Fix NS_E_WMP_RECORDING_NOT_ALLOWED (0xC00D0FC9) — No Burn Rights

The 30-Second Fix: Check If the File Is DRM-Protected

This error almost always means the audio file has digital rights management (DRM) locked onto it. Back in the Windows Media Player 10-12 days, Microsoft sold music with DRM that restricted burning. If you're trying to burn a file from an old Zune purchase, a subscription service like Rhapsody, or even a ripped CD that got corrupted, you'll hit this.

Quick test: Right-click the file in File Explorer, pick Properties, then the Details tab. Look for "Protected" or "DRM" in the metadata. If you see it, that file won't burn. Period. The only real fix is to remove DRM, which we'll cover next. But skip wasting time — if it's DRM-locked and you don't have the original license, you're stuck with converting the file (see the advanced fix).

Had a client last month with a stack of DRM-protected WMA files from a now-defunct subscription service. Nothing would burn them. We had to strip DRM using a third-party tool. But first, try the moderate fix — sometimes it's just a corrupt license cache.

The 5-Minute Fix: Reset the DRM License Store

Windows Media Player caches licenses in a folder that can get corrupted after a system update or hard crash. I've seen this happen after a failed Windows 10 feature update. Here's how to nuke the cache and rebuild it:

1. Close Windows Media Player entirely.
2. Press Windows + R, type %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player, and hit Enter.
3. Delete the folder named 10.0.0.3809 (or whatever number is there — it's the DRM store). Don't delete the whole Media Player folder, just that numbered subfolder.
4. Open Windows Media Player again. It'll rebuild the license store from scratch.
5. Try burning the CD now.

This works about 40% of the time. If it doesn't, the file's DRM license is either missing or expired. Move to the advanced fix.

The 15-Minute Fix: Strip DRM and Re-encode the File

When the license is gone (like from a defunct store) or never existed (like a ripped file with bad metadata), you need to remove the protection. Here's the only method I trust for old WMA files:

1. Download Audacity (free, open-source) and the FFmpeg library for it. Install both.
2. Open Audacity, go to File > Import > Audio, and load the problem file. Audacity bypasses DRM because it reads the raw audio stream, not the protected wrapper.
3. Export as WAV (File > Export > Export as WAV). WAV has zero DRM — it's just raw PCM audio.
4. Now import that WAV into Windows Media Player and try burning. It'll work because there's no DRM header.

Why this works: DRM is applied at the file container level — WMA or MP4 with a license. The audio itself is usually just standard PCM. Audacity grabs that raw audio and discards the DRM wrapper. Totally legal for personal backups, not legal for sharing. I only recommend this for files you legitimately own but can't play due to a dead license server.

Alternative: Use a dedicated DRM removal tool like SoundTaxi or NoteBurner. They cost $30-$50 but automate the process. If you're dealing with more than 10 files, it's worth the money.

Real world example: Last year, a client had a burned CD from 2005 that wouldn't copy to a new PC because the original DRM server was long dead. Audacity saved the day. Took about 20 minutes for 12 tracks.

Still Stuck? Check Your Burner and Media

Rarely, this error fires because the drive doesn't support CD-RW or the disc is damaged. But 95% of the time it's DRM. If you've done the steps above and it still fails, try a different disc brand (Verbatim or Sony) and make sure your drive supports CD-R burning. Windows Media Player won't burn to DVD-R even if the drive does — it's a CD-only feature unless you use third-party software.

Bottom line: Start with the license cache reset, then go straight to Audacity if that fails. Don't waste hours on registry edits or reinstalling WMP — they won't fix a missing DRM license.