How to Set 64-Bit Windows Media Player 12 (WMP12) As Default Player
64-bit flavor of Windows 7 includes both 32bit (x86) and 64bit (x64) versions of Windows Media Player 12, or WMP 12. However, to provide maximum compatibility with existing applications and codecs, 32-bit version of Windows Media Player has been made the default media player.
In fact, WMP x64 has been included since 64-bit Windows Vista, and the WMP 11 x64 has also not been made as default player. There is workaround to switch or change and set 64-bit Windows Media Player 11 as default player in Vista. However, the simple trick to switch to 64-bit player does not work anymore as Windows 7 locks the registry key that required to be changed to alter the file associations related to WMP. The change is to improve system security so that malicious code cannot modify the WMP play and enqueue commands
As a result, Windows 7 users who want to use 64-bit WMP has to performed extra steps to unlock the registry key. What’s the advantage of using 64-bit (x64) Windows Media Player? Using 64-bit software allows application to run natively and take architecture advantage in x64 operating system, and potentially run faster by working with larger data sets at any time. One practical consideration is for users who use Windows Media Center, which is an 64-bit app. By switching to WMP x64, users just need to install one instance of codecs (just x64 version) to playback various media files in WMC and WMP.
How to Switch and Set 64-bit Windows Media Player As Default Media Player
- Run Registry Editor (RegEdit).
- Take ownership and grant full control of registry keys listed below to unlock the registry keys:
HKLM\Software\CLASSES\CLSID\{cdc32574-7521-4124-90c3-8d5605a34933}\LocalServer32
HKLM\Software\CLASSES\CLSID\{45597c98-80f6-4549-84ff-752cf55e2d29}\LocalServer32
HKLM\Software\CLASSES\CLSID\{ed1d0fdf-4414-470a-a56d-cfb68623fc58}\LocalServer32 - Open an elevated command prompt as administrator and type the following command:
%WinDir%\system32\unregmp2.exe /SwapTo:64
- Run Registry Editor (RegEdit) and navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\wmplayer.exe
- Double click on the registry subkey Path and set its value data as %ProgramFiles%\Windows Media Player. By default, it has the value data of “%ProgramFiles (x86)%\Windows Media Player”.
- Exit from Registry Editor.
- Copy and paste the following code into a text editor, and save it as a file name with .reg extension.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{45597c98-80f6-4549-84ff-752cf55e2d29}\LocalServer32]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,\
00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,\
4d,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,61,00,20,00,50,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,5c,\
00,77,00,6d,00,70,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,\
22,00,20,00,2f,00,45,00,6e,00,71,00,75,00,65,00,75,00,65,00,00,00[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{cdc32574-7521-4124-90c3-8d5605a34933}\LocalServer32]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,\
00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,\
4d,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,61,00,20,00,50,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,5c,\
00,77,00,6d,00,70,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,\
22,00,20,00,2f,00,42,00,75,00,72,00,6e,00,43,00,44,00,00,00[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ed1d0fdf-4414-470a-a56d-cfb68623fc58}\LocalServer32]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,\
00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,\
4d,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,61,00,20,00,50,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,5c,\
00,77,00,6d,00,70,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,\
22,00,20,00,2f,00,50,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,00,00 - Run the registry registration file to merge the value into system.
- Unpin and remove the original Windows Media Player x86 shortcut from Windows 7 Taskbar, or else two WMP icons or buttons will be found on the Taskbar. To pin 64-bit WMP icon or button to Taskbar, right click the Windows Media Player x64 on Start Menu and select Pin to Taskbar.
Alternatively, just download the following 32-bit and 64-bit Windows Media Player 12 Switcher zip package, which contains all the necessary files to easily set either 64-bit WMP as default, or revert back to 32-bit WMP as default player.
Download Win7-WMP-x64.zip
Unpack the whole content into a same folder, and open a command prompt with administrator’s rights, and run Set_WMP_x64.cmd to set WMP x64 as default media player. Likewise, run Set_WMP_x86.cmd to revert and reset back to WMP x86 as default media player.
