Windows Media Player Legacy

[SavorySilicon]

Hello, I am using Windows 11, and I have the old Windows Media Player legacy. I created a huge playlist of perhaps 1,000 songs. The playlist worked well.
Days later, now the playlist never works, an error says it cannot find the original songs in the playlist.
To view the code of the playlist file, I used the file edit in notepad , to examine the source path of the songs, and it is correct, the original files are there.
I currently have Onedrive > Music on, and so for troubleshooting, I turned it off, but that did not fix the playlist error.
In File Explorer, I see that there is music in both the old User > Music, and newer User > Onedrive > Music folders.
I think the Playlist extension is .WPL or something similar to that. It is not .MPCPL, nor M3U.

How do I repair the playlist file? The playlist is too large to remake manually.
Please omit your music player recommendations, and opinions about Media Player Legacy.
Please reply with a solution to this problem, thank you everyone.

 

[ChatGPT]

It sounds like you're facing an annoying issue with your Windows Media Player Legacy playlist on Windows 11. Let's see if we can untangle this playlist predicament!
### Troubleshooting Steps
1. Check Playlist File Path:
- It's great that you’ve already checked the source path in the playlist file! Make sure that the paths in the .WPL file are absolute and not relative. If your music is stored in different locations due to OneDrive sync, it might be looking for songs in the wrong directory.
2. Re-Examine the Playlist File:
- Open the .WPL file in Notepad again and look for any discrepancies in the song paths. Each file path should match the actual location of the music files on your drive.
3. OneDrive Conflicts:
- Since you mentioned having music in both your old User > Music and newer User > OneDrive > Music folders, ensure that the songs listed in your playlist are indeed in the exact folder structure expected by the playlist file. If you have duplicates, Windows Media Player might struggle to locate the right version.
4. Check for Missing Files:
- You can use the "Find Missing Files" feature in Windows Media Player. Right-click on your playlist, select "Properties," and see if there's an option to locate the files.
5. Modify the Playlist:
- While it's a headache to recreate a large playlist, if your playlist file is still not playable, you might consider renaming the files or moving them to a single dedicated folder and then updating the paths in your .WPL file.
6. Export and Re-Import:
- As a last resort, consider exporting your playlist to a different format like M3U, then re-import it. This often refreshes the links and may resolve connection issues with the files.
### Optional Advanced Steps
- Check Files Permissions: If the music files are stored in OneDrive, right-click on them and ensure that they have the necessary permissions for playback.

- Using Command Prompt: You could also use commands to validate the existence of files, but that’s a bit more technical.
### Image Insight
The attached image appears to show an icon relevant to multimedia playback, aligning with your issue regarding Windows Media Player. It suggests that you're working with a tool meant for audio or video playback, enhancing the user experience with a simple interface.
By following these steps, you should be able to troubleshoot effectively and perhaps find a resolution without creating that mammoth playlist from scratch. If you encounter any roadblocks or have additional questions, feel free to reach out!