[stufix]

Hi All,

I have XP Home and use Media Player and it is happy to play all the media file types I have - mainly mp3. All mp3 files are on partitioned "D" drive.

I have now set up user profiles for family members but Media Play refuses to play the very same mp3 files from within their profile. We get error message saying file corrupt or I haven't got the appropriate codec.

Real Player, by the way, WILL play the very same files quite happily from their profiles.

Any advise would be welcomed

Rgds

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Maybe you should move the files to the Shared Documents folder.

Perhaps Media Player observes security file access restrictions that Real Player does not for files accessed from a different user profile.

[Arius]

Maybe you should move the files to the Shared Documents folder.

Perhaps Media Player observes security file access restrictions that Real Player does not for files accessed from a different user profile.

[stufix]

Maybe you should move the files to the Shared Documents folder.

Perhaps Media Player observes security file access restrictions that Real Player does not for files accessed from a different user profile.

Tks. Tried this (moved an mp3 file to the shared folder and the same problem.

Anyone else have any ideas please?

Rgds

[Arius]

OK you are right. It probably has nothing to do with file ownership or permissions.

Have you downloaded the very latest version of windows media player?

You can get it from microsoft. Get it here.

Maybe just reinstalling it will solve your problem.

[stufix]

Arius,
Tks again. I think we are both new members.

As suggested, I've upgraded to MP10. Still the same problem though.

There must be difference in the way MP is treating the file types when logged in as different users as it is clearly the same application running in when I or another user run it. Where does it get this info from??

I suspect it is a registry problem but don't know how to find out or what to look for. I've run Registry Mechanic, but that made no difference.

BTW, MP wont play audio CDs either when logged in as anther user.

Rgds

[gerryf]

how are you trying to load said MP3 files within the other profiles? Double click?

I wonder if the files are not properly associated with WMP in those other profiles?

Open WMP in a non working profile through the START menu, choose TOOLS > OPTIONS and go to the FILE TYPES tab. Hit SELECT ALL button, and then hit OK.

try again

[stufix]

Jerryf,

For the non-working user the "File Types" tab does not appear on WMP Options panel (I've tried setting the other user to limited and admin type with no difference. It does appear when logged in as me.

The files themselves show the WMP icon through Windows Explorer.

Does this provide a clue?

Rgds

[gerryf]

It's certainly interesting....Windows XP pro or home?

Are these legally downloaded songs, as in, downloaded from a service that uses digital rights management, or are they songs you've ripped yourself from your own cds?

It doesn't surprise me that a tab is missing from Options, but I was not aware that was one that coule be removed from group policy.....I need to drop to a different system to check this.

[stufix]

gerryf,
They're all from my own CDs. It seems that it doesn't like anything, whether I try to play an mp3, rip a cd, etc. Still get the same message.

I'm not a pc/microsoft expert at all, so this next bit might be a bit off the mark...

I got into regedit and was trying to spot differences between my profile and the non-working one. (It's all very complicated!!)

I see that HK_CURRENT_USER (me as current user) has a number of Extensions under Media Player (.aa, .aac, .mp4, etc), while same check when logged in as the other user there is only (.mov) present. So, I tried a movie file (.mpg) and it plays just fine in WMP!!!

So, does this mean the extensions list in the registry are missing and if so is it fixable. How could this happen?

Without the File Type tab on the user options how can I set all the types to WMP?

Thanks again for trying to help here.

[gerryf]

let's get to that in a second.

drop into a nonworking profile.

type
%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe %windir%\system32\l3codeca.acm
<enter>
then type
%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe %windir%\system32\l3codecx.ax
<enter>

then
%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe /u %windir%\system3\l3codeca.acm
<enter>

try playback now.

if it errors, report back


--

[stufix]

gerryf,

I think you might be my new hero. The first two were accepted OK, but the last one ("%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe /u %windir%\system3\l3codeca.acm" came back with module could not be located.

However, WMP now plays mp3 and wma (haven't tried anythign else yet). So just about top marks thanks.

So, what does the problem above mean and any idea why all this happened?

Rgds

[stufix]

gerryf,

Just noticed what I assumed was a typo in the last command (2 missing off system32). Re-tried and accepted OK. Good stuff, tks again.

Still not sure what you've done but it worked for this user as per my previous reply.

Rgds

[gerryf]

darn 2 key! (yeah, blame it on the keyboard instead of my crappy typing skills)

We just reregistered the mp3 codecs...

[stufix]

I'll take your word for that!

So, if it wont play some other file format in the future you might hear another cry for help.

Tks again

[Arius]

I'm glad you got the help you needed Stufix.