Windows Media Player 11 freezes when enabling media sharing

I'm trying to enable media sharing in Windows Player 11, but every time I
mark the "yes" box and click OK, WMP11 freezes for about 20 seconds. If I
then click on OK again, it freezes again. The only way out is to click "no",
but of course then media sharing isn't enabled.

I'm using Windows XP Service Pack 2.

I have the exact same problem. My media sharing was working fine then
yesterday opened media player went to library and it stated media sharing had
been disabled or my fire wall settings had changed and now I can not get it
enabled again... It freezes each and everytime I try to enable media sharing
again. I have not installed anything new just have the service updates
installed.. Need to get it back up and running so I can share media with my
Xbox 360... UPNP is up and running still not able to resume sharing of my
media.

I had the exact same problem happen last night, took me about 5 hours to fix it.
it turns out that my media player library had become corrupt and to fix it i
closed media player and opened
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player and deleted all the
windows media library files, restarted the computer, ran media player,
rebuilt the library and it all works fine again now.

I had the same problem and upon much research I found this page.

I followed the instructions step by step and it fixed the problem immediately on the first try.

Hey guys i have a very simple answer that will fix the media sharing problem

all you have to do is go to control panel click administrative tools and click on services. in services look for "windows media player network sharing service" and double click on it and change the startup mode to automatic and then press the start button just under drop down box and then enable media sharing in media player and it should not freeze

[Rose4uKY]

My Vista did an update the other night and IZ even did a system restore but all of a sidden my WMP freezes up all the time and it tells me to enable media sharing and MP3's don't play no videos play. It says something aboutcheck firewall and proxy settings. My new Archos 605 Wifi when I plug in in to the USB is now not recognized I guess cause the media sharing needs to be enabled but it freezes up for me to get there. I was under options once and I tried to enable and it said I had to do somehting else I don't remember but this driving me nuts. I went under C users and then I see owner and public and I clicked on owner but don't see the local appl and the rest of what was written above for me to try to rebuild the library to see if that will help me. I hadn't tired to use WMp in 4 or 5 days or plug in my Archos until yesterday and then I realized WMP was messed up and I had just dont a Vista update.

My WMP 11 kind of started working again. I tried doing a search and I had even gone into my registry and changed one letter on some line because I read about doing it online. Then out of the blue I realized I couldn't listen to any online radio my sirius didn't play. So I went under sounds and got some error message and it said to pick something and click ok and I did. Now when I double click a Tivo show it plays and an MP3 it plays. I can open WMP but it still lock up if I click on Tools Options and media sharing it freezes up. I can still open WMP and go under fille and open songs to so for now since my main stuff is working I am leaving it alone. I started to do the monitor folder and add a folder and I canceled it out. I think at one time I even deleted my library cause some one said to do that and I didn't see where to re add it. Unless it is the monitor folder and add option. But I am just gald music plays and my video is back. And mine was a stupid thing all cause of some sound setting. And I have Vista 32 bit. I went to where there was an update for WMP11 for Vista but it said 64 bit and 86 something I didn't know what the 86 was but I have 32 bit so I didn't get the update. But I am pretty much ok now.

If you add a folder to WMP's Tools:Options:Monitored Folders menu list,
close that dialog, and open it again - does that new folder show up still,
or has it randomly disappeared from the list?

this worked for me

Start / Run... type: services.msc then OK

Check this 3 services .

SSDP Discovery Service <<<<< Start this one first Make and make it Automatic (right click properties).
Universal Plug and Play Device Host << then this one same as one above already enabled, switched to automatic
Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service <<< then this one... . switch to automatic.

[Bold_Sue]

I run WinXP SP3 and my media library DB file was wiped out on installation of MPv.11. I tried to recover from backup but MPv.11 will not load anything. It doesn't even retain the folder name that I want it to watch. I get an error when I try to turn on file sharing. I tried all suggested fixes and nothing works on my PC.
As a temporary fix I made another "User Account" which I called "MediaFix" and from this new account, I can run Media Player v.11, turn on the sharing, load my music and pictures, set new folders to watch and load automatically. My Kodak WiFi Digital Photo Frame is back in operation and finds my pictures whether I am signed into this "MediaFix" account or not.

I am still looking for a solution to fix the use of MP11 from my main "Owner" account.

