How to play FLAC file with Windows Media Player 12

Sorry if I appeared in my reply to suggest that the shark007 codecs pack is not a additional choice. That was not my intention. I went to the site to read about it after your post. I am assuming; and maybe I am wrong to assume that someone who would post at Microsoft on how to play FLAC files in Windows Media Player; is not familiar with what is available. Someone who is more advanced on knowing that there are other formats that reproduce music without any loss of the original recording. I did not find my answer at Microsoft, would have never thought to look there. The original post I replied to was posted in 2010. So what I am saying since I often post answers and have questions, is that most people who ask questions about Lossless audio reproduction are often just getting into it, and do not understand what all the terminology or even understand what codecs are. So I try to keep it simple. And I think that K-Lite is very simple, does not require a lot of thinking to install it just follow the suggestions the program makes. That is my objective in giving my answer and opinion. "Correction" K-Lite installs Media Player Classic by default not Real Player. To a novice that could be a plus, since you cannot play Blu-ray in Windows Media Player without an additional player for Blu-ray. Knowledgeable people know how to install the codecs to get around those issues. But for someone who does not know about codecs & just wants to be able to have options outside of WAV & MP3. K-lite is simple for them.

K-lite sneakily loads "Real Player" in it's standard install and makes it the default player, not WMP 12.

Not quite "simplicity". Suggesting shark007 codec pack to play FLAC is just another way to play it.

Choose custom install with both and decline or skip add-ons.  For K-lite, untick Real Player in one of the install windows that open.

Use default or "Shark SUGGESTED settings" if using this codec pack and If you have ULC disabled, then use default.

K-lite or Shark007, it's good to have a choice :-)

You are right about the sound card and speakers for Lossless audio, but people who are less aware of what to do, should find the K-lite codecs pack more practical cause of it's simplicity. It will remove any unnecessary codecs that would cause conflict and is very user friendly to the novice as well as the advance. I am not familiar with shark007 codec pack. So I think a more practical answer again is K-Lite pack. I have an external sound card and it is connected to a surround sound receiver, connected to 2 way speakers and sub-woofer. But again the question is "How to play FLAC files" in Windows Media Player 12.

K-lite codec pack is one option to play FLAC with WMP and a better one overall would be to install shark007 codec pack

To receive the full advantage of FLAC (or anything else) in sound quality, you really need a decent sound card and quality speakers, as the quality of any sound is only as good as it's weakest link. In Computers it's the lack of a sound card and [usually] the pathetic speaker quality inbuilt or attached.

A quality PC speaker system needs a quality sound card or they are a waste of money. FLAC needs both.