Windows 7 gets stuck while playing windows media player files and slows down the system

Which operating system ? Which version of Media player ?
Though designed with Windows 7 in mind, Windows Media Player 11 (WMP 11) is fully compatible with Windows XP.

The trick is knowing which version of WMP 11 to download.
Different versions of the software exist not only for Windows 7, Vista, and XP, but also for both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows XP.

Additionally, WMP 11 is only compatible with XP if it is using Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3. Before downloading the appropriate installation file, you will need to verify which version your system requires.

Open the "Start" menu.
Open "My Computer."

Click "Help", then select "About Windows."
This will display a window with system information.

Find the listing that specifies your Service Pack. If you are operating without Service Pack 2 or 3, you will need to install one (see Resources).


Open the "Start" menu and click "Run." Within the text field, type "winmsd.exe."

Click "OK." Select "System Summary."
Find the heading labeled "Item."

Under this heading should be the word "Processor."
The value associated with "Processor" will determine which version of Windows XP you are running.

If the value begins with "x86," you are running a 32-bit version.
If it begins with "ia64" or "AMD64," then you are running a 64-bit version.

Download the Windows Media Player installation file that matches your version of Windows (see Below).
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/windows-media-player

Open the file once it has finished downloading.
This will launch the installation wizard.

Follow the onscreen instructions to install WMP 11.
The program should now run normally.
How to Fix Windows Media Center

Windows Media Center is the home entertainment hub on a Windows computer.
With Media Center, you can play live television, songs, DVDs and slideshows.

It is preinstalled on Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows Vista Home Premium/Ultimate Edition and Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate editions.

From time to time, users run into issues trying to play audio or video files, or with an extender connected to Media Center.

Extenders are devices that allow you to "extend" the Media Center onto a TV screen or larger display.

The Xbox 360 gaming console is an example of an extender.
Launch Windows Media Center from your computer's Start menu.

Scroll down to "Music" on the Media Center home screen.
Select "Music library."

If you find an empty folder under "Music Library," navigate to the folder on your hard drive that stores your music file and add it to Media Center's library.

If the problem isn't an empty folder, look at the file extension on the music file that won't play. Media Center can't play files with unknown or incompatible extensions.

If you find a questionable extension, skip that file. Click once on another file with a different extension, one you know is compatible with Media Center, and then click "Open" to test if you can play that one.

Media Center will play MP3, CDA, WAV and other music file formats.
Open Windows Media Player from the Start menu if you receive a codec error while trying to play either audio or video files.

If you open the file in Media Player, the codec will download automatically.
You should then be able to play the file in Media Center.

Troubleshoot your firewall settings if a Media Center extender doesn't work.
You'll have a problem using an extender if Windows Firewall blocks it.

Go to "Control Panel" from the Start menu and double-click on "Windows Firewall."
Click on "Allow a program or feature through Windows Firewall."

Click to check "Media Center Extenders."
Click on "Apply."

Check external speaker cables to make sure they're connected if you can't hear any sound. Check the computer's volume settings by clicking on the "VOL+" icon at the bottom right corner of the main Media Center screen to make sure the volume is not turned off or down too low.

You may need to reconfigure your speakers if you're having volume or sound issues.
Scroll down to "Tasks" in the Media Center home screen and select "Settings."

Click on "General" and select "Windows Media Center Setup."
Click on "Set Up Your Speakers."

Follow the on-screen prompts to reconfigure your speakers.

Hello.

We need more info before we can properly diagnose your Media Player issue. Is the content you are playing from the Internet or is it saved to the hard drive?

Please test Media Player by doing the following:
- Reboot the laptop
- find a local video file that is saved to your hard drive
- double click it and see if it plays correctly

If the file plays correctly then the issue was either the laptop needed to be rebooted OR the content that plays slowly is from the Internet and your Internet connection is not fast enough to play the video smoothly.

Try another Media Player, it may be the File Format. Try this freeware Media Player, VLC, 32 or 64bit?, found here along with Real Player Media Player: http://www.filehippo.com/download_vlc_32/ You can find many freeware/shareware programs here: http://www.filehippo.com/

Windows media player will not play a 3gp file because it does not have the proper codec to play that file, and microsoft has not made a codec for their media player to play any 3gp files.

Realplayer SP will play your 3gp files and it is a free program. If you would like to try it out you can download it from Cnet here,

http://download.cnet.com/RealPlayer-SP/3000-13632_4-10073040.html

Have had same happen. Try clicking right and choosing open with....and choose windows Media player for list. Don't know why this is the part that works for me. double clicking the file has never worked for me. I get the wmp with the same error but when I select the wmp and let IT open the file....it works....I think it is magic and a stubborn way to do this but it works

The mp4 files must be maximum 320x240 resolution, any larger and it will tell you that the file is not supported. If the mp4 is created with any profile other than "AVC Baseline" it will tell you the file is corrupted. It also won't do DRM, but I can't remember what, if any, DRM systems typically get used on mp4 files.

Hello sanjeev_vada,

This procedure is from the windows media player help file.I hope it's useful:
-------------------------
*To play content at variable speeds*

You can change the speed at which content plays in the Player. For example, you can slow down the playback speed if you are taking notes while watching a training video, or you can speed up the slow sections of a presentation.

•Begin playing a file.

•Click the arrow below the Now Playing tab, point to Enhancements, and then click Play Speed Settings.

•Move the Play Speed slider to the speed at which you want to play the content, or click the Slow, Normal, or Fast link.

•To select speeds between the labeled play speeds, in the Enhancements pane, clear the Snap slider to common speeds check box.

•To hide the settings, click the Close button in the Enhancements pane.
-------------------------


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Have a great day,
martyshaw152

Hi there,
I can play .vob files with a cool media player called VLC player, which plays everything I throw at it. I recommend you download it from here:

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

and when you install it, set the File Associations to play everything with VLC, that'll let you double click on a .vob file and play it automatically.
VLC has a much lighter 'footprint' than Windows Media Player, or Nero or many DVD players,and has amazing codec-support already included.
If the .vob files are encrypted, then maybe that is slowing down your laptop, but that is not the only reason for this to happen.
If it still restarts automatically, you may have picked up malware from downloaded movies, and need to download Spybot and scan and immunize your hard drive. Spybot is completely free. Trust me, i don't like paying for things :)
It's also possible that you need to clean up your registry and your drive with a free program called ncleaner. you can find that here:
http://www.nkprods.com/ncleaner/

I suspect you will be successful with VLC player, though. Enjoy your movies :)

Chris

Type mplayer2 on run box.play your media files.if its displaying well then there is problem with media player.Repair xp or update with a new version.

Try adding some songs using Windows Media Player. Then on the home screen go to menu-system-system repair tools and reset the temporary settings ( the 1st option on top). Warning:If you have rated your songs the ratings will disapear.