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Windows Media Player 9 Cannot Play Files


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#1
G Dogg

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Hi,

I have a problem that I think started after I installed Sygate Personal Firewall. Although, I'm really not sure if that is when it truly began.

I have Windows Media Player 9 installed. I have Windows 2000.

Anytime I try play videos online, I get the error in the topic description: "windows media player cannot play file because a network error occurred." It then tells me to check my network settings to make sure I am connected to the internet. I check everything and definitely am always on the internet while trying to view these files on the internet.

I thought maybe it was a problem with the video host whose videos I was trying to view, but that's not the problem, either, as others are able to view them on their computers. It's simply a problem on my end.

These are wmv files.

Like I said above, I believe the issue began when I installed Sygate, but I'm not 100% sure of that. I have made sure to allow WMP 9 access to the internet and allowed access to any applications that looked like they were Windows Media Player (was that a good idea?).

I have no idea how to fix this.

If anyone could help me out here, I'd be most appreciative. Thanks in advance!

Also, I disabled Sygate completely and tried to play files, but they still didn't play.
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#2
dsenette

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have you tried completely disabling sygate? (not a permanent fix...but if it works without the firewall...then we at least know where the problem is)
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#3
G Dogg

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Yes, I believe so. I exited Sygate and then tried it. That's all I needed to do, correct?

After I exited Sygate and attempted to play the files, but no luck.
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#4
gerryf

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try to re-install WMP over itself--get version 9 here:

http://www.oldversio...ogram.php?n=wmp
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#5
G Dogg

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try to re-install WMP over itself--get version 9 here:

http://www.oldversio...ogram.php?n=wmp


Ok. I just did that.

It still tells me a network error occurred. I am baffled and defeated right now.
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#6
wannabe1

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Hi G Dogg...

A bit of an odd problem...I'd say. Do you suppose it might be a proxy setting?

Open Media Player and click on "Tools", then on "Options". Under the "Network" tab, select your protocol (probably http), and click the "Configure" button. Put a tick in the button to "Autodetect Proxy Settings"...click "Ok"..."Apply"..."Ok"

Any change?

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#7
G Dogg

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Thanks for the responses everyone! You are all so friendly and helpful. I just want you to know your help is greatly appreciated. This is an outstanding site.

Back to the problem...

I just did what you said to do wannabe1 and there was no change. It delayed for a second and I thought it might be "buffering," but then it said the same thing, "Windows Media Player cannot play the file because a network error occurred."

Any more ideas?

Thanks again for all of your help! I'll keep trying whatever you guys tell me to do!
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#8
gerryf

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firewall?

Mcafee, norton, sygate, zonelab?
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#9
G Dogg

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Sygate firewall. I did, however, exit Sygate to see if it was the problem (as someone above suggested I do), and it still didn't work.

I have McAfee VirusScan Enterprise 8.0, but no firewall with that.

One thing that I neglected to mention before is that I am on my landlords' wireless network. I've been using their wireless network (with their permission) for 7 months, though, and hadn't had a problem until last week. I don't know if my mentioning that was helpful or not.
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#10
wannabe1

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Were there other protocols being used in the Media Player Options? Under the "Network" tab, see that all four of the boxes for protocols are checked and repeat the configuration for any active protocol in the "Streaming Proxy Settings" window.

wannabe1
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#11
G Dogg

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All 4 of the protocol settings are selected. I also clicked on the other proxies (plural of proxy?) and all 4 boxes were still checked for each proxy in the streaming video section.

I apologize for this taking up so much time. The help is greatly appreciated, though.
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#12
G Dogg

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Well, I fixed it...sort of.

I use Firefox 1.5. Just for the [bleep] of it, I just opened up IE and tried clicking the link through IE to see if it would work, and voila! It immediately popped open WMP 9 and started buffering. Shortly thereafter it began playing.

This is bizarre. Now that we know it works when I click the video link in IE is there something I can do to make it work using Firefox? I hate using IE and only use it to allow my wife to access her outlook on the web.
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#13
gerryf

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what about removing sygate through add/remove, then we can reinstall later
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#14
G Dogg

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Now it works completely after removing Sygate. I can click on the link via Firefox and WMP 9 pops open and it plays.

What should I do now? I really felt comfortable with Sygate, but I was extremely annoyed by not being able to watch any videos online.

Is there a setting in Sygate I can switch?

Sygate is currently removed from my computer and I feel a little "naked" without it.

Edited by G Dogg, 10 February 2006 - 06:17 PM.

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#15
wannabe1

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Let's check something in Firefox real quick.

Click "Tools" and then "Options". Click on the "Advanced" icon and then on the "View & Edit Actions" button near the bottom of the window. In the Download Actions window, click on WMV to select it...what program does it open with?
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