were my music files ruined by WINAMP3?

Hi,
I had hundreds of music files on my computer not yet burned. I have Windows XP and Windows media player. I downloaded Winamp3 for another purpose. Then that program was removed. Now, all my files are not showing the Windows media player icon but something else(resembles a small "desktop"). When I clic on the music file, windows media player does not open and play it like before. What can I do?
The Winamp3 icon covered all my music files before it was removed. Does any of this affect my ability to burn these files?
I could re-install winamp3 but I want to use windows media player.
as it stands now, I can not play any of them.
Thanks for help.

 

I don't think the icon displayed for any file should alarm you too much. The more important thing to look at is the file extension....what KIND of file it is...or has become.

For example....all my .jpg graphic files show an icon for the viewer I use....Irfanview. I can still open them in any program that opens .jpg files...it is just that I have them "associated" with Irfanview.

I think you have more of an "association" issue than a file conversion problem. If you right click on one of those music files you are talking about, and select "open with" and "choose program"... find the entry for Windows Media Player...( also check the little box about "always using this program....") you should be all set....give it a try....

( I like Winamp for playing MP3's, but it is notorious for "reassociating" itself as your default player... once you know the deal.....you can solve this in a snap ...as mentioned above)

 

Hi,
not able to try all your suggestions now here at work, but I will tell you that before I installed Winamp3, my music files had the Window media player icon on them. I guess you know what I mean. Then after installing Winamp, the winamp icon replaced the media player one. After removing winamp, the media player icon did not return. Some other symbol, looks like a small webpage, blue strip at the top and 6 small icons.
I hope you are telling me that the files are completely ok, and able to be burned and that my problem is just how to open them for playing them while they stay on my computer. I did clic on one and I get a message saying "windows can not find studio.exe."
I have never heard of studio.exe or what it might be.
Then it says "this program is needed for opening files of type winamp media file" then a box with instructions to type in the executable file to be used instead......and C:\ for me to enter something.
Is there a way for me to get back my Windows media player? Has this change on the files as the result of Winamp only affected current files and future files downloaded will be marked and played by the windows media player.
I did right clic on a file and winamp is an option even though that program has been removed. Windows media palyer is there too. I wanted to try to restore my ability to open and play my music files with one clic on the file....... versus rt clic, open, etc. Do you know a way for me to re-store this ability?
I got winamp only to try to open a mpeg file that windows would not open. winamp would not open it either, so I basically created my new problem without fixing the other problem. I guess I should have forgotten the mpeg file and left everything alone. I'll try your suggestions.
Thanks

 

yes, right clicking the file allows me to open it with windows media player.
I would like to restore the "one clic" open if possible.
And I hope any new music files that are downloaded automatically become windows media files.
thanks for your help

 

What you need to do is restore the associations in Media Player, Tools/Options/Formats and check off the formats you want Media Player to handle.

 

When you delete winamp, it leaves (or rather it did for me) a registry entry to the studio.exe file which is a winamp file. I had to get rid of this entry with norton windoctor, then I could just re-associate the file to media player. Other cleaners should pick it up. Or people who now the registry better than me could tell you exactly where it is to clear manually.

 

JOHNWILL:
I am going to Tools, and Options on both my MY MUSIC page as well as my IE webpage, but I can not locate "Format"
Where else could I look for it.
thanks

 

open the "windows media player" itself...and try those steps....here is a screen shot of them.....

 

Beat me to it.

 

the computer in question died, but all the info everyone has given will be very helpful references. Thanks...problem solved.

 

I forgot to mention that shooting the computer is another valid way to solve these issues.