No video in limited account after SP3

Hi,

WMP11 doesn't play video, just audio, since recently. I've tried MPG, WMV
and AVI encoded with DIVX. This is in my everyday limited Windows account, an
administrator account (any one) can play video all right.

It was working fine before. I don't know exactly where things went wrong
since I'm not playing movies all the time, but I recently upgraded my XP home
to SP3.

I tried downloading WMP11 and just re-installing it but an error is
displayed at the end saying the program wasn't installed. The next time I run
WMP a welcome configuration windows is displayed, but then the problem isn't
solved.

I've found other similar problems but there's no telling if they're related,
it seems to me that the no-video problem may arise in WMP by multiple causes:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/community/newsgroups/WindowsMedia/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.public.windowsmedia.player&tid=4d5bc888-04c9-47d2-b1d9-21c0aceb34f7&cat=&lang=en&cr=US&sloc=&p=1

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/community/newsgroups/WindowsMedia/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.public.windowsmedia.player&tid=b2e2ea1e-a225-4006-b145-703f3ba8474d&cat=&lang=en&cr=US&sloc=en-us&p=1

http://computerhelpforums.net/windowsxp-general/3919-bizarre-windows-media-player-wont-play-wav-files-after-sp3.html

zachd
Tue Jun 17 01:30:12 PDT 2008


I would suspect a video card driver error here...

What's the exact Web Help URL that the setup error button takes you to?

--
Speaking for myself only.
See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
--
"Japo" <Japo@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:27E67D0E-0891-4F48-B55C-3148916583EC@microsoft.com...
> Hi,
>
> WMP11 doesn't play video, just audio, since recently. I've tried MPG, WMV
> and AVI encoded with DIVX. This is in my everyday limited Windows account,
> an
> administrator account (any one) can play video all right.
>
> It was working fine before. I don't know exactly where things went wrong
> since I'm not playing movies all the time, but I recently upgraded my XP
> home
> to SP3.
>
> I tried downloading WMP11 and just re-installing it but an error is
> displayed at the end saying the program wasn't installed. The next time I
> run
> WMP a welcome configuration windows is displayed, but then the problem
> isn't
> solved.
>
> I've found other similar problems but there's no telling if they're
> related,
> it seems to me that the no-video problem may arise in WMP by multiple
> causes:
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/community/newsgroups/WindowsMedia/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.public.windowsmedia.player&tid=4d5bc888-04c9-47d2-b1d9-21c0aceb34f7&cat=&lang=en&cr=US&sloc=&p=1
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/community/newsgroups/WindowsMedia/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.public.windowsmedia.player&tid=b2e2ea1e-a225-4006-b145-703f3ba8474d&cat=&lang=en&cr=US&sloc=en-us&p=1
>
> http://computerhelpforums.net/windowsxp-general/3919-bizarre-windows-media-player-wont-play-wav-files-after-sp3.html

Japo
Fri Jun 20 03:48:00 PDT 2008

I don't remember the URL, I'd have to re-download and re-install, but anyway
it was generic and unhelpful.

I've discovered that this is somehow about skins. The problem appears with
the default mode and with all the skins I have (installed by default) except
for this one

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/4084/wmpskinyk3.png

which works all right with audio and video in a limited account. I'd be
satisfied, but it's the only one without playlist as long as I know. And
again, the problem appears only in a limited account, in an admin account
there's no problem with any skin.

Thanks for the site you linked, it's taught me there's an installation log
and I'll try to track down its errors later.


"zachd [MSFT]" wrote:

>
> I would suspect a video card driver error here...
>
> What's the exact Web Help URL that the setup error button takes you to?
>
> --
> Speaking for myself only.
> See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
> --

Japo
Fri Jun 20 03:50:01 PDT 2008

By the way, uninstalling SP3 didn't make any difference. There have been lots
of WMP updates outside of SP3 anyway...

Japo
Sun Jun 29 04:58:00 PDT 2008

Good news is that I managed to successfully reinstall WMP11, bad news is that
it did not solve the problem, which is still the same.

I got the installation errors from %windir%\updspapi.log thanks to Zachd's
site. They were access denied (even for an admin account). When I looked to
those keys with regedit, not only they didn't have any permission settings,
but they didn't even have any ownership, for reason unknown. I assigned them
ownership then permission for the administrators group, that let me finally
reinstall WMP11 without errors.

But as I said the problem isn't solved. In the default mode I don't get
video (nor visualizations for audioo files nor can switch to fullscreen) in a
limited account, but it's all okay in an admin account. I can get video in
limited if I use that skin I said, what would be okay except that it doesn't
have playlist. If reinstalling didn't help I don't know what to try now, I've
looked for a replacement in "Media Player Classic", which doesn't have shell
integration.

zachd
Sun Jun 29 13:44:43 PDT 2008


This data again points strongly to the fault being with the video card
driver.

What video card is on the system? Is there a driver update available?

