mp3 playback lost

[vodkafish]

My gf was having a hard time playing a dvd on her laptop. To try and tell her what software to d/l, I went and d/l both PowerDVD and DirectDVD and installed and uninstalled each (one at a time). When asked if I wanted to delete a possible shared file I answered "no".

Before this started I was watching an mpg of one of my favorite tv shows (with WMP). I went to watch it after - no sound. Video is fine. I play around some and then test an mp3 file - no dice. The mp3 along pops up this error: "Windows Media Player cannot play the file because there may be a problem with your sound or video device. Try installing a new device driver." I uninstall the driver and let it reinstall itself - no help. I reinstall some of my codecs - no help again. I try and play the video in QuickTime and I can, but I can't stand QuickTime.

Has anyone run into this, or does anyone have any ideas? TIA (and hello from someone who's been lurking for some time).

[vance43211]

it use to happen to me a lot when i first got a computer

and i would uninstall a program

you either have to find that file that you have deleted

which is hard to do

or reinstall windows

there are some programs that you never unistall

like quicktime, microsoft word, and pinnacle studio 8 as they like to take files that you need with them when they go

[vodkafish]

Well, I appreciate your reply, but I've never encoutered this problem before and I've only uninstalled those two programs I mentioned (and supposedly "safely" but clicking no to shared files). I'm not looking to reinstall Windows quite yet as I've never had to since getting this box (XP Pro).

I've reinstalled WMP, but not downgraded/uninstalled anything about it first, as I couldn't quite find where/how/if I could do it.

[vance43211]

you have xp pro

do a system restore

and restore your computer to a time

when everything was fine

[vodkafish]

I've never trusted that before. But it actually worked

If the world blows up later, or you seem to have an extra day in your week, sorry about that.

Thanx