and then remove right under it where you open the accessories followed by the entertainment link. At the bottom is the WMP startup folder to highlight and remove. WMP will no longer load with Windows. Editing the system registry to remove all values there gets complicated real fast.

Under "Local Machine\Microsoft\software\" is where to look for the "MediaPlayer" folder or best described as "hive". You simply highlight that and go to Edit on the explorer to choose delete. And then under "HKey_Current_User\software\Microsoft\" you find another MediaPlayer "hive" to remove. Under "HKey_Users\5-1-5 or whatever number\software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer". And there's another one or two to go after in "HKey_Classes_Root\MediaPlayer" and "HKey_Classes_Root\MediaPlayer.1" as well as any other harder to locate values.

Meanwhile where did you find the beta for Vista's version 11? It wouldn't be here would it? http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Microsoft-Windows-Media-Player-11-Download-39801.html
 
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