Windows Media Player will NOT Install. Why?

hi folks this one has me whipped so far and I've never seen it personally, although there are lots of hits on the web about similar issues.

i have a fresh install of Windows XP Media Center edition [supposedly] and SP3 of Win xp Pro. I've done a few updates since SP3 but I'm not a big fan of mass installing all that stuff. But I tried to install WMP 11, and it just failed with a message that something in Media Center needed updating. I honestly though Media Center was in the morgue? I cannot find the claimed Media Center SP2 Rollup anywhere on Microsoft's website.

I tried to install WMP 10 and had different results. The install seemed to go normal, I rebooted, and then went looking for it and its not there. just not.

I have other players, VLC and MPC, no issues with those.

Anyone have a clue about this?

 

Also... one of those 'fails' did result in installation of Windows Movie Maker Version 5.1 2.1.4026.0, and identies the OS as Windows XP Media Center Edition..
??