Enjoy the native x64 Windows Media Player experience.
To undo the x64 change, and to switch, swap, revert and change back the default media player to Windows Media Player 12 x86 32-bit edition, use Set_WMP_x86.cmd file above, and manually by issuing the following command instead:
%WinDir%\system32\unregmp2.exe /SwapTo:32
For value data of “Path” sub-key of “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\wmplayer.exe” registry branch, set it to %ProgramFiles (x86)%\Windows Media Player. Then copy and paste the following code to a text editor to create a .reg file, which can be ran to merge the registry keys and values to change the WMP file associations.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{45597c98-80f6-4549-84ff-752cf55e2d29}\LocalServer32]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,\
00,65,00,73,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,\
64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,61,00,20,00,50,00,6c,\
00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,77,00,6d,00,70,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,\
72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,2f,00,45,00,6e,00,71,00,75,00,65,\
00,75,00,65,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{cdc32574-7521-4124-90c3-8d5605a34933}\LocalServer32]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,\
00,65,00,73,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,\
64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,61,00,20,00,50,00,6c,\
00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,77,00,6d,00,70,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,\
72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,2f,00,42,00,75,00,72,00,6e,00,43,\
00,44,00,00,00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ed1d0fdf-4414-470a-a56d-cfb68623fc58}\LocalServer32]
@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,\
00,65,00,73,00,28,00,78,00,38,00,36,00,29,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,\
64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,61,00,20,00,50,00,6c,\
00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,77,00,6d,00,70,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,\
72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,22,00,20,00,2f,00,50,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,00,\
00
Finally, re-pin the WMP x86 icon onto Taskbar to be able to run 32-bit WMP directly from Taskbar.
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February 6th, 2010 07:15
Netflix DRM Woes the start of lifes Problems with DRM ! (and a solution)
by liquidpooled on Jan.12, 2008, under DRM, Media Center, Netflix, Vista
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Update: If you have a Vista Media Center PC, you can also try the MyNetflix plugin.
Netflix, ah how I hate your DRM. I recently upgraded my PC to Vista Ultimate to get at the new Media Center
interface (which IS better than MCE 2005) and thus my saga with Netflix DRM began.
As a new Netflix customer, one of the primary reasons that I signed on was for the “Watch Now” feature.
Realizing the quality might not be the best, I thought that it would at least satisfy my wife’s need for
instant gratification (and my own). After the first go round, and after using the “ResetDRM” (resetdrm.exe)
utility provided by Netflix, my Media Center was no longer able to play any content off of it’s internal
tuners (or any previously recorded material). That was Round One of Netflix borking my PC.
Round Two involved a complete reinstall of Vista, and proceeding to do nothing else but install the
Netflix player. Again, I was prompted to use the “ResetDRM” (resetdrm.exe) utility (which I was not in
the mood to do). Deciding to instead call customer support this time, I was politely told that because
I only have my Media Center connected to a television, that Netflix was kind of enough to think that
I want to record all of their DRM’d media. The work around from Netflix? Hook a monitor up to my Media Center.
Why would I want to do that when I have a perfectly good plasma TV to use as a monitor? This lead to Round Three.
Round Three is the convoluted work around. After receiving numerous errors related to C00D11B1 errors
from Windows Media Player, a thought came to mind. I opened a remote desktop session on to my Media Center,
navigated to the movie I wanted to watch, and proceeded to let it run. Not surprising, due to the different
graphics output of a terminal services session, the movie was able to play. Now, all I had to do was go back
to the TV, log in to the session, and click the play button. Success! Netflix “Watch Now” on a TV!
Now tell me that isn’t absolutely assinine…
2 comments for this entry:
1.
July 28th, 2008 on 12:32 am
Regarding C00D11B1 (the DRM error), i resolved it simply by updating my drivers from ati.com
(i have a Radeon X600 in a Dell XPS200) and then:
In Internet Explorer, click Tools – Internet Options – Advanced – Reset.
Presto. No more DRM problems. Obviously it’s an IE issue. So much for NetFlix tech support and
1000’s of forums with all these convoluted steps. I figured this out on my own in about 10 minutes.
