# Solved: Downgrade Windows Media Player 12 in win 7 to WMP 11



## EYEOPR8R (May 22, 2013)

Quote: Originally Posted by Eyeopr8r 
I need to get windows media player 11 on several computers at work that win 7 OS. Educational patient video clips can be played as a playlist on WMP 11, but in WMP12, only the first clip in the playlist will play, then the media player stops. This is known issue with WMP 12. I tried following instructions to do this from the Internet but crashed my laptop because the instructions had me moving and replacing system files. Instructions were poor and in the process I killed my windiws 7 OS. any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

PS I have Win 7 x64 home premium


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## metallica5456 (Apr 1, 2013)

From my understanding WMP 12 is integrated into Win 7. I dont believe you are able to downgrade...however Im not 100% sure.


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## Oddba11 (May 13, 2011)

metallica5456 is correct. It is part of the OS and cannot be removed.


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## metallica5456 (Apr 1, 2013)

Glad to know im right....sometimes. LOL


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## EYEOPR8R (May 22, 2013)

Hey guys, I don't think you are right. Check out this link, especially half way down concerning win 7 x64!!
http://www.mydigitallife.info/how-t...dia-player-12-to-install-wmp-11-on-windows-7/http://forums.techguy.org/showthread.php?t=1100014&goto=newpost


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## metallica5456 (Apr 1, 2013)

I see...however do you see it will allow loss of certain codecs and features for playing HD videos in certain formats? I really dont advise doing this considering the fact you said you tried this with some other steps and crashed your computer?? I would advise maybe trying to find another media player that WILL play those video for you and leave WMP 12 the way it is. That is my opinion.


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## EYEOPR8R (May 22, 2013)

Yes I'm very aware of the loss of support for HD ETC. , but I don't care at all about these issues. The medical animation program I am using is built to use only windows media player (except WMP 12)and there are no Instructions ANYWHERE that will tell me how to alter that program to be able utilize WMP12. So this is my only option. I have already restored the crashed computer and have made a drive image of it as well for easier restoration. Finally, Ive discovered my mistake In following the instructions from the site I linked above--there is a sentence that says " replace the system 32 files" but What it meant to say was "replace the system 32 files that start with wmp". That's where I made the mistake. So having been through this once and learned and having no other option I will be trying again tomorrow. Many posts at bottom of the link I gave say it worked just fine for them. So I'm gonna try again on my laptop before I extend to my office computers. Just sayin'


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## metallica5456 (Apr 1, 2013)

by all means ... good luck to you. If it works please come and mark this post as solved.


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## Oddba11 (May 13, 2011)

My appologies, I had my WMP versions confused (sorry, I don't use WMP..there are better options available). WMP 12 can be uninstalled/removed.

see here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...f5?msgId=27cb0902-a157-e011-8dfc-68b599b31bf5


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## EYEOPR8R (May 22, 2013)

I have solved my own question. In the following link: http://www.mydigitallife.info/how-t...dia-player-12-to-install-wmp-11-on-windows-7/ it is explained how to downgrade WMP 12 to WMP11 in Windows 7. I can verify that it worked. Be aware that as a commenter had commented in this link, that when you get finished with everything and reboot, when you then click on the WMP icon, you may still get WMP 12, so go to c/programfiles/windows media player/and click on the wmp.exe icon. If it is still WMP 12, then close that and go to c/programfilesx86/windows media player/ and click on the wmp.exe icon and it will be WMP 11!!
Follow all the directions in this link very carefully because I crashed my laptop and had to reinstall windows on the first try. the sentence in the directions that says "Replace files from *System32* folder to *%WinDir%\System32* folder" MEANS TO SAY "Replace the files from *System32* folder *that start with wmp* to *%WinDir%\System32* folder.
Also, note that this link provides info for downgrading WMP 12 for Win 7 x32 starting at the top of the link-- and also for Win 7 x64 starting about half way down the link.


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