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wmdrm removal

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Jun 14, 2003
I have done some searching both in here (only 2 threads found) and on the web (lots of different info). I trust the info from you guys MUCH more so here goes.

How do I REMOVE/UNINSTALL wmdrm from my xp system? It's REALLY ****ing me off.
 
Let's just say your only convenient working solution is illegal. With Microsoft Windows, any convenient working solution tends to be =p

It is too bad really, because I think XP is great without the DRM/activation bells and whistles. Yeah it has some problems, but for my uses it is great. Clarification: Windows, aside from the DRM/activation stuff, is great.
 
install WindowsXP and do not update media player or use any fixes related to media player as these also change the licence and evolve the DRM capabilitys.
Although some of these are security patches - but they are the choices you make !!!

Alternatively you could seek another less restrictive OS :D
 
I was not aware that legalities came into play. I will reinstall and not update the media center. I never use it anyway but did keep up with the updates.

I don't mind XP at all and have never really had any problems with it. The wrmdrm came into play when using my rhapsody music service and that is the only probelm I had. It did not prevent me from doing anything, it was just an annoyance.

I'm probably never going to learn another OS at this point.

Thanks for the info Maxor and Unseen.
 
With what you're doing, legality issue does NOT come into play. However, with alternative solutions which I will not mention, it will. ;)
 
UnseenMenace said:
install WindowsXP and do not update media player or use any fixes related to media player as these also change the licence and evolve the DRM capabilitys.
I would not recommend installing Windows XP. Windows XP has Windows Media Player 8 or newer version of Windows Media Player installed upon install of the operating system. While Windows Media Player 7 or greater exists on an instance of Windows, a DRM process will tend to be running (on NT based Wiindows, probably "mspmspsv.exe") while the instance of Windows is running.

I would believe it better to recommed installation of a Windows 2000 operating system and not update the Windows Media components (this does not include codecs).
 
You can remove media player and the restrictive features completely by using either nlite or xplite (from litepc.com) and then install a better media player such as Media Player Classic or VLC.
I believe that this is actually legal to do because the first time you start media player it shows a EULA which you have to agree to before it works, If you have not agreed to this EULA you can not legaly use the software or associated features and therfore can remove it from your system.
However by the time you have stripped out WinXP as much as it requires you may as well run Win2000 or better still Linux. :D
 
Ascii2 said:
a DRM process will tend to be running (on NT based Wiindows, probably "mspmspsv.exe")
While as Unseen said an nlite install would be best, it's rediculously easy to disable this one thing you mentioned by just opening up msconfig and unclicking a checkbox. It takes a heck of alot less effort to do this than installing a now relatively-defunct and unsupported version of windows.

I have media player 10 installed on here somewheres, as I needed it for a program at one point. I've never actually used it though thanks to mpc, vlc, and real/quicktime alternative.


Max0r said:
However, with alternative solutions which I will not mention, it will.
I know some people with these "alternative" solutions. :shifty eyes:
 
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grumperfish said:
it's rediculously easy to disable this one thing you mentioned by just opening up msconfig and unclicking a checkbox.
This is incorrect; the process I mentioned cannot by disabled using msconfig.
grumperfish said:
It takes a heck of alot less effort to do this than installing a now relatively-defunct and unsupported version of windows.
I also reject this claim. No effort would acomplish what you claimed above about disabling a process via msconfig as it is impossible do do what you alleged, therefore effort for an installation of "a now relatively-defunct and unsupported version of windows" cannot exceed it.
 
Ascii2 said:
While Windows Media Player 7 or greater exists on an instance of Windows, a DRM process will tend to be running (on NT based Wiindows, probably "mspmspsv.exe") while the instance of Windows is running.
A correction: On Windows XP, Windows Media Player DRM process would likely be an instance of "svchost.exe".

Service Name in Windows 2000 (not sure about Windows XP) is "WMDM PMSP Service" (it seems that the DRM Service may be disabled).
 
Found a great program called Fair Use for WM. Eliminates all the m$ BS.
 
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