Hi,Almost everytime I open Windows Media Player 12 it crashes. Usually the Window opens but is greyed out and the cursor indicates that it is busy.I have tried both of the following Methods to resolve the issue. Method 1. Click on Start and in the search bar type cmd.exe Right click on cmd.exe and click on Run as Administrator In the command prompt type the following command net localgroup "Administrators" "NT Authority\Local Service" /add 4. Press enter and restart the computer Method 2.Uninstalling and Reinstalling the Windows Media Player: **Step 1.Uninstalling the Windows Media Player:**1. Go to Start and in the search type "Turn Windows features On or Off". Click on "Turn Windows features On or Off". Browse to the Media Features and uncheck the mark in front of Windows Media Player. Restart the computer Step 2. **Reinstalling the Windows Media Player:**1. Go to Start and in the search type "Turn Windows features On or Off". Click on "Turn Windows features On or Off". Browse to the Media Features and place a check mark in front of Windows Media Player. Restart the Computer. Method 2 fixes the problem. However, it has gotten to the point that WMP 12 is unusable as it crashes almost everytime and I'm not prepared to have to restart my PC twice in order to view a video or listen to some music.Come on Microsoft - please get your this sorted and give us a proper, permanent fix to this inherant Windows 7/WMP 12 problem.Regards,Jonesyboi

VikkiTorres's way worked for me! And is it really u in that picture? Wow! Before I got BSOD with every .wmv file i tried to play! They run again, however not always as smooth as they should. The system stays a bit unstable, it freezes from time to time and only a hard reset resolves the problem. Mostly due to messages some part of Windows 7 stopped like windows explorer stopped or desktop gadgets stopt functioning. It was quite a hassle to find all the right files and take ownership before could install Windows Media Player 11. But at least it works "sort-of" compared to not working at all before! Thanx David Liefting (The Netherlands)

Open a music file (mp3, wma) to open WMP (since that way has no problem accessing the application) and right click in the main screen to open context menu and from there choose "more options". Select tab "Plug-ins" then choose category "backround" and in right box DESELECT (untick) all the plugins listed there. Then save your options by pressing OK, and close WMP from X. Then rerun WMP by itself (from shortcut) and voila! Mine that solution (plugin= "motorola bluetooth plugin") fixed the problem, after doing the uninstall/reinstall WMP methods and run the sfc command that don't worked :) Enjoy!

This is worth remembering. In my particular case I cured my issue by uninstalling and re-installing Shark 007. I tried it on a hunch more than anything else, I'm more intuitive than analytical by nature, but hunches sometimes pay off. Incidentally, I'm a long-time fan of Revo Uninstaller-- just don't delete anything in red, for safety's sake because you are working in the registry and caution is advised. Revo's customer support is top notch, too. Dave Binko

I was having similar issues after going through my computer and removing unwanted/no longer used applications. WMP would actually lock up on me when opening and I could play a music file, but as soon as I clicked into the inteface, it would hang, finish playing that song, then I would have to kill it via task manager. I ran the troubleshooter that stated there were issues, but never really told me what was going on. That did not fix it. I then removed WMP/MC from control panel options, rebooted then reinstalled, that did not resolve it. This time however I had WMP open in a locked state when I ran the sfc /scannnow option and during the scan the WMP troubleshooter opened and asked me if I wanted to associate all media files to WMP. Being confused to this as I wasn't aware it was still running, I opened task manager, found WMP and choose switch to and WMP popped up and my media library was there now and it seems to be working like new now.. So I'm not really sure what happened to fix it as sfc is still running as we speak and it had gotten through about 48% when all that happened.. Maybe it fixed some file during the scan, unlocked the hung WMP process and continued on from there.. I would suggest to reboot and run sfc /scannow with no other applications open, except the locked up WMP.. one never knows, it just might work in yours or others cases.. Just a hunch. Good Luck

Windows 7 - Windows Media Player 12 Crashes Virtually Everytime

Anonymous

Hi,Almost everytime I open Windows Media Player 12 it crashes. Usually the Window opens but is greyed out and the cursor indicates that it is busy.I have tried both of the following Methods to resolve the issue. Method 1.

Click on Start and in the search bar type cmd.exe
Right click on cmd.exe and click on Run as Administrator
In the command prompt type the following command

net localgroup "Administrators" "NT Authority\Local Service" /add 4. Press enter and restart the computer

Method 2.Uninstalling and Reinstalling the Windows Media Player:

**Step 1.Uninstalling the Windows Media Player:**1. Go to Start and in the search type "Turn Windows features On or Off".

