After being sidetracked for a few months, this issue has reared its head
again. I have done some investigation and conclude that the problem I am
seeing is specific to WMP10 on a computer running WinXP SP2. The server is
running an ancient version of Red Hat Linux (6.0 or 6.1) and a plain old
Apache 1.3 HTTP server. With older versions of WMP and Windows OS's, I can
click on the .asf or .wmv and after a few seconds of buffering, WMP starts
playing the video. I tested with these versions:
Win2000 SP4, WMP9
WinXP SP1, WMP8
WinXP SP1, WMP9
WinXP SP1, WMP10

However, after upgrading to WinXP SP2 and WMP10, when I select a .asf my PC
wants to download the entire file to a temporary folder. Selecting a .wmv
buffers a bit and then plays. I have tried various buffer settings, network
settings, etc to no avail. I now have 3 PC's that behave this way. Two were
loaded WinXP SP2/WMP10 from the manufacturer, the other I slowly upgraded
starting at WinXP SP1 + WMP8. Any ideas where I can look to get back my
ability to play .asf without downloading the entire file?


"zachd [ms]" wrote:

>
> Actually, no, the OpenWithList we don't care about. We want
> HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.asf, to point to ASFFile, and the handler for that to be
> WMP. And likewise, HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.wmv to point to WMVFile, and the
> handler for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WMVFile to be WMP.
>
> It's a little complex, and the File Types dialog does the best it can to
> represent the actual state.
>
> -Zach
> --
> (speaking for myself and doing this in my free time)
> See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
> --
>
> "MeanUncleSteve" <MeanUncleSteve@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:971B49D5-D582-4FD6-973C-F61A3851FA2B@microsoft.com...
> > Thanks for the tips. To narrow things down, I looked at the entries for
> > .asf
> > and .wmv (both of which are checked in WMP:Tools:Options:File Types).
> > Under Content Type, I see the CLSID beginning with "{cd3afa", OK. Under
> > HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, for both .asf and .wmv there is a subfolder
> > "OpenWithList"
> > containing a folder named "wmplayer.exe" A screen dump would work better
> > to
> > report the settings, but I compared the settings with another handy PC
> > running Windows2000SP1 and WMP8. Settings are identical, but the WMP8
> > buffers a bit then starts playing the video.
> >
> > I also played with the buffering settings in WMP:Tools:Options:Performance
> > as well as the connection speed settings, but so far nothing makes a
> > difference. And yes, I do a therapeutic reboot every time I change
> > settings.
> > Thanks for giving this a look.
> >
> > "zachd [ms]" wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> The way it works is this:
> >> IE looks up the registered handlers for
> >> HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MIME\Database\Content Type\%MIME% . There should be a
> >> CLSID registered there beginning with "{cd3afa" if it's going to be
> >> 'streamed' by WMP. Then IE checks the Extension. The value of that will
> >> be
> >> looked up at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\%Extension%. The default value under that
> >> (such as "Mp3file") will then be looked at. That has to point to WMP for
> >> 'streaming' to work. If not, the file will be downloaded.
> >>
> >> This is a Cliff's Notes version of how it works, but a good brief
> >> summary.
> >> If you're manually setting the associations, the odds are about 100:1
> >> that
> >> you would set them correctly. This isn't a slight onto you, it's a
> >> reflection of the fact that associations are actually surprisingly
> >> complicated, and that no shell dialog enables you to set in full what you
> >> have to set here. Only WMP's Tools:Options:File Types dialog does. (Or
> >> regedit.exe, but even then you have to do a lot of work.)
> >>
> >> -Zach
> >> --
> >> (speaking for myself and doing this in my free time)
> >> See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
> >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> >> rights.
> >> --
> >>
> >> "MeanUncleSteve" <MeanUncleSteve@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> >> message
> >> news:3E41DF3C-F9D9-4814-8453-B029478322EC@microsoft.com...
> >> > Have you ever gotten this to work right? This exactly describes what I
> >> > am
> >> > seeing, versions and all. I made sure that the file types are
> >> > associated
> >> > with WMP, even removed the "/Preload:7". I can play the same files no
> >> > problem from a local drive, but when I try to play off a web link the
> >> > PC
> >> > tries to download the entire file before opening WMP. The old PC's
> >> > don't
> >> > make me wait.
> >> >
> >> > "Paqman" wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> I have media player 10 and every time I try to play a video off a web
> >> >> site it
> >> >> trys to download the file first to my computer. I have xp profesional
> >> >> with
> >> >> sp2. New computer with 1 gig of memory. Old computer was 98 se and it
> >> >> would
> >> >> just play the videos. Now it just downloads every type of file first
> >> >> without
> >> >> ever just playing. Tried everything. Shut down firewall etc. Files
> >> >> are
> >> >> mpgs,avi, etc. I use dial up. Please help. Nothing works.
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

Sounds like your HTTP server is misconfigured-
http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html#mime
covers how to fix that. Out of the box, Apache servers will cause this
error.

