Software Manager misses installed WMP 11

henry

I tried to uninstall Windows Media Player 11 using RegSupreme Pro's Software Manager. Surprisingly, this product does not appear in the list of software displayed by Software Manager. WMP 11 is indeed installed: I use it to play music, it is shown in Add/Remove Programs and also in Cleaner's Tools. Does anyone please have an idea how I can get Software Manager to uninstall WMP 11? The OS is Windows XP Professional SP2 with all updates.

I should add that all other means of uninstalling WMP 11 failed. Pressing Remove in Add/Remove Software opens the Media Rollback Wizard, which goes through the paces and ends normally. However WMP 11 is still there and usable. (The file $NtUninstallwmp11$ and others are available in C:\WINDOWS.) None of the three methods indicated in the Readme or in the Microsoft article KB 934372 worked. Searching with the string "uninstall windows media player 11" in Google results in 540,000 hits. I went through the first several tens but none helped. So I thought of RegSupreme Pro.

tullik

I have Windows Media Player 11 on my Vista PC and Windows Media Player 10 on my XP Pro PC.

Using RegSupreme Pro's Software Manager, they show up as follows:

Vista - - Author= Software=Windows Media Format 11 runtime

XP Pro - Author= Software=Windows Media Format 10 runtime

Using RegSupreme Pro's Registry Manager, they show up as shown in the screenshot. It's the same on both systems (except, of course, one says 10 and the other says 11 :) ). Actually. on the XP system, it just says "Windows Media Format runtime" (that is, the number is not in the "display name").

If you have the "runtime" item listed by either tool, perhaps uninstalling it will take out WMP 11. It couldn't hurt to make a Restore Point first …

05-04-2008_10-11-54.jpg

BTW, the two keys are one right after the other in the registry. I speculate that jv16 only shows one item in Software Manager to reduce duplication in the list. Both keys point to the same Program Files folder, but have different uninstall strings. Namely, "C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmsetsdk.exe" /UninstallAll and "C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\Setup_wm.exe" /Uninstall.

henry

Thank you tullik for taking the time to help. Here too Registry Manager does show the entries for Media Player 11, Media Format 11 and a third one for Media Format SDK - Hotfix KB891122. This makes sense since Registry Manager shows items from the Add/Remove Programs. On the other hand, in my computer, Software Manager really does not show anything close to either Media Player or Media Format.

My understanding is that RegSupreme Pro's ability to uninstall independently of the registered uninstall string is available through Software Manager only. Can Registry Manager be used to the same effect?

tullik

According to the developer, it is possible (*) -- look here: http://www.macecraft.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3194&p=14848#p14848

(*) (at least it is in the realm of possibility -- my parentheses) ... Your situation is different; you would use the "Uninstall" button.

Good luck!

First, I suggest you read some of these links (perhaps you've already been there … you mentioned the first one). If using the Registry Manager uninstall doesn't work, maybe there will be some approach you haven't tried already (like downloading and trying to install WMP 10 or WMP 9.5 runtime):

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/934372 Note: step 6 in Method 3 is an obvious error (Duh, Microsoft) ... it should be step 3 under Method 2.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/11/readme.aspx

http://ezinearticles.com/?Uninstall-and-Rollback-Windows-Media-Player-11-and-Get-Back-to-Enjoying-Your-Music&id=238066

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/AllDownloads.aspx?displang=en

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=891122

tullik

Henry wrote
... On the other hand, in my computer, Software Manager really does not show anything close to either Media Player or Media Format. ...

That's likely due to your prior attempts to uninstall it; that is, it's "partially unninstalled."

Since Microsoft has WMP as "part of the operating system," you may have to just let it be (delete all its shortcuts and change all its file extensions to some other product).

henry

Thank you again tullik for the information. Before posting, I have gone through the links you cited and others. Thank you just the same. As you say, may be I should let it be.

With all due respect, I feel that Software Manager misses WMP on this computer not because WMP may be partially uninstalled but because of some deficiency to be determined. Besides, if it were due to "partially uninstalled" then one could argue that the product does not perform as advertised. See for example the macecraft.com site: "The program allows users to remove hidden traces of previously uninstalled software..." and also "This tool was designed to one thing and one thing only: to uninstall software, any software, even those whose uninstallation application doesn't work." (It is not at all my intention to denigrate RegSupreme Pro, which is an outstanding product well worth every cent and more, but rather to point out signs of a possible bug.)

tullik

Henry wrote
... With all due respect, I feel that Software Manager misses WMP on this computer not because WMP may be partially uninstalled but because of some deficiency to be determined. Besides, if it were due to "partially uninstalled" then one could argue that the product does not perform as advertised. See for example the macecraft.com site: "The program allows users to remove hidden traces of previously uninstalled software..." and also "This tool was designed to one thing and one thing only: to uninstall software, any software, even those whose uninstallation application doesn't work." (It is not at all my intention to denigrate RegSupreme Pro, which is an outstanding product well worth every cent and more, but rather to point out signs of a possible bug.)

The tool actually does enable the two things you quote, but it is not easy in every case.

page 7 of the handbook wrote
... Please note that Software Manager works much based on approximations. This means the list can contain some number of errors: for example, the software's Main Executable information or the Installation Date might not show the correct data on all software. This is normal. Also, it's not always possible for Software Manager to detect all information for the software, in such case “N/A” is shown. ...

There's room for improvement in the approximation logic implemented. For example, since IE and WMP are actually part of Windows operating systems, their registry information should be given more weight in filtering what to include in the SWM list.

Henry wrote
… WMP 11 is indeed installed: I use it to play music, it is shown in Add/Remove Programs and also in Cleaner's Tools. Does anyone please have an idea how I can get Software Manager to uninstall WMP 11? …

I don't think it can be completely uninstalled. At best, you can remove visible signs of its existence, for example, its shortcut icons, and stop using it. I should have said that more directly earlier.

One of the main issues in this bit of news concerns WMP: Microsoft loses watershed anti-trust appeal

redseujac

I don't know: could Windows Installer Clean Up help?

tullik

Probably won't help -- WMP is not in the "Applies to" list in Description of the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility.

henry

tullik wrote
I don't think it can be completely uninstalled.

From the article: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter/mediaadvice/0109.mspx#EWFAChttp://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter/mediaadvice/0109.mspx#EWFAC

"Can I uninstall Windows Media Player 11?

Yes, if you decide later that you want to return to your previous version of the Player, you can uninstall Windows Media Player 11. For more information, see Rolling back to a previous version of the Player."

The Readme: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/11/readme.aspx#RollingbacktoapreviousversionofthePlayerhttp://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/11/readme.aspx#RollingbacktoapreviousversionofthePlayer

is one of the several articles that give step by step instructions.

Therefore, it should be possible to uninstall WMP 11 and roll back to the previously installed version. It so happens that this doesn't work on my computer. You are addressing this issue in your desire to help me achieve what I set out to do, thank you kindly indeed. What is also worthy of attention is the fact that Software Manager is not showing an installed product. If the reason of the miss could be determined, RegSupreme Pro (a trusted product that deals with sensitive parts of the operating system) would be even more trustworthy.