[ Re 001017 MMD, "Winamp Captures MIDI File Associations" ]

Hi Guys,  Once again, Mark Fontana came to my rescue.  I was able
to restore my Windows Media Player 2 with the instructions below.
Mark wrote:

 - - -

This should fix your problem:

1.  Go into My Computer
2.  Go to View -> Folder Options
3.  Pick the third tab "File Types"

3a. Scroll through the files in the window top left; when you see
    anything with Winamp, click to highlight, then click "remove" over
    to the right of the box.
4.  Pick New Type

5.  Fill in the form as follows:
    description: MIDI File
    associated extension: .mid
    for content type, select or type in  "audio/mid"
    default extension: .mid

6.  Below the Actions box, press New
    For the name of the action:  Open
    Application used to perform action:
    "C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\mplayer2.exe" /Play "%L"
    (make sure the above line is exactly correct)

7.  Hit OK.

8.  Create another action (press New).  Make it the same as "Open",
    except call this one "Play"

9.  Click on the word "Open" in the Actions box to make it highlighted
10. Push the Set Default button below the actions box.
11. Press Close at the bottom of the dialog.

Media Player should work again on MIDI files.

 - - -

And more related information:  After I got the media player working
again, it didn't look the same -- stuff was missing.  I finally found
out how to restore all the information that should be displayed on it's
screen: click View, Options, Custom views, click all the boxes in there
and apply.  Also click View, compact; seems a good workable size.

Originally the icon in front of my MIDI files was a purple double note
that changed to the movie clap-board icon.  I finally figured out how
to get back the double note icon.  In the media player, view, options,
formats, I unclicked everything but Windows Media File, Windows Audio
File, Audio File, MIDI File.

When I boot up now I notice that my files in explorer are displayed
in large icons now.  Apparently the default setting had been changed
during the MP3 fiasco.

To reset it so all files are displayed in "detail" setting as the
default setting:

Click Explorer, MIDI files, view, details, view again, folder options,
view tab, like current folder, yes, OK.

Hope this helps anyone who comes across the same problem.

Tom Lear
San Francisco, CA