Windows Media Center: How to move to another PC, etc

Guys,
Fact: Win 7 does require reactivation, in case of significant hardware change.
Basically, very same question about Win 7 WMC in regard to recorded protected (CopyOnce) TV shows.

Setup: I have Win 7 WMC and a recorded protected (CopyOnce) TV show (the show), which can be played on same Win 7 PC (where it was recorded).
I need to replace a component (Video card, mobo, etc.)
1. What amount of changes considered to be new/another computer, so it won’t play the show?
2. If I reinstall Win 7 from scratch, would it be able play the show?
2a. If I remove/install WMC?
3. How do I move this Win 7 WMC to another PC. Backup something + deactivate WMC, than restore on another PC, so it can play the show.

I’m very sorry for completely retarded questions, I’m sure, the answers I’m looking for are absolutely well known, there is no need to post them and that’s why I cannot find them.
Yet, if it’s explained somewhere, could you drop me a link, please?

To Mods: I swear, it’s not about piracy, even if it might look like.

Guys,
Thank a lot for participating in this survey!

I do remember seeing document describing what significant hardware change triggers Windows reactivation, but I cannot find it anymore. Sill remember thought, the change is cumulative.
I.e. change only component only {GPU, HDD, NIC} - no problem.
Change any two - need to reactivate.
Change mobo - need to reactivate always, unless its SLIC based activation from same OEM (obviously)

Blueiedgod,

Do you think it'll reactivate on small change. I.e. changes are not accumulated at some point (as opposite to windows)?
The changes you described - were they all done as baby steps to same PC?


For windows itself, we can call MS and ask to reactivate by phone.
The is nothing like this for WMC - MS won't help you if you run into significant hardware change problem and want to move you legit movies to another PC and deactivate old one in one transaction, correct?

I guess, all this done by MS (or rather not done) under the fighting the piracy flag.
It doesn't matter if the is no any violation in fact.
MS won't provide any tools to help, they just don't care.

Anybody wants to bet if it'll be any different in W8?

One more question:
How do you guys backup you W7 + WMC to make sure you can restore it (to protect from OS HDD failure)?
Does WHS backup sufficient?

Good to know!
WHS is a "must" then, if you don't want to lose all your CopyOnce recorded shows

Other full backup solutions will work as well probably, but WHS with its dedup and easy/flexible recovery will be the best, IMO.
And I guess, nobody knows what exactly we need to backup up/restored to make fresh W7 install on same hardware to be recognized by WMC as same computer

Did some digging.
Interestingly, lots of hits on "How to Backup and Restore Windows Media Player DRM Licenses"
And none for "How to Backup and Restore Windows Media Center DRM Licenses"
But they could be using very same DRM store...

All below is about Windows Media Player DRM Licenses.
I assume, Windows Media Center uses very same one

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918218/en-us
Explains what change will invalidate DRM store:
The DRM store on the computer is not valid or is damaged in some way. Potential causes for this problem include the following:
The processor was changed.
The motherboard was changed.
A BIOS setting was changed that affected hardware. (For example, you disabled hyperthreading.)
You moved the hard disk on which music was first downloaded from one computer to another.
An application, such as the RegClean utility, changed DRM settings in a way that caused corruption.
You performed a clean installation of the operating system.


Back up/Restore your licenses:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...sked-questions
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/891664
http://stream-recorder.com/forum/bac...ows-t2174.html
How to Backup and Restore Windows Media Player DRM Licenses or Media Usage Rights
http://www.mydigitallife.info/how-to...-usage-rights/



I checked C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\DRM
There are few new files there:
drmstore.hds
IndivBox.key
IndivBox_64.key
v2ksndv.bla
Last 3 have timestamp when I installed WMC feature.
And the 1st one looks like directory of protected files.

I guess, to test it I need:
Get another W7 rig.
Record some CopyOnce show fragment.
Backup DRM store
Invalidate/clean it somehow, make sure fragment won’t play.
Restore DRM store
Try to play fragment again.
Sounds too easy, right?

It’s not a complete test anyway.
As it might let me restore DRM on same hardware configuration only.
But if it works, it’ll make a life a little easier from backup perspective.

Anybody tried it already?
I don’t want to waste my time, if it was done already...

Update:
Scrap that...
MS removed "Backup/Restore DRM Licenses" feature from WMP...

Yep.
I've read a lot about it by now.
Basically, changing: CPU, motherboard or BIOS (not sure what the latter exactly about...) will invalidate PlayReady DRM.

Reiterating wait was written above:
Reinstalling W7 from scratch "creates different computer". You won't be able to play you recorded movies.
You can do full backup/restore - it does "create same computer" from PlayReady DRM point of view.
Upgrade from Vista "creates different computer".

My current understanding is:
When PlayReady DRM is activated online your computer gets some sort of certificate from MS.
The certificate gets encrypted with your computer hardware hash (CPU, motherboard or BIOS).
You can retrieve certificate only if hash is the same.
The certificate is used by PlayReady DRM to encrypt/decrypt protected content.
The process might be very different, but the result it the same.
You cannot play protected content on "different hardware".


PlayReady DRM can be damaged easily beyond repair. Only full reinstall can fix it.
It's done this way to discourage people to tamper with it.
According to MS it was the only way to get MS WMC certification from Cable companies (and FCC?) to play protected content.
It PlayReady DRM got broken for whatever reason - MS won't help you to restore it.
The only advice you get from them - reinstall OS from scratch.

Conclusions:
Do full backup if you want to be able to restore PlayReady DRM on very same hardware. It'll protect you against hard drives failures at least.
If a computer component upgrade changes hash - there is nothing you can do to play your legit recorded movies.


I was interesting to for me to learn about PlayReady DRM
And it was so frustrating...
I had hoped, I can replace my cable box and not worry if I lose my movies because of cable box failures.
It turns out WMC is not much different when it comes to protected content.
It's definitely better for unprotected content and a bit more reparable than cable box (HDD can be replaced)
And it let you do backup, at least.

I'm sure lawyers can sue MS for such PlayReady DRM implementation.
Although MS will pass all expenses to customers - so we (the customers) will get nothing or even lose at the end.