Well, did all those things, and then some, I believe, over 200 registry entries- anything related to or associated with microsoft & windows media; and probably close to a hundred related files & folders, and it still will not install completely, and a previous version (only 9 seems to work) keeps saying that the latest version is already installed
Ran a full virus scan, and nothing, so I think I will run a few spyware programs, and study a Hi Jack log for a little while, because I deleted from the computer anything that had to do with media...
Also re-downloaded the music files and tried to play with the classic, and it can not load source file, tried with real player and it just crashed, as did quicktime; also manually installed the update license tool, and it said-"update succesfull", but still get same errors as above, and the real kicker, is when I right clicked a fresly downloaded media song file, and clicked on properties, it crashed windows explorer , didn't know that could be done--lost half the desktop, but all came back after re-boot, and I immediately deleted the music files...
I am really trying to avoid a dell restore, and really not sure that it would clean up the bugs from the pre-loaded extraction process that they used when they installed the new hard drive (just doesn't sound feasible to me), but I'm no expert...
When I was playing before the new install of Hd., I noticed that the Xp Cd (dell) did not have an I386 file (and only dell association that I could see program wise (in a very short time) was their logo that is stored in the Bios-harmless right ???) , anyways was thinking of maybe that route, because as I figure it, with the time that seems to be involved with un-installing, re-installing, and TRYING to fix programs, including those that were installed after the fact are all acting real buggy, also waiting for a dell reply...
I am just trying to figure out what would be less time consumimg in the long run, but truly hate to give up on something without figuring it out, as it may come back...
To me: it's the point, not the principle--I'll let you make that call, because from the numerous posts that I have read here, too many people give up before they try everything you have to offer, so as long as you have ideas, I'm willing--and to that, I must say that you run a very helpfull forum here for tech. help, to help us all to learn the mysteries of windows
Ok, enough, anyways, would like to leave with a quote that I seen else where in someones signature--they say that when you play a music Cd backwards that you here demonic voices, but, If you play a microft Cd fowards-it installs windows !!!
Sincerest Blessings
Ps: The dell tech says "I may have got a lemon" (and dell would not replace it, just keep trying to fix it) would that include all the hardware as well as software or seeing that the Hd. is new, and the noise is gone, For good-I hope), and everything seems to be working except the software....Hmmmm: and ironically enough-the search results do close...

Went and did another clean, because I found additional files in the dll cache folder, and an additional 565 registry entries under wmp, and I am guessing that the standard MPLAY32. exe is the same as the classic (mplayerc.exe), very striking resemblance, anyways, I have deleted thousands of entries related to windows media player and wmp, and am also guessing that the standard Mplay is for the windows sound waves, so I left that stuff alone, even tried rotating compatible versions when installing, and after several hours of trying, am giving up for the day (spent way too long-tenacious I guess), and the errors remain, and with that latest clean, version 9 did not say "latest version installed", just in-compatible, as did the ten, did manage to get an internal application error when I tried to launch the app. from the dll cache file and the I386, after the complete wipe of files it's just the incompatibility issue...
Blessings

System is spyware and virus free, and did not see anything suspicious on the HiJack log, and managed to find a missing dll for the video in the Dx Diag. was hopefull for a minute until I researched it, replaced it and moved on, can't think of anything else at this point.
Blessings

Dell wants to replace the hard drive again ???????opinions
Blessings

I don't know, everything seems to be going, I can't even open a Cd now, every time I try, the paint shop screen comes up, and I can not get an option to change it...
I know halloween is right around the corner, but this thing seems to be already possesed LoL
Have checked with virus, spyware, and a HiJack log, and there isn't anything unusual, actually nothing at all, so I'm going to try the factory restore and see if it's buggy too, before I re-contact dell, they said they would send all the Cd's, but also want to replace the drive (again), as I mentioned above, and I am not sure, but the way it extracts from a compressed state, to load the files, just doesn't seem natural...
I told them that I would just as soon have the Cd's I paid for, and just re-install from groud zero with a freshly scrubbed Hd, but they want the extra mile LoL
I guess whatever it takes Heh
Again, I want to truly thank you for your phenominal support here, and I will keep checking back to see what you have to say, but must contact them soon...
Really...does this sound like a "hardware issue" to you??????
Blessings...

