How to fix Silverlight upgrade errors on Netflix

Netflix has become a very popular source for DVD movies, not only DVDs-by-mail, but online streaming of movies to your home computer or your TV. The price is very inexpensive too. However, lately due to an upgrade of the Silverlight software (for movie streaming) made by Microsoft, users have encountered errors and interruptions when streaming videos from Netflix. Call Netflix and they will refer you to Microsoft but Microsoft has not been able to resolve this issue to users' satisfaction. To save yourself aggravation and time, follow the following simple steps to fix the error.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. 
    

   Confirm that your problem is caused by Microsoft Silverlight. Call Netflix 1-866-716-0414 to describe your problem. You usually get an error code such as 5102 while streaming movies.

2. See if Netflix can fix it for you on the spot. If you're lucky, they might be able to resolve it by tweaking something on their end. Most of the time, though, they will send you an email to contact Microsoft if it is a problem caused by Silverlight upgrade.

3. Go to control panel of your PC and choose "Add or Remove Program". Depending on your Windows OS (XP or Vista, etc.), there are different ways to get there. Look for Microsoft Silverlight. Pick the upgrade option (or check the box on XP).

4. Click on and remove the last Silverlight upgrade from the last 30 days. If it was older than 30 days, it probably is not the cause of your problem (assuming you have been streaming movies on Netflix all along).

5. Go to Netflix again and logon like normal. Choose watch immediately option on any movie. You'll be asked to install the Silverlight software. Install it like before.

6. You should be able to watch Netflix movies now since the version that you're running is without the upgrade.

[jonnygouda]

on 1/31/2010 There is the extremely irritating issue of not using 64 bit Internet Explorer. If you have Win 7, you probably have both 64-bit and 32-bit Internet Explorer. Use the 32 bit. You may need to uninstall and reinstall Silverlight, but using the 32 bit I don't have problems.

The question here really becomes, why does Netflix seem to think it's necessary to keep its collective tongue up MicroSoft's rectal hole?

Why can't they support other browsers? Why does it have to be SilverLight whose quality isn't much better than Flash video from YouTube 5 years ago?

Eventually, it comes to be, how long am I going to pay these crotch-wipes for their "service"?

[dthere]

on 7/28/2009 What a pain. Thanks for the info...5