Jump to content

Fixing Ringtones won't play problem


Guest scuba264

Recommended Posts

Guest scuba264

Hey all...I just joined but figured I'd put a fix out for this problem. I searched all over and no one ever seemed to have the answer I needed(sorry if I missed it)

If you've got the problem where you can select your ringtones from the dropdown but they won't play when you click the play icon, and hitting OK will not close the window, this can possibly help.

I'm running WinMo 6.1 on a 910 Samsung Omnia, but I assume this problem will occur with any WinMo phone. From what I can tell, there is a bug with the file associations of sound files. I haven't gotten to test it yet(I fixed mine and quit looking after that haha), but it seems that for a ringtone to work, it's filetype must be associated with Windows Media Player (or at least not a 3rd party mp3 software).

I installed Pocketplayer, and thats when my problems began(I'd expect this could be a problem with other mp3 software that associates itself with audio files). I was only able to use one of the many ringtones that were listed and when I checked the files, they were all mp3 files except for the working one which was a .WMA.

Things to try:

1) If you've recently installed/started using some mp3 software, go into it's setting and uncheck all the file associations

--ex: in pocketplayer goto Menu>>More...>>Options... and hit the Associations tab.

2) Soft reset your phone. You may get lucky and this will work. It didn't for me because now pocketplayer wasn't manually associating the files, but in the registry it still was.

3) Get yourself a freeware registry editor. (If you don't know what you're doing, be careful. This is dangerous waters to play in and could brick your phone.

4) Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. Inside of here you'll see all the file extensions listed. If you open .mp3 and look at the "Default" value, it by default should be MP3File. Now if you've installed Pocketplayer, it will say "pocketplayer" or something to that effect. Edit this field to be "MP3File". If your ringtones happen to be another extension, then find that extension and do the same thing, but with its filetype before "File". (Ex: goto .wav and make it's "Default value" = "WAVFile")

5) Now a soft reset should have everything back to normal.

I'd think theres probably some kind of TweakUI program out for mobiles that I haven't used that will do this for you. If you're not comfortable messing with the registry, I'd search out a program to change file associations for you. May be easier, and definitely safer.

Hope that helps someone out. Again, sorry if this is out there, but I couldn't find it anywhere and it made me crazy for days.

Edit>> Crap I just noticed this was under the non-touchscreen section. Not sure if thats where I should have been...I guess it affects all of them. Do mods move threads in here? Sorry about that.

Edited by scuba264
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest awarner (MVP)

Thanks for the guide, I will move it to the touch screen section.

Applications that mess up file associations have been fairly common over the years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
Guest Carrot81
Hey all...I just joined but figured I'd put a fix out for this problem. I searched all over and no one ever seemed to have the answer I needed(sorry if I missed it)

If you've got the problem where you can select your ringtones from the dropdown but they won't play when you click the play icon, and hitting OK will not close the window, this can possibly help.

I'm running WinMo 6.1 on a 910 Samsung Omnia, but I assume this problem will occur with any WinMo phone. From what I can tell, there is a bug with the file associations of sound files. I haven't gotten to test it yet(I fixed mine and quit looking after that haha), but it seems that for a ringtone to work, it's filetype must be associated with Windows Media Player (or at least not a 3rd party mp3 software).

I installed Pocketplayer, and thats when my problems began(I'd expect this could be a problem with other mp3 software that associates itself with audio files). I was only able to use one of the many ringtones that were listed and when I checked the files, they were all mp3 files except for the working one which was a .WMA.

Things to try:

1) If you've recently installed/started using some mp3 software, go into it's setting and uncheck all the file associations

--ex: in pocketplayer goto Menu>>More...>>Options... and hit the Associations tab.

2) Soft reset your phone. You may get lucky and this will work. It didn't for me because now pocketplayer wasn't manually associating the files, but in the registry it still was.

3) Get yourself a freeware registry editor. (If you don't know what you're doing, be careful. This is dangerous waters to play in and could brick your phone.

4) Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. Inside of here you'll see all the file extensions listed. If you open .mp3 and look at the "Default" value, it by default should be MP3File. Now if you've installed Pocketplayer, it will say "pocketplayer" or something to that effect. Edit this field to be "MP3File". If your ringtones happen to be another extension, then find that extension and do the same thing, but with its filetype before "File". (Ex: goto .wav and make it's "Default value" = "WAVFile")

5) Now a soft reset should have everything back to normal.

I'd think theres probably some kind of TweakUI program out for mobiles that I haven't used that will do this for you. If you're not comfortable messing with the registry, I'd search out a program to change file associations for you. May be easier, and definitely safer.

Hope that helps someone out. Again, sorry if this is out there, but I couldn't find it anywhere and it made me crazy for days.

Edit>> Crap I just noticed this was under the non-touchscreen section. Not sure if thats where I should have been...I guess it affects all of them. Do mods move threads in here? Sorry about that.

Thanks!! This also drove me crazy... manage to get my ringtones back to normal. This definately helped me out. :excl:

Btw, a good freeware reg editor is Total Commander, and here is how to use it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 1 year later...
Guest santoo

a quick addition:

the problem is not only caused, because of missing file associations, but also in case of correct file associations, if windows media player gets corrupted/won't start (happened to me)

worry not - this is probably caused by a missing folder : \Application Data\Volatile - just re-create that folder & windowsmediaplayer will start again. (the volatile folder contains temporary data, so it's content can usually be deleted - in fact, some clean-up-progs will delete the content. the problem only arises, if the folder itself is deleted, as wmp for some reason can't recreate it, as opposed to many other progs)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
  • 11 months later...
Guest Mostality

a quick addition:

the problem is not only caused, because of missing file associations, but also in case of correct file associations, if windows media player gets corrupted/won't start (happened to me)

worry not - this is probably caused by a missing folder : \Application Data\Volatile - just re-create that folder & windowsmediaplayer will start again. (the volatile folder contains temporary data, so it's content can usually be deleted - in fact, some clean-up-progs will delete the content. the problem only arises, if the folder itself is deleted, as wmp for some reason can't recreate it, as opposed to many other progs)

Yes, in fact windows media player didn't start!

Santoo's way is the main solution. Thanks!

**just remember to soft reset after re-creating Volatile folder.

Edited by Mostality
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.