Specified protocol is not supported error

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Tim - 25 Apr 2007 06:04 GMT

Running Vista and WMP11 with all the latest updates.

About 2 weeks ago I started getting the following error when playing almost
any kind of protected online content:

“Windows Media Player cannot play the file because the specified protocol is
not supported. In the Open URL dialog, try opening the file using a different
transport protocol (for example, ‘mms:’ or 'http:')”

I'm getting it for any URGE station, online music, video from the xbox site,
etc. Local non-protected content like MP3s and AVIs play just fine. But,
none of the online stuff works. I've done everything I can imagine. All the
typical Microsoft FAQ stuff have been done and none of it corrects anything.
I've contacted URGE and they had be do a bunch of diagnostics and send them
log files and I haven't heard back from them and it's been a week now.

I can't uninstall WMP11 because I'm using Vista. I'm basically screwed and
no one can offer any kind of real solution.

Reply to this Message

Mike Poz [MSFT] - 25 Apr 2007 18:38 GMT

Tim,

My first question would be this: Have you tried streaming content from any
other location, such as the msnbc.com website, or YouTube.com?

Signature

Thanks!
Mike Poz [MSFT]

> Running Vista and WMP11 with all the latest updates.
>
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> I can't uninstall WMP11 because I'm using Vista. I'm basically screwed and
> no one can offer any kind of real solution.

Reply to this Message

Tim - 25 Apr 2007 20:16 GMT

msnbc.com video doesn't work, xbox.com doesn't work, wallmart's music store
doesnt work. YouTube.com works, but I believe YouTube always uses flash, at
least all the videos I tried did. I believe the problem is with just copy
protected Microsoft file formats like WMV and WMA. I also believe it has
nothing to do with streaming, as non-streaming content also fails. It's like
several codecs are corrupted and because I can't uninstall or reinstall WMP11
in Vista, I can't do anything to fix things.

I've uninstalled everything installed since the problem started (just one
program) and it still doesn't work. I've done restore points from before the
problem started, and it still doesn't work.

The only thing I can think of is that it started happening when I was in
Italy a couple weeks ago. I just surfed the Internet and emailed while I was
in Italy. But, I did play an URGE station a few times also. My thought is
that maybe some kind of country license thing happened as it appears to be
happening with just Microsoft copy protected content.

I've researched the error and did the suggested stuff on Microsoft's site as
well as others. Nothing fixes the problem. I did, however, find other
people with similar problems but no one was able to help them either (or at
least there were no solutions posted).

I just got this laptop a few weeks ago and just got it working the way I
wanted so I'm not going to reinstall Windows or anything like that. I know
Gateway will only tell me to restore Windows and that's just simply not an
option. I'm looking for a solution, not to start over and spend another 2
weeks getting things all setup again. I work from this computer and I own my
own business. I don't have time to deal with starting over.

Tim

> Tim,
>
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> > I can't uninstall WMP11 because I'm using Vista. I'm basically screwed and
> > no one can offer any kind of real solution.

Reply to this Message

Mike Poz [MSFT] - 25 Apr 2007 21:44 GMT

OKay Tim,

Let's go back to the basics.

First let's make sure your IE connection is configured properly. If you're
using broadband connection, chances are the basic setting of "Automatically
Detect Settings" is going to be suffficient so let's do that first. You may
have already checked this but sometimes changing the setting away from that
and then back makes the difference.

Bring up the IE Properties, click the Connections tab. Near the bottom of
the Connections tab is a button "LAN settings" click it. If "Automatically
detect settings" is not checked, check it and click the OK button. If it is
checked, uncheck it, click OK then go back and re-check it and click OK.

Did this fix the problem? If not, let's do the WMP networking settings
next. In WMP, click Tools -> Options, Networking tab.

On the networking tab you'll see three groupings. In the first grouping,
check all three boxes down the left side but uncheck the single box just to
the right of them.

Now make sure the box in the center section is checked.

In the third section, make sure that HTTP is set to "Browser" and RTPS is
set to "None".

Click OK all the way out and then restart Media Player.

Does it work now?

Signature

Thanks!
Mike Poz [MSFT]

> msnbc.com video doesn't work, xbox.com doesn't work, wallmart's music store
> doesnt work. YouTube.com works, but I believe YouTube always uses flash, at
[quoted text clipped - 51 lines]
> > > I can't uninstall WMP11 because I'm using Vista. I'm basically screwed and
> > > no one can offer any kind of real solution.

