NS_E_WMP_CANNOT_FIND_FILE (0XC00D1197) fix
Windows Media Player can't find a file it's trying to play. Usually a broken shortcut, moved file, or corrupted library database.
You open Windows Media Player, click a song or video in your library, and get slapped with an error box: "Windows Media Player cannot find the file." The code is 0XC00D1197 (NS_E_WMP_CANNOT_FIND_FILE). This usually happens right after you've moved or renamed a media file, or after a Windows update that reset some file associations. The player's library database still points to the old path, and it can't resolve the new one.
What's actually happening here
WMP maintains a database of your media files in %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player. When you add a file to the library, WMP stores its full absolute path (like D:\Music\Song.mp3). If you later move that file to another drive or rename it, the database entry becomes a dead link. WMP doesn't automatically check if the file still exists—it just tries to open the old path and fails with 0XC00D1197.
The same error can occur if the file itself is deleted, the drive letter changed (e.g., a USB drive was E: but is now F:), or the database got corrupted after a crash or power loss.
The fix: four approaches, one will work
Don't bother reinstalling WMP—that's cargo-cult advice and won't help here. The problem is in the library database, not the player executable.
Step 1: Re-add the file to the library
- Open WMP. Go to the Library view (Ctrl+1).
- Find the file that errors. Right-click it, select Delete, then choose Remove from library only—do NOT check "Delete from computer."
- Now add the file back: drag it from File Explorer into the WMP library window, or go to Organize > Manage Libraries > Music (or Videos) and add the folder that contains it.
Why this works: you're forcing WMP to re-index the file, so it writes a fresh path entry. If the file is still on the same drive but just in a new folder, this is enough.
Step 2: Clear the library database (when Step 1 fails)
If multiple files show the same error, or if re-adding doesn't stick, the database is likely corrupted.
- Close WMP completely. Check Task Manager for any
wmplayer.exeprocesses and kill them. - Press Win+R, type
%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player, hit Enter. - Select all files and folders in that directory (Ctrl+A), then delete them. Yes, all of them. Windows will regenerate them.
- Restart WMP. It'll rebuild the library from scratch—this can take a minute depending on how many files you had.
Warning: this nukes your play counts, ratings, and playlists. Back up CurrentDatabase_*.wmdb if you care about those. I've never had to restore them, but your mileage may vary.
Step 3: Check the actual file path
Sometimes the file is genuinely missing—not just a database glitch. Open the file location from WMP: right-click the errored item, select Open file location. If Explorer throws "location not available," the file was moved or deleted. Restore it from backup or accept the loss and remove it from the library.
Step 4: Reset file associations (Windows 10/11)
A less common trigger: after a Windows update, the file association for media files (like .mp3) might be broken. WMP can't open the file because it's registered to a now-missing app.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Default apps.
- Scroll down to Choose defaults by file type. For
.mp3,.wma,.mp4, etc., set them to Windows Media Player. - Alternatively, run
control /name Microsoft.DefaultProgramsin the Run dialog and click Associate a file type or protocol with a program.
I've seen this happen after installing third-party media players (VLC, MPC-HC) that hijack file associations and then get uninstalled, leaving dangling entries.
If it still fails
Check the file's permissions. If the file is on a network share or external drive, ensure your account has read access. Run WMP as administrator once—right-click the shortcut, select Run as administrator—then try playing the file. That can bypass permission issues and let WMP update the library path.
Still broken? The database might be locked by another process. Boot into Safe Mode with Networking and repeat Step 2. I had a case where a third-party shell extension (a Tagger tool) held a lock on the .wmdb file, preventing WMP from writing the fix.
Final thought: if this error keeps happening, consider switching to a media player that doesn't use a central database at all—like foobar2000 or MPC-HC. They read files directly from disk without caching paths. But that's a different conversation.
Was this solution helpful?