Microsoft KB Archive/920075

Knowledge Base

Error message when you try to play protected media files in Windows Media Player: "Secure storage protection error. Restore your licenses from a previous backup and try again"

Article ID: 920075

Article Last Modified on 6/13/2006

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional
• Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

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SYMPTOMS

If you try to use Microsoft Windows Media Player to play media files that are licensed using Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology, you may receive the following error message:

Secure storage protection error. Restore your licenses from a previous backup and try again

You may not be able to play the protected content. Protected content includes content such as songs that you bought and downloaded from an online store.

CAUSE

This issue may occur if the DRM license files are corrupted or damaged.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Back up the licenses on the computer:
   1. Start Windows Media Player.
   2. On the Tools menu, click Manage Licenses.
      
      Note If you receive an error message, click OK.
   3. Select an appropriate backup location for the licenses on your computer or on another computer or on removable media.
   4. In the Manage Licenses dialog box, click Back Up Now.
2. Configure Windows XP to show hidden files and folders. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Double-click My Computer.
   2. On the Tools menu, click Folder options.
   3. Click the View tab, and then click Show hidden files and folders.
   4. Click to clear the Hide extensions for known file types check box.
   5. Click to clear the Hide protected operating system files check box, click Yes, and then click OK.
      
      Note See the "More Information" section to configure Windows XP to hide hidden files and folders again.
3. Note the location of the DRM folder on the hard disk.
   
   The following example shows the typical path of the DRM folder. In this example, drive is the drive on which Windows is installed:

   drive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\DRM

   Note If you cannot find the DRM folder, the location of this folder on the hard disk is stored in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DRM subkey in the Windows registry. To examine the registry to find the location of the DRM folder on the hard disk, follow these steps:

   1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
   2. Locate and then click the following registry key:

      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DRM

   3. In the right pane, double-click DataPath. The location of the DRM folder on the hard disk appears in the Value data box. Note this location.
   4. Exit Registry Editor.
4. Locate and right-click the DRM folder, and then click Rename.
5. Type DRMold, and then press ENTER.
6. Start Microsoft Internet Explorer, and then visit the following Microsoft Web site:

   http://drmlicense.one.microsoft.com/Indivsite/en/indivit.asp

7. Click Upgrade.
8. After the upgrade is finished, restart the computer, and then try to play the protected media files in Windows Media Player again.

MORE INFORMATION

After you complete this procedure, you can configure Windows XP to hide hidden files and folders again. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Double-click My Computer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Folder options.
3. Click the View tab, and then click Do not show hidden files and folders.
4. Click to select the Hide protected operating system files check box, and then click OK.

Keywords: kbtshoot kberrmsg kbexpertisebeginner KB920075

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