[consultant]

So in summary, MS to cause confusion and havoc released a new IBX under an older version number because all info on the net says this older version number works. Hopefully all the websites publishing information on setting up fairuse4wm will update with this new info soon as to save many others from the frustration of trying to make it work when they think they have the correct IBX.

The new IBX appears to only be installed if you are running WMP 11.

In Vista, Microsoft widely made WMP 11 part of the operating system so you cannot uninstall it and downgrade it. I'm sure they did this specifically to strengthen DRM. I imagine it has been a major embarassment to them that there DRM has been defeated fairly easily and those companies paying lots of money are pissed of that programs like fairuse4wm are floating around.

If you run XP, just downgrade to WMP10, delete your DRM directory and re-individualize. (I'm not 100% sure that will work, if not, downgrade to WMP 9).

If you run Vista, currently, once again, the only way to use unDRM software is to install Virtual PC 2007 (ignore messages that it doesn't support your OS if you are running Vista Home). Install Win XP and run SP2 update which puts you at WMP 9 (I though it would at least take you to 10 but I think 10 should be fine too.) Then you can use fairuse4wm and other similar programs running XP in Virtual PC. DO NOT UPGRADE YOUR WMP after that.

Downside is, at least on my notebook, I can't use it to play streaming audio from the subscription networks as the sound is crackly. But then I only use Virtual PC to run fairusew4wm.

Lastly, if someone updates fairuse4wm to work with the new IBX, then the Virtual PC route will no longer be needed for Vista users on WMP 11.


I think (hope) I got it all right.