Preferred OS and the WMP Version 6.4 ActiveX® Control

The Media Player Mixer Express™ (MPMe) is compatible with many flavors of the Microsoft Windows® operating system (OS), however our preferred OS is Windows® XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 because Windows® XP has been tested and confirmed to provide (during OS installation) the Microsoft Windows Media® Player Control (WMPC) version 6.4 (a Microsoft® ActiveX® control) that is required by the MPMe.  And, after applying all Windows® updates, Windows® XP Home SP2 and Windows® XP Professional SP2 allowed our MPMe test installations to function normally.

Return to Area 89 Home page.  Go to MPMe Fast Facts page.

WMP Version 6.4 ActiveX® Control Compatibility Testing

Windows® XP Home SP2 Test Sequence (retail version)

A.)  6/19/2008—Install fresh copy of OS (operating system) on new hard drive in new computer (where the computer name is "P4Nitro").  Default OS installation functioned as anticipated.  The required Microsoft Windows Media® Player Control (WMPC) version 6.4 (a Microsoft® ActiveX® control), and its corresponding files and registry entries, were handled properly by the default OS installation.  Because we wanted to verify our Microsoft Access™ XP runtime installation package (for users without an existing compatible version of Microsoft Access™ on their computer), we did not install the full retail version of Microsoft Access™.  However, Asus® video drivers were installed, and the appropriate LinkSys® software was installed so we could use the system's WMP54G wireless adapter.

B.)  6/19/2008—Next, with automatic updates turned OFF, we SELECTIVELY downloaded and applied Windows® updates and Windows® security updates; however, we deliberately excluded security updates that referenced Windows Media® functionality such as Windows Media® Player 6.4 (WMP 6.4), Windows Media® Player 9 (WMP 9), and Windows Media® runtime or SDK updates—planning to test these updates in a later step.  Please note that although the Microsoft update site recommended that we install Windows® XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), we declined in order to continue testing SP2.  We did choose to install Internet Explorer® 7 on this test computer.  The Windows® Updates Application Log (below) documents our MPMe test machine update experience.

C.)  6/19/2008—Continuing with our experiment, we installed our Codentity created Access™ XP (version 2002) runtime package, which installed a beta build of the Media Player Mixer Express™, its security file, and the Access™ XP runtime files.*  Then we created a shortcut, and used the MPMe security file reference in the shortcut, to successfully launch the the Media Player Mixer Express™ on our test machine.  After accepting the default user name DJ1 (the Codentity approved user identity), the MPMe worked normally.  This was confirmed by our ability to operate the MPMe in live mixing mode without incident.  This proves that the WMP version 6.4 ActiveX® controls were automatically implemented by the MPMe as desired.

D.)  6/19/2008—Next, we exited the MPMe and navigated to the menu shortcut for Windows Media Player, and since Windows® XP Home SP2 contains WMP 9 by default, a welcome screen appeared prompting us to approve file associations (and other settings) in order to activate WMP 9 on the computer.  We wanted to see if activating the WMP 9 would change the ability of the MPMe to use the required version 6.4 WMPC files.  The standard file associations (such as *.wma, *.wav, *.mp3, etc.) were approved for use by WMP 9.  We then tested WMP 9 for several minutes loading various mp3 and wma format audio files.  Everything worked as expected and we closed WMP 9.

E.)  6/19/2008—We then clicked on the MPMe program shortcut to successfully launch the the Media Player Mixer Express™ again.  After accepting the default DJ1 identity from the Codentity License Manager dialog box, the MPMe loaded and we were able to operate the MPMe without incident, and completed many test search, load and play cycles.

Activating WMP version 9 did not block the MPMe from instantiating (using) its required version 6.4 ActiveX® controls.  WMP 9 can peacefully co-exist with pre-installed versions of "mplayer2.exe" and "msdxm.ocx"... the files used for the version 6.4 WMP ActiveX® controls.  Therefore, we are changing our earlier stipulation with respect to Windows® XP compatibility.

Previously, we believed that users who installed Windows® XP Home or Professional with Service pack 2 (SP2) might be prevented from accessing the all important WMP version 6.4 control.  New testing has demonstrated that this is not true.  MPMe users who acquire and install Windows® XP Home SP2 WILL be able to use the required version 6.4 control.  At this time, we have not tested the OEM version of Windows® XP Home SP2, however, we believe that it (and Windows® XP Professional SP2) are compatible with the MPMe / MMB DJ required version 6.4 ActiveX® controls.

