Quick Windows Media Player question

[pegkerr]

I have Windows Media Player version 9 on my computer at work (the tech support monkeys will not let me load Apple iTunes). Suddenly, every song on every album is duped. Instead of

Song 1
Song 2
Song 3

I now suddenly have

Song 1
Song 1
Song 2
Song 2
Song 3
Song 3

WTF--any idea why? Rebooting does not solve the problem. If I try deleting the "extra" song, it deletes the song entirely. The playlists I've set up look normal (not duped), but if I want to listen to an album, I don't want to listen to each song twice. Anyone know a fix for this, short of deleting every single damn CD on my drive and starting all over again???

Thanks for any help you can suggest.

(Microsoft tech support charges $99 to answer a technical support e-mail question, damn them, and I thought I'd throw the question out here in case the answer is easy.)

Computers and Microsoft, feh.

Edited to add: Once again, LiveJournal contains all knowledge. At your suggestion, I trashed the library file and set it up again. Problem solved. Thanks, everyone!

Comments

[moony]

I would suggest restarting. I seem to remember that happening to me when I had to use Windows and I just had to restart.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

I tried that. It didn't fix it.

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

Some quick answers: you may need to create a new library, or the albums might be missing artist information, or Media Player might think the same files in different locations are different songs. Try a quick fix first: see if the duplicate entries can be cleared by clicking another tab in the WMP, or use the Add to Library by Searching Computer dialog box to see how many duplicate files there are (a little, or a lot).

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

When that sort of thing happens in iTunes, the easiest fix is to trash the library file and have the program recreate it. I have no idea how one would do that in Media Player, or if it would help -- but my guess is that it would. Or maybe it would cause all the songs to be deleted.

Maybe I should stop helping now.

B

[mjryan.livejournal.com]

I have no media player advice, sorry to say.

The reason I'm commenting is to thank you. I remembered your mention of a health and fitness site from a couple of months ago. The other day, I went to your userinfo page and found the link and have since joined. I'm barely into it (only two days) but I love the site so far, especially the nutrition tracking. I'm much more likely to put the info into the computer that can calculate the calories, etc. than write it in a paper journal.

And, fyi, I friended you quite a while ago. I think I found your journal through alissamora or possibly madlori. I've really enjoyed reading your posts. (And, your daughters are adorable.)

Anyway, thanks again. :)

[vass]

Oh, I know what that is!

Those aren't duplicates. If you check, you'll notice that the file sizes are different too. One's the mp3 itself, the other is the file information that iTunes uses in its database. Don't delete 'em, and don't worry about them either. It won't play every song twice.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Hurray! That gave me the information I needed. I've trashed the library and created a new one, and the problem is fixed. Thank you!

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

That was exactly what I needed to do. The problem is now fixed. Thanks! It was driving me crazy.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Oh, terrific! I'm glad you're another convert to SparkPeople, and thank you so much for letting me know. Spread the word to others, too. When you have set up your SparkPage, go ahead and friend me there, too (my user name on SparkPeople is bluesox4113). I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. It's a really cool website.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Well, it did play them twice.

Don't worry, someone else had the answer: I had to trash the library file and set it up again. Problem solved.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Excellent.

You're welcome.

B

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

You're welcome -- I'm glad it worked!