Windows Media Player 12 - DRM issue

[strugglinauthor]

I have recently taken delivery of an HP g6-1337sa running Windows 7, 64 bit and have a problem with Windows Media Player 12.   When trying to play a video file downloaded from BBC iplayer, Media Player first informed me that a component needed to be upgraded.  I clicked OK and this was successfully installed.  However, when I ran the file Media Player said 'Media Changing' for a few seconds and then said that it had encountered an error.  There was no further error messages at this point.

Having looked on the net, it appears that the problem may be related to DRM.  I followed the test given by Microsoft on this link - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976590.  Having downloaded their test file it appeared to confirm that DRM was the culprit.  I have now downloaded and run the ResetDRM tool from Microsoft.  Now when I play the BBC iplayer file I get "A Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) component encountered a problem".  When I play Microsoft's test file from earlier, it merely says "Windows Media Player encountered a problem while playing the file".

Can anyone help?  Thanks.

[DavidPK]

Hi,

Try the following.

Download the free file manager utility Free Commander, on the link below - it displays folders that the Operating System normally hides and has a good search function.

http://www.snapfiles.com/php/download.php?id=107872&a=7122339&tag=601108&loc=10

This is a zipped file, so if you don't have an extraction utility installed, download and install the .msi 64-bit x64 installer on the link below.

http://www.7-zip.org/

With 7-Zip installed, right click the Free Commander zipped file you download earlier, select 7-Zip, select extract files and then click Ok.  Open the newly extracted folder and double click the installer to start the installation.

Make sure Windows Media Player and Windows Media Centre are closed.

Launch Free Commander, double click Users, double click 'your user name', double click Local Settings, double click Application Data, double click Microsoft and double click Media Player.  Delete all the files that have the extension .wmdb - do not delete any folders.

Close Free Commander.

Next, open windows Control Panel, open Programs and Features, Click 'Turn Windows features on or off', open up Media Features and untick Windows Media Player.  Click Yes then OK and then restart the notebook.

When Windows has restarted, click the Start Menu and select Control Panel.  Open Programs and Features, Click 'Turn Windows features on or off', open up Media Features and tick Windows Media Player.  Click Yes then OK and when WMP has finished installing, restart the notebook again.

When windows has fully reloaded, launch Media Player, run through the initial set-up and then give it 10 minutes to re-create the library.

See if it will now play the video file Ok.

Regards,

DP-K

[strugglinauthor]

Hi David,

Thanks for the prompt response.

I followed the instructions to the letter - paying attention to the order of reboots - but unfortunately the problem is exactly as before: the Microsoft file simply says that media player has encountered an error and for the BBC iplayer file, it says "A Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) component encountered a problem. Contact Microsoft Product Support"

The only slight deviation I made was to also tick Media Center when turning Windows features on/off as the screen insisted I do so as Media Player and Media Center are dependent on one another.

Anything else I can do?

Rgds

Keith.

[DavidPK]

Hi Keith,

Try the following.

Launch free commander and browse C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows.  Right click the folder tittled DRM, select Rename and call it DRMOLD, then click Ok.

Close free commander, launch Internet Explorer and run through the procedure on the link below again.

http://drmlicense.one.microsoft.com/Indivsite/en/indivit.asp

Regards,

DP-K

[strugglinauthor]

Hi David,

Unfortunately we're not there yet - although there has been a subtle change.  I had to run both commander and IE as administrator to rename the DRM file and run the upgrade.  Now when I play the Microsoft file and the BBC iplayer file, they both say "Windows Media Player encountered a problem while playing the file".  At least we have removed the DRM error message from the iplayer file.

The error message isn't particularly helpful in pointing to the root cause.  I tentatively ask whether you have any other suggestions...?

Rgds

Keith.

[strugglinauthor]

Just for clarity the media player works fine for ripped audio and avi files that I ripped to play on an Archos device.

[DavidPK]

Hi Keith,

Run through the previous procedure shown below again.

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Open windows Control Panel, open Programs and Features, Click 'Turn Windows features on or off', open up Media Features and untick Windows Media Player.  Click Yes then OK and then restart the notebook.

When Windows has restarted, click the Start Menu and select Control Panel.  Open Programs and Features, Click 'Turn Windows features on or off', open up Media Features and tick Windows Media Player.  Click Yes then OK and when WMP has finished installing, restart the notebook again.

When windows has fully reloaded, launch Media Player, run through the initial set-up

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

Has this made any difference now?

Regards,

DP-K

[strugglinauthor]

Hi David,

Exactly as before, I'm afraid.  'Media Changing' followed by the usual error message.

Rgds

Keith

[DavidPK]

Hi Keith,

Download and install the CODEC pack from the site on the link below.

http://www.techspot.com/downloads/4787-klite-codec-pack-standard.html

After the installation has completed, restart the notebook and let me know if you still get the same error.

Regards,

DP-K

[strugglinauthor]

Hi David,

Thanks for your persistence on this.

Unfortunately it made no difference.  Just for the hell of it, afterwards I tried turning Windows features off and on again but to no avail.

I notice that having run the codec pack I now have something called Media Player Classic installed.  I opened the files in this and although there was nothing other than blocky graphics and strange clicks/screeches, there were at least no errors...

Rgds

Keith