RE: windows media digital right management

Tech-Archive recommends: Speed Up your PC by fixing your registry

I'm going to try this again while I watch the British Open final round...

The DRM paradigm is a tough nut to crack becuase there are numerous
variables assoicated with proper operation, plus the models are different
above WMP8. Variables include where your registry points to the hidden DRM
disk directory (which should be Docs&Settings>All User>DRM); how your
firewall is configured for applications, protocols, and ports; if you have
valid license backups; how your media player is configured; and numerous KB
hot-fixes for WMP-10.

This response assumes you are using WMP-10, which relies upon a two part
license that is hashed to your operating system serial number and computer,
so one can imply that you cannot upgrade hardware or OS, nor share with
others without manual intervention. (There is an upgrade from MS that will
allow you to license the client for up to 10 locally-networked computers, but
that's another research project for you).

A two-part license is required for DRM: a ROOT(R) and a LEAF(L) - the L
allows for streamed content, while the R/L combo is required for download
and/or access (some of these licenses have timers associated against content
for viewing movies; etc.). I could elaborate exstensively about this, but
you can learn yourself by perusing
www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledge center/technical
articles.aspx?#digitalrightsmanagement - there are two white papers on
DRM-10, one of which I believe is ?windowsmedia10-KB884373-x86-Enu.exe.
Another good reference is Technet Home>Products & Technologies> Desktop
Operating Systems>Windows XP Professional>Maintain>"Using Windows XP
Professional with Service Pack 2 in a Managed Environment: Computer
Communication with the Internet" subtitled "Windows Media Player" (P.S. Don't
try to say that in one breath). Pay particular attention to pp 18-23 for
your specific firewall settings for the WMP-10 application (if you have that
level of control - I do under my Internet Security Suite).

Other KBs that are for hot-fixes in this realm are - 891122 & 888656. If
you happen to use an ATI-engineered graphics card on your system, go to
ATI.com and get the latest version of Catalyst Control Center and driver and
be sure to peruse tht Customer Care>How to Use>Systems Settings and
Configuration>"How to enable DirectX Video Acceleration (DXVA) in Windows
Media Player 10."

Review anything you have performed recently on your system, such as
upgrading to a different security firewall program or changing settings. DRM
depends on several protocols and ports, and any metadata depends on cookies.
If you added a RAID set or moved any data from c: to another data drive, then
you may have disrputed data paths for content vs. license. Since the
computer operating system serial number gets hashed into the R license,
review whether you have upgraded OS or other key operational components such
as DirectX, Internet Explorer, WMP, etc.

If your DRM disk repository has been corrupted, you need to go to the WMP10
website from the help toolbar on the player and download the Personal License
Update Wizard and resaerch how to locate, delete, and recreate the directory
for DRM license restoration (hopefully you have a good backup of all of
them). After you get the DRM content back, you still may have issues with
the license issuer in recognizing that you might need an R license (I had
that problem with Maven for AtomFilms, and also received an error that the
license server was unavailable until I de-authorized my computer under the MS
Radio site and then re-authorized it - you just might have to do trial and
error in this area until you get it right).

Be sure to de-select the WMP-10 option for acquiring licenses automatically
under the toolbar options so you can see if the provider is sending you to
their licensing issuance server when you try to download, which is normally a
separate remote physical server, as are the content server and the streaming
server - hence the reason so many problems can happen that are truly out of
your control).

>From a troubleshooting perspective, you can many times get a differnet error
message when using the 6.4 player, named "wmplayer2.exe" in the same
directory as the WMP-10 executable - for some reason, WMP-10 is woefully
lacking an error message library so most executable reactions to errors are
transparent to the user. "If you have a problem you can't see, try
wmplayer2.exe". (You may have to go to MS and manually download it if its
not there - it's pretty easy to find the different player versions on the
WMP-10 player site).

A quick word about the registry on your system - it must point to the
correct path of the DRM disk directory (and this was an issue with my DRM
problems - I had to edit it, but I am not going to provide any further info
on that unless you assure me that you are comfortable editing a hexidecimal
registry string). The DRM path is hidden, so you will have to modify your
search options and/or your file listing options to see it under Windows
Explorer. It's contents are binary, so you will not be able to look at any
license structures that you have in it.

Well, that's about it in general terms - I can provide more details as you
research and formulate more specific questions. Try to grasp a high-level
understanding of what's involved here, and before you know it, you may well
be on your way to becoming a DRM expert...but be patient...and spend some
quality time in TechNet searches Good luck!!





--
Thanks! Mikey


"Mikey" wrote:

> Man! I just spent over two hours writing a response for you, bumped my
> keyboard, and lost it all!!!! Dang!!!!!!
> --
> Thanks! Mikey
>
>
> "Mikey" wrote:
>
> >
> > --
> > Thanks! Mikey
> >
> >
> > "music hell" wrote:
> >
> > > my musicmatch will not download any new music, it claims my license managment
> > > is corrupt. how do i fix WMDRM
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Why Sony Will Die
    ... Microsoft's DRM. ... This license would cost $100 (all numbers and names are examples... ... For a "level 2 trust" license, a player manufacturer might have to pay ... based on the instructions in the media file. ...
    (alt.tv.tech.hdtv)
  • Re: Is WU WMP patch still missing DRM section in EULA
    ... That update included an End User Licensing Agreement (EULA) ... While we have designed our DRM system to be as secure as possible, ... whenever they acquire a DRM License from a DRM License Server. ...
    (microsoft.public.security)
  • Re: To all except Torgeir Bakken
    ... stop DRM from killing your "protected" material when changing PCs etc. ... " The license acquisition process allows companies to gather targeted ... many music distribution Web sites ... Yep; goobye privacy, hullo spam. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • RE: windows media digital right management
    ... thanks mikey i just updated wmp10 and now i can download from MM thru wmp10 ... Variables include where your registry points to the hidden DRM ... > valid license backups; how your media player is configured; and numerous KB ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsupdate)
  • Re: Pocket PC Windows Media player license cannot be found???
    ... I must assume that the files you normally move to your PPC are not protected ... DRM compliant clients on both devices. ... That process will transfer the license. ... an audio CD, and then rip the songs back to MP3. ...
    (microsoft.public.pocketpc.multimedia)