Problems with XP - solved

[Synapse]

1. you could try using start -> run -> mplayer2 and use that one, i'm not sure if you'll liek it though..

2 and 3 have been answered.

the reason why your cd that you made showed up as some other artist is because when you put in a CD it uses something called cddb which contacts an outside source to get the contents of the CD.. ie.. you put in a metallica CD and it will get metallica, and what album, track names, genre, etc..

hope this helps

Edited January 14, 2006 by Bi0haZarD

[Freda]

Just an update to this. I was on here with a different XP problem and noticed I'd not updated this topic.

Regarding Microsoft being difficult to contact, I finally got them on the phone and they refused to help, saying they don't offer any help at all unless the person calling installed Windows themselves. So seeing that virtually everybody buys a PC with Windows already installed, they were basically refusing help to almost everyone.

This was a couple of years ago now, so they may have changed.

The problem with Media Player went away with one of their updates. Of course it would have been resolved a lot sooner if they'd been listening to people who reported the issue. It was a serius issue for me at the time as I'm a musician and I burn CDs using a PC.

Regarding not being able to print from my word processor, this option disappeared during one of the various so-called `upgrades' of Windows. I use WordPerfect 5.1, which continues to be far better than anything Microsoft can produce, and the printer files for it ceased to be compatible with Windows a long time ago. So yes, the problem is the WordPerfect files, but only because Microsoft removed support for them - which is of course why so many other software companies disappeared in the first place; because they were fool enogh to let Microsoft establish Windows as the standard platform when Microsoft wouldn't release the full code so their own applications would run less problematically than other people's.

Sorry for not coming back with an update for all of this. I was really in the thick of it with problem after problem at the time.

[macgyvr]

Just an update to this. I was on here with a different XP problem and noticed I'd not updated this topic.

Regarding Microsoft being difficult to contact, I finally got them on the phone and they refused to help, saying they don't offer any help at all unless the person calling installed Windows themselves. So seeing that virtually everybody buys a PC with Windows already installed, they were basically refusing help to almost everyone.

This was a couple of years ago now, so they may have changed.

The problem with Media Player went away with one of their updates. Of course it would have been resolved a lot sooner if they'd been listening to people who reported the issue. It was a serius issue for me at the time as I'm a musician and I burn CDs using a PC.

Regarding not being able to print from my word processor, this option disappeared during one of the various so-called `upgrades' of Windows. I use WordPerfect 5.1, which continues to be far better than anything Microsoft can produce, and the printer files for it ceased to be compatible with Windows a long time ago. So yes, the problem is the WordPerfect files, but only because Microsoft removed support for them - which is of course why so many other software companies disappeared in the first place; because they were fool enogh to let Microsoft establish Windows as the standard platform when Microsoft wouldn't release the full code so their own applications would run less problematically than other people's.

Sorry for not coming back with an update for all of this. I was really in the thick of it with problem after problem at the time.

You're responding today to a thread from 3 years ago???? XP shouldn't even be in the mix anymore. We're already past Vista and on to Windows 7.

Edited September 27, 2009 by macgyvr

[submix8c]

RE - WordPerfect and printing... Use WordPerfect but not the print function. Get the free Word Viewer from MS and the free Converter package and install both. Open the Word Viewer, select the WordPerfect document and print it from there instead.

And I would ( in reference to recording your own music ) see about getting some good PC recording software thay will allow for cut/paste/etc and use it to also construct a CD of multiple tracks. My brother and I use a simple 2-track recorder ( both of us are in bands ) , plug into the LineIn of the sound card, and ( using Nero ) edit as necessary ( including adding effects ), then burn. In addition, there are some free Tagging programs that will allow you to personalize each track (on the HDD) as per title, date, artist, etc. MediaPlayer ain't that hot to use for recording/burning your own music, which is why initially you were getting someone else's "name" tagged to your own (recognition/match websites as the MediaPlayer uses and may be erroneous).

At least you came back to your own topic with an update. Lots of other folks never do. If you become satisfied with your "problem fixes", be so kind as to add "Solved" to the title of the topic.

[Freda]

You're responding today to a thread from 3 years ago???? XP shouldn't even be in the mix anymore. We're already past Vista and on to Windows 7.

We're `past' Vista because it was so bad even Microsoft had to admit the fact.

One thing I've learned in many years of using computers is that newer doesn't necessarily mean better. That's why I'm continuing to use WordPerfect 5.1, because for all the limitations of the technology of the time it's a proper word processor designed by people who understood writing, and the macro writing options are so good. Nobody used Word when WordPerfect was in general use. In fact Word was a bit of a joke at the time. But Microsoft pulled their stunt with Windows compatibility and so forth, and Word in its later versions is now commonplace. I use it when I have to, for writing letters and things that require immediate printing. For serious writing and file management I use a proper word processor that's not recent but happens to be good at what it's intended for.

As a musician I know the same is often true for instruments. Ask a guitarist if they'd prefer a 2009 Les Paul or a 1959 one. Similarly with design. I played a 2006 harpsichord the other week. It was a replica of a 17th century one. I spent yesterday in the company of every early music instrument you can think of. It depends what you need, and how good the design and manufacture is, with anything.

[Freda]

RE - WordPerfect and printing... Use WordPerfect but not the print function. Get the free Word Viewer from MS and the free Converter package and install both. Open the Word Viewer, select the WordPerfect document and print it from there instead.

Many thanks for that. I'll check that out. It could be very helpful.

Thanks also for the advice on recording. I actually use a mix of different digital and analogue recorders, depending on what I need to do. That gives me much greater flexibility than I'd have with a software-based recording program.

I only use the PC for burning CDs, and use Nero for that. The problem with Media Player wasn't because I was burning CDs with it. It happened even when I burned the CD on a separate digital recorder. The wrong CD information would appear as soon as I played the CD in Media Player, and I needed to know from Microsoft whether that same wrong information would appear to other people if they played my CDs in Media Player on their computers. You can imagine I wasn't very keen on sending out CDs that would automatically claim to be by someone else because of some problem created by Microsoft.

Thanks, too, for the advice on adding `solved.'

Edited September 27, 2009 by Freda

[dencorso]

You're responding today to a thread from 3 years ago???? XP shouldn't even be in the mix anymore. We're already past Vista and on to Windows 7.

You should read the Forum Rules, before posting! As it is, you've just violated Rule # 9. Consider yourself warned.