FIX: Error in Windows Media Player 9 Series When You Play Specific MP3 Files (814129)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows Millennium Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows XP
  • Microsoft Windows Media Format 9 Series SDK

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 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 systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This fix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next service pack that contains this fix.

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:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

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 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:
DownloadDownload 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 "pop" 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.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:9/27/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbdownload kbfix kbbug KB814129 kbAudEndUser
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