Readme for Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP

Before you install Windows Media Player 11, do the following:

• Go to Windows Update and install any high-priority updates that are available for your computer.

• If you have a Creative ZEN device, see Issues updating firmware on Creative ZEN portable devices after installing Windows Media Player 11.

• Save media information and ratings to your media files. Perform the steps in the following procedure to save media information and star ratings to your media files.

  1. In Windows Media Player 10, click the Tools menu, and then click Options.

  2. Click the Library tab, select the Maintain my star ratings as global ratings in the media files check box.

     When this check box is selected, the user ratings for your songs are saved in your media files rather than in your library database file. This process occurs in the background, so it may take some time before your ratings are saved to all of your media files.

     The next step in this procedure ensures that your ratings (and any changes that you have made to other media information) are saved to your files immediately.

  3. Click the Tools menu, and then click Process media information now.

• Back up your existing data. To use the Backup Utility in Windows XP, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup.

Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP supports Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 with KB900325 (Update Rollup 2 for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005) and KB925766 (the October 2006 Update Rollup); however, it does not support previous releases of Windows XP Media Center Edition.

If you have Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, but have not installed the Update Rollup 2, in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, see article 900325, "Update Rollup 2 for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005." You must download and install it before you can install Windows Media Player 11. The October 2006 Update Rollup is installed with Windows Media Player 11 (provided that your computer is connected to the Internet when the Player is first installed). For more information, in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, see article 925766, "October 2006 Update Rollup for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005."

Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP cannot be installed on computers running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002 or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004.

Windows Media Player is a feature of the Windows operating system and cannot be removed entirely. However, in Windows XP, you can roll back to the version of the Player that was previously on your computer.

You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to perform the following procedure.

1. Disconnect any portable music or video devices that might be attached to your computer.

2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

3. In the Category View of Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs, and then click Remove a program.

4. Click Windows Media Player 11 , and then click Remove.

   If Windows Media Player 11 is not displayed in the list of currently installed programs, then try the following:

   1. At the top of the list, select the Show updates check box.

   2. In the Windows XP - Software Updates section, click Windows Media Player 11 , and then click Change/Remove.

5. In each of the two confirmation dialog boxes that appear, click OK.

6. When the rollback process is complete (it might take several minutes), click Restart.

7. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

8. In the Category View of Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs, and then click Remove a program.

9. Click Windows Media Format 11 Runtime , and then click Remove.

   If Windows Media Format 11 Runtime is not displayed in the list of currently installed programs, then try the following:

   1. At the top of the list, select the Show updates check box.

   2. In the Windows XP - Software Updates section, click Windows Media Format 11 Runtime, and then click Change/Remove.

      If you installed a non-US English version of Windows Media Player 11, the instructions in the dialog boxes that are mentioned in steps 9, 10, and 11 might appear in English.

10. In the first confirmation dialog box that appears, click OK.

11. In the second confirmation dialog box that appears, select the Do you want to continue with the rollback? check box, and then click OK.

12. When the rollback process is complete (it might take several minutes to complete), click Restart.

13. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

14. In the Category View of Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs, and then click Remove a program.

15. Click Microsoft User-Mode Driver Framework Feature Pack 1.0.0, and then click Remove.

16. Follow the instructions that appear in the Software Update Removal Wizard.

    If the Wudf01000 confirmation dialog box appears, click Yes to continue. When the software removal process is complete (it might take several minutes to complete), click Finish.

Note

If you remove Windows Media Player 11 and the Windows Media Format 11 Runtime, and then encounter error C00D271D ("A problem has occurred in the Digital Rights Management component. Contact Microsoft product support."), you might be able to resolve the problem by installing the Windows Media Format 9.5 Runtime. For information about installing the Runtime, in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, see article 891122, "Update for Windows Media Digital Rights Management-enabled players."

You might not be able to roll back to a previous version of the Player if the hidden folder $NtUninstallwmp11$ is deleted from your computer. Some non-Microsoft programs (such as CCleaner) delete this folder in an attempt to remove unwanted files from your computer.

Many of the great stores you know in Windows Media Player 10 are available in this version of the Player as well. If you have previously downloaded or purchased content from an online store by using Windows Media Player 10 or earlier, you will be able to continue using that content in Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP too. However, if the store is not listed on the Online Stores page in the Player, you will not be able to use Windows Media Player 11 to access that store to download or purchase new content.

If you encounter an error message that indicates you are missing play, burn, or sync rights for a file and you had these rights previously, you might be able to resolve the problem by restoring your media usage rights. You have several options to do so:

• If you obtained the file from an online store, contact the store to find out if it offers media usage rights (license) restoration (some stores refer to this procedure as computer activation, computer authorization, or license synchronization).

  The procedure for restoring your rights varies from store to store. For example, you might be able to right-click the file in your library or click an Error button or an Information button next to the file, and then click a command. Or you might be required to delete the file from your computer and then download the file again.

  The store might limit the number of times that you can restore your rights or limit the number of computers on which you can use the songs or videos that you obtain from them. Some stores do not permit you to restore media usage rights at all.

