Windows Media Player 9 on Windows 7 and issues

[fahlim003]

Somehow, there is no guide on configuring WMP9 for use in Windows 7 although there are various youtube videos detailing this job. Media Player 9 Windows 7 - YouTube

The long and the short is thus.

You need to uninstall or rather disable the current integrated version of WMP that comes with W7. This is done by going to Control Panel > Programs and Features > Turn Windows Features on or off and navigating to Media Features and unchecking the boxes within that category. You restart while W7 configures the changes made and upon boot up you're now WMP free.

You can now install WMP9. Upon running the MPSetup.exe W7 blocks progression of the install due to "compatability issues". It is here you need to navigate to the specified folder where the extracted install files are located. You will also need Resource Hacker(website) in order to modify the WMP9 setup executable proper. What this amounts to is modifying the version details of the WMP9 setup to be read as version 13 rather than version 9 and in a separate location removing a warning flag that would otherwise also halt proper installation. Modifying both scripts results in being able to run and finally install WMP9.

The end result is WMP9 does indeed work but there is a glaring issue I have come across which negates my continued usage of the program in this scenario. Due to the fact the W7 integrated WMP and associated Media Features have been properly uninstalled/disabled/removed, the interloping WMP9 is not properly integrated as the W7 version would/should be. This results in a problem for file association, specifically, default file association.

Every time I choose to open/execute use of an .mp3 file I am prompted with this screen:

In this instance I have multiple media players installed, however even if WMP9 is the only player I am shown this screen every time I open a media file outside the program in normal W7 file browsing.

Even under the Default Programs menu it seems the settings never stick due to WMP9 not being recognized properly by the shell, so I assume.

Here under Set Default Programs Windows Media Player is absent.

My thought is if you can properly modify the registry or have some deeper resource management which will allow WMP9 to be properly "seen" by W7 it would allow for normal usage and specification that it could be set and have stick the default program parameter for various media file types. I figured to post here in a gambit others may be interested in helping solve this case since nobody of the above youtube demonstrations addresses this issue, nor have I seen much information elsewhere.

I'm not dead-set on using WMP9 but I felt it had a good interface and nice ease of use and the fact it can be used in W7 similar to re-enabling Windows Mail but is in my view only partially functional due to the default program situation suggests it could be all the way working properly with some more work/investigation. I may end up going back to whippin the llama's ass since WMP9 effectively killed my use of WinAMP some 10+ years ago, the circle would be complete.

Anyway, any help is appreciated. I am using W7 Ultimate and I've yet to try this on other installations but I'm sure its the same at this point in development.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hello and welcome fahlim now first up you need to follow this
Now before we can help we do need to know what is in your machine so please do this System Info - See Your System Specs
or either enter the specs of your system in your forum profile the specs will appear when we click on that little box bottom left of the post screen it is for me the preferable option as it is easy. As you may appreciate it is very hard when you don’t know what one is working with for example a diesel or petrol engine.
(pretyped to save time)

Now I read through the lengthy post my friend and got a bit lost a to what your aim is to do with the WMP9 I don't know much about it but this is from a Google https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=25243 I don't know if this of any use to you.

Now just satisfy my curiosity and just why are you using that particular program??

 

[townsbg]

WMP 9 isn't available for 7. Why not use 12? 9 is 14 years old and not designed for anything higher than XP. Due to the significant differences in the OS's I'm not surprised that it isn't working for you.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok townsbg that sort of answers the question eh?

 

[fahlim003]

Ok townsbg that sort of answers the question eh?

I don't think answers any question. Refer to the first link I submitted in the initial post to various videos detailing how to use WMP9 in Windows 7. Link: Media Player 9 Windows 7 - YouTube

Had I never seen/heard about users installing WMP9 in W7 I probably would never have bothered. As it stands I prefer WMP9 to any later iteration. If you read my initial post you will see it is working just not fully integrated due to the workaround method at present.

To clarify, WMP9 can be installed in a Windows 7 build but due to the nature of the installation method it is currently not possible to set WMP9 to be recognized as a default program for given media file types. My inquiry is regarding anyone else with further information to possibly correct that issue for this topic only.

Also, I've updated my system specifications.

 

[pippox0]

I See you have Vlc and Mpc-hc.
Why don't use one of them to play media files ??

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I don't think answers any question. Refer to the first link I submitted in the initial post to various videos detailing how to use WMP9 in Windows 7. Link: Media Player 9 Windows 7 - YouTube

Ok well I have never come across WMP9 anyway and since reading your initial post some things have become clearer but I cannot offer any further suggestions.

By the by I am in hospital right now and only have a very limited data download with my pre paid device so watching YouTube videos I have to keep to a must do activity.:huh:

 

[townsbg]

I don't think answers any question. Refer to the first link I submitted in the initial post to various videos detailing how to use WMP9 in Windows 7. Link: Media Player 9 Windows 7 - YouTube

Had I never seen/heard about users installing WMP9 in W7 I probably would never have bothered. As it stands I prefer WMP9 to any later iteration. If you read my initial post you will see it is working just not fully integrated due to the workaround method at present.

To clarify, WMP9 can be installed in a Windows 7 build but due to the nature of the installation method it is currently not possible to set WMP9 to be recognized as a default program for given media file types. My inquiry is regarding anyone else with further information to possibly correct that issue for this topic only.

Also, I've updated my system specifications.

This is probably because it isn't designed for 7 and setting file defaults is something that the OS does. If it doesn't recognize WMP9 then you can't set it as the default. When installed WMP is pretty heavily integrated in the OS so you have a pretty good chance of incompatibilities or even stability issues. You may not be able to play certain file types especially videos if the codecs don't work. It could even crash and maybe even cause a blue screen. Hacking the installer makes the installation even more unpredictable. Then again I can only speak hypothetically because I've never heard of someone doing that however I recommend that you install 12. Have you looked into skins? If there isn't one that makes it look like 9 then perhaps there is another one more to your liking if you don't like the default look.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yes well in this site it does show it is only compatible with Windows 2000 and XP see pic.

There are a few videos on YouTube but to be honest this seems like an awful lot of troubles to go to get what is an old version of WMP?? The other thing that I find surprising is the .exe is such a small download - 9.3 MB!

 

[townsbg]

That is just the SDK. Does it actually the player. If I remember right it is installed through add/remove features so Windows doesn't need a download.