IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have received this error, you are not using the latest RealPlayer. RealPlayer 8 Basic is a FREE, recommended update available for Windows 95/98/NT and recent Macintosh systems.

If your system meets the minimum system requirements, we recommend that you update your player now by clicking here and following the download and installation instructions.

Error #23 Requested URL is not valid.

This message indicates that the Player was given a URL which does not correctly point to a .RA or .RM file. The URL in question could be an outdated link, a URL incorrectly entered in the Open Location dialog box, an incorrectly formatted .ram/.rpm file, or a special character in the hard disk name or file path on a Macintosh system. Check the details listed below to determine which solution best fits the situation.

• If you entered a URL in the Open Location dialog box, check that you included the entire URL, and that it was spelled correctly. Also check to make sure that the URL is a RealAudio or RealVideo link. RealAudio or RealVideo links have .RA, .RM, or .RAM file extensions.

• If you received this message after clicking on a link within a Web page, the reference URL is wrong. In this case, please send e-mail to the site manager about the problem link.

• If you are a content creator using RealPublisher and the links on your Web page give error 23, then you need to re-upload the files. When you upload the files, be sure you are using the Publish Wizard to transfer the files to the servers. RealPublisher uses local file references to produce the initial preview page. The local references are automatically updated to the correct server references when RealPublisher's Publish Wizard uploads the .ram/.rpm file to a remote Web server.

• If you are using a Macintosh, and this error occurs when you try to play a .RA or .RAM file, then the likely cause is that a special character such as a / or & is in the name of the hard disk or file path. Check your hard disk name for special characters, and if any are in the name, change the name of the hard disk. Check the path to the download folder. The Player temporarily caches the .RAM file in the browser's designated download folder. If any of the folders within the path to the download folder have a / or other special character, then error 23 can result.

In summation, Error 23 occurs when the URL used by the Player to locate a .RA or .RM file does not correctly find the file. Please let us know if the noted solutions do not resolve the problem for you.