# Windows Media Player won't start



## BitFiddler (Nov 17, 2007)

I accepted an auto-update from Microsoft last weekend, and since then Windows Media Player will not start.

I'm on XP SP 2, up to date on all Microsoft-requested updates.

The message I get is (literally)

To use Windows Media Player, log off from Windows, log back on, and then start Windows Media Player.

Since this started (about a week), I've done countless restarts and multiple logoff-logon cycles, all with no joy.

Any Ideas? This is very frustrating, since it is stopping me from reading stuff I'd like to read.

Thanks for any help.


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## Blackmirror (Dec 5, 2006)

DO you know which update can you remove it ???

Have you tried a system restore back to before the update


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## addy999 (Jan 3, 2008)

Well you must using the media player while installing the new one .. try to update it after removing the previous verssion...


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## BitFiddler (Nov 17, 2007)

(replying to the two previous posts)

Silly me. I didn't take a snapshot, so I can't back that out.

The update was for the "health check" thing, which I don't know much about, but doesn't seem to give me any real information.

I wasn't using it when the update happened, either. 

Is there a way to find the update and uninstall it?

According to "add/remove programs" I have version 11, AND media player "run time" installed. Can I remove those somehow and re-install just that package?

Or, is there an alternative to the windows media player?


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## NT70 (Jan 4, 2008)

I had the exact same problem. My solution was to reinstall Windows Media Player.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/AllDownloads.aspx


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## BitFiddler (Nov 17, 2007)

I did the re-install, after removing all version 11's from the add-remove-program.

Seems to have worked just fine.

I owe you a hug, or the absence of a hug, whichever is better for you.


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## NT70 (Jan 4, 2008)

:up:


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