How to Rebuild Windows Media Player Corrupted Libraries
Information
This tutorial will show you how to rebuild your Windows Media Player (WMP) libraries in order to remove corrupted files (for example, files deleted from the hard disk that linger in the WMP library) in just a few, easy steps. This tutorial can also be applied to other issues.
Note
Using this tutorial will not delete any media files physically; instead, it will reset the WMP libraries to their default state, without changing your previously made settings.
Windows Libraries are not affected by this tutorial.
Tip
Please make sure Windows Media Player is closed during this process.
Here's how:
1. Click on the Start Orb and type "services" into the search, then select Services from the list of search results.
Alternatively, you can right-click the Computer icon, select Manage, then choose Services under "Services and Applications" in Computer Management.
2. In the list of services, locate "Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service" and stop it via one of the highlighted options.
Tip
Please keep the Services window open, you will need it later.
3. Click on the Start Orb and use the search again, this time type in C:\Users\(user)\AppData\Local and click the Local folder from the list of search results.
4. Inside the "Local" folder, navigate to the "Microsoft", then "Media Player" folder. Delete all the files contained in this folder and close the Explorer window.
5. Now go back to the Services window and start the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service. Next time you start Windows Media Player, it will automatically rebuild all libraries using the information on folders that are included in the Windows Libraries.
Need more help? Try searching our extensive help and support site.
Thanks for the great description of how to do this. I had to do this before but forgot about it when my media player started acting strange again. Media sharing wasn't working properly and cleaning out the Media Player folder seems to have immediately fixed the problem. This also works for Vista systems which is where I had to do it before.
when i turn the player on i always have to wait for to load up the files, then it'll repeat many of them,and it will label them (wma and m4a) so should i use this method also, or do i have to do something else
System Manufacturer/Model Number jorge's first OS 64 CPU intel core 2 quad Q9550 Motherboard asus p5qpro turbo Memory 8 GB Graphics Card asus EAH5770 Sound Card in motherboard Monitor(s) Displays syncMaster T26HD Screen Resolution 1920 - 1200
PSU 750 watt Case thermaltake Cooling ultr x wind for 775 Hard Drives intel x25-M sata
hitachi sata 1 TB
System Manufacturer/Model Number jorge's first OS 64 CPU intel core 2 quad Q9550 Motherboard asus p5qpro turbo Memory 8 GB Graphics Card asus EAH5770 Sound Card in motherboard Monitor(s) Displays syncMaster T26HD Screen Resolution 1920 - 1200
PSU 750 watt Case thermaltake Cooling ultr x wind for 775 Hard Drives intel x25-M sata
hitachi sata 1 TB
System Manufacturer/Model Number HP, Dell, Gateway, Toshiba - 4 laptops and 2 desktops OS Vista, Windows7, Mint Mate, Zorin, Windows 8 CPU from 1.6GHz Duo to i7 Monitor(s) Displays 2x HP w2207
Keyboard with trackball - no mices Mouse Trackball mice Hard Drives 5x HDD, 7x SSD, 12x Externals Internet Speed DSL 6000
System Manufacturer/Model Number HP Pavilion a6658f OS Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit) CPU Core 2 Quad Q6600 (K) 2.4 GHz (95W) 1066 MHz front side bus Motherboard ASUS IPIBL-LB HP/Compaq motherboard name: Benicia-GL8E Memory 6 GB Graphics Card EVGA 01G-P3-N959-TR GeForce 9500 GT 1GB 128-bit DDR2 PCI Exp Sound Card Realtek ALC 888S chipset Monitor(s) Displays HP w2007 21" Widescreen Screen Resolution 1680x1050 @59Hz
Keyboard Logitech 920-000914 Wired Ultra-thin Illuminated Mouse Logitech MX-510 Hard Drives (after market) 1TB Western Digital SATA x 2 plus 4 externals of various sizes Internet Speed ping 23ms / ↓ 24.07Mbps / ↑ 2.02Mbps
I have mp3 files that used to play in wmp but no longer do i get a red cross beside the track im trying to play, the same files however play in winamp so it is a bit of a bummer as i spent a long time getting my music library in order
System Manufacturer/Model Number Hewlett packard/p6512uk OS Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 7600 CPU IIx4 amd athelon 635 processor Motherboard FOXCONN 2AA9 Memory 2x2gb Graphics Card ati radeon HD 5450 Sound Card (1) Realtek High Definition Audio (2) AMD High Definition Monitor(s) Displays samsung lcd tv 32" Screen Resolution 1360x 768
Keyboard wireless hp Mouse wireless Hp,optical PSU ? Cooling air! Hard Drives (1) WDC WD10 01FAES-60Z2A0 SATA Disk Device (2) Maxtor OneTouch USB Device (3) ST310003 33AS USB Device (4) WD My Book 1111 USB Device Internet Speed 1.10mb/s Antivirus MSE Browser Firefox
OS Windows 7 x64 Ultimate CPU Intel C2Q 9550 Motherboard Asus P5Q Memory Corsair Dominator DDR2 1066Mhz (4x4GB) Graphics Card Zotac 9800 GTX+ 512mb Sound Card Onboard Monitor(s) Displays Samsung XL2370 Screen Resolution 1920x1080
Keyboard Microsoft Midia Digital 3000 Mouse A4Tech X7 705f PSU Thermaltake 1000W Case Asus Vento Cooling 4 case coolers and GPU and CPU stock coolers Hard Drives 2 Maxtor SATA2 320GB RAID 0 and 1 Seagate 1.5TB Internet Speed 4 mb Other Info DVD-ROM Sony OEM
Information
Note
Tip
Windows Media Player 12 Libraries ? 
