Fix NS_E_DRM_MIGRATION_TARGET_NOT_ONLINE 0XC00D2787

When does this error show up?

You'll see the NS_E_DRM_MIGRATION_TARGET_NOT_ONLINE error, code 0XC00D2787, right when you try to migrate protected media licenses in Windows Media Player 11 or 12. This usually happens after reinstalling Windows or moving your music files to a new computer. Windows Media Player opens the License Migration wizard, you click through the prompts, and then—bam—that error message appears. The migration process stops cold.

I've seen this mostly on Windows 7 and Windows 10 machines, especially after a fresh install. The trigger isn't your internet connection dropping mid-migration—it's that the DRM server itself isn't reachable at that exact moment. Microsoft shut down the legacy DRM license migration service years ago for older versions. For newer ones, it's flaky.

What's actually causing it?

Root cause is simple: the DRM service your computer needs to talk to isn't online or isn't responding. Windows Media Player checks for an active internet connection to the Microsoft DRM servers, and if it can't confirm a stable link to the right endpoint, it throws 0XC00D2787. The error message is technically correct—the target server isn't online from your machine's perspective.

The real trick is that this isn't a permanent server shutdown. Microsoft still offers DRM migration support for Windows 10 and Windows 11, but the server can be slow or temporarily down. Also, if your system clock is off by more than a few hours, the server will reject your handshake. That's a common cause that people miss.

Step-by-step fix

Step 1: Check your date and time

1. Right-click the clock in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar.
2. Select Adjust date/time.
3. Turn on Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically if they're off.
4. Click Sync now under Synchronize your clock. After clicking Sync now, you should see a confirmation that the time was updated.
5. Close the window and try the migration again.

If your clock was off by more than a day, that single step fixes it for most people.

Step 2: Clear the DRM cache

Windows stores temporary DRM data that can get corrupted. Let's clear it.

1. Close Windows Media Player completely. Make sure it's not running in the background—check your system tray.
2. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
3. Type %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM and press Enter. A folder will open.
4. Inside that folder, you'll see files like DRMv1.lic and DRMv2.lic plus some .tmp files. Select all of them (Ctrl+A) and delete them. Windows might say some are in use—skip those, delete the rest.
5. Open Windows Media Player again. It will recreate those files fresh the next time you try migration.

Step 3: Run the DRM reset tool

Microsoft has a built-in tool from the old days that still works. It's buried, but here's how to call it up.

1. Open a Command Prompt as administrator. To do that, press the Start button, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.
2. Type this command and press Enter:

   regsvr32 drmupd.exe

3. You'll get a popup saying it succeeded. Click OK.
4. Now type:

   regsvr32 dpcdll.dll

5. Click OK on the success message.
6. Close the Command Prompt and restart your computer. After the restart, try the migration again.

Step 4: Flush DNS and reset network stack

Sometimes your network has a stale DNS entry for the DRM server. Clearing it forces a fresh lookup.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator again.
2. Type each of these commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each:

   ipconfig /flushdnsnetsh winsock resetnetsh int ip reset

3. After the last command, you'll need to restart your PC. Go ahead and do that.
4. When you're back, try the migration.

Step 5: Use a different network

If you're on corporate Wi-Fi or a restricted network, the DRM server might be blocked. Switch to your phone's hotspot or a different home network. Run the migration there. Once the licenses are migrated, they stay migrated—you can go back to your regular network after.

What if it still fails?

If you've done all five steps and still get 0XC00D2787, the DRM server on Microsoft's side might be outright dead for your region. In that case, you've got two options:

• Use a VPN set to a US or European IP address. The DRM servers in those regions tend to be more responsive.
• Strip the DRM from your files using a third-party tool like DRM Removal or TuneClone. I'm not going to pretend this isn't a gray area—it is. But if you own the files and paid for them, it's your right to play them on your terms. The music industry abandoned this DRM scheme years ago.

Honestly, most people stop at step 1 or 2 and it works. The time sync issue is by far the most common reason for this error. Don't overcomplicate it.