Windows Media Player is missing after a Reset.

Machine is a Dell Inspiron 3668 desktop, running Windows 10 Home, version
21H1, 19043.1766. (It's fully updated, but tells me that 21H2 is
available, and I can download and install when I want. This is odd in
that my Windows 10 laptop automatically updated to 21H2.)

After not being able to fix and continually getting locked up with
"...program not responding", I did a Reset of the OS, which deletes
programs, but I kept my personal files.

The process went fine, and the OS version is the same as before the
Reset. I've updated, but still must manually update to 21H2 when.

1) Originally, WMP was found in Start>Windows Accessories>Windows Media
Player. It's no longer there.

2)I've also looked at Settings>Apps>Apps & features>Optional features>
More Windows features>Media features. It's no longer there, either, but
if I hover over the "Media" tick box, it says, "Controls media features
such as WMP.

On my laptop, also running Windows 10 Home, I find WMP at both locations
1 and 2.

The Reset function produces a listing "Apps removed while resetting your
PC", and places it conspicuously on the desktop home screen. WMP is not
on this Apps removed list, even though it's no longer installed.

I could copy setup_wm.exe from an other macine, and try installing it,
but I wanted to ask here first if anyone has an idea what heppened. I'm
more curious than anything else.

By the way, the machine is nice and perky, just like the good old days.

On 7/2/2022 6:30 PM, Boris wrote:
> Windows Media Player is missing after a Reset.
>
> Machine is a Dell Inspiron 3668 desktop, running Windows 10 Home, version
> 21H1, 19043.1766. (It's fully updated, but tells me that 21H2 is
> available, and I can download and install when I want. This is odd in
> that my Windows 10 laptop automatically updated to 21H2.)
>
> After not being able to fix and continually getting locked up with
> "...program not responding", I did a Reset of the OS, which deletes
> programs, but I kept my personal files.
>
> The process went fine, and the OS version is the same as before the
> Reset. I've updated, but still must manually update to 21H2 when.
>
> 1) Originally, WMP was found in Start>Windows Accessories>Windows Media
> Player. It's no longer there.
>
> 2)I've also looked at Settings>Apps>Apps & features>Optional features>
> More Windows features>Media features. It's no longer there, either, but
> if I hover over the "Media" tick box, it says, "Controls media features
> such as WMP.
>
> On my laptop, also running Windows 10 Home, I find WMP at both locations
> 1 and 2.
>
> The Reset function produces a listing "Apps removed while resetting your
> PC", and places it conspicuously on the desktop home screen. WMP is not
> on this Apps removed list, even though it's no longer installed.
>
> I could copy setup_wm.exe from an other macine, and try installing it,
> but I wanted to ask here first if anyone has an idea what heppened. I'm
> more curious than anything else.
>
> By the way, the machine is nice and perky, just like the good old days.
Try looking at this web page
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/get-windows-media-player-81718e0d-cfce-25b1-aee3-94596b658287

It is suppose to be in Program Files (86)/Window Media player

knuttle <keith_nuttle@sbcglobal.net> wrote in
news:t9qi2c$2nr6k$1@dont-email.me:

