Downloading Windows Media Player 12

[Buddahfan]

I searched the web including this forum for an answer to my question below before posting this. If this topic has already been discussed on this forum and a solution provided then a link to the solution of my problem would be appreciated.

Problem
-----------------
I have two Dell 570MT computers with Windows 7 Home Premium X64.

The first one I purchased in June 2010
The second one I purchased in December 2010

As I recall the first one came with Windows Media Player 11, which I uninstalled.

The second one came with Windows Media Media Player 12 which I have left on and use.

The MSFT Windows Media Player website says that Windows Media Player 12 comes with Windows 7 Home Premium, which as best as I can recall my first Dell 570MT mentioned above did not.

I have not been able to find a website where I can download and install Windows Media Player 12 on my first (June 2010) 570MT with Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit.

Is there some way that I can download Windows Media Player 12 directly or do I have to reinstall Windows Media Player 11, which I prefer not to, and then update it to Windows Media Player 12 via the Windows 7 Control Center Windows Update function?

Thanks

 

[A Guy]

Welcome to Seven Forums Buddahfan. You are correct on all counts. Any WMP12 download (except the Media Feature Pack for Windows 7 N and Windows 7 KN) will not be on a legit site, and should be avoided. Since WMP12 comes as part of Windows 7, the download is not available. If indeed your earlier version came with WMP11, the update to WMP12 will be the correct path, as you stated. A Guy

 

[alphanumeric]

From what I have read, every version of windows 7, other than the two mentioned above, come with Windows Media Player 12 by default. Also as far as I can tell, you can't un-install it, all you can do is disable it. Open control panel, go to Programs and Features, and then click "Turn Windows features on or off". Expand "Media Features" and see if Windows Media Player is checked?

 

[Buddahfan]

Welcome to Seven Forums Buddahfan. You are correct on all counts. Any WMP12 download (except the Media Feature Pack for Windows 7 N and Windows 7 KN) will not be on a legit site, and should be avoided. Since WMP12 comes as part of Windows 7, the download is not available. If indeed your earlier version came with WMP11, the update to WMP12 will be the correct path, as you stated. A Guy

Thanks for your response.

Since I had previously uninstalled WMP11 I am still not quite clear on how to proceed if I want to install WMP12.

1. Should I download and install WMP11 x64 even though MSFT says that WMP11 is for XP and I am running W7 HP? I have not been able to find a link to WMP11 x64 for Windows 7. All the links that I have found indicate very clearly that WMP11 is only for XP

I am very leery about installing a file on my W7 computer that MSFT says is for XP and makes no mention of that program being for a W7 computer.

2. Then I understand you to be saying that once I have WMP11 installed that the Windows Update will then download and install WMP12. Is this correct?

Thanks

 

[alphanumeric]

I think you'll find that MP 11 won't install on Windows 7. I would check these settings first > Open control panel, go to Programs and Features, and then click "Turn Windows features on or off". Expand "Media Features" and see if Windows Media Player is checked? If it isn't check mark it, click OK and see what happens.

 

[A Guy]

Try what alphanumeric said, if it doesn't work, or the option is missing, it's likely you'll have to do a repair install to get WMP back:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

It shouldn't have been removed, so it can't just be reinstalled. A Guy

 

[Buddahfan]

I think you'll find that MP 11 won't install on Windows 7. I would check these settings first > Open control panel, go to Programs and Features, and then click "Turn Windows features on or off". Expand "Media Features" and see if Windows Media Player is checked? If it isn't check mark it, click OK and see what happens.

That did it.

I must have turned the feature off when I first got the computer and thought I had uninstalled it.

Thanks

 

[alphanumeric]

No problem, glad you got it sorted. Sometimes knowing where to look for that elusive check box is the hard part. Once you find it though, things get a lot simpler.

 

[Buddahfan]

No problem, glad you got it sorted. Sometimes knowing where to look for that elusive check box is the hard part. Once you find it though, things get a lot simpler.

I must have found it to turn WMP12 off, but forgot about it when I wanted to turn WMP12 on.

So sometimes forgetting can be a problem too

 

[A Guy]

I remember that, forgetting that is

A Guy

 

[Prof Kerfuffle]

I think you'll find that MP 11 won't install on Windows 7. I would check these settings first > Open control panel, go to Programs and Features, and then click "Turn Windows features on or off". Expand "Media Features" and see if Windows Media Player is checked? If it isn't check mark it, click OK and see what happens.

That did it.

I must have turned the feature off when I first got the computer and thought I had uninstalled it.

Thanks

Just so you know you cannot install Internet Explorer or Windows Media Player you can only disable them.