Windows 7: Window media player has stopped working

Hi,
I am using a HP windows 7 64 bit home premium OS notebook. On startup of the windows media application it opens and appears to be initializing by updating the windows mdeia library. It never completes updating the pictures folder and it returns the above error. There is no problem report created even though it has crash many many times. I have tried following some of the suggestions in the various posts and nothing seems to help. All the windows updates have been applied.

What is odd is that if i launch an AVI movie it runs fine. I have enough time before it crashes to get into the tools menu and I disabled some of the internet lookups as other posts have suggested but i get the same error.

Any thoughts or direction you can provide?

Very Grateful
Tony