  For details, see the store's customer support or Help links.

• If the file is a song you ripped from a CD with the Copy protect music option turned on, you might be able to restore your usage rights by playing the file. You will be prompted to connect to a Microsoft webpage that explains how to restore your rights a limited number of times.

Content that is protected with media usage rights cannot be played in Windows Media Player 10 if a computer already has a beta version of the Windows Media Format 11 Runtime installed (which is installed with beta versions of Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP). In some situations, Windows Media Player 10 may quit unexpectedly when trying to play protected content and licenses for protected content might be lost.

To work around this issue, do one or more of the following, and then try to play protected content in Windows Media Player:

• If you install Windows Media Player 10 on a computer that already has a beta version of Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP installed, you cannot use Windows Media Player 10 to play protected content until you roll back from Windows Media Player 11 to Windows Media Player 10 by doing the following:

  1. Disconnect any portable music or video devices that might be attached to your computer.

  2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

  3. In the Category View of Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs, and then click Remove a program.

  4. Click Windows Media Player 11, and then click Remove.

  5. In each of the two confirmation dialog boxes that appear, click OK.

  6. When the rollback process is complete (it might take several minutes), click Restart.

  

  Note

  Do not uninstall the Windows Media Format 11 Runtime.

• Make sure your computer is connected to the Internet and play your protected content in Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP before you roll back to Windows Media Player 10. This can help to prevent licenses for protected content from being lost.

• Install the final released version of Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP and play protected content in Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP.

This issue should not occur if the final released version of Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP is installed on your computer. This is because Windows Media Player 10 cannot be installed if the released version of the Windows Media Format 11 Runtime is already installed (the runtime is installed with the final released version of Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP).

You might receive an error message notifying you that an error occurred when attempting to authorize your Xbox 360 for use with Windows Media Connect or that an error occurred while installing the Windows Media Connect software. This happens if you try to set up the Xbox 360 Setup software from the Xbox 360 website (http://www.xbox.com/pcsetup) after installing Windows Media Player 11 on a computer that is running Windows XP Home or Professional edition.

If you encounter this error, perform the following procedure.

1. In Xbox 360 Setup, click Cancel.

2. To share media, start Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP, and use the Player to share media.

   For more information about setting up and sharing media using Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP, see the Windows Media Player Help topic titled "Sharing your media."

If an error occurs when trying to install Xbox 360 Setup software on a computer that is running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, perform the following procedure.

1. In Xbox 360 Setup, click Next to continue, and then click Finish.

2. To share media, start Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP, and use the Player to share media.

   For more information about setting up and sharing media using Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP, see the Windows Media Player Help topic titled "Sharing your media".

You might not be able to play music from your Library if you are using a digital media receiver with Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP. This issue might occur if music files in your Library are not stored in a monitored folder when you upgrade from Windows Media Player 10 to Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP.

Digital media files must be in stored in monitored folders for media sharing to work properly in Windows Media Player 11. This helps to ensure that your Library and shared media are up-to-date if digital media files are deleted, changed, or moved on your computer.

To share media, perform the following steps:

1. Do one of the following:

   • If a Media Sharing dialog box appears after Windows Media Player 11 is first installed that notifies you that media sharing in not running, click OK, and then go to step 2.

   • If the Media Sharing dialog box does not display, skip to step 3.

2. In the second Media Sharing dialog box that displays, clear the Share my media check box, and then click OK.

3. Click the arrow below the Library tab, and then click Add to Library.

4. Click My personal folders, click Advanced Options, and then click Add.

5. In the Add Folder dialog box, click the folder that contains digital media files that you want Windows Media Player to monitor, and then click OK.

6. In the Add To Library dialog box, click OK.

7. In the Add to Library by Searching Computer dialog box, click Close after search has completed.

8. Click the arrow below the Library tab, and then click Media Sharing.

9. In the Media Sharing dialog box, select the Share my media to check box, and then click OK.

10. In the list of devices, select the device to which you want to share your media, click Allow, and then click OK.

11. Make sure that your digital media receiver is properly connected to your computer and home network, and then try to play music using your digital media receiver.

For more information about sharing media using Windows Media Player 11, see the topic "Sharing your media" in Windows Media Player Help.

Note

Windows Live OneCare is no longer supported.

Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP might not be able to find a digital media receiver on your home network and therefore, won't be able to share digital media content with the device if Windows Live OneCare is installed on your computer.

To share digital media content from Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP to a digital media receiver, you might need to open the following selected ports on the Windows Live OneCare Firewall (if the ports are not already opened).

To open the required ports and set up a connection to allow media sharing from Windows Media Player 11 to your Xbox 360 or another digital media receiver, do the following:

1. Double-click the Windows Live OneCare icon in the system tray.

2. On the left side of the Windows Live OneCare window, under Other Tasks, click View or change settings.

3. Click the Firewall tab.

4. Click Firewall Connection Tool.

5. In the Windows Live OneCare Firewall Connection Tool, select the Connect my Xbox 360 or Windows Media Connect device to my XP PC check box.

