Err Msg: You Have Specified a UNC Path for the URL Path. In Order for the Windows Media Unicast Service... (254814)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Media Services 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows Media Services 4.1
This article was previously published under Q254814

SYMPTOMS

When you first install Windows Media Services, if you use the default account for Services, you may not be able to access content on a remote computer. If you want to access On-Demand files that are located on a different computer and you do this by setting up the Alias or <Home> to point to a UNC path, the following error message occurs:
You have specified a UNC path for the URL path. In order for the Windows Media Unicast Service to write to this location, you must give access rights to the Windows Media Unicast Server for this location.
If you do not have the proper access set up, the following error message occurs when you try connecting to the content through the Windows Media Player:
Cannot Open. Please verify that the path and filename are correct and try again.

CAUSE

The Windows Media Services user that was set up during installation does not have proper access to the directory on the computer where the content is located.

RESOLUTION

If the server and the content computer are both members of a domain, you need to create a new domain account, give the new account access to the content in the remote directory, and then reconfigure the Media Services to use this new account. To do this, perform the following steps:
  1. Create a domain user account. Set it up so the password does not expire, and then write down the password (you will need it again later).
  2. On the computer running Windows Media Services, add the newly created domain account to the Local Administrators group and the NetShow Administrators group.
  3. In Control Panel Services , double-click each of the following services:

    • Windows Media Monitor Service
    • Windows Media Program Service
    • Windows Media Station Service
    • Windows Media Unicast Service

    Under Log On As:, change the This Account value to represent the account and password of the newly created domain account.
  4. Stop and restart the above services.
  5. On the remote content server, create a share, and then make sure that the Domain Account has proper NTFS permissions to the content directory and share.
  6. In the Windows Media Administrator, set up an On-Demand Unicast Publishing Point, where either the <Home> or Alias points to the remote content server through a UNC path.
If both the server and the content computer are not members of a domain, set up pass-through authentication. Create a matching account on the content computer by performing the following steps:
  1. On the content computer, use User Manager to create the account on the local computer (NetShowServices by default).
  2. Make sure that the passwords on the two computers are the same.
  3. On the remote content computer, create a share and make sure that the domain account has proper NTFS permissions to the content directory and share.
  4. In the Windows Media Administrator, set up an On-Demand Unicast Publishing Point, where either the <Home> or Alias points to the remote content server through a UNC path.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:11/3/2003
Keywords:kbhowto kbpending KB254814
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