Kill WMPlayer

Whenever I click on links sent to me via IM, or use the "Use web service to find appropriate program" option when dealing with unknown file extensions, it always opens up Windows Media Player (which then tells me that the file cannot be played due to missing codecs), instead of Internet Explorer. I figure deleting WMPlayer would help remedy this, but thre's no option in the control panel to uninstall, and deleting the program only causes it to...regenerate. This is a problem seeing as how I need to get updates this way as well. If anyone can help me with this, or at least give me a way to kill WMPlayer, I'd be grateful. Thanks.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

If you know what program you need to open it with, in Windows XP, you can right click and choose "Open with" and hit the browse button to choose the correct program.

If you want to change it permanently, then open up a folder (My Computer will do), click on Tools in the menu bar, and go to Folder Options. Go to the "File Types" tab, find the extension you want to change, hit the "Change" button, and then choose the program you want it to open with permanently.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by galador

If you know what program you need to open it with, in Windows XP, you can right click and choose "Open with" and hit the browse button to choose the correct program.

If you want to change it permanently, then open up a folder (My Computer will do), click on Tools in the menu bar, and go to Folder Options. Go to the "File Types" tab, find the extension you want to change, hit the "Change" button, and then choose the program you want it to open with permanently.

Ah if only it were that easy. Here, let me post a more...visual analysis of the problem. Please refer to the attachments, as my file hosting is being uncooperative.

1a: I double click on the unknown file extension and get this.


2a: I select the web option and this happens.


1b: I click on a link in IM. AIM in this case.


2b: Same result as 2a.


It's not a matter of choosing "Open with..." Apparently IM links don't do that. Note the decided lack of that option here - att. 3


And I can't very well do it in example 1a since it's a button.

Like I said in the OP, I'd uninstall WMPlayer (So I could choose to open these things with Internet Explorer when it cannot find WMPlayer), but for the fact that I simply CAN'T. Windows won't let me. And yes, I've tried shutting down system restore.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Why don't you try the other option? You know, the one where you take two seconds of your life and find the appropriate program for your file.

And uh, pretty sure you can't uninstall WMPlayer, chief.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by galen

Why don't you try the other option? You know, the one where you take two seconds of your life and find the appropriate program for your file.

And uh, pretty sure you can't uninstall WMPlayer, chief.

1: I'm not trying to find the file extension (I have that already). I'm trying to figure out how to keep it from opening WMPlayer instead of IExplorer. You'd know that if you bothered to read my post completely instead of rushing to reply with your half-brained commentary, chief.

2: This prevents me from getting certain things such as virus protection updated, since it's basically the same situation.

3: If you have nothing constructive to add, get out. I come here asking for help, (which, as I said before, is the reason this thread is here.) not your smartass comments. Ass.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I have a semi-related question: Is it possible to remove the WMP (copy to disc, enque, play in WMP, etc.) entries from file context menus (rightclick menu)?

I don't use WMP, but I don't want to completely uninstall it, either. I just want to get rid of these entries I never use and that are cluttering up the context menu on all sorts of media files.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

@Rock : Give this a whirl.

@McCloud : What kind of files are you trying to open?

FELIPE NO

Yeah, it would really help if you told us the file extension of the file you're trying to open.

My recommendation would be to use some sort of code pack that comes with Media Player Classic which is the best media player for Windows. Windows Media Player that comes with Windows isn't a very good media player however. Plain and simple, don't use it unless it's the only option which it should in most cases never should be.

Try out Combined Community Codec Pack. It comes with Media Player Classic and all the codecs you'll probably ever need.

http://www.cccp-project.net/


As for uninstalling Windows Media Player. Microsoft has a little faq on their website for that. It might not really be the solution you're looking for in typical Microsoft fashion though. My recommendation is to upgrade to the latest Windows Media Player which isn't as terrible as earlier versions and just not use it. It won't be as bloated at the very least. Anyway if someone knows a sure way to remove it then tell away!

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...tion.mspx#q2_3

Double Post:
Also, McCloud, never use BMP to show us images ever again. EVER.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by McCloud

1: I'm not trying to find the file extension (I have that already). I'm trying to figure out how to keep it from opening WMPlayer instead of IExplorer. You'd know that if you bothered to read my post completely instead of rushing to reply with your half-brained commentary, chief.

2: This prevents me from getting certain things such as virus protection updated, since it's basically the same situation.

3: If you have nothing constructive to add, get out. I come here asking for help, (which, as I said before, is the reason this thread is here.) not your smartass comments. Ass.

Keep on trucking homie!

EDIT: I just noticed you did a sneaky edit after my post. Nicely done.

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If you go to Add/Remove Programs, and then click Add/Remove Windows Components, WMP is one of the programs listed that can be unchecked. I don't think this will entirely remove it, but it might stop defaulting to it if you uncheck it. It's worth a try, if you havn't done so allready.

And while I don't recommend it, if you're really insistant on killing the WMP files, you need to remove them both from Windows/System32, and Windows/System32/dllcache. You have to kill the dllcache version first, or the system32 file will respawn from it. Because it's ingrained in Windows, you're more likely to get plauged with error messages down the line when it can't find the player.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Retriever, it removes access to WMP from the Start Menu, Quick Launch, and similar places; doesn't remove the program itself.

Also, I removed WMP perfectly well in Windows XP, and haven't had the slightest of issues. The program I used for this was nLite, but unless you're willing to reinstall and have a disc of your OS laying around, that won't be of use to you.

If you're looking to get rid of it in an active system, and don't want to reinstall, xplite is a sure bet. I use it on Windows XP SP1/2 installs, and it prunes things like that and the driver cache without any sort of problems. It's not a free program, though, so if you're unwilling to pay for it, I suggest you look on Mininova or some other torrent tracking site to hunt it down.

To the OP, never use the Use the web service... option when you open a file, since that thing sucks at telling you what to do. filext is a good bet of how to find out what an extension is used for.

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I didn't say it would remove it, hence the dllcache stuff. I suggested that Windows might stop falling back on it to open unknown types with. But I've never tried it's only a suggestion.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by AcerBandit

Also, McCloud, never use BMP to show us images ever again. EVER.

Seriously, why would Bitmap images even be allowed as an attachment file type in the first place? It makes no sense and is a waste of bandwidth if you ask me.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by AcerBandit

Also, McCloud, never use BMP to show us images ever again. EVER.

Sorry about that. I meant to use jpegs, but...well, I screwed up, let's leve it that.

Also, I got it figured out. Thanks anyway.







Actually, no. But nobody seems to understand what the hell I'm talking about here, so I'm just letting this drop. It's too much of a damned hassle.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Sorry to hear that, dude. I hope you can get your problem solved. I hope this doesn't prevent you from coming back here for help. Please do.

FELIPE NO

Did you even consider the possibility that AIM is your problem here and not Windows Media Player?

From the pictures you posted it seems to me that you're trying to open plain website URLs, not files of any kind. You should consider using a different instant messaging client if you can't track down the problem to a simple configuration error.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?