Fix: Windows Media Player is not installed properly and must be reinstalled.

You might have faced the problem, when you try to run Windows Media Player. An error dialog box appears “Windows Media Player is not installed properly and must be reinstalled.”

Literally it happens due to mismatch version of some core Windows Media Player files. Following reasons may cause the problem like this-

Windows Updates might have failed to installed Windows Media Player updates.
You might have patched Windows Media Player files like wmplayer.exe, wmp.dll and so on.

The error messages may differ, but primarily it state

Windows Media Player is not installed properly and must be reinstalled. Do you want to reinstall from Microsoft website?

Windows Media Player is not installed properly

By following guide, you can also get rid of following errors-

“The file wmp.dll has a version 12.0.XXXX.YYYY where 12.0.AAAA.BBBB was expected. Windows media player is not properly installed and must be reinstalled. Do you want to reinstall from Microsoft website?”

“The file wmplayer.exe has a version 12.0.XXXX.YYYY where 12.0.AAAA.BBBB was expected. Windows media player is not properly installed and must be reinstalled. Do you want to reinstall from Microsoft website?”

“The file wmploc.dll has a version 12.0.XXXX.YYYY where 12.0.AAAA.BBBB was expected. Windows media player is not properly installed and must be reinstalled. Do you want to reinstall from Microsoft website?”

The major version of Windows Media Player may differ as per your Windows and Windows Media Player, for case it is 12

How To:

1. Close all Windows Media Player instances and Run Command Prompt as Administrator

2. Execute the following command-

UNREGMP2.EXE /UPDATEWMPVERSION Or UNREGMP2.EXE /UPDATEWMP

REGSVR32.EXE WMP.DLL

3. That’s it, now you can re-launch Windows Media Player and you won’t get error message anymore.

Applies To:

Windows Media Player 11
Windows Media Player 12

47 responses to “Fix: Windows Media Player is not installed properly and must be reinstalled.”

Alicia

2010-05-15

How do I get to the C:\Windows\System32 ? I tried several times under “run” and nothing happens.

Reply
ELLIOT

2010-04-01

Got a somewhat different problem … media player somehow got uninstalled from Win 7 64 and Microsoft insists there is no download available for my system to reinstall it … and I can’t find anywhere on the Win 7 install disc to install, reinstall or repair features (XP was much more user friendly in that regard) … the only option seems to be to reinstall the whole program. (Which can’t be right, so I’m probably missing something.)

Have tried to install older versions of MP, but get the dread “newer version” error and the unreg code doesn’t fix it … do I really have to go into the registry and weed every single reference to media player out by hand to install, say, Media Player 11, or is there a Windows 12 download (apparently I need version 7600.16415 or newer) somewhere on the black market.

I mean, really, OK, Microsoft is stupid, dump and as covered with disease carrying flies as a pile of rocks covered with steer manure always and forever, but even for the Redmond Rapists not providing a download to repair or reinstall a key component of their latest, so-called greatest operating system is beyond the pale.

Not that anyone in their right mind would voluntarily use Media Player for anything, but, sadly, the issue of voluntarily doesn’t enter into the equation when third-party vendors like Napster or Rhapsody demand you have it on your hard drive to access various of their functions.

Thanks for the help.

Reply
Manu Bhalla

2010-03-22

I dont get how to execute the command… where do i type the command and how do i execute it??

Reply
Glenn

2010-03-10

I’ve tried this several times and it does not work. It comes back and says “not an internal or external recognized command” or something like that. Any other ideas?

Reply
1. Author
  
  2010-03-11
  
  You must run Command Prompt (cmd.exe) as Administrator and execute the command from C:WindowsSystem32
Mitch

2010-02-06

Sadly it didn’t work for me, after trying several times, no dice

Reply
Monica

2010-01-06

I can’t believe that such problem can’t be fixed!
Seems so simple, but no one can say what’s going on, all the steps done and nothing, bah.
Well perhaps someday…

Reply
hun

2010-01-03

No go on my Win 7 either… I have re-nstalled this version at least 7 times:-) and still it is not what i was expeting.. I want my computer back!! I know the DLL file problem with the Windows Media Player but Ihave no privalage to fix it:-(

Reply
Khim

2009-12-24

Thank it helped me to fix this issue in Windows Vista.

Reply
Monica Santos

2009-12-16

Thanks for the prompt answer but I did the steps you’ve described many (several times) and well those steps doesn’t help as I use a notebook I need to enhance my sound, and reinstall eveything right now is not an option I am so tired of that…
Thank you so much again.

Cheers

Monica

Reply
Monica Santos

2009-12-16

Greetings thanks for all the useful tools and tips, I made the download of Fix WMP and run the program, but my main problem is:

01 – When I start to listening to the music this info does not appear at my Live Messenger no matter what I try, I cannot fix such problem;
02 – Since WMP 11 I use DFX Sound Enhancer and SCII Decoder v. 1.4.2 (what gives me the surround sound);

Is possible to find a way to fix my problem?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Monica

Reply
1. Author
  
  2009-12-16
  
  To show current playing track as the Live messenger status, you need to check two settings-
  1. Goto Windows Media Player Options (Tools menu >> Options), on Plug-ins tab chick on Background under Category and then select Windows Media Player Music Plugin. Click on Ok or Apply to commit changes. It may require to restart your Windows Media Player.
  2. Sign-in Live Messenger, click on Status Split button and choose Show what I’m listening to
  FYI: DFX Sound Enhancer gives your sorround sound, SCII Decoder is the plugin, that might be installed by some 3rd party applications.