Click on "Turn Windows features On or Off".
Browse to the Media Features and uncheck the mark in front of Windows Media Player.
Restart the computer

Step 2.

**Reinstalling the Windows Media Player:**1. Go to Start and in the search type "Turn Windows features On or Off".

Click on "Turn Windows features On or Off".
Browse to the Media Features and place a check mark in front of Windows Media Player.
Restart the Computer.

Method 2 fixes the problem. However, it has gotten to the point that WMP 12 is unusable as it crashes almost everytime and I'm not prepared to have to restart my PC twice in order to view a video or listen to some music.Come on Microsoft - please get your this sorted and give us a proper, permanent fix to this inherant Windows 7/WMP 12 problem.Regards,Jonesyboi

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

I had this problem for months it was really pissing me off. But I sorted it.

The problem was corrupted files in pictures, not wmp or the music that I assumed would be the issue.

Cure................ go to pictures and video. I had some files that had no image. These were the corrupted files that were causing the problem. I had 8 photos & 2 videos that I downloaded from my iPhone 5. I Just don't understand how or why it happened. Not a clue.

Even deleting them was hard, as I went to delete them WMP would shutdown.

So I googled and download ' File Assassin' job done all working fine now.

I was cursing Microsoft WMP, but in fact, Apple was the cause of the problem.

Good luck, WMP is so much better than ITunes.

If it works let me know. I Just would like to know if it helps someone.

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56 additional answers

Anonymous

2012-01-05T06:19:50+00:00

VikkiTorres's way worked for me! And is it really u in that picture? Wow!

Before I got BSOD with every .wmv file i tried to play! They run again, however not always as smooth as they should. The system stays a bit unstable, it freezes from time to time and only a hard reset resolves the problem. Mostly due to messages some part of Windows 7 stopped like windows explorer stopped or desktop gadgets stopt functioning. It was quite a hassle to find all the right files and take ownership before could install Windows Media Player 11. But at least it works "sort-of" compared to not working at all before!

Thanx David Liefting (The Netherlands)
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Anonymous

2012-05-23T08:32:08+00:00

Open a music file (mp3, wma) to open WMP (since that way has no problem accessing the application) and right click in the main screen to open context menu and from there choose "more options". Select tab "Plug-ins" then choose category "backround" and in right box DESELECT (untick) all the plugins listed there. Then save your options by pressing OK, and close WMP from X. Then rerun WMP by itself (from shortcut) and voila! Mine that solution (plugin= "motorola bluetooth plugin") fixed the problem, after doing the uninstall/reinstall WMP methods and run the sfc command that don't worked :) Enjoy!
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2012-05-25T05:43:04+00:00

This is worth remembering. In my particular case I cured my issue by uninstalling and re-installing Shark 007. I tried it on a hunch more than anything else, I'm more intuitive than analytical by nature, but hunches sometimes pay off. Incidentally, I'm a long-time fan of Revo Uninstaller-- just don't delete anything in red, for safety's sake because you are working in the registry and caution is advised. Revo's customer support is top notch, too.

Dave Binko
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Anonymous

2012-12-04T21:08:42+00:00

I was having similar issues after going through my computer and removing unwanted/no longer used applications. WMP would actually lock up on me when opening and I could play a music file, but as soon as I clicked into the inteface, it would hang, finish playing that song, then I would have to kill it via task manager.

I ran the troubleshooter that stated there were issues, but never really told me what was going on. That did not fix it.

I then removed WMP/MC from control panel options, rebooted then reinstalled, that did not resolve it.

This time however I had WMP open in a locked state when I ran the sfc /scannnow option and during the scan the WMP troubleshooter opened and asked me if I wanted to associate all media files to WMP. Being confused to this as I wasn't aware it was still running, I opened task manager, found WMP and choose switch to and WMP popped up and my media library was there now and it seems to be working like new now..

So I'm not really sure what happened to fix it as sfc is still running as we speak and it had gotten through about 48% when all that happened.. Maybe it fixed some file during the scan, unlocked the hung WMP process and continued on from there..

I would suggest to reboot and run sfc /scannow with no other applications open, except the locked up WMP.. one never knows, it just might work in yours or others cases.. Just a hunch.

Good Luck
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