Recovering from a Windows Media Player Update

mtb · 02-19-03, 11:22 AM

This was a post by HARLEY. It is a quick fix for those who inadvertantly "update" their Windows Media Player to an older version. And, no hard reset is required!

Quote:

Originally posted by Harley
Similar problem here...

This is what I learned. The original Media Player is still on the system - it is stored on ROM (therefore cannot be overwritten) and may be located in the Windows sub-folder. (Look for Player.exe)

When you installed verison 7.1 is created a new folder Media Player folder under Program Files and this is where the media Player shortcut on the Start menu now points. Just need to point the shortcut to the 8.5 version located in the Windows sub-folder and delete the Media Player folder under Program Files.

All is now working here.

Donnie7 · 02-24-03, 04:37 AM

I have been frustrated by this problem for weeks and tried your solution but it I still can't open the application.

Harley · 02-24-03, 10:00 PM

Try opening file explorer and going to the windows sub directory. If player.exe is there (I bet it is). Then click on it. If Media Player opens fine (I bet it does), then your issue is in creating a shortcut to the proper file. If it doesn't open then something has become corrupted in ROM.

Not sure if even a hard reset can reload the ROM, so I sure hope it work for ya.

Good luck.

Donnie7 · 02-25-03, 01:40 AM

It is there - but will not load.

Harley · 02-25-03, 08:15 AM

hmmm. Well the only I other thing I can think of is-

1. Reinstall media player from the Blue DELL disk.
2. Copy the default.skn file from the Program Files/Media Player directory to the Windows directory.
3. Attempt to open player.exe from the windows directory.

If this works you can go back and delete the media player directory - but again you need to change the shortcuts to point to the player.exe file in the windows directory.

If this doesn't work I'd try "A hard reset"

If that doesn't work a, "A VERY Hard reset" (Remove BOTH batteries, press the D-Pad to remove any remaining charge, replace batteries).

and if that doesn't work, and you have some spare time, call DELL tech support - the ROM may need to be reflashed, which means it goes back to DELL.

papabear · 03-06-03, 12:20 AM

hey guys... i had the same thing happen. i "updated" my media player only to have it tell me that the skin file is not there. i corrected it by locating a skin for the media player and loaded it .problem went away. hope it helps

Donnie7 · 03-06-03, 01:04 AM

I tried loading the skin too but it doesn't seem to have worked. Where did you put the skin?

papabear · 03-06-03, 07:27 PM

hey donnie7. i put the skin in the built in storage, right in the same place that i put my themes. the media player should find them.

Donnie7 · 03-07-03, 12:10 AM

Still no luck I'm afraid.

janderson · 03-11-03, 12:21 PM

I also "updated" my media player. The hard reset definetely fixed my problem. I found the Blue Dell disk to be of little help as it just points you to a link for media player and it is the old version 7.1. The Hard reset wasn't as bad as what I thought it would be. I just copied all of my data back in from my desktop copy of my documents and after loading a few programs was back up and running.

Donnie7 · 03-11-03, 01:07 PM

I am sure a hard reset is in my immediate future because I am having to do a soft reset on my Axim several times a day lately, but I need a large block of time before I do it. I have so many programs loaded that I'm sure it will take a while.

Jimmy · 03-23-03, 09:55 AM

My solution to this screw up was that I just did a restore from a backup that I had done the day I got my axim. Sure, I had to reinstall some softwar (games), but I sync all of my important documents with a folder on my PC and so I didn't lose a thing.

There should be a warning or something on their site and possibly something built into their installer that recognizes that we have a newer version and don't need their old one.

;)

ahearn · 03-25-03, 07:47 PM

I had the same problem guys, and tried all the techniques mentioned here to avoid a hard reset. But in the end, the hard reset was necessary, and it cleared the problem .

To avoid some of the headaches necessary after such a reset in the future, I've learned my lesson and have now stored a full system backup on ROM ("built-in storage").:D

Logik · 03-31-03, 09:32 AM

so are we saying NOT to install the windows update for WMP?

peterbright · 04-07-03, 07:49 AM

You need to check the version number before installing any update.