Force Windows 7 Media Player to run 64 bit

[MANIKANT.S.GUPTA]

Windows 7 still uses the

32 bit version of 'Windows Media Player' even though you run a x64 build of Windows 7, there is however a way to change this and there are som advantages by doing so, among others you will be able to use your 64 bit video codecs instead of 32 bit, so you will be able to use your 64 processor.

By switching to WMP x64, users just need to install one instance of codecs (just x64 version) to playback various media files in WMC and WMP.

Follow the tutorial by clicking read more.This is how you do!

Run Registry Editor (RegEdit).

Take ownership and grant full control of registry keys listed below to unlock the registry keys:

HKLM\Software\CLASSES\CLSID\{cdc32574-7521-4124-90c3-8d5605a34933}\LocalServer32

HKLM\Software\CLASSES\CLSID\{45597c98-80f6-4549-84ff-752cf55e2d29}\LocalServer32

HKLM\Software\CLASSES\CLSID\{ed1d0fdf-4414-470a-a56d-cfb68623fc58}\LocalServer32

Open a Elevated command prompt as administrator and type the following command.

Write "unregmp2.exe /SwapTo:64" without the quotes and make sure to write capital letters in capital, this command is case sensitive!

Open the Windows 7 registry (Windows button + r, write regedit and enter)

Go to HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\wmplayer.exe\

Double click the "Path value".

Change the value "%ProgramFiles(x86)" to "%ProgramFiles%"

Exit from Registry Editor.

Copy and paste the following code into a text editor, and save it as a file name with .reg extension.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{45597c98-80f6-4549-84ff-752cf55e2d29}\LocalServer32]

@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,\

00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,\

4d,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,61,00,20,00,50,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,5c,\

00,77,00,6d,00,70,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,\

22,00,20,00,2f,00,45,00,6e,00,71,00,75,00,65,00,75,00,65,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{cdc32574-7521-4124-90c3-8d5605a34933}\LocalServer32]

@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,\

00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,\

4d,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,61,00,20,00,50,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,5c,\

00,77,00,6d,00,70,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,\

22,00,20,00,2f,00,42,00,75,00,72,00,6e,00,43,00,44,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{ed1d0fdf-4414-470a-a56d-cfb68623fc58}\LocalServer32]

@=hex(2):22,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,\

00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,\

4d,00,65,00,64,00,69,00,61,00,20,00,50,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,5c,\

00,77,00,6d,00,70,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,\

22,00,20,00,2f,00,50,00,6c,00,61,00,79,00,00,00

Run the registry registration file to merge the value into system.

Unpin and remove the original Windows Media Player x86 shortcut from Windows 7 Taskbar, or else two WMP icons or buttons will be found on the Taskbar. To pin 64-bit WMP icon or button to Taskbar, right click the Windows Media Player x64 on Start Menu and select Pin to Taskbar.

Alternatively, just download the following 32-bit and 64-bit Windows Media Player 12 Switcher zip package, which contains all the necessary files to easily set either 64-bit WMP as default, or revert back to 32-bit WMP as default player.

Unpack the whole content into a same folder, and open a command prompt with administrator’s rights, and run Set_WMP_x64.cmd to set WMP x64 as default media player. Likewise, run Set_WMP_x86.cmd to revert and reset back to WMP x86 as default media player.

NOTE: After changing the default Media Player to x64, remove the media player shortcut from the taskbar, start media player via the start menu and then re-pin it. If you don’t do this you will see 2 WMP icons on your taskbar.

Source :- Microsoft Link

Windows Media Player 12 Switcher.7z

Edited December 6, 2011 by MANIKANT.S.GUPTA

[nrvl]

It isn't working mate. Just to let you know!!

[MANIKANT.S.GUPTA]

It isn't working mate. Just to let you know!!

Dear it's working for me. I have checked it. try one more time.

[darky]

Easy way unpin win media player from task bar start menu go to windows media player program files (not x86) wmplayer.exe then pin that to task bar and start menu you can still use the reg tweak above though to makesure

Edited November 17, 2011 by darky