Windows Media Player may not be working properly on your computer for a number of reasons. To troubleshoot, you need to identify both the version of Windows operating system you have installed on your computer and the version of Media Player you are trying to run on it. Once you do this, you can identify the problems you are having.

Which Windows

Check to see if you are running Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7. You can do this by going to the "Start" menu. Right-click on "My Computer" then select "Properties." This brings up all the pertinent information about your computer and its operating system.

Which Media Player

Identify the version of Windows Media Player you have. To do this, open Media Player and go to the "Help" menu. Click on "About." This brings up a version number for Windows Media Player (WMP). Compare this number with the chart on Microsoft support website (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/190990).

Common issues

Decide what kind of issue Media Player is having. Does Media Player run at all? If not, it is probably not installed correctly and you need to reinstall it. Visit the Download Center. If it does run, what happens next? Do you get an error message? Typically, an error message means that something is wrong with the file you are trying to read or that file format is not supported by Media Player. You may try to reload the file again, but if the problem persists or if the format is not supported by Media Player, you may not be able to play it. See microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/9series/playererrors.aspx to learn more about troubleshooting error messages.

Unresponsiveness

Look to see if Media Player simply stops responding. This is one of the most common problems for Media Player versions 10 and 11. This may happen because a device such as a USB or flash drive has been plugged in. If this is the case, Microsoft has a Hotfix for this problem. See Microsoft Product Support Services to get the proper Hotfix.

Sound and audio issues

Find your audio problem. These types of problems most frequently occur because either your computer's connection with the device such as the DVD drive is bad or your drivers are not up to date. In any case, check your speakers, cables and plugs first. If this does not solve your problem, you may run Microsoft Support's diagnostic tool for audio playback (http://support.microsoft.com/gp/no_audio_playback_windows).

Contacting Microsoft Support

You can get professional support assistance from Microsoft by telephone at (877) MY-MSSTORE, via the Internet at Microsoft Product Solution centers or in person at any Microsoft store.

Source:

Windows Media Player Solution Center

How to determine the version of Windows Media Center

Microsoft Support Center

Resource:

Microsoft Store

Windows Media Player Download Center

Microsoft Product Support Services