Microsoft fixes can cause Windows Media Player trouble

If you've noticed your Windows Media Player acting strange, Microsoft has an explanation.

A trio of updates for the media player software, including a recent security patch, can cause the software to malfunction, the software maker said in a technical support article published on its Web site earlier this week. Microsoft late Wednesday e-mailed notices alerting customers to the support page.

The updates can cause issues when trying to seek, fast rewind or fast forward in Windows Media Player 10, Microsoft said. Playback might freeze, even though the status bar shows it is still playing. Also, the playback position slider could jump back to the start of the media file for no apparent reason, the company said.

These situations can occur after installing one of three updates, Microsoft said. One is the latest security fix for Windows Media Player, a "critical" patch released last month. The flaw could allow an attacker to gain control over a vulnerable PC by tricking a user into opening a malicious file. Examples of code that exploits the flaw was available only days after Microsoft released the patch.

The other two updates that could cause Media Player trouble are: "Update Rollup 2" for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and a fix intended to enable DirectX Video Acceleration of Windows Media Video content. Both were released last year.

Microsoft did not say how many users have reported media player trouble. To fix the player issues, Microsoft suggests changes on the system that's streaming the content.

The issues only arise when playing content from servers that are configured to use a feature called Advanced Fast Start, a Microsoft representative said Thursday. This feature is designed to deliver instant-on playback, eliminating buffering time.

Nine Systems was affected by the problem, said Christopher Knox, the company's chief technology officer. Nine Systems, based in San Diego, streams media for customers including Universal Music Group, the NBA, The Golf Channel, CBS Sportsline and EMI Music.

"We immediately began to get complaints that end users were unable to seek within content after the patch was rolled out by Microsoft," he said.

Nine Systems was forced to disable the "Advanced Fast Start" on all of its Windows Media streaming servers. "Users are able to seek within content, but the experience has been reduced," Knox said. Microsoft may be providing an updated patch for the problem, he said.

In addition to the possible trouble with Windows Media Player, Microsoft on Wednesday said a patch it released February last year might cause trouble with a specific Web program known as an ActiveX control. A fix for that problem is available from Microsoft, the company said.

[booboo1243]

Patch. Patch the patch. Patch the patches patch.

And you still have an insecure, unstable, incompatible Microsoft product.

[rcrusoe]

Incompatible?

Check your facts. Windows is compatible with at least 99% of the
available viruses, spyware, and remote exploits. :)

[Que.Ball]

Link to actual KB article

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912226

This story (at least currently) doesn't actually link to the knowledgebase article that it talks about.

[Que.Ball]

Link to actual KB article

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/912226

This story (at least currently) doesn't actually link to the knowledgebase article that it talks about.

[kenlanderson]

Windows Media Player trouble.

Thank you for the info. However, I could not track your information back to a specific MS fix # which is what I need if I want to back out this fix. I have had some problem with Media Player recently. Could you specifically tell me the fix # that I need to remove when I go to Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs?
Thank you,
Ken

[booboo1243]

Fix: Download a different non-MS player

Try using WinAmp. It does a lot of nice tricks, including tieing you in to a searchable list of 100's of on-line streams.

www.winamp.com

It has had its share of security issues, but nowhere near the scale of a Microsoft product.

[kenlanderson]

Windows Media Player trouble.

Thank you for the info. However, I could not track your information back to a specific MS fix # which is what I need if I want to back out this fix. I have had some problem with Media Player recently. Could you specifically tell me the fix # that I need to remove when I go to Control Panel | Add/Remove Programs?
Thank you,
Ken

[booboo1243]

Fix: Download a different non-MS player

Try using WinAmp. It does a lot of nice tricks, including tieing you in to a searchable list of 100's of on-line streams.

www.winamp.com

It has had its share of security issues, but nowhere near the scale of a Microsoft product.

[ukpm]

Been there, done that...

