Pretty much WMP 12 all the way.
Well... I'm stumped. You have no default program associated with file type FLAC. There's no entry in that list for FLAC, so I don't understand why/how Windows would launch any program at all when you double-click a FLAC file in Explorer.
This is NOT how things would look if you'd installed Winamp and kept it. You'd see a FLAC entry in that list and Winamp would be the named program, as was shown in my own screenshots.
And yet you say WMP can play FLAC files. But do you have to open WMP and then navigate to FLAC files, and select them and open them... from within WMP? Or does WMP get launched automatically when you double-click a FLAC file in Explorer? This latter action seems impossible now that you've shown the "default programs" list with nothing associated with FLAC.
From my experience, Winamp was constantly freezing up on me. For instance, click "Audio" and nothing would happen.
I have no idea what you're talking about here.
Where is "audio" to click on???
That's not how I play music with Winamp, i.e. within Winamp once it's opened as a "media player" (forgetting about it getting auto-launched automatically when I double-click on a music file in Explorer or any other Explorer-like program).
Assuming the program is open, you can initiate music playing by selecting one or more files using the main interface File -> Play file or Play folder or etc. The file(s) you select will be placed into the "Playlist editor" window and playing will be initiated in the main window.
Alternatively, you can select music through the Playlist Editor window itself, replacing what's there right now or adding (i.e. "enqueing") additional music files to the ones already there.
Well, I'm sure it's just that you're not familiar with it. It's actually a wonderful program as I'm sure many millions of users would attest to.
Not at all.
For me it's got three separate windows: (a) Main player, with EQ dropped down, (b) Playlist editor window, showing current playlist and supporting related playlist functions, and (c) Album Art window to display my 500x500 "cover.jpg" album art.
I would recommend
a program named Jaangle, which is the music "organizer/player" that I use... in addition to Winamp which is my "external player".
I do NOT use WMP for anything audio. I only use it to play assorted video.
I do NOT use VLC for anything audio. I only use it to play assorted video.
I use Winamp to play all my music. And I use Jaangle as my general collection software for music files, playing music either (a) within Jaangle using its built-in player... including for FLAC (and without any external codec installed), or (b) launching Winamp through playlist music files selected through Jaangle if I feel like it.
Might give MediaMonkey a try next.
I've tried and discarded this program. I do NOT like its "intrusiveness". I use Jaangle for all of the functions that MediaMonkey promises.
Looking for the right player/library combo...
Jaangle is what you should explore. I'll be glad to help you get started.