--
(speaking for myself and doing this in my free time)
See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
--

"MeanUncleSteve" <MeanUncleSteve@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6C97E3C9-CF33-4520-A3C7-795596A65533@microsoft.com...
> After being sidetracked for a few months, this issue has reared its head
> again. I have done some investigation and conclude that the problem I am
> seeing is specific to WMP10 on a computer running WinXP SP2. The server
> is
> running an ancient version of Red Hat Linux (6.0 or 6.1) and a plain old
> Apache 1.3 HTTP server. With older versions of WMP and Windows OS's, I
> can
> click on the .asf or .wmv and after a few seconds of buffering, WMP starts
> playing the video. I tested with these versions:
> Win2000 SP4, WMP9
> WinXP SP1, WMP8
> WinXP SP1, WMP9
> WinXP SP1, WMP10
>
> However, after upgrading to WinXP SP2 and WMP10, when I select a .asf my
> PC
> wants to download the entire file to a temporary folder. Selecting a .wmv
> buffers a bit and then plays. I have tried various buffer settings,
> network
> settings, etc to no avail. I now have 3 PC's that behave this way. Two
> were
> loaded WinXP SP2/WMP10 from the manufacturer, the other I slowly upgraded
> starting at WinXP SP1 + WMP8. Any ideas where I can look to get back my
> ability to play .asf without downloading the entire file?
>
>
> "zachd [ms]" wrote:
>
>>
>> Actually, no, the OpenWithList we don't care about. We want
>> HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.asf, to point to ASFFile, and the handler for that to
>> be
>> WMP. And likewise, HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.wmv to point to WMVFile, and the
>> handler for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WMVFile to be WMP.
>>
>> It's a little complex, and the File Types dialog does the best it can to
>> represent the actual state.
>>
>> -Zach
>> --
>> (speaking for myself and doing this in my free time)
>> See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights.
>> --
>>
>> "MeanUncleSteve" <MeanUncleSteve@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> message
>> news:971B49D5-D582-4FD6-973C-F61A3851FA2B@microsoft.com...
>> > Thanks for the tips. To narrow things down, I looked at the entries
>> > for
>> > .asf
>> > and .wmv (both of which are checked in WMP:Tools:Options:File Types).
>> > Under Content Type, I see the CLSID beginning with "{cd3afa", OK.
>> > Under
>> > HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, for both .asf and .wmv there is a subfolder
>> > "OpenWithList"
>> > containing a folder named "wmplayer.exe" A screen dump would work
>> > better
>> > to
>> > report the settings, but I compared the settings with another handy PC
>> > running Windows2000SP1 and WMP8. Settings are identical, but the WMP8
>> > buffers a bit then starts playing the video.
>> >
>> > I also played with the buffering settings in
>> > WMP:Tools:Options:Performance
>> > as well as the connection speed settings, but so far nothing makes a
>> > difference. And yes, I do a therapeutic reboot every time I change
>> > settings.
>> > Thanks for giving this a look.
>> >
>> > "zachd [ms]" wrote:
>> >
>> >>
>> >> The way it works is this:
>> >> IE looks up the registered handlers for
>> >> HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MIME\Database\Content Type\%MIME% . There should be
>> >> a
>> >> CLSID registered there beginning with "{cd3afa" if it's going to be
>> >> 'streamed' by WMP. Then IE checks the Extension. The value of that
>> >> will
>> >> be
>> >> looked up at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\%Extension%. The default value under
>> >> that
>> >> (such as "Mp3file") will then be looked at. That has to point to WMP
>> >> for
>> >> 'streaming' to work. If not, the file will be downloaded.
>> >>
>> >> This is a Cliff's Notes version of how it works, but a good brief
>> >> summary.
>> >> If you're manually setting the associations, the odds are about 100:1
>> >> that
>> >> you would set them correctly. This isn't a slight onto you, it's a
>> >> reflection of the fact that associations are actually surprisingly
>> >> complicated, and that no shell dialog enables you to set in full what
>> >> you
>> >> have to set here. Only WMP's Tools:Options:File Types dialog does.
>> >> (Or
>> >> regedit.exe, but even then you have to do a lot of work.)
>> >>
>> >> -Zach
>> >> --
>> >> (speaking for myself and doing this in my free time)
>> >> See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
>> >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> >> rights.
>> >> --
>> >>
>> >> "MeanUncleSteve" <MeanUncleSteve@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
>> >> message
>> >> news:3E41DF3C-F9D9-4814-8453-B029478322EC@microsoft.com...
>> >> > Have you ever gotten this to work right? This exactly describes
>> >> > what I
>> >> > am
>> >> > seeing, versions and all. I made sure that the file types are
>> >> > associated
>> >> > with WMP, even removed the "/Preload:7". I can play the same files
>> >> > no
>> >> > problem from a local drive, but when I try to play off a web link
>> >> > the
>> >> > PC
>> >> > tries to download the entire file before opening WMP. The old PC's
>> >> > don't
>> >> > make me wait.
>> >> >
>> >> > "Paqman" wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> I have media player 10 and every time I try to play a video off a
>> >> >> web
>> >> >> site it
>> >> >> trys to download the file first to my computer. I have xp
>> >> >> profesional
>> >> >> with
>> >> >> sp2. New computer with 1 gig of memory. Old computer was 98 se and
>> >> >> it
>> >> >> would
>> >> >> just play the videos. Now it just downloads every type of file
>> >> >> first
>> >> >> without
>> >> >> ever just playing. Tried everything. Shut down firewall etc.
>> >> >> Files
>> >> >> are
>> >> >> mpgs,avi, etc. I use dial up. Please help. Nothing works.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>