How to Fix Windows Media Player Problems

Microsoft Windows Media Player is a free media application that is included with most Windows operating systems. The Media Player is designed to play files such as MP3, WMA, WMV and ASF. The more advanced versions allow for complex functions such as CD burning, organizing your digital media files and transferring those files to portable media devices. When Windows Media Player encounters running errors, it can be incredibly frustrating.

Fixing problems associated with Windows Media Player:

In order to effectively resolve the problem, you must first understand what the root causes are. Windows Media problems are most commonly attributed to incorrect Windows Database entries, unnecessary and irrelevant data and damaged or lost DLL (dynamic-link library) files. The Windows Database records such crucial information as settings, profiles and the relationships between hardware, software and the operating system. Below are the steps that you must follow in order to fix these problems.

Problem One: "C00D11CD: Unknown Error"

When there is an error within your operating system or an error associated with a particular application and that error is not reported to the Windows Media Player, you will experience a C00D11CD error message. Unfortunately, there is no specific resolution to this problem.

Problem Two: "80040155: Interface Not Registered"

The error "80040155: Interface Not Registered" occurs when you try to burn media files onto a CD and the necessary files for burning are no longer present in your operating system. In this case you must uninstall the Windows Media Player and then reinstall it on your computer. Alternatively, you can download the most up-to-date version of Windows Media Player.

Problem Three: "800C2EE2: The action has timed out"

When there is a network problem and your Media Player can no longer connect to a server, you will see the error message "800C2EE2: The action has times out". Your Media Player can no longer play the downloaded files and thus, you encounter the error. To fix this you simply need to modify your Internet security settings. Open a web browser and select "Tools," "Internet Options" and then "LAN Settings." You will see the "Automatically detect Settings" box and you need to uncheck it.

Problem Four: "C00D0FAA: Cannot rip the files"

If you attempt to uninstall older versions of the Windows Media Player, files may be left behind in your system's registry. These files can interrupt the proper functioning of more recent versions of the Windows Media Player. For example, if you try to change CDs to MP3 format you may run into this error message: "C00D0FAA: Cannot rip the files." A quick fix to this problem is to change the quality of the audio files. However, if you want to uphold the quality of the file you should attempt to resolve the issue by cleaning the Windows Database. You will need to enter the regedit command into the "Run" function, which can be reached via the Start menu. Once you perform the regedit command, navigate down to the "subkey."

In order to take care of the problem at the source – the Windows Database – you will need to download a reliable Windows clean-up and optimization tool and execute a complete sweep of the Windows Database. This tool will automatically repair any missing or damaged files.

Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.