--
Speaking for myself only.
See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
--
"Japo" <Japo@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:C5720F1B-4240-41D1-AE3F-9C03C489814C@microsoft.com...
>I don't remember the URL, I'd have to re-download and re-install, but
>anyway
> it was generic and unhelpful.
>
> I've discovered that this is somehow about skins. The problem appears with
> the default mode and with all the skins I have (installed by default)
> except
> for this one
>
> http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/4084/wmpskinyk3.png
>
> which works all right with audio and video in a limited account. I'd be
> satisfied, but it's the only one without playlist as long as I know. And
> again, the problem appears only in a limited account, in an admin account
> there's no problem with any skin.
>
> Thanks for the site you linked, it's taught me there's an installation log
> and I'll try to track down its errors later.
>
>
> "zachd [MSFT]" wrote:
>
>>
>> I would suspect a video card driver error here...
>>
>> What's the exact Web Help URL that the setup error button takes you to?
>>
>> --
>> Speaking for myself only.
>> See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights.
>> --

Japo
Mon Jun 30 12:11:01 PDT 2008

I'll try what you say. My video card is an Intel 82945G Express Chipset.
According to Windows the driver was made by Microsoft in 2005. There's of
course a driver at intel.com updated this year, I'll try installing it and
I'll get back to you. Thank you very much for your help.

PS: I still don't understand why everything worked fine before. Could SP3
have overwritten my optimized driver with a MS one? Sounds too absurd to be
true to me.

Japo
Tue Jul 01 16:05:25 PDT 2008

Sorry I think I was wrong. The driver I had was signed by MS but I suppose
it was made by Intel. Anyway if I try to install the latest driver from
intel.com the setup informs me that it isn't validated by the Dell and
aborts. I've installed the latest driver from dell.com (by Intel) and the
problem is still the same.

The only idea left I have is a manual reinstall of DirectX, even though
dxdiag reports no problems.


On Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:44:43 +0200, zachd [MSFT]
<zachd@nomailplz.online.microsoft.com> wrote:

> This data again points strongly to the fault being with the video card
> driver.
>
> What video card is on the system? Is there a driver update available?

Japo
Thu Jul 03 13:36:28 PDT 2008

Reinstalling DirectX didn't help. Actually the installer says that it will
scan the files and update if necessary, and then immediately ends saying
that the installation is complete without doing anything--since all the
files were already up to date.


On Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:05:25 +0200, Japo <japofran@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Sorry I think I was wrong. The driver I had was signed by MS but I
> suppose it was made by Intel. Anyway if I try to install the latest
> driver from intel.com the setup informs me that it isn't validated by
> the Dell and aborts. I've installed the latest driver from dell.com (by
> Intel) and the problem is still the same.
>
> The only idea left I have is a manual reinstall of DirectX, even though
> dxdiag reports no problems.
>
>
> On Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:44:43 +0200, zachd [MSFT]
> <zachd@nomailplz.online.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
>> This data again points strongly to the fault being with the video card
>> driver.
>>
>> What video card is on the system? Is there a driver update available?

randolindso
Fri Jul 04 13:15:00 PDT 2008

Have you come up with an answer yet. I've got what appears to be the same
problem in WMP 9 and the timing is virtually the same as yours, i.e. about
the time I installed sp3. I've tried to update codecs, video drivers, ran
dxdiag, etc. and still nothing....

"Japo" wrote:

> Good news is that I managed to successfully reinstall WMP11, bad news is that
> it did not solve the problem, which is still the same.
>
> I got the installation errors from %windir%\updspapi.log thanks to Zachd's
> site. They were access denied (even for an admin account). When I looked to
> those keys with regedit, not only they didn't have any permission settings,
> but they didn't even have any ownership, for reason unknown. I assigned them
> ownership then permission for the administrators group, that let me finally
> reinstall WMP11 without errors.
>
> But as I said the problem isn't solved. In the default mode I don't get
> video (nor visualizations for audioo files nor can switch to fullscreen) in a
> limited account, but it's all okay in an admin account. I can get video in
> limited if I use that skin I said, what would be okay except that it doesn't
> have playlist. If reinstalling didn't help I don't know what to try now, I've
> looked for a replacement in "Media Player Classic", which doesn't have shell
> integration.

Japo
Fri Jul 04 14:41:35 PDT 2008

No luck. Reinstalled WMP, installed the latest video drivers validated by
my OEM (more recent ones wouldn't install), ran dxdiag, even tried to
manually reinstall DirectX--but the installer found everything up to date
and did nothing.

Uninstalling SP3 didn't help so I restored it. Unfortunately my system
restore points prior to the original SP3 installation were lost.

It's very weird since the same video plays fine in an admin account. And
in a limited account it plays with the "corporate" skin but there's no
video with any other, even tried to install extra ones but they won't do
the trick.

It's apparently not related to services, the same ones seem to be running
when I'm not getting video in a limited account and when I am running WMP
as admin and getting video with any skin.

I'm officially out of ideas. If you ever solve this please post here.


On Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:15:00 +0200, randolindso
<randolindso@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Have you come up with an answer yet. I've got what appears to be the
> same
> problem in WMP 9 and the timing is virtually the same as yours, i.e.
> about
> the time I installed sp3. I've tried to update codecs, video drivers,
> ran
> dxdiag, etc. and still nothing....
>
> "Japo" wrote:
>
>> Good news is that I managed to successfully reinstall WMP11, bad news
>> is that
>> it did not solve the problem, which is still the same.
>>
>> I got the installation errors from %windir%\updspapi.log thanks to
>> Zachd's
>> site. They were access denied (even for an admin account). When I
>> looked to
>> those keys with regedit, not only they didn't have any permission
>> settings,
>> but they didn't even have any ownership, for reason unknown. I assigned
>> them
>> ownership then permission for the administrators group, that let me
>> finally
>> reinstall WMP11 without errors.
>>
>> But as I said the problem isn't solved. In the default mode I don't get
>> video (nor visualizations for audioo files nor can switch to
>> fullscreen) in a
>> limited account, but it's all okay in an admin account. I can get video
>> in
>> limited if I use that skin I said, what would be okay except that it
>> doesn't
>> have playlist. If reinstalling didn't help I don't know what to try
>> now, I've
>> looked for a replacement in "Media Player Classic", which doesn't have
>> shell
>> integration.

Japo
Sat Jul 05 04:20:56 PDT 2008

It's SOLVED. I knew my issue with registry permissions wasn't
normal--though I don't know why I had it--, so I just tried deleting the
whole HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer key in the hope
that the WMP re-installation would re-create it. It did, the permissions
were set as they should, and now video plays fine in any account in any
skin.


On Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:15:00 +0200, randolindso
<randolindso@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Have you come up with an answer yet. I've got what appears to be the
> same
> problem in WMP 9 and the timing is virtually the same as yours, i.e.
> about
> the time I installed sp3. I've tried to update codecs, video drivers,
> ran
> dxdiag, etc. and still nothing....
>
> "Japo" wrote:
>
>> Good news is that I managed to successfully reinstall WMP11, bad news
>> is that
>> it did not solve the problem, which is still the same.
>>
>> I got the installation errors from %windir%\updspapi.log thanks to
>> Zachd's
>> site. They were access denied (even for an admin account). When I
>> looked to
>> those keys with regedit, not only they didn't have any permission
>> settings,
>> but they didn't even have any ownership, for reason unknown. I assigned
>> them
>> ownership then permission for the administrators group, that let me
>> finally
>> reinstall WMP11 without errors.
>>
>> But as I said the problem isn't solved. In the default mode I don't get
>> video (nor visualizations for audioo files nor can switch to
>> fullscreen) in a
>> limited account, but it's all okay in an admin account. I can get video
>> in
>> limited if I use that skin I said, what would be okay except that it
>> doesn't
>> have playlist. If reinstalling didn't help I don't know what to try
>> now, I've
>> looked for a replacement in "Media Player Classic", which doesn't have
>> shell
>> integration.

maryD
Tue Jul 08 09:07:05 PDT 2008

i could use some help. i have automatic updates and updated to v11 of media
player. i can hear the video files but not see anything. i see you solved
your problem but i don't know what you mean by deleting the HKEY_LOCAL etc. i
am technically challenged. can you tell me step by step how you did this?

"Japo" wrote:

> It's SOLVED. I knew my issue with registry permissions wasn't
> normal--though I don't know why I had it--, so I just tried deleting the
> whole HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer key in the hope
> that the WMP re-installation would re-create it. It did, the permissions
> were set as they should, and now video plays fine in any account in any
> skin.
>
>
> On Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:15:00 +0200, randolindso
> <randolindso@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> > Have you come up with an answer yet. I've got what appears to be the
> > same
> > problem in WMP 9 and the timing is virtually the same as yours, i.e.
> > about
> > the time I installed sp3. I've tried to update codecs, video drivers,
> > ran
> > dxdiag, etc. and still nothing....
> >
> > "Japo" wrote:
> >
> >> Good news is that I managed to successfully reinstall WMP11, bad news
> >> is that
> >> it did not solve the problem, which is still the same.
> >>
> >> I got the installation errors from %windir%\updspapi.log thanks to
> >> Zachd's
> >> site. They were access denied (even for an admin account). When I
> >> looked to
> >> those keys with regedit, not only they didn't have any permission
> >> settings,
> >> but they didn't even have any ownership, for reason unknown. I assigned
> >> them
> >> ownership then permission for the administrators group, that let me
> >> finally
> >> reinstall WMP11 without errors.
> >>
> >> But as I said the problem isn't solved. In the default mode I don't get
> >> video (nor visualizations for audioo files nor can switch to
> >> fullscreen) in a
> >> limited account, but it's all okay in an admin account. I can get video
> >> in
> >> limited if I use that skin I said, what would be okay except that it
> >> doesn't
> >> have playlist. If reinstalling didn't help I don't know what to try
> >> now, I've
> >> looked for a replacement in "Media Player Classic", which doesn't have
> >> shell
> >> integration.
>
>