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NS_E_DRM_INVALID_DATA
What this HRESULT isolates
When the client returns NS_E_DRM_INVALID_DATA (0xC00D2761), the relevant condition is invalid or corrupt data was encountered. This result belongs to protected content header, keys and cryptographic processing, specifically the path that parses the DRM header, selects a KID and algorithm, validates signed data, creates cryptographic objects and encrypts or decrypts protected media samples.
Minimum incident record
- Protected identity: first failing sample offset rather than only the player-level message.
- Operation state: ASF/DRM header bytes and declared version.
- Persistence or transport: KID, license ID and key-selection result.
- Security context: algorithm, key length and coding object type.
- Correlation point: signature or certificate validation status.
Triage without destroying evidence
- Start from
0xC00D2761and map it to the first WMDRM object that returned it. - Separate content/header evidence, license evidence, machine/device evidence and service/network evidence around “invalid data”.
- Before retrying this result, check whether another “invalid data” operation was active or whether the previous result may have committed partially.
- Record the exact API, object state, input identity and first lower-level result associated with this failure.
- Apply the smallest supported fix: correct the producing DRM state or input and retry with a fresh operation object; avoid resetting unrelated protected state.
Why the producing layer matters
Two platform rules frame this result. A malformed content header, an invalid license XML document and a decryption failure occur at different boundaries and require different replacement artifacts. Protected content should be identified by hashes and KIDs in support records; content keys and complete license blobs should not be exposed.
Recovery at the right layer
The supported response to it is narrow: correct the producing DRM state or input and retry with a fresh operation object. After correcting it, reopen or recreate the object that owned “invalid data” so the verification does not reuse state from the failed operation.
Representative case: The application reaches the invalid data path and receives this exact HRESULT before the higher-level media action can complete.
Why the symbolic name matters
| Result | Different condition |
|---|---|
NS_E_DRM_UNABLE_TO_CREATE_CODING_OBJECT | The DRM runtime cannot create the coding object required for this operation. |
NS_E_DRM_UNABLE_TO_CREATE_KEYS_OBJECT | The DRM runtime cannot create the key-management object required for this operation. |
NS_E_DRM_UNABLE_TO_CREATE_HEADER_OBJECT | The DRM runtime cannot create the content-header object required for this operation. |
Shortcuts that make diagnosis worse
- Avoid publishing content keys, full license blobs or decrypted media while collecting diagnostics.
- Avoid assuming a codec reinstall can repair a malformed DRM header or a cryptographic key mismatch.
Technical references
- Overview of Windows Media DRM.
- DRM protection and license distribution — API and state rules for the DRM operation described here.
- DRM versions.
- Windows Media DRM error codes.
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