Unable to play DVDs on my PC

[doojeen]

My PC used to play DVDs, but not any more. When I insert a disc in the drive the light flashes for about 30 seconds and then cuts out. When I go to "My Computer" the Drive E icon indicates that it contains a DVD, but when I click on it that brings up a "New Folder" icon with a downward arrow in front of it and the caption "Files ready to be written to the CD". Can anybody help?

[GoggleboxUK]

Have yo enabled AutoPlay? To do this right click on the DVD icon and select Open With..., choose whatever app you're running (WMP, PowerDVD etc) and check the box that says Always use this program to play these files.

If no [rogram comes up then you need to reinstall whatever app you use for DVD playback.

[Wolfgang]

As gogglebox says, it sounds like it has lost its application association. If you click your right mouse button on your DVD icon, it will give you menu with options like "Play" or "Play with" and "Auto play". Try all your play options first, but if that does not work select "autoplay". That will probably list your media playing program, and work your way through them until you find one that works. Once you find your program you can tick "always use this selection" on your autoplay menu.

[GoggleboxUK]

Is there an echo in here?

[Edward G]

Why don't you use "System Restore" and select a date that you know the DVD player last worked on?
Saves a lot of detective work and tweeking settings?

[doojeen]

Thanks to you all for your help. It's a couple of years since the last time I could play DVDs, so I'm a bit wary of using System Restore in case it messes up other things. I tried right clicking on the E drive icon, but that didn't bring up an "Open with" option...

[GoggleboxUK]

You're definitely missing an application.

Go here:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/windows-media-player

Find the version that suits your system, download and install and it should play fine.

[Wolfgang]

Even if doojeen is missing application, right clicking should still be bring up "open with"/"play with" options. When you right click on your icon, what options does it give you?

[GoggleboxUK]

No, if he has no suitable app then Windows will default to try to rip the disc to a CD. He's only able to right click the drive icon rather than the folder holding the vob files on the disc.

[CaptainWaggett]

Can you play cds? If not, the drive might be knackered - they do have a finite life. You can buy a plug-in spare reasonably cheaply if that's the case.

[Rick C]

I suggest binning the ****ing thing. The DVD that is not the computer! (Although that might cure it too...)

[doojeen]

No, if he has no suitable app then Windows will default to try to rip the disc to a CD. He's only able to right click the drive icon rather than the folder holding the vob files on the disc.

That's exactly what was happening. Believe it or not, I temporarily solved the problem, by accident rather than design - I clicked on the "Set program access and defaults" icon on the Start menu by chance and saw that it was set to "Custom", so I reset it to Computer Manufacturer's setting and when I tried to play a DVD it worked - opened in Windows Media Player. However, when I stopped the disc and went back into "Set program access and defaults" the setting had reverted to Custom. Now I can't play a disc in either mode and I feel like tearing my hair out - so near and yet so far. Perhaps I should turn off the computer and come back to it later. Anyway, I'm sorry for being a bit of a non-techie thicko, but I really appreciate you guys taking the time and trouble to help, many thanks and catch you later.

[Onedin]

That's exactly what was happening. Believe it or not, I temporarily solved the problem, by accident rather than design - I clicked on the "Set program access and defaults" icon on the Start menu by chance and saw that it was set to "Custom", so I reset it to Computer Manufacturer's setting and when I tried to play a DVD it worked - opened in Windows Media Player. However, when I stopped the disc and went back into "Set program access and defaults" the setting had reverted to Custom. Now I can't play a disc in either mode and I feel like tearing my hair out - so near and yet so far. Perhaps I should turn off the computer and come back to it later. Anyway, I'm sorry for being a bit of a non-techie thicko, but I really appreciate you guys taking the time and trouble to help, many thanks and catch you later.

Hi Doojeen,

Isn't there someone around over there where you live who could look at your computer physically, rather than from here?

I'm sure it will be sorted somehow.


Slaínte,

Nathalie

[Steve Crook]

Well at least you now know that the DVD player actually works

Try opening up the "Set program access and defaults" again and this time click on the downward pointing double chevrons next to where it says Custom.
Scroll down to the section for Choose a default media player
Tick the round button before "Use my current media player"
Tick the square box after any or all of the media players mentioned on the next few lines
iTunes
QuickTime
RealPlayer
Windows Media Player
or any others that are listed

Click on OK


If it still doesn't work with those settings then it'll be down to how each file type is associated with applications. It doesn't know how to play the files on your DVD

Steve

[doojeen]

Thanks, Steve - I've done that and it's working again. Fingers crossed!

[doojeen]

Oh no, I'm back to square one again, even though I'm still on the Custom setting, with "Use my current media player" selected and all the boxes are ticked to allow access to all media players.

You're definitely missing an application.

Go here:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/windows-media-player

Find the version that suits your system, download and install and it should play fine.

I'm bewildered by the number of applications on offer - any recommendation? I'm running Windows XP.

[Steve Crook]

I'm bewildered by the number of applications on offer - any recommendation? I'm running Windows XP.

VLC offers most options and plays most formats. It's free to download from here
You can also do good screen grabs to put images into this forum

Installing that should also make it the default player for most types of videos which should help the other part of what I suspect is the problem your system is having

Steve

[GoggleboxUK]

Yeah, I agree with Steve. VLC is everything you need, just make sure you run a virus check before installing and again straight after. Nothing is ever truly free.

[Wolfgang]

That is what my father says. He said he tried free love in 1960s and is still paying for it 40 years later.

[Arthur Linden-Jones]

My PC used to play DVDs, but not any more.

It's not that your computer won't play DVDs anymore, it's just that the operating system (WindowsXP) has "lost" the association that automatically identified what program to "invoke" when the computer and WindowsXP detected a DVD had been inserted.

Automatic processes are all well and good and convenient, but when something like this happens, it leaves the user not knowing what step of the automatic process has broken down (e.g. when the DVD was inserted, is the optical drive working? If it is, does Windows know what program to use? If so, is the program corrupted? If not, is the DVD corrupted? And so on).

Automated, all these processes take place in a flash, and the DVD starts playing if everything is OK. If not, it's handy if the user knows where did something go wrong? Relying on automated processes robs the user of this luxury.

Re-establishing the link to the automated program depends on what program you used to play your DVDs. If it was Windows Media Player, you can create the link by opening WMP, Tools menu -> Options -> File Types and Select all ....

However, many computers come with other proprietary software (WinDVD, IntervideoDVD, etc) that are usually associated with the brand of optical drive (CD/DVD player) installed in the computer. Re-establishing the link with these programs depends greatly on which program you want to use to play your DVDs.

However, irrspective of this .... +1 to the above suggestions for VLC player. It's free, easy to download and install, and easy to use. And it's a good media player!!

And, this is one of the easier players to operate manually, if the auto play process is not working. Insert the DVD, open VLC player, Media menu -> Open disk -> Play. Simple!!

EDIT

I'm bewildered by the number of applications on offer - any recommendation? I'm running Windows XP.

You shouldn't have to re-download and re-install Windows Media player. It is a compulsory and integral part of the Windows operating system (XP). Just check the Windows update(s) and make sure you have the latest version and all the patches and fixes that are available.