Codentity testing with respect to the layered application of Windows Media security updates will continue in an effort to determine which updates might block the use of the version 6.4 control; and if so, at which point in the installation process this blocking effect can occur.  When that information becomes available, it will be posted on this Web site.  The Windows® Updates Application Log (below) documents our MPMe test machine update experience to date.

Windows® Updates Application Log  (6/22/2008) for computer name P4Nitro:

The operating system for P4Nitro is Windows XP Home with Service Pack 2 bundled as part of the delivery media

8:58 a.m. —  "Security Update for Windows Media Player 6.4" (KB925398) applied.  No restart because the system did not prompt for a restart.  Launched MPMe, it functioned normally.

9:05 a.m. —  Exited the MPMe.  Restarted computer to determine if a restart at this point would block access to version 6.4 functionality.  Launched MPMe, it functioned normally.

9:14 a.m. —  Exited the MPMe.  "Security Update for Windows Media Player 9" (KB936782) applied.  No restart because the system did not prompt for a restart.  Launched MPMe, it functioned normally.

9:24 a.m. — Exited the MPMe.  "Security Update for Windows XP with Windows Media Format Runtime 9.5 and 11" (KB941569) applied.  No restart because the system did not prompt for a restart.  Launched MPMe, it functioned normally.

9:35 a.m. — Exited the MPMe.  "Security Update for Windows XP with Windows Media Format Runtime 9.5" (KB923689) applied.  No restart because the system did not prompt for a restart.  Launched MPMe, it functioned normally.  NOTE: This update, KB923689, appeared on the recommended list only AFTER the preceding update, KB941569, had been applied.

9:40 a.m. — Exited the MPMe.  "Security Update for Windows Media Player Plug-In" (KB911564) applied.  No restart because the system did not prompt for a restart.  Launched MPMe, it functioned normally.

At this point, we continued testing by applying (at random) the remaining updates

9:45 a.m. — Exited the MPMe.  "Cumulative Security Update for ActiveX Kill Bits for Windows XP" (KB950760) applied.  No restart because the system did not prompt for a restart.  Launched MPMe, it functioned normally.

9:50 a.m. — Exited the MPMe.  "Security Update for Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP" (KB938127) applied.  No restart because the system did not prompt for a restart.  Launched MPMe, it functioned normally.

9:58 a.m. — Exited the MPMe.  Decided to go for broke and apply all four remaining updates in one process.  Therefore, the following updates "Security Update for Windows XP" (KB951376), "Update for Windows XP" (KB932823), "Microsoft .Net Framework 2.0  Service Pack 1" (KB110806), and "Microsoft GDI+ Detection Tool" (KB873374) were applied.  A restart prompt was observed, and a restart was initiated.

Before an MPMe launch was initiated, we used REGEDIT to search for the version 6.4 ActiveX® control class ID (22D6F312-B0F6-11D0-94AB-0080C74C7E95) and found it in several places.  However, at this point, without a test MPMe launch, we still did not know if the kill bit for the version 6.4 ActiveX® control had been set (thereby blocking OS access to the control).

10:20 a.m. — Closed Regedit.  Launched MPMe, it functioned normally.

Conclusion:  We installed a fresh copy of Windows® XP Home SP2 on a new PC (P4Nitro), then installed the Media Player Mixer Express™ via the Microsoft Access™ runtime package, and further applied ALL Microsoft® recommended Windows® updates.  The system functioned normally and the MPMe worked as expected.  It is possible to successfully install the Media Player Mixer Express™ (MPMe) with Windows® XP Home SP2 (and its recommended updates); at least on OUR test computer.  For information on testing with Windows® XP Professional SP2, see section below.

We believe that this scenario is applicable to most MPMe users because our test machine is not comprised of exotic components.  It is has been configured as an affordable mid-line desktop PC:  Intel® DP35DP motherboard, Intel® Core™ 2 Duo E7200 2.53 GHz CPU, 4 GB Crucial® memory, 320 GB Hitachi® SATA hard drive, 256 MB Asus® PCI Express Radeon® HD3450 video card, Microsoft Windows® XP Home SP2 (retail version), LinkSys® WMP54G wireless adapter, Antec® Sonata Designer 500 ATX case.  (The MPMe does not require a super fast CPU and lots of memory, read hardware requirements here.)

