Replacing Media Player 8 With 7

[Neil__]

Micro$oft insists that Media Player 8, 9 cannot be removed or replaced with earlier versions.

I think Micro$oft is expecting too much from itself, There must be a way however complicated.

Does anyione know how or where I can look next?

I have windows XP pro corp.

Neil...........

[skelley521]

Have you tried... Add/Remove programs--Additional windows components, then scroll down and uncheck media player?
Then check C:\Program Files (if this is your drive letter) and see what is left in the Windows Media Player folder. You could delete the folder, clean the registry and get Media Player 7.1 from HERE (http://downloads-zdnet.com.com/3120-20-0.html?qt=media+player+7&tg=dl-2001) (I belive it is the 3rd one down).
Just a thought,
Steve

[ghost944]

if you deleate the folder it will still be there
i asked someone over at the microsoft forums thing how i could uninstall it
And he give me the following instructions

Well he didnt really give me any instructions i just added that to make it sound a bit better, even though it didnt.
Any way he said that you cant deleat WMP because it is a part of windows
just like the rest of the crap microsoft ads as well

[skelley521]

HERE (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/player/readme.aspx#removeplayer) is M$ solution to remove MP9 (about 1/2 way down). Your right, media player 8 can not be removed, BUT....
a friend of mine removed it by doing the above steps in my other post...it will tell you that the folder can not be deleted because it is in use. Before it gets to that point he said you need to do a RUSH restart before you get that prompt. So remove in add/remove window comp. then browse to the folder delete it and hurry up and restart.
Now he said it worked for him, but I can not guarantee it for everyone as it took him 3-4 tries to beat the prompt.
Once again, just a thought.
Steve

[Neil__]

Originally posted by skelley521@31 May 2003 - 16:35
HERE (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/player/readme.aspx#removeplayer) is M$ solution to remove MP9 (about 1/2 way down). Your right, media player 8 can not be removed, BUT....
a friend of mine removed it by doing the above steps in my other post...it will tell you that the folder can not be deleted because it is in use. Before it gets to that point he said you need to do a RUSH restart before you get that prompt. So remove in add/remove window comp. then browse to the folder delete it and hurry up and restart.

Now he said it worked for him, but I can not guarantee it for everyone as it took him 3-4 tries to beat the prompt.
Once again, just a thought.
Steve


Thanks I will give it a go but i will Norton ghost the c: in case
Maybe it can be removed witha dos startup disk as i'm running fat32 for game compatability reasons I can still access C: in dos

If I wanted to replace Media player 8 with MP7 can that be done any easier?

thanks for the replies.

Neil.

[shn]

I work with an mcse instructor at my job and I seem to recall a conversation we had regarding windows media player and windows movie maker, and basically a lot of other programs that come with the o.s. that microsoft wont allow you to uninstall from the add or remove programs section. The answer to that question relies in the registry. If you do enough research and searching youll find information on the right registration keys to delete or remove in order to replace or remove any of the components in any windows o.s. that they dont want you to remove. In regard to windows media player "9" the best way to get rid of that is to do a system restore on the account that upon installation it automatically creates a system restore point in case you want to convert back to your original version of windows media. However, besides .wma files there are a ton of other media players that squash windows media player on any given day. I recommend you start exploring other options besides windows media player.

[Neil__]

Originally posted by shn@2 June 2003 - 03:03
I work with an mcse instructor at my job and I seem to recall a conversation we had regarding windows media player and windows movie maker, and basically a lot of other programs that come with the o.s. that microsoft wont allow you to uninstall from the add or remove programs section. The answer to that question relies in the registry. If you do enough research and searching youll find information on the right registration keys to delete or remove in order to replace or remove any of the components in any windows o.s. that they dont want you to remove. In regard to windows media player "9" the best way to get rid of that is to do a system restore on the account that upon installation it automatically creates a system restore point in case you want to convert back to your original version of windows media. However, besides .wma files there are a ton of other media players that squash windows media player on any given day. I recommend you start exploring other options besides windows media player.
shn

I'd rather get rid altogether but if that entails too much work then i'll settle for media player 7.

I guessed there would be a lot of registry editing and just a simple replace with MP7 sounds simpler to me
I find MP7 far less intrusive than 8. but as i said total removal would be better,

[DemonQuark]

WMP 9 can't be removed from XP.
You should be able to get rid of it by just using add remove programs in 98.
But, i have tried to get rid of it, but I'm stuck with it (bloody bubbly XP :angry: )

[Neil__]

Originally posted by DemonQuark@2 June 2003 - 05:02
WMP 9 can't be removed from XP.
You should be able to get rid of it by just using add remove programs in 98.
But, i have tried to get rid of it, but I'm stuck with it (bloody bubbly XP :angry: )
Luckily I havent gone up to WP9 as I heard all over how much it sucks
I don't trust WP8 either.