How to Repair Windows Media Player: A Comprehensive Guide

Windows Media Player is a popular media player application that comes pre-installed with Microsoft Windows operating systems. It allows users to play various audio and video files, as well as manage their media libraries. However, sometimes users may encounter issues with Windows Media Player, such as crashes, freezes, or errors. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore several methods to repair Windows Media Player and get it working smoothly again.

Reinstalling Windows Media Player

One of the most effective ways to repair Windows Media Player is to reinstall it. Here’s how you can do it:

Go to Start and in the search type “Turn Windows features On or Off”.
Click on “Turn Windows features On or Off”.
Uncheck the “Media Features” box to uninstall Windows Media Player.
Click OK and restart your computer.
Revisit the “Turn Windows features On or Off” window and recheck the “Media Features” box to reinstall Windows Media Player.
Click OK and restart your computer again to complete the process.

Repairing Windows Media Player with Microsoft’s Fixit Tool

Microsoft offers a Fixit Tool that can help repair common issues with Windows Media Player. Here’s how you can use it:

Download the Fixit Tool from Microsoft’s website.
Launch the tool and select the option to repair Windows Media Player issues.
Follow the prompts to complete the repair process.

Clearing the Windows Media Player Cache

Clearing the Windows Media Player cache can sometimes resolve issues. Here’s how you can do it:

Open Windows Media Player and press Ctrl M to open the menu.
Select Tools > Advanced > Restore Media Library.
Clear the Windows Media Player cache by deleting the files in the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Media Player folder.

Checking for System File Corruption

System file corruption can cause issues with Windows Media Player. You can use the System File Checker (SFC) to scan and repair corrupted system files:

Open Command Prompt as an administrator.
Type sfc /scannow and press Enter.

Repairing Corrupt Windows Media Player Database

If the Windows Media Player database becomes corrupted, you can repair it by following these steps:

Open the Run wizard by pressing Windows R keys.
Type %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Media Player and hit OK.
Select all files within the folder and use Shift Delete keys to permanently delete all files.
Launch Windows Media Player, its database will now be restored.

If you encounter the error “The current database could not be removed since it was opened in the Windows Media Network Sharing Service”, follow these additional steps:

Open the Run window using Windows R keys.
Type services.msc and hit OK.
Locate the “Windows Media Network Sharing Service”, right-click on it, and choose Stop.
Access the Run wizard again and type %LOCALAPPDATA%/Microsoft, then click OK.
Locate the “Media Player” folder and delete it.
Empty the Recycle bin and reboot your system.

Using System Restore

If you recently made changes to your system that caused issues with Windows Media Player, you can use System Restore to revert your system to a previous state:

Select the Start button and then type “system restore”.
Select “Create a restore point” and then in the System Properties pane, select “System Restore”.
Follow the prompts to select the restore point just before the round of updates that seemed to trigger the problem.
Run the system restore process.

In conclusion, there are several methods to repair Windows Media Player, including reinstalling the application, using Microsoft’s Fixit Tool, clearing the cache, checking for system file corruption, repairing the database, and using System Restore. By following these steps, you should be able to resolve most issues with Windows Media Player and enjoy a smooth media playback experience.