6. Click OK.

7. Click OK in the Windows Live OneCare Settings dialog box.

8. Close Windows Live OneCare.

If you install Windows Media Player 11 and then install it again in a different language version, the setup program may appear in the language of the newer version. When you open the Player, though, content may appear in both languages with many items displaying in the previous language version.

To resolve this issue, simply remove the Player and install it again in the desired language. For more information, see Installing and removing the Player.

You might get a warning dialog box that states that the driver for your portable device is no longer supported after you upgrade to Windows Media Player 11. This can occur for portable devices that use older software drivers.

To work around this issue, roll back to the previous version of Windows Media Player, and then use your device as you did before upgrading to Windows Media Player 11.

To find a list of devices that you can use with Windows Media Player 11, go to the Compatibility Center.

When the Player encounters an issue with an item in your library, the Player might display a blue Information button next to the item in the library or List pane. If you point to the Information button, a brief description of the issue appears.

If you have a subscription account with an online store and your portable device is not connected to your computer, the Information button might incorrectly state that your subscription files do not have sync rights. To work around this issue, connect your device to your computer.

If you have an iriver H10 device, make sure that your device has the latest firmware before you try to sync files to it. To download the latest firmware, see the iriver Support website.

If you try to sync files to an iriver H10 that does not have the current firmware, sync might not complete or the device might become unresponsive. If the device becomes unresponsive during or after sync, try removing the battery and then reconnecting the battery to the device.

You might experience the following issues when trying to sync to a Philips GoGear device:

• Slow or incomplete file synchronization

• Inability to sync album art

Philips plans to address these issues in future firmware updates. For more information about this issue and about firmware availability, see the Philips Support site. Enter your model number and then check the FAQ section for details.

Or, you can resolve these issues by rolling back to Windows Media Player 10, and then reverting to the Windows Media Player 10 version of the MTP device driver. To do so, perform the steps in "Rolling back to a previous version of the Player," and then perform the steps in "Issues with devices after removing Windows Media Player" (located on this page).

If you have a Creative ZEN device, make sure the device has the latest firmware before you install Windows Media Player 11. To download the latest firmware, go to Creative Worldwide.

If you try to upgrade the firmware on your Creative ZEN after you install Windows Media Player 11, the Creative firmware upgrade software might not recognize your device.

In this case, remove Windows Media Player 11, update the Creative firmware, and then reinstall Windows Media Player 11. Creative plans to address this issue in future firmware updates.

For information about removing Windows Media Player 11, see "Rolling back to a previous version of the Player" (located on this page).

In some cases, you might encounter problems with portable devices if you install Windows Media Player 11 and then roll back to a previous version of the Player by removing Windows Media Player 11 and the Windows Media Format 11 Runtime.

If you roll back to a previous version of the Player and your device is no longer detected by Windows or Windows Media Player, perform the following procedure.

You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group to perform the following procedure.

1. Turn on your device and connect it to your computer.

2. On the taskbar, click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Manage.

3. In the pane on the left, click Device Manager.

4. In the pane on the right, expand Portable Devices.

5. Right-click the name of the device that is not working properly, and then click Uninstall.

6. In the confirmation dialog, click OK to uninstall the device.

7. Disconnect your device from your computer, make sure it is still turned on, and then connect it to your computer again.

   Windows will detect your device and automatically re-install it. Within a minute or two, the device name will reappear in the Portable Devices section of Device Manager.

In addition, if your device is connected to your computer when you remove the Windows Media Format 11 Runtime, your computer might become unresponsive. If this occurs, disconnect your device from your computer, and then restart your computer. Then perform steps 1 through 7 in this topic.

Some devices that support the Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) might not be recognized in Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP.

If you encounter this issue, perform the following procedure.

1. Uninstall the device in Device Manager by performing the steps in Issues with devices after removing Windows Media Player.

2. Disconnect the portable device from your computer.

3. Reconnect the device to your computer.

4. Start Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP and verify that your device is recognized and displays in the Player.

Media information (such as song titles, artist names, album titles, and album art) might not be available for all items in your library. For information about how to add or edit media information manually, see Windows Media Player Help.

Note that you must be online for the Player to download media information.

When you sync music to a portable device, album art is typically copied to the device along with the music. However, in some cases, the device firmware might not support synchronization of album art.

Currently, it is not possible to sync album art from Windows Media Player 11 to the following devices:

• Samsung YP-Z5 MP3 Player

• SanDisk Sansa e200 Series MP3 Players

• Philips GoGear family MP3 Players

For information about when updated firmware will be available for these devices, contact the device manufacturer.

The Player Help incorrectly states that you can add ratings to an item by using several keyboard shortcuts.

There are no keyboard shortcuts to add a rating to an item.

To rate an item in the Player, do the following:

1. Click the Library tab.

2. Find the item in your library that you want to rate, and then click one of the stars listed in the Rating column.

   One star is the lowest rating. Five stars is the highest rating. To clear a user rating, right-click the item, point to Rate, and then click Unrated.