Thought I'd start an entry to list various things that might help get YME to work. I'll update it when things come along. This list is not meant to be comprehensive, so check out the help first! This list is also not aimed at novices, sorry.
1. Streamed songs won't play. Verbose log shows something like "PlayerControlWindow::OnPlaybackError an error has occured (c00d11bb,Playback Engine cannot play the file because the specified protocol is not supported. If you typed a URL in the Open URL dialog box, try using a different transport protocol (for example, "http:" or "rtsp:").)" or "Playback Error Callback: -1072885317 ...".
Most likely Windows Media Player is corrupt in one form or another. First of all try to install Windows Media Player again. Do not uninstall/rollback/force remove first, rather just install it over an existing installation. Before starting the installation make sure both YahooMusicEngine.exe and wmplayer.exe are not listed in Task Manager.
2. Yahoo! Music Engine does not show the correct buttons/skin.
This has been sighted a couple of times and it seems it has something to do with the skinning engine that is shared by YME and Yahoo! Messenger. To fix it, shutdown YME and Y! Messenger, uninstall YME and Y! Messenger, restart, and then reinstall YME (Y! Messenger included, optionally upgrade to a newer version).
3. Music won't play ("Security update required" message)
I saw this the first time I ran YME. I'm not 100% sure, but I think I needed to open up Windows Media Player for the actual update to be installed.
4. Request License Error 0x8004D01B
See: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;810422
5. YME won't close, it just restarts!
Ah, the bugger. Yeah, been there, seen it, and it got old pretty quick. Known causes:
- Crash on exit under the first beta versions, the task tray restarted YME automatically. NOT the cause with current versions.
- Y! Toolbar for IE, reported this to Y! this week. Workaround: Close all IE windows before YME.
- Some .NET based plugins might cause this and I'm trying to get to the bottom of it to find out if this is the case (YME COM object accessed on dispose/finalize/garbage collection?)
- Other external YME program that does not check if YME is still really open before using the external interfaces.
6. YME won't remember my ID/password even though I checked the checkbox!
Umm, yeah. This is what's called a "feature" thanks to the big labels. If you log into YME on another machine, all others will be kicked out when you listen to My Station or protected streams (if I remember correctly). LC preprogrammed stations don't seem to be affected the same way. The reason, I believe, is that the IE cookie that stores this information is wiped out when you get logged out and since YME doesn't cache the username/password internally (like Y! Messenger does for example), you have to type in the id/pw combo. What the checkbox does is just help remember the info if you close/reopen YME on a single machine. Sorry.
7. YME just crashes when I start it.
If you have WindowsBlinds from Stardock installed you should add YahooMusicEngine.exe to the exception list.
8. I get scripting errors and/or blank pages
Verify that Internet Explorer's cache/Temporary Internet files setting is large enough. I've seen a recommendation that it should be 100 MB.
Also if you have recently used a disk cleaning application or manually deleted index.dat from your drive, you will need to start Internet Explorer and browse a bit for this file to be recreated.
In addition to the usual pint of Cookies&Cache: Add *.yahoo.com to the trusted sites in IE. Alternately, reset to default security settings.
Next, try updating/installing MSXML. Rumors have it you may want to install version 3 and version 4. Remember to reboot in between the two. Here are two links reported to fix it (Thanks Stephen H!): http://tinyurl.com/e3huq , http://tinyurl.com/3ru3d . Install v3 first, then v4.
Run a spyware detection program. Spyware has been the cause for scripting errors for many people.
9. IIS fails to start with Unexpected error 0x8ffe2740 occurred
Well, I just installed IIS on my Windows XP to try my web page based remote control for YME, and IIS wouldn't start. YME was hogging port 80 for some reason (To find the hog: Open a command prompt, type netstat -ano and then use the PID to find the application in Task Manager). As a side note, at least Skype will do this, too.
10. My (Zen) portable player says "No license to play, sync license from PC"
I'm told the blame once again is with MS. To fix it the following should work:
1. Delete a single song from the Zen from within YME.
2. Add/transfer a single song to the Zen from YME.
That was hard, wasn't it? I have two reports of this working, so let me know if it works for you or not. Thanks to Matt New for the tip.
11. WMP says "This file cannot be syncronized" under the License-page of a downloaded song.
This can happen and is to be expected. I'm told this is because the "root license" has expired and the only way to refresh it is to be logged into YME and then start a transfer from YME to a subscription capable portable player. These files will play on your PC just fine. See #13, too.
12. "The licenses for your media files are corrupted. (Error code 0xC00D2754)" or "Windows Media Player cannot play the file because the associated license is either corrupted or not valid. (Error code 0xC00D11D6)" or similar.
Have a look at "Licenses for your media files are corrupted" or "License is either corrupted or not valid" error message when you try to play licensed media files (article Q810422 in the MS KB) to see if that helps.
13. Portable Upgrade Error / Other sync problems
- Make sure you have a valid credit card on file with Yahoo! even if you've paid the full year in advance.
- Make sure that you have left the "Acquire licenses automatically for protected content" checkbox CHECKED when you installed Windows Media Player. You can check this in WMP/Tools/Options.../Privacy-tab.
14. I click Play, it says "Connecting...", and then skips to the next song.
Ian, pointed out that the most likely cause is the the Windows Media Player DRM store being corrupted. Have a look here for more info: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;810422 I.e. this is the same as #12.
MISC TIPS
- For random playback and other errors: Logout of YME, close YME and wait for YahooMusicEngin.exe to go away, empty Internet Explorer's cache/temporary internet files, open YME and log back in.
- Make sure your computer's clock is set the the correct date.
- Most problems are caused directly or indirectly by the underlying Windows Media Player that YME uses for DRM and playback. Thus searching for tips at http://support.microsoft.com is a good start.
- Sometimes the error codes in the log seem to be in decimal rather than hexadecimal format. As an example the error code might be displayed as -1072885317, but the using the hexadecimal notation C00D11BB will yield better results when you are searching newsgroups or http://support.microsoft.com. You can use the windows calculator in View/Scientific mode to convert the numbers. You may get a result such as FFFFFFFFC00D11BB, so drop off everything but the last eight numbers/digits. Valid characters are 0123456789ABCDEF (i.e. don't confuse the zero with the letter O).
- When you first install YME the Windows Media DRM SDK says "If possible, 'Web accelerator' proxy services should be disabled to avoid these problems." when doing the "Security update is required" part.
REFERENCES
- YME Help - http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/music/yme/
- Turning on YME verbose logging: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/yme-feedback/message/610 "C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Yahoo! Music Engine\YahooMusicEngine.exe" -v:VERY -vf -vt -vn -vi