Fix NS_E_WMP_FAILED_TO_OPEN_WMD (0XC00D0FF2) in Windows

Quick answer

Close WMP, delete everything inside %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM, restart WMP, and re-download the .wmd file. No reboot needed, takes 2 minutes.

Why you're seeing this

I've seen this error on at least a dozen client machines over the years—mostly on Windows 7 and Windows 10 with Media Player 12. The .wmd format (Windows Media Download) is a protected file type that needs a valid DRM license. When the license store gets corrupted—usually after a failed download, a system restore, or a disk cleanup that nukes the temp data—WMP throws the 0XC00D0FF2 error. One time a client had a failing hard drive and every .wmd from his music subscription just died overnight. The fix was the same: toss the corrupted license folder and start fresh.

This isn't a codec issue. Don't waste time reinstalling codec packs or updating WMP. The problem is the DRM store itself.

Step-by-step fix

Close Windows Media Player completely. Check Task Manager for any lingering wmplayer.exe processes—I've seen it hang in the background.
Open File Explorer and paste this into the address bar:
```
%PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM
```
Hit Enter.
Delete everything in that folder. Don't delete the folder itself, just the files inside. If Windows says some files are in use, reboot into Safe Mode and try again—or use a tool like Unlocker. On most systems, just closing WMP is enough.
Restart Windows Media Player. It'll create a fresh DRM store automatically.
Re-download or open the .wmd file again. WMP will fetch a new license from the content server. This works 9 times out of 10.

Alternative fixes

If the main fix didn't work, try these:

Run WMP as Administrator. Right-click the WMP shortcut, select "Run as administrator", then try to open the file. Sometimes permissions get mangled after a Windows Update.
Check your internet connection. The .wmd file needs to phone home to get the license. A flaky Wi-Fi can block that handshake. I once spent an hour troubleshooting a DRM error on a laptop that was in airplane mode.
Reset WMP settings. Open WMP, press Alt to show the menu, go to Tools > Options > Privacy, and click Reset under "History". Then restart WMP.
Use a different media player. If the file isn't DRM-protected or you don't care about the protection, try VLC or MPC-HC. They often play .wmd files without the license check. Not a fix, but a workaround.

Prevention tip

Don't let disk cleanup tools or CCleaner touch the DRM folder. If you run a cleanup, manually exclude %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM. Also, backup your DRM licenses if you have a lot of purchased content—use the Back Up Licenses option in WMP under Tools > Options > Manage Licenses. Takes 30 seconds and saves headaches later.