Windows Media Player won't start... :-(

[PJE]

Hi,

Before I bite the bullet and cold boot and then reinstall all my applications (around 40!) with the relevant data files, can anyone explain why my Windows Media Player won't start up.

When I click the Icon the screen flashes but it doesn't seem to want to run...

I backed up my Axim and did a cold boot and WMP runs fine, but when I restore my machine it stops responding again...

I was doing a little tidying a couple of days ago... so I was wondering if I deleted a required file.

Regards,

PJE

Software currently installed (on 400MHz Axim - no memory card!):

Applications:
Pocket Informant 3.45, Mindjet MindManager Mobile
CodeCity CityTime, Kopis Streamliner, NetFront3
nPOP, PocketTV, PocketMVP, Mazingo, HanaHo PQV
Flow Simulation Calc98, CalcNow

Utilities:
Pelmar WIS Bar, Snoopsoft Dashboard, CalliGrapher 6.5
Omega One Battery Pack 2002 v4.0, Linksys Wireless CompactFlash Card
Pocket Screen Capture, ValkSoft Screen Capture
WiNc, PepeSoft Calender+ Today, tAgenda
Resco Explorer 2003, Resso File Explorer, MultiIE 2
WIMR (Where Is My RAM?), DockWare,
WordCommands 2.0, Micromedia Flash Player

Games:
Snails (Full), 4Pockets Marble World Demo, BugPower CE Zebra
Obsidian Stoned, PocketFun PocketPop 1,3, Ramon de Klein Bubbles
Ball2Arm, Balloon, Batty-Arm, Bee, BoxMan, Freecell

[Pat Logsdon]

You didn't mention the location of the icon you were tapping, so I'm assuming it was either from the Start Menu or from Programs.

If you haven't done so already, you might want to try starting the app by going into the windows directory and tapping "player.exe". If that works, I'd try copying the file from that location, then deleting the shortcuts from Start Menu and Start Menu/Programs, and then copy player.exe as a shortcut back into these directories.

Since you can't delete player.exe (it's stored in ROM), I'd guess that the problem is with one of these two shortcuts.

If Restore restores corrupted shortcuts to WMP, that would explain why it works after the hard reset but not after the restore.

Good luck! :D

[PJE]

Hi,

I'd already tried selecting the player.exe with no luck.

I think the problem may be one of the installed programs. My thought is for PocketMVP or PocketTV. I've cold booted and then reinstalled my programs - made more difficult as some load to the Built-In storage and some to Main memory and also the fact that the software is on two PCs (my home machine and my work laptop).

I'm going to cold boot again and then try installing one program at a time... hopefully I'll get to the one thats messing things up...

Wish me good luck...

PJE

[Ed Hansberry]

I've seen this happen from another media player that was in late beta. A hard reset definitely fixed it. It took them a few days to figure out what had caused it and fix it. It was a deep deep registry problem. So while you listed installed apps, it could also be anything you've uninstalled.

I went the hard reset route too. :D

[jecjr]

This exact problem happened to me after I loaded only one program... Pocket Informant. Soft reset would not fix the problem I did a sync'd backup to my computer and then did a hard reset. this fixed the problem. At this time I haven't yet tried reloading Pocket Informant.

[guinness]

I'd just bite the bullet and do a hard reset, I don't think you'll be able to find the culprit by uninstalling/reinstalling your progs, but my guess would be one of the media players as well, Pocket TV or MVP. BTW, how much program memory do you have free when running apps, it might be that WMP doesn't have enough room to execute.

[PJE]

This exact problem happened to me after I loaded only one program... Pocket Informant. Soft reset would not fix the problem I did a sync'd backup to my computer and then did a hard reset. this fixed the problem. At this time I haven't yet tried reloading Pocket Informant.

I'm using Pocket Informant... Maybe this is the issue.

After a couple of cold boots and reinstalling all my software WMP runs OK but WORD, EXCEL etc are missing in action.. :(

I'll try uninstalling Pocket Informant and see if this helps before my next Colb Boot marathon!

UPDATE: Removing PI was a pain... all hell broke loose and my system ran out of memory (it somehow use 15MB uninstalling!) It's back now but things are not right... Cold boot here I come!

Regards,

PJE

PS. I had LOTS (15+MB) of program and storage memory free when all the apps were installed.

[Janak Parekh]

This exact problem happened to me after I loaded only one program... Pocket Informant. Soft reset would not fix the problem I did a sync'd backup to my computer and then did a hard reset. this fixed the problem. At this time I haven't yet tried reloading Pocket Informant.
What version was this? I've used about 7 different versions of Pocket Informant over two different iPaqs without a problem. If you can replicate it happening on the Dell, by all means get in touch with Alex, the developer; he's very responsive.

--janak

[PJE]

Hi All,

As posted on another thread:

It seems my pain has been purely self inflicted - and I've been blaming everything that moved....

It seems that the software in the Axim doesn't like the number of files on the 256MB CF card. I have a Mazingo account and had loaded 1000's of html files into Mazingo and MazingoDVP direcories on the CF Card. When a program started that looked for files on the machine it would pitch a fit at these directories and either go into a near infinate loop or look like it was locked up - when the program 'locked up' it could be simply restarted by pulling out the CF card!.

Does anyone know whether these directories can be exluded from file searches? I would still like a 'My Documents' folder on this device, which would hold a few movies/MP3s etc... The Mazingo App still handled all these files OK. It was the other programs that started to struggle.

Thoughts.

PJE

[Steven Cedrone]

And the solution was:

If you have a "My Documents" folder on the CF card, make sure the file: ignore_my_docs is not present (at the root of the CF card). If it is there delete it. Sync Mazingo to a folder that is not in "My Documents".
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?id=2863

Steve