Microsoft KB Archive/814129

= FIX: Error in Windows Media Player 9 Series When You Play Specific MP3 Files =

Article ID: 814129

Article Last Modified on 11/15/2007

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series
 * Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series
 * Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series
 * Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows XP
 * Windows Media Format 9 Series Software Development Kit

-





SYMPTOMS
When you play certain MP3 files, you may receive the following error message in the Windows Media Player 9 Series:

Windows Media Player cannot play the file. The file is either corrupt or the Player does not support the format you are trying to play.

When you click More Information, you receive the following error message:

0xC00D1199: Cannot play file



CAUSE
This occurs because the Windows Media Player 9 Series does not support MP3 files that have unsynchronized ID3v2 headers. Earlier versions of the Media Player ignore the header if it is unsynchronized.



RESOLUTION
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem, submit a request to Microsoft Online Customer Services to obtain the hotfix. To submit an online request to obtain the hotfix, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6294451

Note If additional issues occur or any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. To create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

The English version of this fix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.   Date         Time   Version            Size    File name --  04-Feb-2003  20:43  9.0.0.3000      2,058,888  Wmvcore.dll The following files are available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Download the wm814129.exe package now.



WORKAROUND
The hotfix in this article permits Windows Media Player 9 Series to play back MP3 files with this type of ID3v2 header. Additionally, an end user can use current versions of most third-party tag editors and resave the header. In most cases, this removes the unsynchronization.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.



MORE INFORMATION
MP3 audio data is identified by a sync signal at the beginning of an MP3 frame. Unsynchronization is a process by which some tag editors modify the ID3 header so that older players that do not understand ID3 tags effectively discard the header information because the sync signal does not exist in the header.

As part of this hotfix, the Windows Media Player 9 Series does the following:
 * Permits reading of files that have the unsynchronization flag set.
 * Permits write back to these files (if metadata or information changes) when the unsynchronization flag is not set.

Note Old players that do not understand ID3 headers may interpret an ID3 header that does not have this flag set as an actual audio frame. This can sound like a &quot;pop&quot; to the listener. If an older player that does not support this flag is used, either do not write back metadata to the file, or use an older program that still supports this flag to set metadata.

Additional query words: WMP &quot;9 Series&quot; MP3 unsynchronization 0xC00D1199

Keywords: kbdownload kbbug kbfix kbqfe kbhotfixserver KB814129

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.