Vista Home Premium SP2 WMP will not function due to remaining running as a start up process.

Question：

Vista Home Premium SP2

Recently I found I could not open or play files in Windows Media Player. Eventually I found that wmplayer .exe was displayed as running in Windows Task Manager under Processes immediately following start up and remained so. If I select it and then End Process, Media Player will then work as expected until the next time I start up and the problem is repeated.

I also used Software Explorer category Start Up Programs and stopped WMP Network Sharing Service Configuration Application (WMPNSCFG.exe). The next time I logged on Media Player did seem to operate correctly. However, after that, the next time I started up WMP would not open again and I found that the original WMPNSCFG.exe was still stopped but another one had been created and was running.

I have also unchecked Find Media That Others Are Sharing and Share My media under Media Sharing in WMP.

How can I get WMP to operate without having to end process on wmplayer .exe in Task Manager every time I start up?

Answer 1：Further to above:

The Software Explorer paragraph is a red herring. I tried it again and disabled the 2nd WMP Network Sharing Service Configuration Application entry. The original disabled copy disappeared and the duplicate entry item (now the only one) remained disabled at next startup.  I have now permitted it again.

I have since found the reason I was able to open WPM is because I had done so before wmplayer .exe had loaded to the Processes.  It appears in Task Manager sone 25 seconds or more after start up. If I try before it appears I am OK, as soon as it is there I cant open WMP without first ending the process.

The question still stands. How can I get WMP to operate without having to end process on wmplayer .exe in Task Manager every time I start up?

Answer 2：

Hi,

 To help troubleshoot error messages and other issues, you can start Windows Vista by using a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This kind of startup is known as a "clean boot." A clean boot helps eliminate software conflicts. To check if any services or programs are conflicting with WMP(Windows Media Player).

 

The following link has steps showing how to perform clean boot.

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

 

1)     Perform clean boot ( Check the link for Performing clean boot)

2)      Enable half of the services

3)      Determine whether the problem returns

4)      Enable half of the startup items

5)      Determine whether the problem returns

6)      Repeat the above steps until you find out which service or program is causing the issue

 

After you determine the startup item or the service that causes the problem, contact the program manufacturer to determine whether the problem can be resolved. Or, run the System Configuration Utility, and then click to clear the check box for the problem item.

 

Note: Please ensure that the computer is set to start as usual by following the step 7 from the article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135. 

 

Looking forward for your reply

Thanks and Regards:

Diana: MICROSOFT SUPPORT

 

 

Answer 3：Hello Diana
Thank you for such a quick answer. The link makes good sense to me. Unfortunately I will not be able to have a go before Monday but I will certainly let you know the outcome.
Many thanks,
Nick