Quick Answer
Delete your DRM folder at %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player, then play the file again — Windows Media Player will fetch a fresh license automatically.
This error shows up when you try to play a protected WMA or WMV file — usually a track you bought years ago from a store that's now defunct, or a video rental that expired. What's actually happening here is that the digital rights management (DRM) license bundled with that file has a built-in expiration date or count limit, and you've hit it. Windows Media Player checks the local license store first, finds the expired ticket, and refuses to play — hence 0xC00D00D4. The fix is to clear that stale license so the player renegotiates with the licensing server.
The Fix: Step by Step
- Close Windows Media Player. If it's running in the background, kill it via Task Manager.
- Open File Explorer. Paste this into the address bar:
%userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Playerthen press Enter. - Delete everything inside that folder. Don't delete the folder itself — just the files and subfolders inside it. If a file is locked, skip it and reboot into Safe Mode to try again.
- Press Win + R, type
regsvr32 wmvdspa.dll, and hit Enter. This re-registers the DRM decoder. - Also run
regsvr32 wmpeffects.dll— it's not always needed, but I've seen it fix residual errors after the main DRM reset. - Reboot your PC. Yes, you need to reboot. The DRM subsystem caches some state in memory.
- Open Windows Media Player and try playing the file again. It'll show a dialog asking you to accept a new license agreement — click Yes. The player downloads a fresh license from the server and the error disappears.
If That Doesn't Work
The above approach works in 90% of cases, but some files have truly dead licenses — the server that issued them is long gone. Here's what you can try:
- Use a DRM-stripping tool. Something like DRM Removal or SoundTaxi can remove the DRM wrapper entirely. This is legal only if you own the file and aren't redistributing it. I don't recommend pirated software — use the trial versions.
- Convert the file to MP3 or AAC using a program like Audacity. Play the file on another device (like an old phone) that still has the license, record the audio output, then re-encode. It's a hassle but works for one-off tracks.
- Restore from a backup. If you have a system restore point from before the license expired, you might be able to roll back the DRM store. Not reliable, but worth a shot if you're desperate.
- Edit the license file manually. I don't recommend this — it's complicated, requires a hex editor, and Windows may reject the tampered license. Skip this unless you really know what you're doing.
Prevention
Once you've got the file playing, immediately back up the DRM folder. Copy %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Media Player to an external drive. If the license expires again, restore that folder and you're golden.
Better yet: convert your protected files to DRM-free formats right now. Use a tool like Windows Media Encoder or Freemake Audio Converter to strip the protection while you still have a valid license. The moment that server goes offline, you're stuck with a paperweight file. I've seen it happen with the old MSN Music store and the Zune Marketplace — don't let it happen to you.
On modern Windows 10 and 11, Microsoft's own media apps (Movies & TV, Groove Music) don't rely on the old DRM stack anymore, but Windows Media Player still does. If you're on Windows 11, consider switching to VLC or MPC-HC for all your media needs — they don't use DRM at all and don't have this problem.
Fun fact: This error code — 0xC00D00D4 — is the same code used for expired content licenses on the Xbox 360. The DRM system hasn't changed since Windows Vista. It's ancient, and it shows.
If none of this works and the file is truly locked, you have two choices: accept the loss and delete it, or re-purchase a DRM-free version from a store like Bandcamp or Amazon MP3. Don't waste hours on a single file — your time is worth more than that.