This error ticks me off too
You bought or rented a file, and Windows Media Player tells you the license isn't valid yet. That's the NS_E_DRM_LICENSE_NOTENABLED error (0XC00D27D9). It means your DRM license has a start date in the future. The file's locked until that date, even if you've got a valid license. Let's fix it.
The quick fix: check your system clock
The culprit here is almost always the system clock being wrong. DRM servers check the current date against the license's start date. If your clock's off (even by hours), the license looks like it's not active yet.
- Right-click the clock in the taskbar and pick 'Adjust date/time'.
- Turn on 'Set time automatically' and 'Set time zone automatically'.
- Hit 'Sync now' under 'Additional settings'.
- Restart Windows Media Player and try the file again.
If you're on a domain-joined machine or a VM, the clock might be forced by the host. In that case, ask your admin to check the NTP server. Don't bother manually setting the time — it'll just get overwritten.
Still broken? Reset the DRM license store
If the clock's correct but the error persists, the local DRM store is probably corrupted. This happens after unclean shutdowns or if you've used multiple media apps that fight over the same license files.
1. Close Windows Media Player and any other media apps.
2. Press Win+R, type %appdata%\Microsoft\Media Player, hit Enter.
3. Delete everything in that folder. Yes, everything — it's safe.
4. Open Windows Media Player again. It'll rebuild the store.
5. Try the file again. You might need to re-authenticate for online content.
This resets the local DRM database. The licenses are tied to your Windows account and device, so they'll re-download when you play the file again.
The real scenario: pre-ordered or pre-release content
I've seen this most often with people who bought a movie or album before street date. The license's start date is set to the release date. If the content provider's server is slow to update, or if you changed time zones, the license can think it's still locked. Check the date of the content's release — if it's today but in a different time zone, you might just need to wait a few hours.
Less common variations
| Scenario | Fix |
|---|---|
| File works on one PC but not another | You're probably using a different Microsoft account. Sign in with the account that bought the license. |
| Error after Windows update | Windows Update can mess with DRM components. Run 'sfc /scannow' from an admin command prompt to repair system files. |
| Error only on external drive | DRM licenses are stored per device. Copy the file to the local drive, play it once to cache the license, then it'll work from the external drive. |
| Error on Windows Media Center (old Vista/7) | Media Center is dead. Upgrade to a modern player like VLC (which ignores DRM for most formats) or use Windows Media Player on Windows 10/11. |
Why this happens in the first place
DRM (Digital Rights Management) licenses have a start date and an end date. The content provider sets these when you buy or rent a file. The error 0XC00D27D9 specifically means the license's start date is in the future. That's not a bug — it's by design. They want to stop you from watching a pre-order early. The issue is when your clock disagrees with their server, or the license store gets corrupted.
The Windows Media Player DRM system is ancient — it's from the early 2000s and Microsoft barely updates it. That's why it's so fragile. A simple time sync or folder reset usually fixes it because the system is just that dumb.
Prevention: stop this from coming back
- Enable automatic time sync on all your Windows devices. I configure it via group policy in enterprise environments.
- Don't use multiple media players that manage DRM (like iTunes and Windows Media Player) on the same machine. They can corrupt each other's license stores.
- If you're managing a fleet of PCs, push a script to reset the DRM store after major Windows updates. Saves you tickets.
- For personal use, stop buying DRM-locked content. Go DRM-free from places like GOG or Bandcamp. Less headache.
That's it. Set your clock, nuke the store, and that file should play. If it doesn't, the content provider's server is probably messed up — call them, not Microsoft support.