> On 7/2/2022 6:30 PM, Boris wrote:
>> Windows Media Player is missing after a Reset.
>>
>> Machine is a Dell Inspiron 3668 desktop, running Windows 10 Home,
>> version 21H1, 19043.1766. (It's fully updated, but tells me that
>> 21H2 is available, and I can download and install when I want. This
>> is odd in that my Windows 10 laptop automatically updated to 21H2.)
>>
>> After not being able to fix and continually getting locked up with
>> "...program not responding", I did a Reset of the OS, which deletes
>> programs, but I kept my personal files.
>>
>> The process went fine, and the OS version is the same as before the
>> Reset. I've updated, but still must manually update to 21H2 when.
>>
>> 1) Originally, WMP was found in Start>Windows Accessories>Windows
>> Media Player. It's no longer there.
>>
>> 2)I've also looked at Settings>Apps>Apps & features>Optional
>> features> More Windows features>Media features. It's no longer
>> there, either, but if I hover over the "Media" tick box, it says,
>> "Controls media features such as WMP.
>>
>> On my laptop, also running Windows 10 Home, I find WMP at both
>> locations 1 and 2.
>>
>> The Reset function produces a listing "Apps removed while resetting
>> your PC", and places it conspicuously on the desktop home screen.
>> WMP is not on this Apps removed list, even though it's no longer
>> installed.
>>
>> I could copy setup_wm.exe from an other macine, and try installing
>> it, but I wanted to ask here first if anyone has an idea what
>> heppened. I'm more curious than anything else.
>>
>> By the way, the machine is nice and perky, just like the good old
>> days.
> Try looking at this web page
> https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/get-windows-media-player-81
> 718e0d-cfce-25b1-aee3-94596b658287
>
> It is suppose to be in Program Files (86)/Window Media player
>
>

Been there, both the site and folder. Not there.

Even a search on C: yields nothing. It is exactly where it should be on
all the Win10 machines around here. I just think it's strange why the
Reset didn't report it on it's removed Apps list, but it was removed, and
doesn't show up anywhere.

Thanks.

On 7/2/2022 7:26 PM, Boris wrote:
> knuttle <keith_nuttle@sbcglobal.net> wrote in
> news:t9qi2c$2nr6k$1@dont-email.me:
>
>> On 7/2/2022 6:30 PM, Boris wrote:
>>> Windows Media Player is missing after a Reset.
>>>
>>> Machine is a Dell Inspiron 3668 desktop, running Windows 10 Home,
>>> version 21H1, 19043.1766. (It's fully updated, but tells me that
>>> 21H2 is available, and I can download and install when I want. This
>>> is odd in that my Windows 10 laptop automatically updated to 21H2.)
>>>
>>> After not being able to fix and continually getting locked up with
>>> "...program not responding", I did a Reset of the OS, which deletes
>>> programs, but I kept my personal files.
>>>
>>> The process went fine, and the OS version is the same as before the
>>> Reset. I've updated, but still must manually update to 21H2 when.
>>>
>>> 1) Originally, WMP was found in Start>Windows Accessories>Windows
>>> Media Player. It's no longer there.
>>>
>>> 2)I've also looked at Settings>Apps>Apps & features>Optional
>>> features> More Windows features>Media features. It's no longer
>>> there, either, but if I hover over the "Media" tick box, it says,
>>> "Controls media features such as WMP.
>>>
>>> On my laptop, also running Windows 10 Home, I find WMP at both
>>> locations 1 and 2.
>>>
>>> The Reset function produces a listing "Apps removed while resetting
>>> your PC", and places it conspicuously on the desktop home screen.
>>> WMP is not on this Apps removed list, even though it's no longer
>>> installed.
>>>
>>> I could copy setup_wm.exe from an other macine, and try installing
>>> it, but I wanted to ask here first if anyone has an idea what
>>> heppened. I'm more curious than anything else.
>>>
>>> By the way, the machine is nice and perky, just like the good old
>>> days.
>> Try looking at this web page
>> https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/get-windows-media-player-81
>> 718e0d-cfce-25b1-aee3-94596b658287
>>
>> It is suppose to be in Program Files (86)/Window Media player
>>
>>
>
> Been there, both the site and folder. Not there.
>
> Even a search on C: yields nothing. It is exactly where it should be on
> all the Win10 machines around here. I just think it's strange why the
> Reset didn't report it on it's removed Apps list, but it was removed, and
> doesn't show up anywhere.
>
> Thanks.
>

On W11, I see:

Start : run : control.exe
Programs and Features (control panel)
Windows Features
Media Features
Windows Media Player ??? tick box

C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player
wmplayer.exe May 10, 2022 11:46PM 192,512 bytes

Which means it may have received a security update
of some sort.

