Article ID: 313440
Article Last Modified on 8/9/2004
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Windows Media Services 4.0
- Microsoft Windows Media Services 4.1
This article was previously published under Q313440
SYMPTOMS
The Windows Media Encoder 7 uses Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) streaming to connect to a server that is running Windows Media Services (WMS) 4.1. Under certain circumstances, the connection between the encoder and the server may be interrupted. The client connections to the server either stop or pause with a "playing" or "buffering" message, even though no data is received. When the connection is re-established, the WMS server does not reconnect to the encoder, and the client does not resume the stream.
In some instances, you need to restart the WMS server or you need to stop and then restart the individual services.
Previously connected unicast clients are starved after a temporary network brown-out and will eventually drop the connection to the server (the player fires error message accordingly).
However, clients connected through the station service remain in a "Waiting" state after the disruption.
CAUSE
This problem occurs because an HTTP reconnect mechanism was not previously implemented in WMS 4.x.
This problem occurs when the connection between the WMS server and the encoders is lost for any reason (such as network congestion, an unreliable network, a router glitch, or other similar problems).
RESOLUTION
A supported fix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Apply it only to computers that are experiencing this specific problem.
To resolve this problem immediately, download the fix by clicking the download link later in this article or contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
NOTE: In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.
The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:
Date Time Version Size File name OS
------------------------------------------------------------
16-Nov-2001 21:01 4.1.0.3859 442,384 Nsum.exe Microsoft Windows NT 4
16-Nov-2001 21:02 4.1.0.3859 220,832 Nscm.exe Microsoft Windows NT 4
14-Nov-2001 16:55 4.1.0.3926 443,408 Nsum.exe Microsoft Windows 2000
14-Nov-2001 16:55 4.1.0.3926 220,816 Nscm.exe Microsoft Windows 2000
The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
![[GRAPHIC: Download]](/wiki/index.php?title=File:Download.gif){kind=small}
For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services
Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.
WORKAROUND
You can any of the following methods to work around this problem:
- Restart WMS.
- Install WMS on the same computer as Windows Media Encoder 7, and then establish a server-to-server link that uses the Media Streaming Broadcast Distribution (MSBD) protocol.
- Use the Windows Media Encoder version 4.1 and the MSBD protocol.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.
Additional query words: WMS HTTP
Keywords: kbdownload kbqfe kbprb kbdswwmm2003swept KB313440