I ran into this problem in the first week in Jan '06. Emailed MS but got no response. Ended up identifying the problem and dropping the update using system restore.

Importantly I noted a change in behavior in WMP10 post update. It seems that if a file is playing and you close the player it continues to play (audio can be heard etc.) if you have auxillary controls for example play/pause key on your keyboard or notebook, these continue to control the player's function.

[ukpm]

Been there, done that...

I ran into this problem in the first week in Jan '06. Emailed MS but got no response. Ended up identifying the problem and dropping the update using system restore.

Importantly I noted a change in behavior in WMP10 post update. It seems that if a file is playing and you close the player it continues to play (audio can be heard etc.) if you have auxillary controls for example play/pause key on your keyboard or notebook, these continue to control the player's function.

[Earl]

I think it's Time

becaude of all the flaw's, & then patches, that it's time for Microsoft to throw it all in the trash,get new programer,& start over. (Fat chanch).

[BernieLJ]

Windows Media Player Trouble

I haven't noticed any problems with the Windows Media Player yet, except I do get a message on the screen when starting the Media Center up to either access the Radio or TV features of my Media Center TV PC, and the message states something like, "A camera has been detected. To view the images you need to change how your camera is recognized by the PC. The camera's USB setting must set to disk drive instead of digital camera."

I just click on the OK button and everything continues normally.

[BernieLJ]

Windows Media Player Trouble

I haven't noticed any problems with the Windows Media Player yet, except I do get a message on the screen when starting the Media Center up to either access the Radio or TV features of my Media Center TV PC, and the message states something like, "A camera has been detected. To view the images you need to change how your camera is recognized by the PC. The camera's USB setting must set to disk drive instead of digital camera."

I just click on the OK button and everything continues normally.

[BernieLJ]

Internet Explorer Problem (IE7 Beta)

I tried the "new to me" Internet Explorer 7...I think it's a beta version and has tabbed browsing (like Netscape).

I had one "problem" with it...When I try to close the browser, it hangs up...I actually have to click on "close" a second time, then on "End Task."

It refuses to close...Has anyone else tried it and have you had the same problem?

[BernieLJ]

Internet Explorer Problem (IE7 Beta)

I tried the "new to me" Internet Explorer 7...I think it's a beta version and has tabbed browsing (like Netscape).

I had one "problem" with it...When I try to close the browser, it hangs up...I actually have to click on "close" a second time, then on "End Task."

It refuses to close...Has anyone else tried it and have you had the same problem?

[wbenton]

Incorrect Reporting!!!

Sorry, but I just can't let such poor reporting go unnoticed!!! Microsoft's fixes can cause NOT ONLY WIndows Media Player... but oodles and oodles of other programs troubles as well... as HAS ALWAYS happened in the past.

This isn't NEWS... it's just OLDS revisited... (* CHUCKLE *)

Walt

[wbenton]

Incorrect Reporting!!!

Sorry, but I just can't let such poor reporting go unnoticed!!! Microsoft's fixes can cause NOT ONLY WIndows Media Player... but oodles and oodles of other programs troubles as well... as HAS ALWAYS happened in the past.

This isn't NEWS... it's just OLDS revisited... (* CHUCKLE *)

Walt

[booboo1243]

Patch. Patch the patch. Patch the patches patch.

And you still have an insecure, unstable, incompatible Microsoft product.

[rcrusoe]

Incompatible?

Check your facts. Windows is compatible with at least 99% of the
available viruses, spyware, and remote exploits. :)

[Earl]

I think it's Time

becaude of all the flaw's, & then patches, that it's time for Microsoft to throw it all in the trash,get new programer,& start over. (Fat chanch).

[smay2121]

I've had a problem recently after the latest security hotfix... when you rewind media center, and then try to play, other audio starts playing! Some of it very odd, and offensive... running Microsofts live-one-care, and no viruses detected... glad to read this article to get some idea of what may be going on.