Vista - "WMP (x64) Has Stopped Working" redux

I am currently running Vista Home Premium x64. After a few weeks of using Vista and WMP 11, I learned through these forums that there is a 64-bit version of WMP 11, so I tried it by running the "wmplayer.exe" file in the Program Files directory (not Program Files x86). After a few seconds, I got the dreaded "Windows Media Player has stopped working" error message, along with a prompt to close the program - no additional useful information was provided. After uninstalling any and all codecs, using the SFC utility, using a registry cleaner, and any other suggestion I could find, WMP x64 still would not work for me.

So, I performed a clean install of VISTA HPx64. And, lo and behold, the first time I double-clicked wmplayer.exe in the Program Files directory, it worked! I tried it a few more times and it was still working, so I quickly downloaded the 64-bit Vista Codec package, and used the utilities in the package for switching the default player and registry entries to 64-bit. When I tried to run WMP, I once again got the "Windows Media Player has stopped working" message. AAARGH!

So, I uninstalled the Vista Codecs package, restarted the computer, and still it would not work. I reran the SFC utility, and no corrupt files were found.

Curiously, the first time I ran the 32-bit WMP, I was shown a dialog box for choosing options and doing initial set-up; when I ran the 64-bit WMP for the first time, I was given no such set-up opportunity.

I am at a loss as to how to troubleshoot this. Other than the "it's not working" message, I hav no additional information. Is there a way to collect more information when WMP x64 fails? Any suggestions and guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Well, one thing to note: When installing the VCP, you need to install both the 32bit packages and 64bit packages - in that order (32bit first, 64bit second).

John:

Thanks - I noticed that the order of installing the codec packages was important (after I already did the damage, of course!). I tried uninstalling everything (still get the error) and then installed them in the correct order (still get the error). It looks like whatever damage I did, it is not easily undone.

Any suggestions on how to diagnose and hopefully fix the problem? I'd like to avoid doing yet another reinstall of Vista. In another post, someone mentioned something called "ehshell.exe" - is that a diagnostic tool? Is there a way to get more specific information about the error (other than "it stopped working")?

Thanks, in advance ...

Hmmm, not really, since the codecs are third party tools and files, there really isn't a way to 'remove' them.

However, a System Restore to a time previous to your original install should remove all registry entries and settings, rendering the files just useless files in your system. After that, you should be able to install them correctly and go forward.

I believe I have solved the mystery, if not completely fixed the problem. After doing a system restore (same problem), and then a clean reinstall of Vista HP x64 (same problem), I tried upgrading the less than stellar video and sound card that came with the computer, making sure there are working 64-bit drivers for them and reinstalling. Once again, the first time I ran the x64 version of WMP it worked fine, but subsequent tries resulted in the not-at-all-helpful "this program has stopped working" message.

But, what I noticed this time was that the first time I opened WMP x64, the library only listed the few sample files that came with WMP. On subsequent tries, WMP found the other devices on my home network (home server, wife's latop) and added them as additional sources in the library. It was only after these additional items were found that WMP x64 stopped working. When I went into the media sharing options and disabled media sharing, it started working again and has been working fine since.

I have no idea why media sharing would kill WMP x64, but I am able to live quite happily without it (especially since all of my media files are on the home server, and pointing WMP to the music directory on the server works fine). This may not be the problem that others have been having, but it is worth a try of you are getting "stopped working" message.

Hmmm - it might be going screwy if the 64bit app was sharing to 32bit clients?

I have no idea as I don't share my media.

Yet.

However, kudos to your sleuthing skills and for fixing the problem. I've marked the thread as solved.

You may be right - all the other computers that showed up on the library list when sharing was enabled are 32-bit machines.

But, it's working now, so I am not gonna touch anything! Thanks for your help.

Got it... it is a DRM issue.
1) Go to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\DRM.
2) Go to tools\Folder Options
3) Select the View Tab
4) select Show Hidden Files and Folders
5) Uncheck the box that says "Hide Protected Operating system files"
Click apply and OK
Refresh the view and you should see files in the DRM folde.
Move the files to the recycle bin
Now enable sharing in Media player
your problem should be resolved.