WMP Duplicating Files Problem

saidas108 · 21 Oct 2011

WMP 11 occasionally duplicates files here and there which I normally just delete as needed. Recently however, WMP has duplicated way too many files for me to do manually. I followed the instructions for How to Rebuild WMP Corrupted Libraries but get only as far as Step 2 and get an error message: Windows could not stop the WMP Network Sharing Service on Local Computer. This service did not return an error. This could b an internal Windows error or an internal service error.

Any ideas?

noobvious · 21 Oct 2011

I assume you're talking about your music here. My solution was to not use WMP for music at all. I only use it for watching videos, and I do that by selecting a video in my video folder and double-clicking on it, rather than try and make sense of WMP's library and its interaction with the main Windows libraries.

As far as a better choice of music program, that depends on what your uses are for it.....is it just to listen while using the computer, or do you want to interact with an MP3 player, with it, etc.

saidas108 · 21 Oct 2011

That's what I get for not reading carefully. I almost never watch videos so it's mostly music. I use WMP because I'm used to it and thinking that it would work integrate better since all my related products are MS. I also have a Zune so I have to use it's software when interacting with that.

I don't love WMP, especially since it doesn't do volume leveling and gapless playback even though it is supposed to.

noobvious · 21 Oct 2011

saidas108 said:

That's what I get for not reading carefully. I almost never watch videos so it's mostly music. I use WMP because I'm used to it and thinking that it would work integrate better since all my related products are MS. I also have a Zune so I have to use it's software when interacting with that.

I don't love WMP, especially since it doesn't do volume leveling and gapless playback even though it is supposed to.

Have you tried just using the Zune software instead of WMP? I ran the files I wanted on my Zune HD through MP3Gain so they'd all be roughly the same volume, since the Zune doesn't support Replaygain. So after doing that, the Zune software is nice as a music player....has that cool mosaic background of all your album art while it is playing too.

saidas108 · 23 Oct 2011

I have tried it but it's slower to navigate for me, probably because I'm used to WMP. I've also had problems with deleting songs from the Zune player which also deletes it from my computer. With WMP, you always get a pop-up asking if you want to just delete from Library or Computer and I haven't yet seen that in the Zune player. It is very simple in WMP but not at all with the ZP. Other than that, I would use it.

saidas108 · 23 Oct 2011

I followed the instructions here exactly to reset WMP12 but it made no difference at all: How to Uninstall and Re-Install Windows Media Player 12 (WMP12) in Windows 7 « My Digital Life

Isn't there just a simple way to clear the library and re add?

noobvious · 23 Oct 2011

saidas108 said:

I followed the instructions here exactly to reset WMP12 but it made no difference at all: How to Uninstall and Re-Install Windows Media Player 12 (WMP12) in Windows 7 « My Digital Life

Isn't there just a simple way to clear the library and re add?

Not that I ever found, no.
Alternative programs I have installed on both computers....
MediaMonkey » Free Media Jukebox, Music Manager, CD Ripper & Converter
foobar2000

One I've heard a lot of good things about recently is MusicBee - Music Manager and Player
but since I already have stuff that works for me, I haven't tried it.

I also have iTunes on one computer, for my two iPods, and the Zune player on my other computer for the ZuneHD....but neither one of them is your solution, I don't think.