Reply to this Message

Tim - 26 Apr 2007 06:32 GMT

I did the stuff in IE, it was already set to automatically but I did as you
asked but it didn't correct anything. Please note that everything else is
working great on the system.

Next was the WMP stuff. What you asked was basically what I've checked in
the past from the Microsoft help pages. The top two groups were already set
the way you mentioned. However, the third group has nothing to do with HTTP,
Browser, or RTPS (that's only in the first group). The third group heading
is "Streaming proxy settings" and there's no protocols listed. I don't use
any kind of proxy server with my connection. Also, as with other pages in
Vista, I can't see all the information. The text and even buttons run off
the page. It's better if I just show you rather than try to explain it,
here's a link to an image:

http://www.leethost.com/link_pics/wmp11.gif

I've seen this before and I figured it was just a Vista thing with some old
programs that didn't format correctly under Vista. But, now looking at it in
WMP11, which was designed for Vista, I believe it's doing this because I have
my font size adjusted to be larger than normal (I have a 1680x1050 display
that's only 15", so the default font size is hard to read). Anyway, I'll
need to reboot to change the font size back to default to see if it fixes the
format issue and maybe allows me to see something that's run off the side of
the window. At least, this should be submitted as a bug because changing the
font size shouldn't mess things up I would guess. If after I reboot there's
something discovered, I'll post another message. If not, assume that the
options window looks basically like the image link I posted above (just maybe
better formatted).

Tim

> OKay Tim,
>
[quoted text clipped - 82 lines]
> > > > I can't uninstall WMP11 because I'm using Vista. I'm basically screwed and
> > > > no one can offer any kind of real solution.

Reply to this Message

Mike Poz [MSFT] - 26 Apr 2007 19:14 GMT

Tim,

Okay, can you open regedit and navigate to this key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings

And tell me if there are at least two nodes under it:
HTTP
RTSP
and the contents of each of those nodes?

If those nodes don't exist, Windows Media Player has limited ability to heal
itself, one of which is recreation of critical registry keys.

The easiest way is, with WMP not running, select the ProxySettings node and
delete it. Then restart WMP and go to the Network tab in the Player Options.
Do you see the two protocols now?

Signature

Thanks!
Mike Poz [MSFT]

> I did the stuff in IE, it was already set to automatically but I did as you
> asked but it didn't correct anything. Please note that everything else is
[quoted text clipped - 113 lines]
> > > > > I can't uninstall WMP11 because I'm using Vista. I'm basically screwed and
> > > > > no one can offer any kind of real solution.

Reply to this Message

Tim - 27 Apr 2007 03:04 GMT

The HTTP and RTSP nodes were under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings

Here's the values:

HTTP
ProxyBypass=0
ProxyExclode=''
ProxyName=''
ProxyPort=50 (80)
ProxyStyle=1

RTSP
ProxyBypass=0
ProxyExclode=''
ProxyName=''
ProxyPort=22a (554)
ProxyStyle=0

I exported the ProxySettings node, delete it, restarted WMP and looked in
the network options tab. It looks exactly the same (same formatting problem
also, even though I changed the system DPI to standard and rebooted, it looks
exactly like this: http://www.leethost.com/link_pics/wmp11.gif). I then went
back into regedit and while the ProxySettings node was recreated, as were the
http and rtsp nodes under it, there's nothing below that like before.

I'm going to try to sign in with a differnet user to see if that works. If
it's a user registry issue, that may shed some light on the problem. I'll
reply again with any additional information after doing this.

Tim

> Tim,
>
[quoted text clipped - 131 lines]
> > > > > > I can't uninstall WMP11 because I'm using Vista. I'm basically screwed and
> > > > > > no one can offer any kind of real solution.

Reply to this Message

Mike Poz [MSFT] - 27 Apr 2007 04:46 GMT

Thanks for the update Tim, if it does work, I'd like you to try logging back
into your orginal profile. I have a few ideas that I'd like to try. Don't
know what, if anything will work but let's try not loose this chance.

Signature

Thanks!
Mike Poz [MSFT]

> The HTTP and RTSP nodes were under
> HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Preferences\ProxySettings
[quoted text clipped - 163 lines]
> > > > > > > I can't uninstall WMP11 because I'm using Vista. I'm basically screwed and
> > > > > > > no one can offer any kind of real solution.

