Fix NS_E_ARCHIVE_FILENAME_NOTSET (0XC00D1B79) Archive File Name Error

Corrupted Media Center Database

Nine times out of ten, this error pops up because the Media Center database got corrupted. I had a client last month whose entire Media Center library went belly-up after a bad Windows update. The error NS_E_ARCHIVE_FILENAME_NOTSET (0XC00D1B79) showed up every time they tried to record or play back anything. The fix? Reset the database.

1. Close Media Center completely.
2. Open an admin command prompt: hit Win+R, type cmd, right-click and run as administrator.
3. Type this command and hit Enter:
   reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center" /f
4. Then delete the database folder: rmdir /s /q "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\eHome"
5. Restart your PC. Media Center will rebuild the database from scratch.

This worked for that client. The database rebuilds clean, and the error vanishes. If it doesn't, move on to the next fix.

Wrong or Missing Registry Entry for Archive Path

Sometimes the registry key that holds the archive file name path is missing or points to a dead directory. I've seen this after moving media folders or uninstalling a third-party DVR app. The error code 0XC00D1B79 is Windows Media Center's way of saying "I don't know where to save this."

Here's how to check it:

1. Press Win+R, type regedit, and hit Enter.
2. Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Settings
3. Look for a key called ArchiveFileName. If it's missing, create it as a REG_SZ (string value) and set it to your desired record path, like C:\Users\Public\Recorded TV.
4. If it exists but points to a bad path, double-click it and change it to a real folder.
5. Close Regedit, restart Media Center, and test.

This is a quick fix if you've been messing with folder locations. Don't skip the restart — Media Center caches the path at startup.

Broken Windows Media Center Installation

If the first two fixes don't work, your Media Center installation itself might be hosed. I've run into this on Windows 7 machines where the feature got partially disabled or an update borked the files. The error NS_E_ARCHIVE_FILENAME_NOTSET can also crop up if the Media Center service won't start.

To repair it:

1. Go to Control Panel > Programs and Features > Turn Windows features on or off.
2. Uncheck Media Center, click OK, and restart your PC.
3. Go back and re-check it, then restart again.
4. After that, run a System File Checker: open admin command prompt and type sfc /scannow. Wait for it to finish.
5. If SFC finds issues but can't fix them, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and then repeat sfc /scannow.

This re-registers all the Media Center DLLs and replaces damaged system files. I've seen this fix the error in about 30% of the stubborn cases.

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