The VideoLAN Forums

I just reinstalled VLC to the latest upgrade and when I went to double click the icon on the desktop, it did not open a vlc player as it had in the past. The only way I can open a video file is to find the actual file and double click it or drag the file to the VLC shortcut icon on my desktop. Furthermore, when the video does open, there is no interface (no menu option, no play, pause buttons, etc.). Just the file plays. I cant right click on it to get any options or settings or anything like that either. When the files finishes playing, the window just disappears. Can any help me with this? How do I get my play, pause buttons back along with my "file", "view" etc drop down menus???

Please advise. Thank you.

Btw, I have Windows XP, if that matters. It's an old computer.

Exit VLC and delete the whole %appdata%\vlc folder.

Where is this folder located? I've tried deleting VLC through my "Remove Programs" icon in my control panels and then reinstalling and I get the same result. Are there other folders I need to delete besides the ones that are automatically removed by the program before installing the update?

Where is this folder located? I've tried deleting VLC through my "Remove Programs" icon in my control panels and then reinstalling and I get the same result. Are there other folders I need to delete besides the ones that are automatically removed by the program before installing the update?

Open Windows Explorer, type in "%appdata%\vlc" (no quotation marks) into the Address Bar, and delete everything.

It says "Windows cannot find 'C:/Documents and Settings/HP_Administrator/Application Data/vlc. Check the spelling and try again." I opened internet explorer and put what you suggested in the address bar. No luck. Any more suggestions??

In the Explorer menu Tools -> Folder Options make sure to tick the "Show Hidden Files and Folders" option and also to untick the "Hide Protected System Files" one, click on Apply, then try again.

I dont see "Folder Options" or anything else after that. Are you talking about me opening my web browser (Windows Internet Explorer) and the looking under the tools menu?

Are you talking about me opening my web browser (Windows Internet Explorer)

No. We are talking about Windows Explorer, the file browser of Windows, not Internet Explorer.

Ok I tried that and it still said it could not find it. I unclicked what you told me too as well. Are there any other methods that you know of for how to restore my VLC player to normal? Sorry for being a pain in the ass and thank you for your help thus far.

I just reinstalled VLC to the latest upgrade and when I went to double click the icon on the desktop, it did not open a vlc player as it had in the past. The only way I can open a video file is to find the actual file and double click it or drag the file to the VLC shortcut icon on my desktop. Furthermore, when the video does open, there is no interface (no menu option, no play, pause buttons, etc.). Just the file plays. I cant right click on it to get any options or settings or anything like that either. When the files finishes playing, the window just disappears. Can any help me with this? How do I get my play, pause buttons back along with my "file", "view" etc drop down menus???

Please advise. Thank you.

Btw, I have Windows XP, if that matters. It's an old computer.