Reply to this Message

Tim - 27 Apr 2007 06:34 GMT

I signed in as another user and it worked fine. So, the problem is
user-based. My normal user has more access and the other users haven't even
been used (I just added users for my kids in case they ever used my laptop).
Anyway, I tried exporting the registry node for Media Player for the other
user and then importing it into my profile. Media Player detected this but
it still didn't work. I then deleted the entire Media Player node and when I
ran Media Player it did the setup just like it did the first time I ran Media
Player. While it recreated the registry, there's still nothing listed in the
Streaming Proxy Settings area.

So, I know it's not a corrupt file or something like that. It must have
something to do with my user account. I searched the registry for other
instances of RTSP but coudn't find anything that looked out of place (it also
was the same as the other user).

Anyway, still nothing listed in the Streaming Proxy Settings area. It would
appear that's the key, but why nothing is listed and how to get it listed is
the million dollar question.

Tim

> Thanks for the update Tim, if it does work, I'd like you to try logging back
> into your orginal profile. I have a few ideas that I'd like to try. Don't
[quoted text clipped - 167 lines]
> > > > > > > > I can't uninstall WMP11 because I'm using Vista. I'm basically screwed and
> > > > > > > > no one can offer any kind of real solution.

Reply to this Message

Mike Poz [MSFT] - 27 Apr 2007 07:22 GMT

Tim,

I have some stuff at work I need to check. Once I do that, I'll get back to
you with something I'd like to try. It won't be until tomorrow though.

I'd really like to figure out what may be causing this if you're willing.

Signature

Thanks!
Mike Poz [MSFT]

> I signed in as another user and it worked fine. So, the problem is
> user-based. My normal user has more access and the other users haven't even
[quoted text clipped - 188 lines]
> > > > > > > > > I can't uninstall WMP11 because I'm using Vista. I'm basically screwed and
> > > > > > > > > no one can offer any kind of real solution.

Reply to this Message

Mike Poz [MSFT] - 27 Apr 2007 07:30 GMT

Okay Tim, I *may* have something but I need to check with someone in the
morning before I have you try it. I may be barking up the wrong tree, so
better safe than sorry.

Signature

Thanks!
Mike Poz [MSFT]

Reply to this Message

Tim - 27 Apr 2007 22:12 GMT

I fixed it! I renamed the directory:

C:\Users\%USER%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Media\11.0

to "11.0_old". When I started Windows Media Player, a new "11.0" directory
was created with the three files "WMSDKNS.DTD", "WMSDKNS.XML", "WMSDKNSD.XML"
and everything in WMP11 worked prefectly. If you want these corrupted fles,
I can email them or post them on the Internet for you to download.

Anyway, I really appreciate your help and your willingness to figure out
this mystery. Someone else that I know that had this problem also did the
same thing and it fixed his WMP11 also. He was running XP so the location of
these files was slightly different, but it's as simple as deleting the
directory and things just start working again.

Let me know if you want the files and I hope this can be made into a
Microsoft solution as I know many people are having the same problem.

Tim

> Okay Tim, I *may* have something but I need to check with someone in the
> morning before I have you try it. I may be barking up the wrong tree, so
[quoted text clipped - 192 lines]
> > > > > > > > > > I can't uninstall WMP11 because I'm using Vista. I'm basically screwed and
> > > > > > > > > > no one can offer any kind of real solution.

Reply to this Message

Mike Poz [MSFT] - 27 Apr 2007 18:34 GMT

Good morning Tim,

I spoke with Zach and he indicated that what I was thinking was wrong, so
it's a good thing I didn't have you try it. He also indicated that there are
a number of possible issues, all dealing with corrupted files in some manner.

He suggested I point you here: http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html#networktab

And that you follow the information there to try and resolve the problem.

Short of this fixing the problem, he also indicates that there are times
when creating the new user profile (which you've already done) makes the
problem no longer relevant.

Please let me know if anything at Zach's site above helps with your original
profile.

Signature

Thanks!
Mike Poz [MSFT]

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Tim - 29 Apr 2007 00:44 GMT

See my reply one up from here. I got the problem resolved! Thanks for your
assistance.

Tim

> Good morning Tim,
>
[quoted text clipped - 205 lines]
> > > > > > > > > > I can't uninstall WMP11 because I'm using Vista. I'm basically screwed and
> > > > > > > > > > no one can offer any kind of real solution.

Reply to this Message