When you try use Windows Media Player 11 to play a digital rights management (DRM)-protected media file, the media may not play

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SYMPTOMS

When you try use Microsoft Windows Media Player 11 to play a digital rights management (DRM)-protected media file or to obtain a new license for media content, the media may not play, or you cannot obtain a new license. Additionally, you may receive any one of the following error messages:

Error message 1

The licenses for your media files are corrupted. (Error code 0xC00D2754)

Error message 2

Windows Media Player 11 cannot play the file because the associated license is either corrupted or not valid. (Error code 0xC00D11D6)

Error message 3

The license to play the packaged media is invalid

Error message 4

C00D277F - Secure storage protection error. Restore your licenses from a previous backup and try again

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CAUSE

This problem occurs because the DRM store on the computer is not valid or is damaged. This problem may occur for any one of the following reasons:

The computer processor has been changed.
The computer motherboard has been changed.
A basic input/output system (BIOS) setting that affects the computer hardware has been changed. For example, hyperthreading has been disabled.
The hard disk on which the media content was originally downloaded has been moved from one computer to another computer.
An application, such as the RegClean utility, changed DRM settings in a way that caused corruption.
Microsoft Windows has been reinstalled on the computer.

Note DRM systems, such as Microsoft Windows Product Activation, maintain an internal hardware ID. This ID is based on the hardware configuration that existed when Windows was installed or when Windows Media Player 11 was installed. If you change the computer processor or other devices, the hardware ID in the DRM system does not match the new computer configuration. When this occurs, DRM determines that a user has tried to move protected content to another computer. This behavior can also occur if DRM-protected storage in the Windows registry has been changed.

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RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, reset the DRM store on the computer. To do this, follow these steps:

If Windows Media Player 11 is running, exit Windows Media Player 11.
Locate the DRM folder on the hard disk, and then rename the DRM folder to DRMbackup.

Note By default, this folder is in the following location in Windows XP:
%SystemDrive%\Documents and Settings\All Users\DRM
By default, this folder is in the following location in Windows Vista:
%SystemDrive%\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\DRM
Visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://drmlicense.one.microsoft.com/Indivsite/en/indivit.asp (http://drmlicense.one.microsoft.com/Indivsite/en/indivit.asp)
Follow the instructions on the Web site to update the security component of Windows Media Player 11. This procedure enables you to obtain new licenses for media content. You can also reset licenses for purchased content so that you can play that content on a computer.

Note On a Windows Vista-based computer, you must run Internet Explorer as an administrator before you update the security component of Windows Media Player 11. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, and then click All Programs.
2. Right-click Internet Explorer, and then click Run as Administrator.
  
  If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.

Note You must contact any third-party stores from which you purchased music to reset the licenses for that music. If you have copied CDs to protected Windows Media Audio files, those CDs must be copied again.

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