Fix NS_E_SYNCWIZ_DEVICE_FULL (0XC00D11EE) in Windows Media Player

You hit this error, and it's annoying

You're trying to sync music or videos to your portable device, and Windows Media Player throws up the NS_E_SYNCWIZ_DEVICE_FULL error (code 0XC00D11EE). It says it can't save sync settings because your device is full. You check the device's storage and there's space—so what gives? Relax, I've seen this a dozen times. Let's fix it.

The real fix: Clear space and check permissions

First, the most common cause: your device is actually full, but Windows is checking a system partition you can't see. Or the device is full of corrupt sync files. Here's the step-by-step:

1. Delete old sync files manually. Plug your device into PC via USB. Open it in File Explorer (like a drive). Look for a folder named Sync, WMPInfo.xml, or Playlists. Delete everything in there—those are leftover sync settings. Don't delete your music/video files unless you want to.
2. Check device storage. Right-click the device's drive in File Explorer, pick Properties. If it shows 0 bytes free, you need to clear music or videos from the device itself. Use the device's own file manager if needed.
3. Re-sync in WMP. Open Windows Media Player, go to the Sync tab. Your device should show up. Right-click it, choose Set Up Sync. Uncheck everything, hit OK. Then re-check only what you want to sync. Try syncing again.

If that didn't fix it, move to the next step:

Remove corrupted WMP sync cache

Had a client last month whose Zune HD kept throwing this error even after clearing space. Turns out WMP's sync database was corrupted. Here's how to nuke it:

1. Close Windows Media Player completely.
2. Open File Explorer, paste this into the address bar: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player
3. Find a file named CurrentDatabase_***.wmdb (the stars are numbers). Delete it. Don't worry—WMP will rebuild it.
4. Restart WMP and try syncing again.

This clears any glitched sync settings that trick WMP into thinking the device is full.

Why this works

The 0XC00D11EE error fires when WMP tries to write sync settings (like playlists or sync preferences) to the device but fails. The device reports it's full because:

• The system partition where WMP stores its data is full, even if your music partition has free space.
• Corrupted WMP database files on your PC or device confuse the sync process.
• Old sync metadata takes up space in hidden folders.

Deleting those leftover files frees the hidden partition or clears the corrupted data. Rebuilding the database ensures a clean slate.

Less common variations of this issue

1. Device with internal vs. SD card storage

Some devices (like older Samsung phones or SanDisk Sansa players) have separate internal storage and an SD card. WMP may try to write sync settings to the internal storage, which is full, even if the SD card has space. Solution: move some files from internal to SD card, or format the internal storage from the device's settings menu.

2. Read-only or corrupted file system

If your device's file system is corrupted or set to read-only (rare but happens after improper ejection), WMP can't write sync settings. Run chkdsk /f on the device drive (replace X with the drive letter): chkdsk X: /f. Accept the prompt to dismount the volume. This fixes file system errors.

3. WMP version mismatch

Windows Media Player 12 on Windows 7/8/10 can be finicky with older devices (like Windows Mobile 6 or early MP3 players). If the above steps fail, try using a different sync tool like MediaMonkey or Windows Media Player 11 (if you can run it in compatibility mode). But honestly, 90% of the time it's just full storage.

Prevention: keep it clean

To avoid this error in the future:

• Don't let your device fill up past 80%. Leave breathing room for sync data.
• Eject devices properly from the system tray before unplugging. Corrupted file systems cause this error.
• Every few months, clear the hidden sync folders from your device using the manual delete method above.
• If you sync frequently, consider using a dedicated tool like MediaMonkey or iTunes for large libraries—WMP's sync engine is old and not well-maintained.

That's it. You should be back to syncing in five minutes. If not, your device might be at the end of its life—had a client's old Creative Zen finally die from this error after years of use. Time for an upgrade.