Completely OT: Windows Media Player

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Hi All,

I know this is completely off topic, but I’m sincerely hoping that some kind soul will know the answer to my question, which really isn’t *that* important in the scheme of things, but would definitely bring about good charma.

I’m desperately trying to use Windows Media Player 10, since our wonderful company has decided I can no longer use Winamp. I have tried using the Microsoft newsgroups to get help, but my company has also decided to disable my ability to view those newsgroup posts. So much for being a developer….

Anyhow, my problem is this: I can’t seem to find a way to display the Library in Windows Media Player. I’ve been through all the help that shows you how to “Show the Menu Bar” and make sure that “Hide Taskbar” is not selected; changing any of these options does nothing for me. I have no taskbar, and no option to click to see the library. On the File menu I have all the options to Add files, etc to the library, but none of these options actually *displays* the library at any point.

I’m not sure if this is related to this issue, but it could be an important clue: At some point in the past (years ago), I chose the option to view WMP in Classic mode. I have not found a way to switch it *out* of classic mode, so maybe it’s not an issue?

This might not seem like a big deal, except that not seeing the library also means not being able to see playlists, id3 tags, and the like. I really need to get to these features so that I can have my tunes as I like them and be a happy developer.

If anyone has any clues, I really would be oh, so grateful!!!!

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Do you have a menu option View | Full Mode? If not, try pressing Ctrl+1. This should get you into Full Mode, with the option to select Now Playing, Library etc.

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Hi Hans! How did I know it would be you to come to my rescue!

No, there is no View–>Full Mode option. Under View, there is a greyed out Full Screen option, but Full Screen (even when available) doesn’t get me to full mode. There is a View–> Menu Bar Options under which there is a Hide Menu Bar and a Show Menu bar choice. Hiding or showing doesn’t appear to make any difference at all.

1 doesn’t do anything. F1 pulls up help, which is no help.

There is also a View–>Now Playing options, which has checkmarks for showing Title, Media Information, and Playlist (all separate choices). I have them all checked, but none of them appear. Unchecking them doesn’t change a thing.

There are all these visualizations in the main (and only) screen, if only I could see the playlist there instead of silly graphics….

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The screenshot below shows what my View menu looks like. If all those options at the top are missing on your system, it might be that your IT department has provided you with a deliberately crippled version of Media Player…

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Thanks, Hans.

I have no choice of Full Mode, Skin Mode, or Skin chooser like you have. All the rest *appears* to be the same.

I wouldn’t put it past the gov’t to limit my options down to nothing. I am two seconds away from getting on my soapbox about the communist US gov’t, but unfortunately that won’t get me anywhere with the problem at hand.

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It looks like it’s a deliberate limitation, but please don’t post a rant about the US government in the Lounge! I’d be forced to remove it…

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Hans, I was about 15 seconds away from asking you to marry me (because of all the help you’ve given me over the past few years), but after a comment like that….

Anyway, thanks again for your help, and have a great day!

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Oh well, so I blew my chance…

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I have bad experience with WMP10: there was no way to force this animal to show lyrics embedded in MP3 files! Clear Help instructions provide to nowhere, exactly how it is in your case.

So… try to download and install WMP10 once again (in case something is missing during the installation):

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details…&displaylang=en%5B/url%5D

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I doubt if this will help (: but if it does, I’m already married . I’m also on a govt computer and have no menu (but I do have a Library tab). Anyway, I just accidentily right-clicked on the title bar and it gave me the menu bar as a pop-up menu. I selected View | Menu Bar Options | Show Menu Bar and now I have a menu bar. Now, the menu View | Menu Bar Options | Show Taskbar gives me a “taskbar” with a Library tab. HTH –Sam

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Hi Sammy,

Thanks for the try, but apparently your agency is much kinder than mine. I did (again) exactly the steps you suggested. “Show Menu Bar” is definitely selected, yet there is no menu bar. (In other words, whether I click Show Menu Bar or Hide Menu Bar, there is absolutely no difference.) So I don’t even get a menu bar to be able to get to the taskbar.

Does that make sense?

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Can you see the “Access application menus” button – downward pointing arrow – top right of WMP?
Clicking on that should allow you to select “Show Menu bar” which might help.

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My player doesn’t seem to have that bar:

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That bar is only available in Full Mode, but one of your problems is that you can’t get to Full Mode. Normally, the button I circled in the screenshot below will activate Full Mode, but somehow I doubt it’ll work for you…

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I’ll go out on a limb and contribute to this, too…

They disabled a number of features at my company, too. Being a tech geek, too, I was determined to find out what happened. I wish I could say I found out myself, but actually someone showed me what they did here. (This involves editing the registry, so you are now forwarned.)

They (the powers that be here at my company) added the registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftWindowsMediaPlayer, and that disabled the features they didn’t want us using. I removed it (after exporting it first, of course!) and now Media Player is just as functional (and frustrating) as the one on my home PC.

Hope this helps!

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Warning: it may not be a good idea to meddle with policies set by your employer, however annoying they are. If it is found out, it could get you in real trouble.

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Touch

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Well, I found the key, it’s exactly there as you said….

Since I am a disgruntled fed employee, I tried deleting the keys, but apparently they have it locked down. I couldn’t modify a thing. Actually, I’m surprised that I could even open the registry to view it!

Thanks for your detective work, Mike! At least I know what the issue is. Now the bigger of issue of WHY they think they need to control us so badly is another issue altogether …. Maybe it’s time to find a new job.

Thank you, everyone, who put effort into this endeavor!!!

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