14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is offering an update designed to allow Internet Explorer 9 users running the browser on top of Windows Server 2008 R2 to enjoy additional content on the web, even if it’s coded with H.264 and AAC. The default configuration of Windows Server 2008 R2 doesn’t allow customers to play H.264 video files or AAC audio files. This is the case even if users enabled the Desktop Experience feature.
The software giant explains that the problem is related to decoders for the file formats mentioned above missing from Windows Server 2008 R2 altogether.
Fortunately enough, there’s an easy fix for this. Windows Server 2008 R2 users can simply download the H.264 and AAC decoders from the Redmond company.
“When you try to play back a video file or an audio file that is encoded with the H.264 video format or the AAC audio format, playback fails,” Microsoft notes.
“This problem may be encountered by Windows Media Player, by Windows Internet Explorer 9.0, or by other applications that rely on the Windows Media platform to play media files that use these formats.
“This problem occurs because the Desktop Experience feature in Windows Server 2008 R2 does not include decoders for the H.264 and AAC formats.”
The Redmond company has made available an update designed specifically to enable customers running Windows Server 2008 R2 to view H.264 video files or listen to AAC audio content.
“To resolve this problem, install the Desktop Experience Decoder Update for Windows Server 2008 R2. This update adds the H.264 and AAC decoders to enable playback of these formats,” the software giant said.
The issue only impacts Windows Server 2008 R2, and in this regard, it’s an understandable problem. Windows Server platforms are not designed for media consumption, but instead optimized for different workloads.
Windows 7 users do not need anything else beyond Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) in order to enjoy video or audio content encoded with H.264 and respectively AAC.
Update for Desktop Experience Decoder for Windows Server 2008 R2 (KB2483177)