There is both of these, two folders, on W11 Home x64:

C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player

Paul

Boris wrote:

> Windows Media Player is missing after a Reset.

Control panel (start it with Win+R then control.exe if you don't have an icon
for it)

Programs & Features, Turn Windows Features On & Off

It's underneath Media Features

Boris <nospam@nospam.invalid> posted this:

> Windows Media Player is missing after a Reset.
>
> Machine is a Dell Inspiron 3668 desktop, running Windows 10 Home, version
> 21H1, 19043.1766. (It's fully updated, but tells me that 21H2 is
> available, and I can download and install when I want. This is odd in
> that my Windows 10 laptop automatically updated to 21H2.)
>
> After not being able to fix and continually getting locked up with
> "...program not responding", I did a Reset of the OS, which deletes
> programs, but I kept my personal files.
>
> The process went fine, and the OS version is the same as before the
> Reset. I've updated, but still must manually update to 21H2 when.
>
> 1) Originally, WMP was found in Start>Windows Accessories>Windows Media
> Player. It's no longer there.
>
> 2)I've also looked at Settings>Apps>Apps & features>Optional features>
> More Windows features>Media features. It's no longer there, either, but
> if I hover over the "Media" tick box, it says, "Controls media features
> such as WMP.
>
> On my laptop, also running Windows 10 Home, I find WMP at both locations
> 1 and 2.
>
> The Reset function produces a listing "Apps removed while resetting your
> PC", and places it conspicuously on the desktop home screen. WMP is not
> on this Apps removed list, even though it's no longer installed.
>
> I could copy setup_wm.exe from an other macine, and try installing it,
> but I wanted to ask here first if anyone has an idea what heppened. I'm
> more curious than anything else.
>
> By the way, the machine is nice and perky, just like the good old days.

Start button > Settings > Apps > Apps & features > Optional features >
Add a feature > Windows Media Player > select Install

Dell is infamous about its roll-out configurations on some models... I
have a Dell laptop running Windows 10 Home... and I have hated it from the
first time I set it up. I have spent endless hours researching and banging
around in Windows Administrative Tools to get the thing manageable. It's
like some mischieveous guy at the end of Dell's production line
deliberately scrambles all the settings on all the computers on his shift.

When you first got it, did you inspect yours with a black-light for dookie
or DNA remnants? Mine was clean for that sort of contamination.

Mine works fine now. It still has conflicts between Windows' background
update routine and Dell's background update routine. Probably because I
only boot it up and use it a couple times a month - so it seems more
noticable.

--

I AM Bucky Breeder, (*(^;

And *NO*, that is *NOT* a Jedi Light Saber I have in my pocket!

But that doesn't necessarily mean I'm happy to see you either.

Boris <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:

> Windows Media Player is missing after a Reset.
>
> Machine is a Dell Inspiron 3668 desktop, running Windows 10 Home, version
> 21H1, 19043.1766. (It's fully updated, but tells me that 21H2 is
> available, and I can download and install when I want. This is odd in
> that my Windows 10 laptop automatically updated to 21H2.)
>
> After not being able to fix and continually getting locked up with
> "...program not responding", I did a Reset of the OS, which deletes
> programs, but I kept my personal files.
>
> The process went fine, and the OS version is the same as before the
> Reset. I've updated, but still must manually update to 21H2 when.
>
> 1) Originally, WMP was found in Start>Windows Accessories>Windows Media
> Player. It's no longer there.
>
> 2)I've also looked at Settings>Apps>Apps & features>Optional features>
> More Windows features>Media features. It's no longer there, either, but
> if I hover over the "Media" tick box, it says, "Controls media features
> such as WMP.
>
> On my laptop, also running Windows 10 Home, I find WMP at both locations
> 1 and 2.
>
> The Reset function produces a listing "Apps removed while resetting your
> PC", and places it conspicuously on the desktop home screen. WMP is not
> on this Apps removed list, even though it's no longer installed.
>
> I could copy setup_wm.exe from an other macine, and try installing it,
> but I wanted to ask here first if anyone has an idea what heppened. I'm
> more curious than anything else.
>
> By the way, the machine is nice and perky, just like the good old days.

