How to install WMP 5.1 on Windows 7.

Note this also works on Windows Vista and Windows 8. On Windows XP there are two hidden earlier versions of Windows Media player that can be run alongside the latest version of Windows Media Player.

One is WMP 6.4,Mplayer 2 and the other is WMP 5.1,Mplay 32. WMP 6.4 only works on Windows XP.It does not work on Windows Vista,Windows 7 or Windows 8.

But WMP 5.1,Mplay32 does work on Windows 7 and also on Windows Vista and Windows 8.

WMP 6.4 is called Mplayer 2 and WMP 5.1 is called Mplay32 to avoid conflicts with the existing version of Windows Media Player 9 or 11,I assume.As you cannot have two program files of the same name.

WMP 5.1 is the very first version of WMP that was on Windows 95. And it is included in Windows XP,Windows 2000 and earlier versions of Windows,along with WMP 6.4. But has been removed from Windows Vista and later versions of Windows. But here is how you can get WMP 5.1 back on Windows 7,Windows Vista and Windows 8.

To install WMP 5.1 you first need to copy the program file from a Windows XP computer. If you don't have Windows XP you can download WMP 5.1 from the link at the end of the post.

On Windows XP,go to Windows/System32 folder found on C drive. Then in System32 look for the program file Mplay32 and copy the file and paste it in your My Documents or Downloads folder.

Then right click with your mouse and select "send to a zipped folder." This creates a zip installer file.

Then transfer the zip file onto your Windows 7,Windows Vista or Windows 8 computer using Team Viewer which lets you transfer files from one computer to the other.

Or you can use a USB thumb drive to copy and transfer the file.

Or you can upload the Zip file to a file storage site like Mediafire and just download the file onto your Windows 7 computer. If you upload your files to Mediafire or another file sharing site. You will be given a weblink that you can share with friends.So that they can download the file onto their computer and you can download the file onto your computer,if you don't have your Windows XP computer to hand.
On Windows 7,Windows 8 or Windows Vista,right click on the Mplay32 zip installer and click Properties and unblock the file and click save.

Then extract the file to your Windows/System32 folder on Windows 7.

Then just before you run the program for the first time click properties again and set the program to run in compatibility mode for Windows XP service pack 3. Then you can pin the program short cut to your desktop or task bar and run it.

WMP 5.1 is now installed on Windows 7 and you can play audio and WMV video files the same as you do on Windows XP. And WMP 5.1 works on Windows Vista,Windows 7 and Windows 8 without any problems. And you can run it alongside the latest version of WMP 11 or WMP 12.

Images-WMP5.1 on Windows XP.WMP 5.1 on Windows 7.