Microsoft Windows users have increasingly embraced and enjoyed digital media in Microsoft Windows Media Format. The quality and usability of Windows Media has reached a new height with Windows Media Player 9 Series.

If you copy music from CD using Windows Media Player 7 or 7.1 with the "Enable Personal Rights Management" check box selected, or Windows Media Player for Windows XP with the "Protect content" check box selected, or Windows Media Player 9 Series with the "Copy protect music" check box selected, a personal license for the music is created on your PC.

To help you easily migrate your protected music from one computer to another, Microsoft provides two utilities – Personal License Update Wizard for Windows Media Player and Personal License Migration Service.

Personal License Update Wizard for Windows Media Player updates the licenses of protected files that were copied using Windows Media Player 7, so that they can easily be moved and played on other computers.

If you copied content from CDs using Windows Media Player 7.1, Windows Media Player for Windows XP, or Windows Media Player 9 Series, you do not need to run this utility on those files. The utility will only identify licenses that need to be updated.

Personal License Migration Service allows you to play your protected content, copied from CDs, on up to 10 computers. If you have a home network, you can play the same protected content library on multiple machines on the network.

It is a server-side utility. You don’t have to download or install any software. When you move your protected files from one computer to another, you will be directed to a Web-based service, Windows Media Personal License Migration Service, to regenerate the licenses. This license regeneration only applies to licenses created by Windows Media Player 7.1, Windows Media Player for Windows XP, or Windows Media Player 9 Series when you copied CDs to your PC. You can then play your updated licensed files Music Library on up to 10 different computers or devices.

Finally, these two utilities work with protected files copied from CD only. In general, Microsoft recommends that you back up all your licenses found under Tools, License Management in Windows Media Player.

Download the Personal License Update Wizard for Windows Media Player now!

For more information and benefits of this utility, view the instructions in our How To Document.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How do I turn off copy protection when I copy music from CDs?
You can turn off copy protection from within Windows Media Player.
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Q. What is Personal License Update Wizard?
Personal License Update Wizard is a utility that updates personal licenses created by Microsoft® Windows Media Player 7. After updating your licenses, you can move protected files to other computers without worrying about losing your licenses.

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Q. How is this accomplished?
When you try to play a protected file with an updated license on another computer, you will be directed to a Web-based service, Personal License Migration Service, which will regenerate a new license for your entire Media Library.

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Q. Who needs to run Personal License Update Wizard?
You can use the following checklist to decide whether you need to run Personal License Update Wizard:

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Q. I don’t know which version of Windows Media Player I used when I copied CDs, how do I determine whether I need this utility?
If you are not sure which version of Windows Media Player you used to copy content from CDs, Microsoft recommends that you run Personal License Update Wizard.

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Q. I am planning on buying a new computer that has Windows XP on it. When do I run this utility?
You must run this utility before you transfer your music files to the new computer in order to play the protected content.

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Q. I had to cancel Personal License Update Wizard while it was converting my licenses, are any of my protected files converted?
All the protected files that this wizard has processed are converted. When you rerun the wizard again, it will convert the rest of the protected files.

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Q. Where can I find this wizard if I have to run it again?
To use this wizard again, run the program file DRM70to71.exe in the \Program Files\Windows Media Player\Tools folder.

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Q. What is Personal License Migration Service?
Personal License Migration Service is a Web-based service that regenerates a license for your Media Library when you move your Media Library from one computer to another. You can copy your Media Library and regenerate licenses for up to 10 computers or devices.

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Q. What are the benefits of Personal License Migration Service?
Personal License Migration Service allows you to play your protected content copied from CDs on up to 10 computers. If you have a home network, you can play the same content on different machines in the network.

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Q. Does Personal License Migration Service only generate one license for my entire Media Library?
Yes. The updated license only requires one regenerated license for your entire Media Library. This is fast and simple.

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Q. Where do I download Personal License Migration Service?
Personal License Migration Service is a Web-based service, meaning that you do not need to download it. You will be redirected to this Web-based service when you try to play your protected content on another computer for the first time. You don’t have to install anything.

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Q. How do I invoke Personal License Migration Service?
If you copied CDs with the Enable Personal Rights Management check box selected using Windows Media Player 7.1, or with the "Protect content" check box selected using Windows Media Player for Windows XP, or with the "Copy protect music" check box selected using Windows Media Player 9 Series, or you have updated your personal licenses using the Personal License Update Wizard, you will be directed to Personal License Migration Service when you try to play the protected content on another computer for the first time.

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Q.Do I have to invoke this Personal License Migration Service for every piece of content?
No, Personal License Migration Service only needs to be invoked once. It rebinds a license to all your protected music.

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Q. How does this service help me if I have copied CDs using Windows Media Player 7?
This service only works with protected files copied with Windows Media Player 7.1, Windows Media Player for Windows XP, or Windows Media Player 9 Series. If you have music copied with Windows Media Player 7, Microsoft recommends that you download and run Personal License Update Wizard for Windows Media Player prior to moving your Media Library.

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Q. Do I have the same roaming capabilities with content I acquired over the Web?
These utilities only work for personal licenses acquired when copying CDs. For licensed digital media distributed over the Web, content providers usually have their own terms of agreement which are disclosed when you receive the license. Some content providers may grant you multiple licenses, allowing you to so you can play your digital content on multiple computers and devices, while others may only allow you to play the content on one computer.

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Q. Do I still need to backup and restore licenses I acquired over the Web?
Yes, you should back up and restore licenses you acquired over the Web.

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Q. How do I back up and restore my license?
You can back up your licenses from within Windows Media Player. Go to Tools, select License Management, then select "back up" or "restore".

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Q. When do I back up and restore instead of using these utilities?
Back up and restore can transfer all your licenses from one computer to another, regardless of whether they are personal licenses acquired through CD copying or through the Web downloads. Personal License Update Wizard only applies to personal licenses acquired through CD copying. It gives you the added benefit of roaming.

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