Maybe I did not explain myself properly when I said "I did everything I could find on the internet" to solve this problem.
Here is a summary of suggestions from other people that I tried but did not resolve the problem on my computer's main User Account:
1) remove the Media Player files
- Go to: Start | Run
- Enter “%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Media Player” and click on the “OK” button
- A window of the list of files in this folder will be displayed. Select and Delete all of these files.
- In case the new database has been generated, also remove the Media Player files from:
Go to: Start | Run
Enter “%userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Media Player” and click on the “OK” button
- A window of the list of files in this folder will be displayed. Select and Delete all of these files.
- Once everything is cleaned out, try again to re-start Media Player.
---------------------------
2) Ensure the services afected are set to "Automatic"
- Click Start > Run
- Type "services.msc" without the quotes
- Scroll down to "SSDP Discovery Service" and double click it.
- *Where the drop down box in the middle of the property page is, under the heading of "Startup Type", change the setting to "Automatic" then click apply. After this, the start button should become enabled so click on it to run the service.
- Close the window then back on the services window, go down to "Universal Plug and Play Device Host" and double click it again.
- Repeat step * for this service.
- Close the window again, then return to the services list and scroll further down to "Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service" and double click this service.
- Repeat step * for this service.
- Close the window and then close the list of services on screen.
---------------------------
3) Uninstall Media Player 11 and re-install it.
This looked as if it was going to work, but produced a fatal error which forced the software to close. When I re-opened MP11, it was back to its old problem.
---------------------------
4) Create a new "User Account" & use it for MP11
This one gives me a stop-gap temporary solution. I don't like switching to another user account to use MP11, but it does work and it tells me that MP11 is not totally broken.

The error is indeed with a file associated with my "Owner" account, BUT WHICH FILE and WHERE IS IT? Not a file inside “%userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Media Player” because I deleted EVERYTHING under this folder.
Does anyone know where else I can delete files?
Why Oh Why can't Microsoft fix its own crap! ! !

The new user account you created, got a new media library - they are
per-user, not per-PC. So that explains why it works, if you consider
ZachD's comments at

You would need to login to the (non-working) user account, and follow
the library reset/rebuild steps there, as the library database has
become corrupted.

One symptom of that is WMP not remembering the Monitor Folders setting

Once the library is zapped, you can re-add all your monitored folders,
and WMP should refresh the files and rebuild its database from the
media files

OK so those almost the same as ZachD's instructions.

He's worked for Microsoft building the WMP installer, so they're known
to be bombproof.

The specific file ends in .wmdb (the WM library database) but by
default it's a hidden file.

The instructions you received above though, indicate deleting all
files, which means you may not have selected the database file if it
wasn't visible.

So his instructions on the link I suggested add 'rename the "Media
Player" folder there' : That means right-click the Media Player
folder, choose Rename and call it (for example) MediaPlayerOld

Once you close and restart media player, it will find *no* library
database or even a Media Player folder, recreate it with a new folder
+ database, and you should be good to go.

Then, just press F3 keyboard key while in media player to add back
your media files. If they're all under My Music, that ought to be
enough (after a few minutes anyway)

If you stored the music etc elsewhere, then press Advanced button
there, and add the other folders you have music in, so WMP can add
those too.

[Bold_Sue]

By the way, I can see the hidden file "CurrentDatabase_59R.wmdb" in the current "Media Player" folder, so I must have deleted it before.
Actions Taken:
I renamed my Media Player folder to "C:\Documents and Settings\Owner.SUEGATEWAY\Application Data\Microsoft\Media Player Old".
(Notice that I am just "Owner" but "Owner.something", but there are no related files under the "Owner" folder itself. I mention this in case it makes a difference in resolving this issue.)
I restarted MP11 and nothing was different on the opening screen.
I tried to set sharing on by doing a right-click on "Library" then "Media Sharing" and got msg "Media sharing has been turned off because a required Windows setting or component has changed. For additional assistance, click Web Help.".
I tried to add a monitored folder, but it does not get retained.
Result:
A new "C:\Documents and Settings\Owner.SUEGATEWAY\Application Data\Microsoft\Media Player" did get created.
Inside this new folder, the new *.wmdb file did NOT get created.

[Katey]

Start / Run... type: services.msc then OK

Check this 3 services .

SSDP Discovery Service <<<<< Start this one first Make and make it Automatic (right click properties).
Universal Plug and Play Device Host << then this one same as one above already enabled, switched to automatic
Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service <<< then this one... . switch to automatic.

[Duramba]

For some odd reason, Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service was disabled. Once I set it to automatic and started the service...all was good.