No, I think I'll wait till it's completely in-operable, because I am still searching for a villian (and your reply) LoL (don't give up the ship-aye)
Blessings

Sorry for not replying but I don't know what to add. I posted everything I could fine RE: WMP10.

With your continual other issues I can only say again that Dell is responsible.

The dell tech says "I may have got a lemon" (and dell would not replace it, just keep trying to fix it)

At this point I would demand that they fix it right away or replace it.

At this point I wouldn't talk to a tech but a manager.

At this point I would inform that manager that you have forwarded your warranty to your lawyer.

Thank you Sir, I will do that, because when I had notified the arbitrators, I did not get a reply, but dell did become very friendly all of a sudden, but I still am not convinced it's a hardware issue this time, but am going to try and see how far I can push 'em, seeing that-that is one of my stronger points that I learned from my parents, and some law school myself, as I figured , in the old days of trying the law, I had better learn some of it-LoL....
Sincerest Blessings for your outstanding, and of course, a very patient approach, of trying to fix these issues, that you have correctly stated, belong to dell, I was trying to learn, but am in total agreement with you, and I made a typo above, it was not the dell tech who said it may be a lemon, but the repairmen who's been here twice, and it looks to be a third LoL...
Going to bulldog this one now, because being in agreement, I can only add, that I've had all I can stands, and can't stands no more LoL (there's a point when it's not a learning experience anymore)
Bless You Sir, and again , I can't say enough Kudos for the help here from the very knowledgeable DaL people here, Many thanks, and will keep updating on the process of trying to get dell to give in LoL
Sincerest Blessings with a possible rating of 1-10, I give a 1100+ seeings that you give a 110%+ to all posters-AWESOME

Oh no, he's back lol
Well they replaced the hard drive, and this time they gave me a western digital caviar, and they included the most amazing trick that I have seen so far, and this time I sent them pictures and documentation to prove it, and maybe you can explain it because they haven't--Ok the hard drive was supposed to be imaged with everything on it, and the hard drive shows 74 gigs available, so, something is there, just can not find it, I found the 37 meg utility partiton with only 1 meg used (just the EULA) nice Heh, so I loaded my norton ghost, and it just shows the 37 megs and the 74 gigs, which leaves the 5 gig floating in limbo somewhere, and it's driving me wild trying to find it, this time I insisted on them just sending the backups that I am entitled, and they said they were sending some kind of recovery disk (SRCD) ,which is suppose to be everything (hoping)....suppose to stand for sytem restore, I asked, because I wanted to know how system recovery would recover something that can't be found, and that's what they said SRCD was (we'll see)
I tried dowloading the W.D. tool, because I am thinking I may have to wipe it, to get the mystery gigs back, but it will not run, said something (I believe) about bad parameter; will have to check again, because there were two errors...
Blessings
Ps: Purchased another 3yrs. on the warranty-- (just hope it doesn't take that long)

Hi Darrell, forgive me if I've missed something because I've only read your last post but it sounds to me like you have an 80Gb hard drive and you're wondering why you only have 74Gb available (plus a tiny 37Mb utility partition). Well, the reason is that the DOS / Windows method of partitioning a hard disk can never assign the full 100% of the alleged disk space. This is due to a fundamental and rather cheeky difference in the way that drive manufacturers measure their drives, i.e. it's not the same way that everyone else measures them!

Drive manufacturers take 1Gb to mean 1,000Mb. However, everyone else in the world takes 1Gb to mean 1,024Mb. Notice the difference? Yes, that's right - you lose 24Mb for every gigabyte or 2.4% of your total disk size. So, let's assume that the utility partition isn't there and you expect to be able to make one 80Gb partition available on your hard disk. Take 2.4% off of that and you actually end up with 78Gb.

But it's actually quite a bit worse than that and I can't remember exactly why. Erm ........ I'm pretty sure that's the right reason at least. In any case, I'm definitely right that Windows will never see anything like 100% of the size that you think your hard disk is. And the bigger your disk is, the more space you lose - it's definitely proportional. My 30Gb hard disk in my new laptop only formatted to about 27Gb. I bought a server at work a few months ago with a 160Gb hard disk and that one only formatted to 148Gb - I lost TWELVE gigabytes of space!

Can anyone else explain this a bit better .... or correct me if I'm wrong?!