Windows Media Player screwed up my computer!

[Martacus]

I'm running Windows 98SE, and recently installed a more recent version of Windows Media Player. However, after restarting my computer, I found I could no longer use the file manager ("My Computer") or change settings (essentially, I'm stuck with just one wallpaper). Everything else seems to work fine; all applications work as they normally do and I can search for stuff if I need to use it.

The error message I get is that there is a fault in "module WMPDXM.DLL"; then it restarts Windows Explorer. I figured it has something to do with how Media Player interacts with DirectX, so I tried reinstalling DirectX. No luck. Can anyone give me some help here?

 

[Padma]

I'm sorry, the only help I can offer is to install a new OS: Mandriva Linux.

Honestly, MS no longer supports Win98, so if you "update" anything, it is at your own risk. I would assume that the WMP you installed updated some system files it needed, and they are no longer compatable with your system. You may actually have to reinstall the whole OS.

(While my Mandriva comment was mostly tongue-in-cheek, you may want to give it a look. It is *at least* as easy to use as Win98. Win98-compatable hardware is supported. The only drawback is you won't be able to play most of your games. {But I *do* play Civ3 in Linux, using the Cedega "emulator".})

 

[Martacus]

Hmm, this does not bode well--backing up all the stuff I need/want to back up is going to take a lot of time. Maybe I can find some way to uninstall WMP? Perhaps there is a way. This is the first major problem I've encountered with this computer, and I don't want to take the easy way out so soon. But I'll keep the "nuclear option" in mind--I've kept all my disks and paperwork from when I built this thing. If worse comes to worse, I can take some comfort--my hard disks need to be hooked up differently to properly take advantage of RAID, anyways.

EDIT: Not to mention, of course, that nearly all of my applications still work; as a standalone computer (no modem or any other networking device), with just about everything installed that I want installed, this problem is more of an annoyance than a computer-wrecking catastrophe. I'll keep working on it.

 

[Dabomb18359]

I'm sorry, the only help I can offer is to install a new OS: Mandriva Linux.

Honestly, MS no longer supports Win98, so if you "update" anything, it is at your own risk. I would assume that the WMP you installed updated some system files it needed, and they are no longer compatable with your system. You may actually have to reinstall the whole OS.

(While my Mandriva comment was mostly tongue-in-cheek, you may want to give it a look. It is *at least* as easy to use as Win98. Win98-compatable hardware is supported. The only drawback is you won't be able to play most of your games. {But I *do* play Civ3 in Linux, using the Cedega "emulator".})

Is Cedega a full Windows emulator? Because I can't get Win98 to install on my computer. I have the disc, and the computer alrady has Lindows Linux, so would I have any luck with this Cedega?
Also, you say it can't play "most" of your games, but Civ3. Are there any that will play all games?

 

[Padma]

This is getting off the actual subject of the thread, but ...

Cedega is a special gaming version of "wine" (Wine Is Not an Emulator). It can play most of the popular Windows games titles. Their *official* list of supported games is here. For office applications, there is "Crossover Office", another specialized version of wine. Wine and its derivatives "trick" Windows programs into thinking they are running in Windows. THere are other, actual emulators that let you install and run Windows from within Linux. Examples are Win4Lin, and VMWare. But these cost $$ (especially VMWare), and they generally do not support DirectX, which is so essential for games. (DirectX is MS's "embraced and extended" version of OpenGL.)

Basically, if you want to play Windows games, you have to use a Windows PC, at least as a dual-boot. In your specific case, Dabomb, you might be able to install Cedega on your Lindows box, and play games, *if* the games you want are supported by Cedega. (And I remember your problem, and I still have no clue why you can't install Win98. )

 

[Dabomb18359]

Actually now I have Win98 on the other HD on the computer I was talking about, though. But my problems are in the other forum. I probably don't want to use an emulator, though, do I? Since I do have Windows 98, even though it's hard to use...

 

[Martacus]

Well, as it turned out, I didn't have to re-install Windows after all, and the solution turned out to be a whole lot easier than I thought it would be. I just had to re-register a .dll file using the "Run..." option from the Start Menu. Everything works perfectly now.

 

[aneeshm]

For the future , I'd request you to install a media player called "mplayer" , which plays pretty much everything , and is Free Software . You might have to add a line to your path , but it is worth it - that player will not discontinue support for Windows 98 anytime soon , and it also has a number of features you would not otherwise get from other players .

The website download for windows is given here .

If you want a graphical front-end for it , here is it .

If you need any help in installing it , PM me .