Windows 7 Media Player - Server execution failed

Anonymous
2009-11-28T03:53:14+00:00

My PC woes started a few weeks ago - I had RAM issues which I have since solved. However, during the course of trying to diagnose the memory problem, I installed and uninstalled a myriad of programs.

And now my Windows Media Player won't play, while Media Centre crashes if I go to the Music or Video sections (Live TV seems to be fine though). If I start WMP from the taskbar shortcut, the window flashes up briefly before disappearing. If I try to start it by double clicking an audio file, I get the "Server Execution Error" message.

I've tried disabling all media features in the Windows Features section, and then re-enabling. This did not work. Note that iTunes works perfectly, playing the same mp3s that are crashing WMP.

I'd really rather not have to reinstall Windows 7 Ultimate edition just for this one problem...

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

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Anonymous
2009-11-28T23:49:24+00:00

Hi,

Welcome to Microsoft Windows 7 Answers Forum!  

You may try the steps as below and check if the issue gets fixed,

Lets try these three troubleshooting methods first and verify if it is resolved.

Method 1.

Now you have to stop the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service and check for the issue, to do that you need to follow the steps provided below.

  1. Control Panel -- Administrative Tools -- Services. Find the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service, open it, click on Stop to stop the service.
  2. Close Windows Media Player 12 if it is started.
  3. input %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Media Player\ to Windows Explorer to find the folder.
  4. Move all files in the folder to another place as a backup.

Note: Move files in the specific folder will reset database.

  1. Restart Windows Media Player to see if we can add files to Library now.

Method 2. 

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

     net localgroup "Administrators" "NT Authority\Local Service" /add

  1. Press enter and restart the computer

Method 3.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".

  1. Click on "Turn Windows features On or Off".
  2. Browse to the Media Features and uncheck the mark in front of Windows Media Player.
  3. 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".

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

Try playing the file now.

Thanks and Regards:

Suresh Kumar- Microsoft Support.

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/answersfeedback/threads/  and let us know what you think.

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Anonymous
2010-01-29T09:33:11+00:00

3 days stable now without problems.  I haven't finished adding everything back yet, so I haven't been able to identify the offending programs(s) or service(s).  However, I thought  would give a quick update for any others still reading this and/or working to troubleshoot.

All except for one of the services has been re-enabled. That service is/was Logitech Bluetooth Service.  I don't know why it was installed, as I don't have any bluetooth devices in my HTPC, but it might have been put in there as part of the install for Logitech SetPoint and the wireless keyboard/mouse I have on that machine.  Regardless...shouldn't be there.  I will enable it for the next few days to see if I get any lockups...but I suspect it isn't the issue.  I had only 4 other non-microsoft services enabled, APC UPS service, Carbonite (cloud backup), Intel Matrix storage, and the NVIDIA Display Driver Service.  Its possible that the Logitech Bluetooth conflicted with one of those services as well to create problems...obviously he NVIDIA driver could cause problems for WMP.

There are still about half the programs to re-enable, including Adobe, AVG (possible culprit, I'm beginning to suspect the "free" versions of antivirus are problematic, quicktime, Live Sync, Live Mesh.  The last one, and another possible culprit, is the Windows SideBar.  Seems to me I had problems with it in Vista as well and eventually just disabled it.  I kinda liked the weather toolbar on my TV, but if that's the culprit...then I can at last look for other options.

So...for others having issues, might I suggest disabling AV services or at least installing a different version....possibly disabling auto-start of SideBar.  I keep trying to run as many videos as possible when I can to tax the system, but some days are busy.  Perhaps someone has a script that would allow for sequential launches of WMP with different files?  Slightly different than just the playlist.

One other thing I am unsure of how to test is the automatic change of desktops.  I mean,disabling it is easy enough, but which executable or service is responsible for this?

That's it for now.  Would be nice is a MS Support tech were to chime in here...let us know that the various open articles have been consolidated and escalated.

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Anonymous
2010-07-13T03:58:41+00:00

This was a fairly simple fix for me and I was able to duplicate both the problem and the fix. WMP continued to have "Server Execution Error" until I uninstalled all 3rd party codecs. I then later realized that it wasn't the codecs themselves causing the error but rather the settings I had for them. In order to reset everything back to stock, I uninstalled all codecs from my machine, uninstalled WMP and WMC then restarted, deleted the WMP folder in C:\Program Files, reinstalled WMP and WMC, restarted. Then everything worked as expected. I then reinstalled my codecs and BAM, the problem came back. It wasn't until I messed with the settings, specifically for FFDShow that my problems went away.

