Windows Media player keeps crashing becuase of Data Error Prevention

[redvandam]

So up until a few days ago Media player worked fine, a day or two later it won't open the majority of my files. It constantly crashes because of a Data Error Prevention error. The only think I've done since then is uninstall a webcam and install a PC game. My only thought is that somehow a driver I need got associated with the webcam and was deleted but that doesn't seem likely.

I've also tried allowing the DEP to ignore Media Player but it still crashes when I try to use it. The odd thing is that some media files will play, music works and a few movies too but the majority of my movies won't play without crashing.

I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling windows media player but that didn't fix it either.

Any thoughts?

 

[aford10]

Check out this link. You may want to try modifying your policy level for DEP.
http://techblissonline.com/enable-disable-dep-in-windows-xp-vista/

 

[redvandam]

This looks helpful. I'll try it out later.

My concern is that since I can't get DEP to allow windows media player to open without crashing, I'd have to turn it always off.

I have good virus protection but what am I exposing my computer too if I set this to always off?

Also, why is it that some files will work with media player and some will result in a crash? Does this prove that WMP is not the issue? Could it be a codec issue instead?

Thanks for the link.

 

[redvandam]

Also, I was considering restting windows on my coputer or even upgrading to windows 7.

Does anything think resetting windows to it's defualt would fix my DEP issues? I'd hate to do it and not have the problem solved.

 

[aford10]

When DEP has compatibility issues, it's usually with older software. That could be why some files work and some don't.

If adding the files as exceptions doesn't work, you may want to try using a different media player. DEP is limited, but does have its uses.

Try using VLC and see if that fixes the problem.
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

 

[saran008]

+1 ^ VLC player.
It can play most of the formats of video/audio available out there, without installing any extra codecs