I called NetFlix tech support to let them know.
Note: Make sure you back up your settings, bookmarks, toolbars, etc. first just in case.
However, the only things you really lose of value are your cached URL’s & cookies (i.e. saved
password, forms data, etc). If you use a password manager like RoboForm anyway (which you should be using),
then you won’t even notice. You can even re-enable your disabled IE add-ins and plugins after this resets
them simply by going to Tools – Manage Add-ons – Enable or Disable Add-ons. No need to even reinstall the apps!
How’s that for a 10 second fix to something people have been blogging about for a year?
2.
July 29th, 2008 on 10:14 pm
For most (if not all), this is certainly a driver issue. In my case, this is due to my particular
driver set (Nvidia GeForce 8600) reporting to my PC that my monitor is a television, and thus preventing
the NetFlix Watch-It-Now movies from streaming. I have found that the plug-ins for Media Center
(MyNetFlix, NetFlix VMC) that provide for streaming in the ten foot UI will allow the movies to play
without the DRM prompts.
February 6th, 2010 07:05
Thanks Guys I was going crazy with why the player would not do much, I disabled it and went with GOM player which was free and playes all the stuff media player would not, I may give it a try but I am Happy without the media Player and the DARN DRM stuff I was running into …..
You should get an award who ever found all this stuff out, Microsoft says it works fine, What a load of Crap !
January 21st, 2010 10:07
Well this almost works. Got the pinned shortcuts to work right, just had to clear the 32bit history first. Major problem though, when adding music to the library WMP x64 can’t seem to get ANY tag information whatsoever, it put ALL my music in “Unknown”! Had to go back to x32 WMP, oh well, was a nice try.
So how to set proper permissions back on the registry keys please??!!!
January 8th, 2010 10:07
[...] Two versions of setup installers are available – 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64). Note that whether to install 32-bit or 64-bit version of the codec does not depend on the system type of operating system, but rather based on the version of Windows Media Player been actively used. Most Windows user, even though running 64-bit OS, is using 32-bit version of WMP, as 64-bit Windows Media Player has to manually enabled and set active. [...]
December 28th, 2009 16:52
It’s possibly more reliable to change it to “%ProgramW6432%\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe” rather than %ProgramFiles%. Also, the registry keys in the Wow6432Node corresponding to those above should be identically changed (using %ProgramW6432%). For example: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{ed1d0fdf-4414-470a-a56d-cfb68623fc58}\LocalServer32
With the latter change especially, 64-bit WMP can still be invoked by 32-bit apps. You can tell which WMP is running by looking at Task Manager (Ctrl-Shift-Esc). 32-bit processes are listed with an asterisk.
December 28th, 2009 15:44
how can we know we have set wmp 64 bit as default??
December 21st, 2009 01:53
This method doesn’t work right. Clicking on a mp3 for example brings up the 64 bit version of WMP 12 but clicking on a ripped DVD (.ifo) still brings up the 32 bit version.
Some work still needs to be done on this method.
December 16th, 2009 01:43
I Like the WMP12 switcher because I have a 13gb 1080P video that pixelates in 32bit. Unfortunately WMP x64 don’t see any of my music, only x86 will. I don’t know if it’s because I use Mediamonkey as default player, but it would be nice to have my music library in WMC through WMP for music when viewing pictures.
November 16th, 2009 23:25
I ran this change successfully however if you select the add to wmp now playing list the 32-bit still opens. same with play with wmp with the right click
October 29th, 2009 00:30
Why is the registry with the hex information required?
October 26th, 2009 03:12
I tried the patch and it works if you play a file from a folder, for example, but the default Media Player icon in the taskbar is still 32 bit.
To fix it, simply go to C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe instead of the x86 folder. Technically, you don’t even need the whole registry edit if you run the program first anyway.
October 25th, 2009 04:17
Taking ownership will normally remove all existing rights. Isn’t it necessary to add system and trustedinstaller rights back in??
October 25th, 2009 04:08
pretty sure this was nabbed from chris123nt but hey, its v useful