Probably not what you want to hear, but Microsoft is dumping the Windows
Media Player app. Actually they haven't updated it for quite a while
despite the file datestamp showing otherwise. Touching a file for its
create/modify date for when it got installed is not the same as the last
update for the program. According to:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Media_Player

the last update to WMP was back in 2009. Microsoft replaced WMP with
Groove, and is replacing Groove with Media Player. Yeah, like Microsoft
never confuses their users with confusing product names. We had
Windows' Windows Media Player, then Windows' Groove, and now we get
Windows' Media Player. WMP (wmplayer.exe) is still supposed to get
included in Windows since version 7 up to and including 11, but once I
saw them bury it under Start -> Windows Accessories it was even more
obvious that Microsoft was preparing to trash the app. Only if you were
into creating playlists in WMP did you lose anything with its loss.
Groove (formerly Xbox Music or Zune Music Pass) was supposed to replace
WMP (for music, and Movies & TV for video), but, as I recall, the Groove
service (Groove Music Pass) was discontinued, so users could no longer
download details for songs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groove_Music

What a mess. I gave up on the everchanging targets, and long since
changed to VideoLAN's VLC player. You might be lucky in losing WMP by
making you look at more stable alternatives.

You said you used the Settings app to find the optional features to add
to Windows 10. Microsoft has not yet migrated all functions on the
Control Panel (control.exe) to the Settings app. There is some overlap,
but there is still some of Control Panel that has not been migrated to
the Settings app. Have you tried using control.exe to see if WMP is
listed there, as others suggested?

VanguardLH <V@nguard.LH> wrote in news:it50i4kigeu5.dlg@v.nguard.lh:

> Boris <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:
>
>> Windows Media Player is missing after a Reset.
>>
>> Machine is a Dell Inspiron 3668 desktop, running Windows 10 Home,
>> version 21H1, 19043.1766. (It's fully updated, but tells me that
>> 21H2 is available, and I can download and install when I want. This
>> is odd in that my Windows 10 laptop automatically updated to 21H2.)
>>
>> After not being able to fix and continually getting locked up with
>> "...program not responding", I did a Reset of the OS, which deletes
>> programs, but I kept my personal files.
>>
>> The process went fine, and the OS version is the same as before the
>> Reset. I've updated, but still must manually update to 21H2 when.
>>
>> 1) Originally, WMP was found in Start>Windows Accessories>Windows
>> Media Player. It's no longer there.
>>
>> 2)I've also looked at Settings>Apps>Apps & features>Optional
>> features> More Windows features>Media features. It's no longer
>> there, either, but if I hover over the "Media" tick box, it says,
>> "Controls media features such as WMP.
>>
>> On my laptop, also running Windows 10 Home, I find WMP at both
>> locations 1 and 2.
>>
>> The Reset function produces a listing "Apps removed while resetting
>> your PC", and places it conspicuously on the desktop home screen.
>> WMP is not on this Apps removed list, even though it's no longer
>> installed.
>>
>> I could copy setup_wm.exe from an other macine, and try installing
>> it, but I wanted to ask here first if anyone has an idea what
>> heppened. I'm more curious than anything else.
>>
>> By the way, the machine is nice and perky, just like the good old
>> days.
>
> Probably not what you want to hear, but Microsoft is dumping the
> Windows Media Player app. Actually they haven't updated it for quite
> a while despite the file datestamp showing otherwise. Touching a file
> for its create/modify date for when it got installed is not the same
> as the last update for the program. According to:
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Media_Player
>
> the last update to WMP was back in 2009. Microsoft replaced WMP with
> Groove, and is replacing Groove with Media Player. Yeah, like
> Microsoft never confuses their users with confusing product names. We
> had Windows' Windows Media Player, then Windows' Groove, and now we
> get Windows' Media Player. WMP (wmplayer.exe) is still supposed to
> get included in Windows since version 7 up to and including 11, but
> once I saw them bury it under Start -> Windows Accessories it was even
> more obvious that Microsoft was preparing to trash the app.

