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Can I revert back to WMP 11 in Windows 7? WMP 12 is a broken piece of BETA quality software.
Can I revert back to WMP 11 in Windows 7? WMP 12 is a broken piece of BETA quality software.
- First let me say that I am not a Microsoft hater or I wouldn't have upgraded all 3 of my home computers to Windows 7. However I am having major usability issues with the default media applications which I have paid for and expected to be able to use. I have not experienced any other major problems with Windows 7, but this is bad enough for me. I have been using my system to stream media files (mostly music) to a D-Link Windows Media Center extender. Everything was working properly (albeit a bit buggy) with Windows Vista and WMP 11. Now that I've upgraded to Windows 7 x64 I cannot get WMP 12 to load my mp3 library of approximately 450 GB. It keeps trying and trying and dominating my system resources only to "unwind" and lose all the library info. I had this problem and reported it while using the RC, but was hoping it would be resolved by the official release. I guess I was too hopeful and now I need to get this fixed. I would be more than willing to uninstall WMP 12 and install WMP 11 if it is possible...of course, I'd also be happy if Microsoft could fix WMP 12 too.
- Changed TypeSean Zhu -MSFT, ModeratorFriday, November 13, 2009 5:25 AM
All Replies
- There are no 'supported' procedures for doing that. A number of people have reported success at getting WMP11 to work in Windows 7, however:
http://tinyurl.com/y8zh67r
Although I personally dislike WMP12 severely, and have to wonder if the design/interface/feature changes were dreamt up by a drunken, rabid monkey with a learning disorder, I'd definitely NOT try any of the procedures mentioned on anything but a 'test box' machine initially. Techwrighter Here! Here! for saying that...LoL!!
One question, "Why would microsoft release a buggy windows media player 12?" You can't (at least I can't) play a simple video file such as MPEG, AVI, WMV, DVD, ect without the windows media player 12 crashing. I really wish I could downgrade to Windows Media Player 11 which really works great! in vista, So I can install Windows 7 and enjoy the Operating System.
I just had to reinstall vista on 4 of my computers, lots of countless hours and hours of installing Windows 7 and then reinstalling vista.
Now, I have 4 copies of the retail version of windows 7 that doesn't work right, what waste of hard earned money.
- As much as I dislike the new version of WMP, I must say that I haven't experienced it 'crashing' when playing media files. I've used it with libraries which include hundreds of gigabytes of music and videos, in various file formats, and it has played all without issue.
If you are experiencing 'crashes' then the cause will be a different problem on your machine, not an inherent 'flaw' within the Media Player app itself! It's (IMO) poorly designed, but it DOES work! As much as I dislike the new version of WMP, I must say that I haven't experienced it 'crashing' when playing media files. I've used it with libraries which include hundreds of gigabytes of music and videos, in various file formats, and it has played all without issue.
If you are experiencing 'crashes' then the cause will be a different problem on your machine, not an inherent 'flaw' within the Media Player app itself! It's (IMO) poorly designed, but it DOES work!
I'm only having crashing problems with Windows Media Player 12, nothing else. Plus, I have built 4 new computer systems with all perfectly matched devices designed for Windows 7 (design logo is on all devices I have). All 4 systems do have the same issue, just with the Windows Media Player 12. And NO it DOESN'T work in ALL 4 systems I have.
Hmmm, I wouldn't be posting the issues with windows media player 12 here if I didn't have the issue.- Not saying that you aren't experiencing crashes, friend, or that the crashes experienced might not only manifest in WMP. Just saying that they won't be an inherent 'flaw' of the app which would thus necessarily be experienced by everybody using it. Instead, they'll relate to a different problem on your particular system, and that if that causal problem is resolved then they'll go away.
For example, if you have corrupted DivX avi files on the system it can not only detrimentally impact on Media Player. If 'preview' is enabled in Explorer the presence of those files can cause Explorer to crash as well. Get rid of the problem files and the problem goes away. - Kinda quiet in here...no MS people have any clue??? I guess not or we wouldn't be hanging around here looking for fixes, LOL.
- Yes, we do not recommend our users to downgrade to WMP 11 and currently there is no official method to do so. However, your valuable feedback regarding the latest Windows Media Player is appreciated and I will record this to our internal tool.
For WMP 12 crash issue, have you installed any third party codec packages? You can temporarily remove them and see the result. Till now, I have not encountered such WMP crash issue on my computer.
