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

I'm not a total ___ , I fully realise this isn't an a official support forum. And I have no expectations of teams of support staff sitting around to solve my little problems. Like I said, I've been repairing various windows systems for a long time.

My contention is the vague, barely related entries from the MS staff on the thread. Throwing out pre written paste jobs and not reading replies would be poor form in any forum.

And the suggestion to re-install windows (through a repair), for this little issue? Massive copout from someone who hasn't the time to fully investigate the problem (likely), or simply hasn't a clue.

I suspected codecs at first, and removed CCCP and/or K-Lite codec kits.  But when that didn't solve the problem, I moved on to the msconfig screen to modify my bootup/startup programs.  Great tool to enable power users to troubleshoot the problem on their own, or to be used when they actually pay for support and have a MS employee step them through it anyway and show them where they went wrong.  Anyway, I pulled out the free AV program I had been using and went with Microsoft Security Essentials instead.  Haven't had a problem since.  Now that yet another version of the AV program has been released, I might not even be able to reproduce the error on my machines.

I've got 5 machines in the house (Well 4 now I guess..sent one to my brother) running Windows 7 that have no WMP issue.  It took me a little bit of effort to track it down, but that was only because I wanted to minimize down time on the machine...and gave it 24 hours each change to try and reproduce the error.

I come back for the laughs on a regular basis, but if I do find another solution I will be sure to throw it up here just to see some more tirades...

Cheers

He might be on to something there.  WMP and its library relies on several internet sites to provide all the album info/movie info, etc.  In an attempt to make WMP an all powerful, all knowing media library...they have possibly bitten off more than they can chew.

I understand what you're saying, however WMP has relied on the internet for music metadata since WMP 7 in the Windows ME time frame and added DVD movie metadata in WMP 8 on Windows XP and never had a problem like this (at least not that I found was ever reported) until Windows 7 which brings me back to suspecting third party plugins or third party services.

It would be interesting to find out if, when you have this problem, was there a third party plugin for WMP installed and does uninstalling it remove the problem?

As for people expecting dedicated support in the "social answers" forums, the URL tells it all.  These were set up to have thecommunity support each other with occasional input from actual MSFT support folks, and even MSFT support folks don't have all the answers, contrary to popular belief.  It's not that Microsoft doesn't care, it's that they cannot test every possible variation and in this instant gratification society, people don't always want to help diagnose the problem, they just want a *fix* and they want it *now*.

Anyway, if you do end up with the problem and the firewall fixes it, please check to see if removing any third party plugins also fixes the problems and report it back here so that perhaps some wandering MSFT person can get back to the supplier of that plugin.

He might be on to something there.  WMP and its library relies on several internet sites to provide all the album info/movie info, etc.  In an attempt to make WMP an all powerful, all knowing media library...they have possibly bitten off more than they can chew.

I'm not having the problem anymore, but if I see it again, I'll try the firewall fix as well.

Whats even more amazing is the people that think this is the official support forum for Microsoft, and that Bill Gates himself logs in here everyday but just hasn't gotten around to their question.

This is a mostly self-help forum, relying on the generosity of other technical people to assist one another.

Yet people who pay $150 for a piece of software expect it to operate like a Ferrari with a team of highly-trained mechanics sitting in their garage waiting to fix a problem the instant anything goes wrong.

LOL