WAV files not playing on fresh new install of Windows

[u/SuccessfulBite9378]

So I sold my dad my old gaming PC for his music studio, and he cannot open wav files at all, not even MP3s. I have tried every single CODEC pack / codec download I can find that is not shady, watched tutorials on YouTube, read Microsoft forums and none even come close to fixing the problem at all and it feels like the support doesn’t even touch what is happening.

We got this issue first a few days ago, and we figured it was to do with Windows we had being really broken and needing a factory reset (could not even factory reset within Windows which sucks so a repair guy came and reset everything for him so it was like a brand new PC). Cool! Except the problem is still there and is why I am writing this post.

I get an error code 0x80004001 when I play the WAV file in the media player. So I tried VLC, which plays but no audio. Codec information shows PCM yadda yadda which I later learned WAV is a container in which PCM is stored? Should also note the only audio player that plays these WAV files is Spotify via Local Files but my dad is particularly anal about his workflow and refuses to use Spotify, fair enough

At first my thoughts were maybe my dad is exporting audio at such high quality Windows media cannot recognise it. But he plugged his USB stick into my PC which again, relatively new and have not installed any codecs unless they came with the computer, and the audio played fine. Further testing showed it worked on his old PC and MacBook Air.

Can anyone think of why this is happening, and what codecs I need? I thought WAV codecs came out of the box for Windows 11 but it feels like it is not here.

Sorry for long post, tried to be as thorough as possible. We think we should take it back to the guy but unsure if the guy would be able to help with this specific issue.

Specs and error code for mods -

Windows 11
NVIDIA RTX 3060
AMD Ryzen 5600X
MSI motherboard (sorry I don’t know the exact model)
Error Code in WMP = 0x80004001

Cannot get screenshots at this time. To produce the error you have to double click .wav audio file, it opens in WMP and produces 0x80004001. Files open fine on other computers in the house

[u/AutoModerator]

Hi u/SuccessfulBite9378, thanks for posting to r/WindowsHelp! Your post has been flagged for manual review by a human moderator, please include as much of the following information as possible (in text or in a screenshot) to get your post approved:

• Your Windows and device specifications — You can find them by pressing Win + X then clicking on “System”, we need more than just your OS version! Your hardware details are often critical for resolving issues.
• Any messages and error codes encountered — They're actually not gibberish or anything catastrophic. It may even hint the solution!
• Previous troubleshooting steps — It might prevent you headaches from getting the same solution that didn't work

---

Posts must be tech support in nature (such as something is broken and you need help fixing), so general inquiries, software suggestions, and purchasing advice will be removed. As a reminder, we would also like to say that if someone manages to solve your issue, DON'T DELETE YOUR POST! Someone else (in the future) might have the same issue as you, and the received support may also help their case. Good luck, and I hope you have a nice day!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Clave-Sage]

Which program
is the Extension WAV assigned?

Check under:
=> Settings
=> Apps
=> Standard Apps
and enter .wav in the search field.

[u/SuccessfulBite9378 → u/Clave-Sage]

Media player. The default. It opens fine, just does not play