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-01-10T11:27:35+00:00

    Hi,

    I suggest you try troubleshooting this matter with a Clean Boot to see if we can pinpoint a program or driver that could be causing the issue you are experiencing.

    A Clean Boot allows us to start Windows with certain programs and drivers turned off or on by selection. By doing this through trial-and-error we can hopefully pinpoint a specific cause of this issue. Here is how to troubleshoot with a Clean Boot:

    Clean Boot Troubleshooting.

    1. Click Start, type msconfig in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

    User Account Control permission.

    If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the

    password, Or click Continue.

    1. On the General tab, click Selective Startup.
    2. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the Load Startup items check box.
    3. Click the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
    4. Click OK.
    5. When you are prompted, click Restart.
    6. After the computer starts, check whether the problem is resolved.

    If the issue is resolved check which third party program is causing the problem, referring the link given below:

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

    Reset the computer to start as usual.

    After you have finished troubleshooting, follow these steps to reset the computer to start as usual:

    Click Start, type msconfig.exe in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

    If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue. On the General tab, click the Normal Startup option, and then click OK.

    When you are prompted to restart the computer, click Restart.

    If the issue persists then you may try performing SFC scan on the computer.

    SFC /scannow is a super-useful command you can use in any Windows version. When the SFC (System File Checker) command is used with the /scannow switch, the tool will scan all of the important Windows files on your computer and replace them as necessary.

    Missing and corrupt operating system files (like many DLL files) are arguably the biggest cause of major Windows issues. Considering that, plus the fact that SFC /scannnow is completely automatic and very easy to use, the tool should usually be one of your first troubleshooting steps.

    1. Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as    administrator. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or    click Allow
    2. Type the following command, and then press ENTER:  sfc /scannow 

    [The sfc /scannow command scans all protected system files and replaces incorrect versions with correct    Microsoft versions.]

    A message will appear stating that 'The system scan will begin'. Be patient because the scan may take some time

    1. If any files require a replace SFC will replace them. You may be asked to insert your Win7 DVD for this process    to continue
    2. If everything is okay you should, after the scan, see the following message "Windows resource protection did not    find any integrity violations"
    3. After the scan has completed, close the command prompt window, restart the computer and check.

    Check the below mentioned link for further guidance on SFC scan –

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833

    Thanks and Regards:

    Suresh Kumar- Microsoft Support.

    Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

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  2. Anonymous
    2009-11-29T09:33:16+00:00

    I've added my feedback in bold/underlined to your post

    Hi,

       

    Welcome to Microsoft Windows 7 Answers Forum!  

     

    You may try the steps as below and check if the issue gets fixed,

     

    Lets try these three troubleshooting methods first and verify if it is resolved.

    Method 1.

    Now you have to stop the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service and check for the issue, to do that you need to follow the steps provided below.

     

    1. Control Panel -- Administrative Tools -- Services. Find the Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service, open it, click on Stop to stop the service.

    DONE

     

    1. Close Windows Media Player 12 if it is started.

     

    My problem is that WMP will not start, so it’s impossible for me to close it.

     

     

    1. input %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Media Player\ to Windows Explorer to find the folder.

     DONE

    1. Move all files in the folder to another place as a backup.

    DONE

    Note: Move files in the specific folder will reset database.

     

    1. Restart Windows Media Player to see if we can add files to Library now.

    WMP will still not open – no change to the problem after following Method 1

     

     

     

    Method 2. 

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

         net localgroup "Administrators" "NT Authority\Local Service" /add

     

     

    Did this – “The command completed successfully"

    .

     

      4. Press enter and restart the computer

    Rebooted - WMP will still not open. No change to the problem after following Method 2.

     

    Method 3.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".

    1. Click on "Turn Windows features On or Off".
    2. Browse to the Media Features and uncheck the mark in front of Windows Media Player.
    3. 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".

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

    Try playing the file now.

    As mentioned in my original post, method 3 was the very first solution I tried, and it did not work.

     

    Thank you for all 3 methods, but as you can see none of them worked. Any other ideas?

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