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Computer help forum: Windows Media Player has stopped working

by: Freedom55 January 14, 2011 5:03 PM PST

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Windows Media Player has stopped working

by Freedom55 - 1/14/11 5:03 PM

My Windows Media Player has just stopped connecting to the Internet. It will play the CDs that I have loaded previously but when I try to connect to Internet radio, I get an error message - "Line: 157" "Error: Expected ')' in regular expression". This doesn't mean anything to me. Oh, when the initial WMP page loads, it asks me if I want to debug the page (never used to happen). When I click "Yes" it tells me it can't be debugged (so why did it ask?).

I've tried a system restore - no joy - and run a full system scan - no malware. I don't know what to try next. Any thoughts from you wizards out there?

I'm running Windows Vista, SP2 and IE 8 on a Dell XPS 720.

Thanks in advance for any advice.


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My first thought is "plugins."

by R. Proffitt Moderator - 1/14/11 5:08 PM

In Reply to: Windows Media Player has stopped working by Freedom55

http://www.ehow.com/how_6962357_disable-windows-media-player-plugins.html shows you how to disable those. While I can crash WMP with a corrupt image or video file (widely discussed) your symptom has me thinking that a plugin is failing.
Bob


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No joy there

by Freedom55 - 1/14/11 8:06 PM

In Reply to: My first thought is "plugins." by R. Proffitt Moderator

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the comment. I checked for plugins but I only have the default visualization setup - which can't be disabled. My thought is a file or setting that has somehow become corrupted but I don't know where to look or how to restore - if that is the problem??

Most frustrating.


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Then the next usual is the video drivers.

by R. Proffitt Moderator - 1/14/11 8:28 PM

In Reply to: No joy there by Freedom55

I read you suspect damage to WMP but you don't tell why. If it wasn't for that I would suspect video or audio driver problems. Some folk update those from Windows Update and report problems like this.

Ok, since WMP is part of the OS let's use SFC for Vista. Links about this at google or http://www.support4vista.com/tips/system-file-checker.htm

It's very important to know if you are posting at http://www.justanswer.com/computer/4gq0g-windows-media-player-stopped-working-error-message.html since I need to know what else is being done.
Bob


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Problem Solved - Sort Of

by Freedom55 - 1/15/11 11:18 AM

In Reply to: Then the next usual is the video drivers. by R. Proffitt Moderator

Hi Bob,

Firstly, I suspected a corrupted file since the problem started just after I downloaded the latest update from Microsoft.

In any case, it's working now (after a fashion). I went into my anti-virus software (F-Secure)and changed the setting for WMP from "Allow" to "Block". Then opened WMP and tried to connect - same error message (no great surprise). I then went back to F-Secure and changed the setting from "Block" to "Allow". Re-opened WMP and it connected to an Internet radio site. Closed WMP and then reopened only to find the same error message - tried a different station only to have it connect just fine. Once a connection was established I could go back the the original station and connect.

So, it's working after a fashion, I just have to fiddle with it a bit. Strange beasts these computers.

Thanks very much for your time and comments.

Barry.


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AHA!

by R. Proffitt Moderator - 1/15/11 10:32 PM

In Reply to: Problem Solved - Sort Of by Freedom55

That's a GREAT clue.

Here's what I'm encountering today. Firewalls and ESPECIALLY the new "privacy protection feature" of such antivirus suites are causing new and interesting failures. I can't say I know all of the suites that cause this but if you block a MSFT app, it can do very odd things.
Bob


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Right

by Freedom55 - 1/16/11 5:14 PM

In Reply to: AHA! by R. Proffitt Moderator

I'm guessing that the last MS update reset or changed something in the way the program reacts to the anti-virus software. Sure tough to diagnose some of these problems. Wouldn't it be so much easier if we didn't need anti-virus software!!


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