On 7/9/2008, Codentity confirmed that the MPMe will function normally after Service Pack 3 for Windows® XP has been applied to a computer with a pre-existing installation of Windows® XP Professional with Service Pack 2.

* The Access™ XP "runtime" allows users to benefit from a limited capability version of the Access™ XP database program.  Microsoft permits this use under a license agreement with developers who design and deploy Access™ XP applications (like the MPMe) from special "Office Developer" versions of Office XP (2002).  The runtime version does not give users all the features of the full retail version of Microsoft Access™, however, it is quite capable of serving as the executable shell for the MPMe.  The Access™ XP runtime version is included at no extra charge for licensed users of the Codentity Media Player Mixer Express™.

What can YOU do if you want to run the Media Player Mixer Express™  but you don't have a compatible operating system?

Windows® XP Professional updated with SP2 Test Sequence

A.)  7/7/2008—Tested Microsoft recommended updates as applied to existing installation of Windows XP Professional which had been updated with Service Pack 2.  Prior to our updates test on this date, this computer (P4Chess) was known to function well with the the Media Player Mixer Express™ (MPMe) and the required Microsoft Windows Media® Player Control (WMPC) version 6.4 (a Microsoft® ActiveX® control) which had previously been installed and tested on this computer.

B.)  7/7/2008—With automatic updates turned OFF, we SELECTIVELY downloaded and applied Windows® updates and Windows® security updates as noted below.  This computer had a pre-existing installation of Internet Explorer® 7.  The Windows® Updates Application Log (for P4Chess directly below) documents our MPMe test machine update experience.

Windows Updates Application Log (7/7/2008) for computer name P4Chess:

The operating system for P4Chess is Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1 bundled as part of the delivery media and then subsequently updated with Service Pack 2

7:50 a.m. — Launched the MPMe on this computer.  The MPMe functioned normally using the previously installed Microsoft Windows Media® Player Control (WMPC) version 6.4 (a Microsoft® ActiveX® control).

7:58 a.m. — Exited the MPMe.  "Cumulative Security Update for ActiveX Kill Bits for Windows XP" (KB950760) applied.  No restart because the system did not prompt for a restart.  Launched MPMe, it functioned normally.

8:15 a.m. —  "Security Update for Windows Media Player 6.4" (KB925398) and "Security Update for Windows Media Player 9" (KB936782) applied.  No restart because the system did not prompt for a restart.  Launched MPMe, it functioned normally.

8:27 a.m. — Exited the MPMe.  "Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 7 for Windows XP" (KB950759) and "Security Update for Windows XP (KB950762) and "Security Update for Windows XP (KB951376) and "Security Update for Windows XP (KB951698) and "Update for Windows XP (KB9932823) applied.  A restart prompt was observed, and a restart was initiated.  Launched MPMe, it functioned normally.

8:45 a.m. — Exited the MPMe.  "Definition Update for Windows Defender" (KB915597) Definition 1.37.370.0 and "Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - June 2008" (KB890300) applied.  No restart because the system did not prompt for a restart.  Launched MPMe, it functioned normally.

Conclusion:  We applied all recommended updates (including the Windows Media® Player 6.4, Windows Media® Player 9, and Internet Explorer® 7 updates) to this machine's (P4Chess) Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 operating system.  The system functioned normally and the MPMe worked as expected.  It is possible to successfully operate the Media Player Mixer Express™ (MPMe) with Windows® XP Professional SP2 (and its recommended updates).  For information on testing with Windows® XP Home SP2, see section above. 

On 7/9/2008, Codentity confirmed that the MPMe will function normally after Service Pack 3 for Windows® XP has been applied to a computer with a pre-existing installation of Windows® XP Professional with Service Pack 2.

What can YOU do if you want to run the Media Player Mixer Express™  but you don't have a compatible operating system?

Windows Media Player Control (ActiveX®) Version 6.4 OS Compatibility Table

Last Updated:  7/22/2008