Fresh from the Dell factory install, Grove was prominent on the Start
list, and WMP was burried under Windows Accessories. I ran both at the
time. After a few Windows updates, I remember Movies & TV showing up.
Only if
> you were into creating playlists in WMP did you lose anything with its
> loss. Groove (formerly Xbox Music or Zune Music Pass) was supposed to
> replace WMP (for music, and Movies & TV for video), but, as I recall,
> the Groove service (Groove Music Pass) was discontinued, so users
> could no longer download details for songs.

Yep, service discontinued, but player still worked.
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groove_Music
>
> What a mess. I gave up on the everchanging targets, and long since
> changed to VideoLAN's VLC player. You might be lucky in losing WMP by
> making you look at more stable alternatives.

VLC is my favorite media player. I've been using it for years, on WinXP,
Win7, and Win10 machines (currently version 3.0.17.4.).
>
> You said you used the Settings app to find the optional features to
> add to Windows 10. Microsoft has not yet migrated all functions on
> the Control Panel (control.exe) to the Settings app. There is some
> overlap, but there is still some of Control Panel that has not been
> migrated to the Settings app. Have you tried using control.exe to see
> if WMP is listed there, as others suggested?

I've used both Settings and control.exe, but WMP never showed up,
until...

The PC Reset reinstalled 21H1, with 21H2 waiting to be manuall downloaded
and installed. With 21H1, WMP was nowhere to be found. It didn't show
up anywhere. It didn't appear in the Start button > Settings > Apps >
Apps & features > Optional features > Add a feature > Windows Media
Player, let alone the "Turn Windows features on or off".

I downloaded and installed 21H2,. and WMP appearred in all the places it
should have been. It appeared in Windows Accessories, C:\Program Files,
and C:\Program Files(x86), in...Add a feature, and Turn Windows features
on or off.

It appeared as wmplayer.exe, ver. 12.0.19041.1266.

Thanks.

Boris <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote in
news:XnsAEC996D4D3C41nospamnospaminvalid@88.198.57.247:

> I downloaded and installed 21H2,. and WMP appearred in all the places
> it should have been. It appeared in Windows Accessories, C:\Program
> Files, and C:\Program Files(x86), in...Add a feature, and Turn Windows
> features on or off.
>
> It appeared as wmplayer.exe, ver. 12.0.19041.1266.
>
> Thanks

Before and after updating to 21H2

https://postimg.cc/gallery/5HPdwKL

(WMP wasn't in the Add a feature, either.)

On 7/3/2022 5:55 PM, Boris wrote:
> Boris <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote in
> news:XnsAEC996D4D3C41nospamnospaminvalid@88.198.57.247:
>
>> I downloaded and installed 21H2,. and WMP appearred in all the places
>> it should have been. It appeared in Windows Accessories, C:\Program
>> Files, and C:\Program Files(x86), in...Add a feature, and Turn Windows
>> features on or off.
>>
>> It appeared as wmplayer.exe, ver. 12.0.19041.1266.
>>
>> Thanks
>
> Before and after updating to 21H2
>
> https://postimg.cc/gallery/5HPdwKL
>
>
> (WMP wasn't in the Add a feature, either.)
>

Maybe it could be blocked with W10-N.
There is a version of install which lacks a few
features in Europe (due to some court settlement).

I think it's kinda cool that you have a Media Features
tick box, then the item cannot be expanded to show any details.

As for your version, I'm not running W10 at the moment,
but the W10 C: on the hard drive has that exact version 12.0.19041.1266
on it. And otherwise, I think that W10 install is 19044.xxx as far
as the whole OS is concerned.

Paul