Vista - Windows Media Player will not start

Since using these forums to resolve an issue with the update facility, I find that I am no longer able to use WMP.I am using Vista home premium x64 SP2.I do not want to use system restore as I have only just got back the update facility.My original OEM x64 Vista is SP1 so unable to repair from there as I am at SP2.The player is file version 11.0.6002.18065.I have attached a copy of the WMP folder.The issue is that WMP will not actually run at all.I do not receive any error code.It is my default player.Reading on here about ghost copy running in task manager, I noticed this.In task manager under processes winlogon.exe and wmpnscfg.exe are displayed.When I click WMP, this displays in task manager for a few seconds, CPU Usage goes up to around 25% from 2%, then it disappears from task manager.It does not start up on screen though.I have tried to run regsvr32 jscript.dll and receive this.The module was loaded but the call to DllRegisterServer failed with error code 0x8004005.Running regsvr32 vbscript and I get this. The module was loaded but the call to DllRegisterServer failed with error code 0x8004005.Running regsvr32 wmp.dll I receive this, DllRegisterServer in wmp.dll succeeded.I have also tried unregmp2.exe/UpdateWMP, but to no avail.I managed to download onto a memory stick a copy of WMP, but unable to run as this is older then my current copy.When I try run the update KB931621 I am informed it is not required for my system.Not sure where to go next?
My system is Q9550 quad core not clockedMB Asus P5QCMemory 4Gb OCZ DDR2OS Vista x64 SP22 x Hitachi 500Gb HD internal1 x Maxtor 500 Gb external HD

Can you right click WMP and run as adminstrator?
Will run when User Account Control (UAC) is disabled?

Also, mixed reviews on this...

Windows Media Player Version Problem - AppScout

I have the same problem. But mine would start if I close WMP and try a second time. But since this is too much of a pain, I made VLC my default media player. Works just as good - if not better, especially with a much larger array of codecs.

I can do that right click and run as administrator, but it makes no difference.UAC is always disabled.

Hello Manical,
Do you have any third party software running ?, TV or Satellite software will some times interfere with WMP.
You could try a re-install to see if that will help, if nothing else, it will ensure a clean copy is installed.
Also try to repair your file system. link below.

System Files - SFC Command

Give this a go and post your results, good luck.

Hi Stoneys-nutz,Thanks for the reply.I have no third party software running.I believe that a re-install is not possible as my OEM disk is Vista x64 SP1 and I am currently running SP2.As mentioned in my proginal post, I did download a copy of WMP 11 onto a memory stick, however my current version is newer, so I could not install.I tried the repair using the SFC command and received the following message;FINDSTR: Cannot open PC\Desktop\sfcdetails.txt

Maybe your attempt to install the WMP11 that you downloaded messed it up. As far as I know, the downloaded version is only for XP. In Vista it is an integral part of the system.
As far as reinstall is concerned, you can install the SP1 version. You will then get all updates, including SP2, automatically (may take a few days though before you are all caught up). Make sure you set it to automatic update - which is usually default.

You could try a repair install, see if that cleans up your file system.


Repair Install For Vista

If that's happening, then possibly just opening task manager and searching for wmplayer.exe and ending that process will fix it. WMP sometimes gets stuck for me when I try opening it, and it's because the process has started, but for some reason the GUI hasn't opened.

Everlong18, You are right. The GUI opens but it does not start - and the Start button does not react. Starting the .exe unfortunately gives the same result. Only if I close it and start it again, it will work. Strange behavior.