How do I force Win10 update to re-install Windows Media Player 12

Hi,

I'm not sure whether this issue should be listed under the Programs and Apps category. Perhaps you could put me right here.

I'm finding my WMP is not able to play my Audible .aa and .aax audiobooks, and will not import them. This has been a problem for the past 3-4 months, before that WMP (v12) worked OK. I've removed its library so that it can rebuild it suspecting a corrupt library, but when I point it to the area where my audiobooks are located, it does not recognize them. It's probably a DRM issue, and I was hoping that a re-install of WMP might help fix the problem. I believe this is best accomplished by letting a Win10 update to run, but perhaps this is wishful thinking. Alternatively, does WMP need to be authorized with Audible in order to play these files - if so, how do I do this?

I can't find WMP in the Programs and Features system tool, so can't remove it. I've tried installing WMP11 but this fails because the version in my system is a higher number (v12.0.14393.82). I've tried downloading WMP12 but the sites that claim they have it available, cause either my MacAfee or Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to block the download.

I would appreciate any suggestions you can offer me.

Paul.

MP12 is part of Windows. Go to Turn Windows features On/Off. Under Media features deselect MP12, reboot, reselect it then reboot again. There are also 3 Troubleshooters for MP12 you can try.

Thanks for that, Steve C. That's a tool I've never used before. It appeared to remove and reinstall WMP12, although the library may not have been deleted.

Sadly, this hasn't had the effect I desired - .aa file failed to play, whereas Audible's AudibleManager utility has no problems with the same file. I noticed on one site some discussion that Audible has in the past changed its DRM process and that this can take some time to filter through to WMP and similar applications. This might explain my experience when I first updated to Win10 - WMP couldn't play Audible files, but after a few months it could. Perhaps this is what is occurring now. I'll just have to be patient and see if it again sorts itself out. It's just surprising that, having just rebuilt a Win10 system from scratch after a disk failure, it has no trouble with WMP12 playing the .aa and .aax - hence my idea of re-installing WMP.

Well, you've solved my original query so I consider this thread to be complete. The existing problem will need to be pursued in other ways.

Kind regards,
Paul.