Sean Zhu - MSFT - WMP 12 is WORSE than beta, as all it does is remove capability from the previous version, WMP 11, which was great. I have tried for 2 days to build my music library from scratch after "upgrading" from Vista, and my library will not build. I have about 30k tracks, WMP 11 handled it fine. I am totally frustrated and PO'd. Really thinking of wiping my system and returning to Vista. WMP 12 never crashes, it just hangs on library update, and cannot be killed (not even with Task Manager) except by logging off. I have no clue what to do to rebuild my library. No support available. This forum is useless. Why there is no WMP 11 library importer is a great mystery. That was really a brain-dead mistake. I'm using WMP 12 build 12.0.7600.16415 on Win7 HP x64.
What is all this about Win7 being a huge improvement over Vista? My McAfee anti virus is incompatible with Win7, so I am to some extent unprotected as well. This sucks. - I gave up on Windows Media Player 12 the program is totally useless, for the crashing I meant the program hangs alot very time I play a simple mpeg video file. I love WMP 11 it worked great for everything you throw at it. I really do love Windows 7, but, the Windows Media Player 12 is ____...just my option.
I spent more money to get better video players that can handle all video file playing, such as MPEG, WMV, AVI, DVD, DVD-A, BD Retail, BD-R, BD-RE, CD Audio, MP3 and many many others.
On another note, I've tried so many different ways to try to get Windows Media Play 12 to work right, from not installing no codec packages to one at a time...no go the program hangs period. - Well I've had enough, WMP12 has just coastered 4 more CD's. I mean seriously CD burning is really not very difficult, free apps under a 1MB can do. Windows 7 has no problem burning data to CDs from the shell, WMP12 crashes like a drunken teenager. On the plus side I am having a serious WINAMP revival on my machine now, I'm probably just going to buy a pro copy and let it do my CD burning as well.
Doesn't solve my problems on the media PC, but I think I am just going to have to revert to Vista (did I really say that!) but hey on the Media PC all I use it for is Media Centre and if it takes WMP11 and vista to make that work properly then so be it.
I really think it is time MS released an official way to rip out WMP12 and put WMP11 back in. Windows 7 is fantastic, but WMP12 really lets it down, especially if your using it as a media PC only, WMP12 is pretty much the heart of it and your a bit stuffed with WMP12.
To date I can't get my media centre PC to fill the library with all my files, i can't get it to play certain DivX files in Media Center with or without extra codecs (although it will play them in bot 32 and 64 bit media player apps! go figure!
Please please please MS give us a way to remove WMP12 until it is actually a stable and useable piece of software. @Gary Martyn
You are so right on the money about WMP 12, I'm done with Windows 7 and the countless hours I've spent dealing with the WMP 12 issues. Why can't a end-user simply uninstall WMP 12 and have a choice to install WMP 11. Also, People on here think it's my computer system (which is fully Windows 7 ready) causing the problem that I'm having. When having vista and WMP 11 installed on the same system worked fine.
Why Oh Why can't Microsoft give us end-users a choice to what WMP version we want?
Also, I've tried the windows 7 and WMP 12 on 8 differrent computer systems that are fully Windows 7 ready, same issue. The WMP 12 freezes. It's NOT my ram memory (I've got plenty of that) or video card or processor, all are high-end devices.
I just revert back to vista and using WMP 11 and are working great! and Awesome! ...end of sleepless nights and headaches. I will keep using vista until the end of life of the OS.
- @Gary: There already is an easy way to remove WMP12 using the Turn Windows Features On or Off control panel. :)
Regardless: What's the crash dump for the crash you mention? Event Viewer will have a general view of the data from that - if you can't find or create a DMP file, the Event Viewer data for that crash should potentially be useful.
If it's a hang, use Task Manager, go to the Processes tab and select "Create Dump File" for the wmplayer.exe process and then upload that DMP file to a file hosting site so it can be looked at.
What's the specific profile of those "DivX" files? "DivX" is a grossly generic term indicating all sorts of junk. What actual and specific codec profiles are being used in those problematic files? Generally speaking you wouldn't need "extra codecs" to play historical "DivX" files anyways. And of course: it's hard to comment meaningfully without seeing a precise example of the type of content that's giving you trouble. So a related test file or URL showing your issue might be helpful. Or: the file profile as provided by any one of the AVI file inspection / codec inspector tools. :) - Quite right. I just recently moved away from other softwares to WMP11 because it seemed FINALLY it had some nice features (MICROSOFT, ADD "SPACE" TO PLAY/STOP IMMEDIATLY ... WHATS UP WITH CTRL+P?, or even better, a "change shortcuts" pane would make my trust on Ms return).And now Im stuck with W7 and this BETA software? what was that, really? I would love to see it actually WORKING.I have only 4k musics and its still ____ to organize them under WMP12, here is WHY:1. If I rename/delete a song, it WON'T get updated on WMP122. After you restart WMP12 by ordering it to rebuild the library, it will simply ADD the new files, but the OLD files stay there .. you can't play them, since THEY DON'T EXIST!3. YOU CANNOT REMOVE A FILE THAT NO LONGER EXISTS FROM THE LIBRARY ... seriously, WAS WMP12 TESTED AT ALL?So, if you add 1+2+3 and you like to organize your files manually, like a computer user and not a wizard addict who can't open explorer, you get where I got: WMP12 would list 5 (that's FIVE) times the same song, 4 would get a small "i" on the left saying the file was not available or something. I could not delete them (remove would do NOTHING). Since there is no easy way to tell WMP12 to clean up the mess, I figured a tentative way: just keep double-clicking a file that does not exists, and after so many fails it will pop up saying something about "too many files cannot be found, do you want to clean up the library from files that are not available?" (how mad was I to start clicking it away?)YES PLEASE I thought! ... progress bar ... and there I go ...NO CHANGE!Back to winamp ...
