NS_E_DRM_ALREADY_INDIVIDUALIZED (0XC00D2729) Fix

What's This Error Really About?

You're trying to play a song or video, maybe from a subscription service or a protected file you bought years ago. Windows Media Player throws up 0xC00D2729 with the message “You already have the latest security components.” It's confusing because it says you're fine… but nothing plays. The real problem: the DRM system is telling the player it's already individualized (updated), but the actual DRM data is corrupted or missing a refresh. This happens most often after a Windows update, a software reinstall, or when you switch between different media apps.

Let me walk you through three fixes. Start with the first one. If it doesn't work, move to the next. Don't skip ahead—each step is designed to be fastest first.

Fix #1: The 30-Second Reset

This clears a temporary glitch without deleting anything important.

1. Close Windows Media Player completely. Make sure it's not running in the system tray—check the little arrow near your clock and right-click the WMP icon, choose Exit.
2. Open a Run dialog. Press Windows key + R on your keyboard.
3. Type services.msc and press Enter. The Services window opens.
4. Scroll down to Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service. Right-click it and choose Restart. After a second or two, you'll see the status change to “Running.”
5. Now the trick: Still in Services, find Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service (WMPNetworkSvc). Right-click it again, choose Properties. Set Startup type to Automatic if it isn't already. Click Apply, then OK.
6. Close Services window. Open Windows Media Player again. Try playing the file that gave the error.

What should happen: The DRM refresh may trigger correctly now. If the file plays, you're done. If the same error appears, move to Fix #2.

Fix #2: The 5-Minute DRM Folder Cleanout

This deletes the local DRM files so Windows rebuilds them fresh.

1. Close Windows Media Player again.
2. Press Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
3. In the address bar at the top, copy and paste this path exactly: %PROGRAMDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM. Press Enter. This opens a hidden folder.
4. If you see any files in there, don't panic. You need to delete everything inside this folder. But first, right-click an empty area, choose Properties, and make sure the folder is not set to Read-only. If it is, uncheck that box, click Apply, and confirm.
5. Now select all files inside the DRM folder. Press Ctrl + A to select all. Then press Delete. Windows might ask for permission—click Yes.
6. After deletion, open Windows Media Player again. It will show a message about acquiring security components. Let it do its thing. This takes about 30 seconds to a minute.
7. Once done, try playing your file.

What should happen: After a fresh download of DRM components, the error should disappear. If it doesn't, or if you get a new error like “DRM License Acquisition Failed,” move to Fix #3.

Fix #3: The 15-Minute Registry + Clean Boot (Advanced)

This is the nuclear option—it fixes deeper registry issues or conflicts from other software.

Warning: Editing the registry can mess up your system if you make a mistake. Follow my steps exactly. And back up your registry first: press Windows key + R, type regedit, press Enter. Then click File > Export. Save the backup somewhere safe.

1. Open Registry Editor (Windows key + R, type regedit, Enter).
2. Navigate to this key:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Media\DRM

3. Right-click on the DRM folder in the left pane. Choose Permissions. Click the Advanced button.
4. In the Advanced Security Settings window, look at the Owner. It should say SYSTEM or Administrators. If it says something else, click Change, type Administrators, check the box “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects,” then Apply. Close that window.
5. Now, with the DRM key selected in the left pane, look in the right pane for a value named DRMIndividualizationVersion. Right-click it and choose Modify. Set the value data to 0. Click OK.
6. Next, look for any value with “Indiv” in the name—like IndivBox or Individualization. Delete those by right-clicking and selecting Delete. Confirm.
7. Close Registry Editor.
8. Now do a Clean Boot to rule out third-party interference. Press Windows key + R, type msconfig, Enter. Go to Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all. Apply.
9. Go to Startup tab, click Open Task Manager. Disable every startup item listed. Close Task Manager, click OK, and Restart your computer.
10. After restart, open Windows Media Player. It should re-individualize from scratch. This might take a few minutes. Be patient—don't click anything during the process.
11. Try playing your file. If it works, you can revert the Clean Boot later by opening msconfig again, selecting Normal Startup, and enabling services one by one to find the culprit.

What should happen: After this, the DRM stays fresh. If you still get the error, it's not a DRM problem—the file itself might be corrupted. Try playing a different protected file to confirm.

Still Stuck?

If none of these work, you're dealing with a damaged Windows installation. Run the System File Checker: open Command Prompt as Administrator, type sfc /scannow, and let it finish. If it finds corruption but can't fix it, you may need a repair install of Windows. That's rare—most people solve this with Fix #2 or #3.