Windows Media Player Crash/Errors

Hey all, I don't recall running into this issue until recently, and a Google search isn't really working so well. Here's the setup:

Windows 7 x64 Home Premium

Windows Media Player 12

Error: "The Remote Procedure Call Failed" (This comes up for every media file I attempt to play.)


This error code will also come up if I open WMP without trying to play a file: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789. It then immediately closes.

I've been using VLC player for some time, and it gives me no issues.

I've done a little checking, and Remote Procedure Call is both running and set to Automatic in services.msc. However, Remote Procedure Call Locator is disabled on the advice of BlackViper. I turned this particular service off long ago, IIRC, and it to my knowledge hasn't affected WMP before.

 

I've tried the last option before posting my question and unfortunately that didn't work. I'll try the other two suggestions and report back. Thanks, Stapp


Edit: Neither one worked. I ran the MS Fix-It, it claimed to fix some issues and reset the player. No sooner than I had started going over the player preferences, it crashed again and continues to do so. It won't even let me look at the player before the box pops up asking if I want to close the program.

I did a system file check not too long ago. I've done a system verify check and it found no errors/violations. The WMP problem remains though.

 

This issue is getting to me, I've tried the troubleshooter, which detected a configuration error, said it fixed it, and still WMP won't open for more than 2-3 seconds before crashing. I've Google'd with the most specific terms I can and am either getting the same suggestions to try or coming up empty-handed.

 

1st, if you changed the services recently and then this was caused, i would revert the changes to see if it solved.

2nd, i would try to see if a specific error code is given.

Most probably, something is interfering with RPC. Could be even your antivirus.
See example here:

http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH54543

You could also do from command line sfc/ scannow to repair windows files.

 

Maybe this will help if any of you can read these things:


From Event Viewer:

General

Faulting application name: wmplayer.exe, version: 12.0.7601.17514, time stamp: 0x4ce7a485
Faulting module name: SHLWAPI.dll, version: 6.1.7601.17514, time stamp: 0x4ce7b9e2
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x00013898




Details

Log Name: Application
Source: Application Error
Date: 1/13/2013 3:35:35 AM
Event ID: 1000
Task Category: (100)
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: Home-PC
Description:
Faulting application name: wmplayer.exe, version: 12.0.7601.17514, time stamp: 0x4ce7a485
Faulting module name: SHLWAPI.dll, version: 6.1.7601.17514, time stamp: 0x4ce7b9e2
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x00013898
Faulting process id: 0x1168
Faulting application start time: 0x01cdf168f10da8e6
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\syswow64\SHLWAPI.dll
Report Id: 32a68073-5d5c-11e2-8617-90fba62b560f
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Application Error" />
<EventID Qualifiers="0">1000</EventID>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>100</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2013-01-13T08:35:35.000000000Z" />
<EventRecordID>6518</EventRecordID>
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>Home-PC</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>wmplayer.exe</Data>
<Data>12.0.7601.17514</Data>
<Data>4ce7a485</Data>
<Data>SHLWAPI.dll</Data>
<Data>6.1.7601.17514</Data>
<Data>4ce7b9e2</Data>
<Data>c0000005</Data>
<Data>00013898</Data>
<Data>1168</Data>
<Data>01cdf168f10da8e6</Data>
<Data>C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe</Data>
<Data>C:\Windows\syswow64\SHLWAPI.dll</Data>
<Data>32a68073-5d5c-11e2-8617-90fba62b560f</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

 

What kind of filetype are you trying to open when this happens? Or does it happen with any file type (mp3, mkv, etc).

 

I've tried MP4, MP3. I shut down AdMuncher, then my antivirus (Bitdefender), and doing that didn't make the issue leave. As for scanning system files for integrity, I did that earlier as well and it reported all was well. Do you think having RPC Locator disabled would do this? BlackViper said nothing used that service post-Vista/7.

 

I haven't tried safemode, honestly. I can though.

 

WMP doesn't even start in Safe Mode. I'll try a new user and see what happens. I've tried several files from my media folder and the same happens. I don't really even have anything listed in the player library, and can't edit it anyway since the player doesn't stay open.

 

I 've got RPC Locator disabled too...

The fact that you get this with also just opening WMP, without trying to play anything, could point to a problem related to Library or the MS DRM crap.

Try one thing. Take screenshots of your current settings, so that you can later remember the settings you usually use. Then, change settings to these:







Make sure you also click "Clear History" and "Clear caches".

Click Ok. Try to launch it again. If nothing changes, put back your old settings and sorry for the trouble. It WMP now works, again, try to put back your old settings and see if it works.

 

Oh, Stapp got there before me and i just thought that since WMP crashes immediately, you won't even have the time to change settings anyway...

Beats me... If i come with another idea, i will post... Did you install something new just before this started happening?

 

@FuzzFas: I'll try that out.

@Stapp: A new user account results in the same crash right after going through the options screen when it first opened.

 

BTW, do you have 3rd party codecs installed or do you use the Microsoft preinstalled codecs?

 

The only recent installs have been ExploitShield, AdMuncher and BD Free. All of which I shut down and tried WMP without. I did recently try out PotPlayer and removed it (didn't like it). VLC is back on my machine again as well. The trouble is, I haven't used WMP in a while, because for a long time I used VLC and the K-Lite codec pack. So, I have no idea when it got this screwed up. The last time I used it, I had no problems (months ago).

Edit: The K-Lite codec pack was uninstalled about a week ago.

 

Well, i 'd still try a couple of things:

1) Try delete the files in Windows DRM folder, as seen here. It's not the exact error as yours, but in desperation, i 'd try that too.

http://www.techsupportforum.com/for...-media-player-still-having-errors-606203.html

2) Re-install K-Lite Codec pack. Codec problems can cause all kind of crashes. Once i had explorer.exe crashing all the time, because the version of codecs installed had an ffdshow version that was making it crash. As soon as i changed ffdshow version, it stopped.

 

*Sigh* I did both. No data was in the DRM folder, and K-Lite is back..with no change in WMP.

 

I 'd uninstall Bitdefender 1st and Exploit Shield 2nd. Cause even if you disable them, they install kernel drivers and their service is running.

 

Try also: Go to Contro Panel-Programs-Programs and Features- Turn Windows Features On or Off. Find Under Media Features, "Windows Media Player" and deselect it. Click Ok. Reboot. Go again, reselect it, ok, reboot.

This should put WMP back to pristine condition. If it still crashes, there must be a compatibility problem with another program.

http://www.eventid.net/display.asp?eventid=1000&eventno=1475&source=Application Error&phase=1

And we 're talking about a program running at startup obviously in this case.

 

Okay, here's the deal. I restarted the system again and, on a hunch, shut down Exploitshield. Lo and behold, the player starts working and playing files. As a test, I turned Exploitshield back on and it still worked...until I started playing video files from a different folder, but the same series of show. When I did this, WMP started dying again. However, these files play in MPC and VLC. So, I don't have a clue what's going on here. Maybe I should just hand it over to Scooby Doo and the gang?

@Fuzzfas: Reinstalling WMP was one of my first moves and didn't work at the time.

 

Well, glad you found it. By exclusion, i did propose that in #21 At the end of the day, startup applications always become suspicious, specially when they are security related. Although i 've no idea how Exploit Shield actually works.