Is this possible? I have heard there are linux software applications that allow you to run windows software. I also know that there is a linux application called Mplayer that allows you to play windows media formats, but I was just curious as to whether there was a way to run WMP directly.

Thanks,

well, I don't have the mediaplayer installed (why would I want to have? there are better apps around), but I could think that if even explorer, the Allmighty Crasher God, is possible to be run in linux through Wine (winehq.org), then mplayer might do it aswell...

...but please, don't kill me with laughter again I really really really see no reason to run windows media player. really.

yeah.... WMP violates Microsoft's own UI guidelines. It's such a piece of crap. MPlayer is much much better, as is VLC and as is Xine. All of the above can play Windows Media as long as you have the codecs installed.

But.
If you heart is dead set on Windows Media Player.....

Use WINE
and I know people have had much sucess running things through Crossover... I believe it is supposed to be more stable than WINE.

yeah crossover seems to do a better job than wine itself. I would suggest that instead of using windows media, go along winth xine, mplayer or videolan as mentioned by someone above. you'll be able to play different multimedia files as well as dvd's.

I really don't have my heart set on WMP. It's just that I have tried to install Mplayer and I can't get it to run. I am definitely not a linux expert, so when I have asked for help installing this I usually get answers that I don't understand. I have gotten pretty good at installing software on Linux (SuSE 9.1 Pro) but with Mplayer and other similar applications, it is more difficult. You have to know exactly which directories to install to (and then there are all of those codecs and stuff).

If there is a good Mplayer tutorial out there for installing Mplayer on SuSE, I would love to know about it.

P.S.

The same thing has happened to me with Realplayer 10. I can download and install it, but I can't figure out how to configure it as the default application for Mozilla. So my Mozilla still reads Realplayer 7 as my default application and I can't play a lot of videos.

It's very frustrating at times, because I can't afford to pay linux IT guys to come to my house everytime I have to update a few plugins etc.

Anyone else out there know what I mean?

try installing xine. You can get rpms from the xine nightly page. You'll need to install win32 codecs, xine-lib, xine-ui and libdvdcss from that site.

since you're running suse, try googling for "packman". Browse the packman site (or the suse forum here) and check for how to add packman's server as a Yast installation source. This way, you can open up Yast and install MPlayer through Yast.It will also pull all dependencies needed from the Packman site.
can't get any easier than that!

good luck,
-myk

Thanks for the advice. I actually came across another post that recommended installing Mplayer from the packman site. I did. The install seems to have worked perfectly. Mplayer now appears in my SuSE start directory as though fully installed. The problem is that when I try to run Mplayer, it starts to load, but after a long time of "loading" it doesn't run. It just stops loading and nothing happens. It's a bit frustrating. I tried uninstalling it (which was successful) and then re-installing it (but the same thing happens).

Can anyone think of a reason why this seemingly installed application will not load and run?

I really, really would like to get this program running because I like to use the internet to watch the news, and right now I have to boot to windows to watch the broadcasts in .wmv formats. I would love to be able to stay in linux to do that.

Help greatly appreciated,

try running gmplayer (mplayer gui)

if that still fails, what error messages are you getting if any?

SuSE supplies Mplayer on it's cd set. Just open the kde control center, click on YaST2 modules, Software, Install and remove. You will need root priviledge, so click on the Administrator mode button. Wait while YaST gathers info about what you have installed, and what is on the cd's. When the list comes up,
click on the drop-down select button and select Package Groups. Scroll down to Productivity, and select Multimedia. Mplayer is in that group. Select it to install, and YaST will prompt you for the appropriate cd/dvd to install Mplayer.

Since it's on the SuSE cd/dvd's, you will be prompted by YaST if there are any unsatisfied dependencies, and which disk to insert to load the deps.

have a look at for some media/mp3 players
http://www.linux-faqs.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?p=28

I followed the procedure again. It does mention that there are unsatisfied dependencies, but it doesn't reconcile them. It asks whether you want to install anyway.

I uninstalled it and then installed it again. Same thing happens. I don't know why. Also, whenever I go back into add/remove software under Yast and go to package groups, Mplayer and the Mplayer plugin appear to have a "locked" icon beside them. I have never seen that before. Maybe I have to be root to run the program. Could there be any other explanation?

How do I find the program in File Manager-Super User Mode. At least then I could try to run it as root. Or, in the alternative, how do I find it in terminal so that I can run it as root. That might take care of the problem, but I can find the application.

perhaps if you installed it's dependencies...

How can I find where its dependencies are to install them. It's supposed to determine the dependencies for you (which it does), but it doesn't give you the chance to install them.

I still would like to be able to find the directory where the Mplayer launch-application icon is. I have a feeling if I try to run it as root, it just might work.

The frustrating thing is that I am so close to having this application installed. Then, my system will be pretty much set up the way I want it.