4 Ways to Fix the “Windows Media Player Has Stopped Working” Error in Windows 7

If you’re using Windows 7 and have encountered the frustrating “Windows Media Player has stopped working” error, don’t worry – there are several ways to troubleshoot and resolve the issue. In this article, we’ll explore four effective methods to get your media player back up and running.

Method 1: Troubleshoot the Windows Media Player Library Via the Control Panel

One of the most common causes of the “Windows Media Player has stopped working” error is a corrupted or missing media library. Fortunately, you can easily troubleshoot this issue using the Control Panel:

1. Open the Control Panel and click on “Troubleshooting”.
2. Under “System and Security,” click on “Find and fix problems with Windows Media Player”.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to run the troubleshooter and apply any recommended fixes.

This should help resolve any issues with your media library and get Windows Media Player working again.

Method 2: Use the Audio and Video Troubleshooters

Windows 7 includes built-in troubleshooters for audio and video issues that can help diagnose and fix problems with Windows Media Player:

1. Open the Control Panel and click on “Troubleshooting”.
2. Under “System and Security,” click on “Playing audio” or “Playing video”.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to run the troubleshooter and apply any recommended fixes.

These troubleshooters can help identify and resolve issues with codecs, drivers, or other system settings that may be causing problems with Windows Media Player.

Method 3: Use the DISM and SFC Tools

If the above methods don’t resolve the issue, you can try using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) and System File Checker (SFC) tools to repair corrupted system files:

1. Open an elevated Command Prompt by right-clicking on the Start menu and selecting “Command Prompt (Admin)”.
2. Type the following command and press Enter: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
3. Once the DISM process is complete, type the following command and press Enter: sfc /scannow
4. Restart your computer and try launching Windows Media Player again.

The DISM and SFC tools can help repair any corrupted system files that may be causing issues with Windows Media Player.

Method 4: Reinstall the Windows Media Player

If all else fails, you can try reinstalling Windows Media Player. Here’s how:

1. Open the Control Panel and click on “Programs”.
2. Click on “Turn Windows features on or off”.
3. Uncheck the box next to “Windows Media Player” and click “OK”.
4. Restart your computer.
5. Repeat steps 2-3, but this time check the box next to “Windows Media Player” and click “OK”.
6. Restart your computer again and try launching Windows Media Player.

Reinstalling Windows Media Player can help resolve any underlying issues and restore the player to its default settings.