Windows Media Player - Intermittent error when trying to play media file-Server Execution Failed

Anonymous
2009-12-24T02:35:18+00:00

Windows Media Player - Server Execution Failed

I'm currently running Windows 7 Ultimate, 64-bit version.

Just recently started receiving this error about 2 weeks ago. The first media file I open with WMP works fine. All subsequent media files, regardless of type, hangs for about a minute and a half then pops up an error.

Nice error box with a red X stop sign and then:

C:/path to the file I tried to run/name.extension of said file

"server execution failed"

Task manager shows WMP running in background, stopping the process does not help. Restarting explorer does not help either. Full shutdown/restart just restarts the cycle. First file works, then the rest don't. No time issues either, I can launch it, play songs all day, change songs at random, etc.. If I close it, then try to restart, I get the error. Does not matter how long I wait between closing and restarting.  Does not matter what file is opened.

This error is in the event log at times corresponding to my "server execution errors"

The server {ED1D0FDF-4414-470A-A56D-CFB68623FC58} did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.

Also tried:

Control Panel, Programs, Turn Windows Features On/Off and disabled WMC and WMP.

Rebooted.

Went back, re-enabled both programs.

Rebooted.

Worked for about 10 minutes, then started back with the same error. 

I have also tried all of the suggestions available here: http://www.thewindowsclub.com/troubleshooting-windows-media-player-in-windows-7  with no result.

I've ran 7 since the beta was first available and had zero issues with this.  I did a clean install of the retail version when it released, and had no issues until now.  I have not installed anything other than Windows Updates.  Computer is clean, I've ran multiple malware/spyware scans and antivirus scans.  

I've also tried the system file checker (SFC), which found nothing.

It's also interesting to note, Windows Media Player Classic works flawlessly.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Music, photos, and video

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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  1. Anonymous
    2010-02-13T00:30:07+00:00

    Diggers,

      Have you attempted the clean boot suggested by others?  If you are not experiencing MP3 corruptions, your problem might not be related to zcd7s.

    "Server Execution Failed" is too common an error message to have a single cause, so we need a little more information.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-02-13T02:01:20+00:00

    This is so increadibly frustrating. I've been following this thread for a while now hoping for a solution. Thank you for your persistence zcd7. I'm afraid I don't have the technical repertoire to contribute much, but would also like to express a similar ANGER towards a ____-poor response from MS to an issue that arises after spending a significant amont of money on a brand new system specifically configured to run on the new Windows 7 OS.

    It would appear that this problem has apparently corrupted my mp3 files to the extent that iTunes will no longer launch, so I can't even manage my Apple products (phone and iPod) anymore. Both WMP and iTunes worked once off after I created a new admin profile and deleted the old one, before the ominous 'server execution failure' response prohibited any further use of both programs. I am completely stranded with no apparent solution in sight. I'm sure there are plenty of other readers similarly following this thread and others like it in the hope of a decent response. What a joke. Please keep at it zcd7...

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-02-13T08:55:29+00:00

    Thanks for the response, I will attempt to expand on this intermittent issue.

    The files are not corrupted, but this is an intermittent problem that I am trying to replicate again.  It occurs occasionally and when I get the fault then I cannot play any tunesin Media Plyer until I restart the laptop.  I could get specific information from Event Viewer, etc if I knew what to capture/supply.

    This is also as if, because the file is not part of the library list then it is liable to crash whilst executing WMP and running the MP3. 

    Windows Media Player is my default MP3/WMA/etc player so tunes should automatically play in that and not any other music playback program.

    Itunes works fine with no file failure/crashing but I only use this for my iphone and not for music.

    Mediamonkey 3.0 has the same problem as WMP 12 so I have now deleted that from my system as I only used that to convert WMA files to MP3.

    My problem may not be directly related to zcd7s except that it is still WMP 12. 

    Regards

    Diggers

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-02-13T09:24:33+00:00

    Moved to http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistamedia/thread/be023b1e-73b7-46ff-909c-229aeb77d9cc as that appears more like my problem.

    Hope zcd gets his problem rectified.

    Regards

    Diggers

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  5. Anonymous
    2010-02-14T15:34:11+00:00

    I have an answer that worked for me. The short answer was UNINSTALL AVG ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE. Here's my story.

    Did a Windows 7 32-bit upgade from Vista yesterday.

    WMP worked fine at first. After doing the first re-boot of my computer, it said that it had to install a bunch of system updates.

    After re-starting my computer, and after all the updates were complete, I tried to use WMP, it acted like it was going to play a song, but was hanging, and THEN I noticed in my system tray, my AVG icon appear, wait, and then disappear. That's what tipped me off to thinking something with AVG wasn't compatible.

    After installing AVG anti-virus, WMP works just fine now.

    As a note, I'm going to have to try to use AVAST! Anti-virus now instead.

    **UPDATE**

    I just installed AVAST! Anti-virus, and it gave me the SAME server execution failed problem, and as soon as I uninstalled it, WMP works perfectly again!!

    IT'S THE ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARES!!!

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