Microsoft KB Archive/925708

Knowledge Base

The sharing relationships between Windows Media Connect and DMR devices no longer work after you install Windows Media Player 11

Article ID: 925708

Article Last Modified on 10/30/2006

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Windows Media Player 11

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SYMPTOMS

You install Windows Media Player 11. However, you discover that you cannot use existing sharing relationships between Windows Media Connect and digital media receiver (DMR) devices to access shared media content.

Notes

• Microsoft Xbox 360 is an example of a DMR device.
• This problem occurs in Windows Vista and in Microsoft Windows XP.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because Microsoft incorporated Windows Media Connect functionality into Windows Media Player 11. When you install Windows Media Player 11, the following versions of Windows Media Connect are automatically upgraded:

• Windows Media Connect 1
• Windows Media Connect 2

However, some Windows Media Connect settings are not migrated to Windows Media Player.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, use Windows Media Player 11 to re-create the sharing relationships between the computer and the DMR devices.

Note After you re-create the sharing relationships, you can stream music, movies, or pictures from the computer to the DMR devices.

To do this, follow these steps.

Step 1: Use Windows Media Player to select a device with which to share media

To use Windows Media Player to select a device with which to share media, use one of the following methods, as appropriate for your circumstances.

If you are installing or upgrading Windows Media Player

1. When you install or upgrade Windows Media Player, click Yes in the Windows Media Connect Upgrade dialog box.
   
   The Media Sharing dialog box appears.
2. In the Media Sharing dialog box, make sure that the Share my media option is selected.
3. In the list of devices, select a device with which you want to share media, and then click Allow.
   
   Note All the devices that were previously available to Windows Media Connect appear in this list.

If you have already installed or upgraded Windows Media Player

1. Start Windows Media Player.
2. Click the arrow under the Library tab, and then click Media Sharing.
3. In the Media Sharing dialog box, make sure that the Share my media option is selected.
4. In the list of devices, select a device with which you want to share media, and then click Allow.
   
   Note All the devices that were previously available to Windows Media Connect appear in this list.

Step 2: Reconfigure the DMR device to play the shared media

To reconfigure the DMR device to play media that is shared from the Windows Media Player library, follow these steps:

1. Use the device to select the Windows Media Player library that has the shared media.
   
   The Windows Media Player library appears as ComputerName: LibraryName. In this example, ComputerName is the name of the computer on which the Windows Media Player library resides. By default, LibraryName is the same as the Windows user account name.
2. Use the device to browse for media that you want to play.
   
   Note Some devices, such as Microsoft Xbox 360, require that you perform extra steps to disconnect from one computer before you connect to another computer. For help in using a DMR device to select a computer that is sharing media content, check the documentation that came with the device.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about how to use Windows Media Player 11, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/11/readme.aspx

For more information about Windows digital media, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=72541

Additional query words: wmp11

Keywords: kbprb kbhowto kbexpertisebeginner KB925708

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