I've tried deleting all the media player files in appdata, ending all wmp services, run both troubleshooters for default settings and media base recovery, created a whole bloody new user, but still haven't resolved this issue

(this all started after installing winamp pro -_- (its long gone now dw))

assuming your on windows 7. go here: Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and Features,

then click on "turn windows features on or off" and uncheck "windows media player" and "windows media centre" just in case. Then reboot, go back to the same place and re-check "recheck widows media player" and "windows media centre"
give this a shot mate, and see what happned (that what i would do anywayz).

Thanks bro, Its working again, it was either enabling/disabling the feature or another thing i noticed - which was that my media library was corrupted because the media file directories had been reset by winamp lol. Thanks anyway!

no worries mate