Monday, May 5, 2014

1-Click Installer for Windows Media Taskbar Mini-Player for Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10

Update 2017: See my post for an improved installer for Windows 8, 8.1, 10, 10 CU (64-bit), CUF (64-bit) version only.

Getting back Windows Media Mini-Player on Windows 8+, with a one click installer.



Does not show video or visualizations

Windows Media Player 12 version was missing the one of the best features of older Windows Media Players (WMP) and that was the mini-player that appeared when you minimized it. 

The WMP Mini-Player allows you to access the media player right from the Taskbar or system tray area.

Moreover, it displays the currently playing album, artist and provides next song pop-ups. This was a innovative feature, that oddly got removed?  Well, this installer will get it back for you.

Features:
  • Windows Media Player 12 Mini-Player 
  • 1 click install and and proper uninstall - no registry files required
  • Installer works for Windows 7, 8, 8.1,10+ and Server 2008, 2012, 2012 R2, 2016+

What does it install? 

The WMPTaskbarInstaller.inf file is old style (Win95) installer file that installs task-bar Windows Media Mini-Player dll (wmpband.dll) for your computer. The source of the wmpband.dll comes from Windows 7.  


unadulterated file

Install Instructions

Prerequisite:  Your user account must be part Administrators group or you know Administrator password to install.
  1. Download unadulterated file for

    Windows 7,8,8.1,10+ (64-bit) and unzip WMPTaskbarInstaller64.zip

    or 
    Windows 7,8,8.1,10(32-bit) and unzip WMPTaskbarInstaller32.zip.

    To check what version 32-bit or 64-bit of Windows you are running, 
    run this in Command line (CMD.exe) windows;
    1
    wmic os get osarchitecture
    
     
  2. Right-click onWMPTaskbarInstaller.inf and click Install
  3. Click Yes to User Account Control pop-up.

  4. Run Windows Media Player and minimize it.
  5. Right-click on TaskBar, hover Toolbars and select Windows Media Player. 



    Make sure to Uncheck "Lock the taskbar".

    You may not see it appear at first, since explorer process (that contains taskbar process) has to be refreshed. You may try to select another toolbar like
    Links and activate it and deactivate it, repeat, repeat, repeat until Windows Media Payer shows up.

    If that does not work, you'll have to refresh the explorer process, see my post 
    here on doing that.
  6. When you select Windows Media Player toolbar the mini-player appears then you have voila, you have it working! Have fun.



Uninstall

The great thing about this WMPTaskbarInstaller.inf, is it creates a uninstall option.

Goto Programs and Features, and double-click "Windows Media Player Taskbar mini-Player..." to uninstall.
















To remove this blog page (only) IE tab on start-up follow http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/internet-explorer/change-home-page#ie=ie-11. I couldn't remove this key in the registry using inf.




20 comments:

  1. doesn't work under Windows 8.1 (64 bit)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great on win 8.1 64 bit THANKS!

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  3. Works for me on Win 8.1 64 bit. Thanks a lot, couldn't have been easier!

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  4. mine won't install i've win 8 it just keeps saying the files corrupt, tried 3 different ways get the task bar but everytime the file is incomplete or corrupt help!

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  5. yes its nice.....
    thanks..man.

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  6. Thx, It is working for me. Windows 10 64 bit

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  7. Thanks! It's working for me too. Windows 10 x64

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  8. Thx a lot! Great working! But if someone know how to adjust or fit the wmp toolbar size with taskbar?

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  9. thank you for your installer. It worked like a charm. Win 10. Sandy from Vegreville.

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  10. works flawlessly on windows 10. very thanks

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  11. it works, but does not show video/visualization, just a black screen.

    ReplyDelete
  12. thanks for your guidance.... its working fine

    ReplyDelete
  13. So I have followed the steps 100% & all that i get is the WMP icon same as before even after selecting "Windows Media Player" as a tool bar. So any suggestions? I have tried many sites to get this to work with no luck.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Make sure you have Windows Media Player running, then choose Toolbars->Windows Media Player to reveal in taskbar. If it does not appear, try to select another toolbar like Links and activate it and deactivate Windows Media Player, repeat, repeat, repeat until Windows Media Payer shows up.

      Delete
  14. Works perfect on Windows 10 x64.
    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  15. do you have wmp8 for win 7 portable version ?

    ReplyDelete