So is there a patch coming out to fix this issue?
I find it hard to believe that no regression testing was done before this software was released. A new software release should not remove capability.- Microsoft has sent zachd (who must be some sort of expert in psychological counseling services) to help us come to terms with the loss of the Windows Media Player.
It's no good for Microsoft if the press comes and peeks at these forums at the moment so they must pretend there is some kind of response to all the complaints.
The plain english version of the story is: we are ****ed. WMP12 is the way it is and there is nothing they want to do about. Microsoft prefers if we use another program, so we can go away and stop complaining here. So is there a patch coming out to fix this issue?
I find it hard to believe that no regression testing was done before this software was released. A new software release should not remove capability.
For what specific issue?
Microsoft has sent zachd ...
Oh god no. Please don't misrepresent me. :) I'm here on my own time on my own behalf speaking for myself only and in no way represent nor speak for MS. The other people with MSFT in their name might be from support: I'm certainly not from support and I'm certainly not from "PR" or anybody else who might be vaguely qualified or competent to speak for MS. I have a hard enough time speaking for myself. :)
You know how maybe you watch TV or play WoW or do something else online with your free time? I try to use my free time doing pro bono tech help as possible. :)
It's no good for Microsoft if the press comes and peeks at these forums at the moment so they must pretend there is some kind of response to all the complaints.
I can't speak for anyone else, but I am absolutely not providing any kind of "Microsoft" response to any issue whatsoever. I'm just little old me, trying to help people and in turn benefit from their insight, as I have for the past long long while. I personally think these forums are pretty horrible, but -- I'm trying to add a little value to people's computing experience through using my own time and energy. Miscasting me as representing MS is unfair to the both of us. The "MSFT" is my online "name" because it's required to by the "Microsoft standards for participation in online communities" or such for MSFT employees. That's it. I apologize if that's confusing to you. Assume I'm a janitor there and we'll all be happier. ;)- I have finally gotten WMP12 to import my entire library. I had my library cataloged with an alphabetical folder structure and I was able to add a letter at a time until complete.
The only problem is getting the extenders (XBox 360 & D-Link DSM-750) to load the library successfully. I was able to use these extenders with Vista and libraries loaded up easily. They only go through the same process that WMP12 did when I tried to add entire mp3 folder to library...they spend 1-3 hours loading artist/album info, only to choke, gag and spit out everything until there are no artists/albums in library at all. If I didn't have extenders I would just give up on MS media products, but I'm pretty well stuck with it.
The CPU usage and memory usage levels are maxed out for hours and then nothing! I am so aggravated right now it's not even funny. MS designed a pretty slick looking new Media Center but I have not even been able to enjoy it for a single minute!!! Hours of wasted time trying to jimmy this and tweak that because MS can't be bothered to develop and troubleshoot their OWN software properly.
Windows 7...it will be SO MUCH BETTER...NO BUGS LIKE VISTA, EASY...SIMPLE...FAST....................BULL$$HIT
MS...YOU LIED or GOT REALLY LAZY WITH MEDIA DEVELOPMENT.......IT IS BROKEN and WE WANT IT FIXED!!!!!!!
I'm really thinking of looking into a MAC...(DID I JUST SAY THAT???) I hate Macs so WIN7 must be pretty bad :(
apologies for rant, but I am so pi$$ed right now :)
Bill Gates....wake the ____ up and crack the whip before you lose even more users!!!!! This one works. It solved everything. Downgrade to WMP 11. I haven't had any problem with this downgrade whatsoever. Get rid of the WMP 12 until MS fixes that thing. It really drove me crazy. Here's the link. It really works. http://www.blogsdna.com/2409/downgrade-windows-media-player-12-to-wmp-11-on-windows-7.htm . Now I'm happy.
James
