Symptoms

When you try to play back a video file or an audio file that is encoded with the H.264 video format or the AAC audio format, playback fails.Note This problem may be encountered by Windows Media Player, by Windows Internet Explorer 9.0, or by other applications that rely on the Windows Media platform to play media files that use these formats.

Cause

This problem occurs because the Desktop Experience feature in Windows Server 2008 R2 does not include decoders for the H.264 and AAC formats.

Resolution

To resolve this problem, install the Desktop Experience Decoder Update for Windows Server 2008 R2. This update adds the H.264 and AAC decoders to enable playback of these formats.

Update information

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:DownloadDownload the Desktop Experience Decoder Update for Windows Server 2008 R2 package now.For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to obtain Microsoft support files from online services Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Prerequisites

The following list contains prerequisites for this update:

  • You must have Windows Server 2008 R2 installed.

  • You must have the Desktop Experience feature enabled.

For more information about how to enable the Desktop Experience, visit the following Microsoft TechNet website:

Desktop Experience overview

Registry information

To use the update in this package, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

Restart information

You do not have to restart the computer after you apply this update.

Update replacement information

This update does not replace a previously released update.

File information

The English (United States) version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows Server 2008 R2 file information notes

Important The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 R2" section. MUM and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintain the state of the updated components. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2

File name

File version

File size

Date

Time

Platform

Msmpeg2adec-ppdlic.xrm-ms

Not Applicable

3,379

14-Jul-2009

01:53

Not Applicable

Msmpeg2adec.dll

6.1.7140.0

1,307,136

14-Jul-2009

01:41

x64

Msmpeg2vdec-ppdlic.xrm-ms

Not Applicable

3,391

14-Jul-2009

01:53

Not Applicable

Msmpeg2vdec.dll

6.1.7140.0

2,643,456

14-Jul-2009

01:41

x64

Msmpeg2adec-ppdlic.xrm-ms

Not Applicable

3,379

14-Jul-2009

01:25

Not Applicable

Msmpeg2adec.dll

6.1.7140.0

970,240

14-Jul-2009

01:15

x86

Msmpeg2vdec-ppdlic.xrm-ms

Not Applicable

3,391

14-Jul-2009

01:25

Not Applicable

Msmpeg2vdec.dll

6.1.7140.0

2,134,016

14-Jul-2009

01:15

x86

Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

More Information

For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 R2

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2

File name

Amd64_microsoft-windows-c..ack-h264-deployment_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_ceb61167b52a1319.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

1,321

Date (UTC)

21-Jan-2011

Time (UTC)

19:58

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Amd64_microsoft-windows-codecpack-h264_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_11ea03c12cb62bf9.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

1,567

Date (UTC)

21-Jan-2011

Time (UTC)

19:58

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Amd64_microsoft-windows-msmpeg2adec_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_edcf44c8d108c3a7.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

11,171

Date (UTC)

14-Jul-2009

Time (UTC)

02:14

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Amd64_microsoft-windows-msmpeg2vdec_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_ecec366cd1b30e6c.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

12,058

Date (UTC)

14-Jul-2009

Time (UTC)

02:14

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Microsoft-windows-codecpack-h264-de~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~7.1.7600.16385.mum

File version

Not Applicable

File size

1,668

Date (UTC)

21-Jan-2011

Time (UTC)

19:58

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

Wow64_microsoft-windows-c..ack-h264-deployment_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_d90abbb9e98ad514.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

961

Date (UTC)

21-Jan-2011

Time (UTC)

19:54

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

X86_microsoft-windows-codecpack-h264_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_b5cb683d7458bac3.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

1,561

Date (UTC)

21-Jan-2011

Time (UTC)

19:54

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

X86_microsoft-windows-msmpeg2adec_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_91b0a94518ab5271.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

11,169

Date (UTC)

14-Jul-2009

Time (UTC)

01:48

Platform

Not Applicable

File name

X86_microsoft-windows-msmpeg2vdec_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_90cd9ae919559d36.manifest

File version

Not Applicable

File size

12,056

Date (UTC)

14-Jul-2009

Time (UTC)

01:48

Platform

Not Applicable

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