# Windows Media Player won't play DVDs anymore



## brewerfan (Dec 2, 2006)

I'm a newbie here, and wasn't able to find the answer to my question in previous threads...so, please take it easy on me if it's a problem that's already been covered.

I have a Dell laptop with a DVD drive. I've been able to watch movies for months with no problems, all of a sudden yesterday I put in a legit movie that I purchased, and WMP 10 gives me an error message that it can't play the DVD because of digital copy protection. I tried other movies, and tried playing the movies in Media Center and got the same message, so I installed WMP 11 thinking it would help.

Needless to say, it hasn't, and I can't watch movies now. I've gone through all the Troubleshooting on Microsoft.com, which basically entailed restarting the media player, and the computer itself - to no avail.

I'm in the process of downloading another media player that some people on this site have recommended (VLC), so I'm hoping that will be a temporary fix...but I'd really like to get WMP back up and running.

Please help.

Thx


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## trommie (Dec 2, 2006)

imno computer guru or nething but maybe if you try uninstalling windows media player and then re downloading it and installing it...chek if u can re download it first cuz im not sure,,


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## defuse3388 (Oct 12, 2006)

Have you tried doing a system restore? It does work sometime till you get a good fix for this issue.
IMO as you are using a Dell laptop go for a replacement of the drive if the system is under warranty.There had been lot of issues with the quality of the drives supplied with new Dell computers as well.


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## defuse3388 (Oct 12, 2006)

One more important thing why don't you perform the 32-bit Dell Diagnostic on your Optical drive. Even a smart test will tell you whether the drive is good or not.


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## lostking (Mar 23, 2006)

Similar problem to Brewerfan but slightly different.
I have 2 DVD drives - (Drive 1) a straightforward DVD drive and (Drive 2) a rewrite DVD drive. I can play CD's OK on both drives. Sound quality is good. When I load a DVD into drive 1 it plays but there is no sound. Drive 2 fails to load the DVD. I have upgraded from Microsoft Media Player 10 to 11 but this has not had any effect.


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## defuse3388 (Oct 12, 2006)

If possible conduct a smart test on the drive.


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## JamesE (Mar 2, 2006)

I've recently had a problem similar to one above. WMP would play no audio on some DVDs. I was advised to install AC3filter. It worked.


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## NicholasMarks (Dec 4, 2006)

Exactly the same problem. Brand new Dell xps 600 and cannot get media player to work on valid DVDs. Have loaded VLC media player from net and this works ok but why not 'Dell's CinePlayer' or 'Window's Multimedia Centre' or any other dvd driver already installed??? It is obviously a decoder problem...but why???


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## JamesE (Mar 2, 2006)

Have you tried AC3filter? As to why, I've no idea and am puzzled, I'm not convinced it was AC3filter which fixed it but a re-ordering of the Codecs. They played OK on PowerDVD on the same PC! I also have a problem that menus are not playing on WMP and they always used to. I refer to the menus created by MyDVD or my "domestic" Sony DVD recorder. The "button" is there but not visible as the cursor turns into a hand when hovered in the right place. I have another thread out - VOB files will no longer play on WMP. What have MS done ????


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## NicholasMarks (Dec 4, 2006)

I am told that Dell have identified the dvd problem. It is the decoder. The prob is related to the date. By altering the computer date back a year...2005....the decoder again works and the dvd will work normally. Apparently Dec. 1st 2006 threw up this condition. Mine is now working perfectly. Dell will issue a patch when avalable I am told.


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## markwelch (Dec 7, 2006)

This is truly annoying -- I bought this Dell system, paying extra for the "Media Center Edition," so that I could use DVDs. Tonight, for the first time since buying it, I put in a DVD and nothing will play. This was a good opportunity to discover that the "Dell Support" software running on my computer does nothing whatsoever, and also to discover that there is apparently no method to get technical support from Dell other than via email.


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## lostking (Mar 23, 2006)

Re mine of 2nd Dec. I've re-loaded the DVD software. (I've 2 - Cyberlink Power DVD and Nero for DVD rewriters) The DVD rewrite drive now works OK. But I still have a problem with my ordinary DVD drive. It won't recognise DVD's recored on the DVDR drive. It will play purchased DVD's of films etc and will play music CD's OK. Is this anything to do with the types of discs: DVD-RW etc? I must confess I am confused about the different types of DVD discs.


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## markwelch (Dec 7, 2006)

Here is Dell's response, acknowledging the problem and promising that "A fix should be forthcoming within a weeks period." (sic)

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Dear Mr. Welch,

Thank you for contacting Dell Technical Support.

As per the description of your e-mail, I understand that you are experiencing an issue while playing DVD's. Your computer does not play any DVD's. I understand the inconvenience caused to you and take the responsibility to provide you best support so that this issue could be resolved as quickly as possible.

Regarding the issue that you are experiencing, I want to inform you that an issue has recently been experienced by our technicians on the floor where the Cineplayer software is experiencing no DVD playback, audio loss or a distorted/jittery screen. The symptoms will not occur if the system is set to a date before December 1st 2006.

A fix should be forthcoming within a weeks period. If there is an emergency to use Sonic Cineplayer, then I will suggest you to change your computer date to the one prior to December 1st 2006. Please be informed that this is a temporary workaround and not a permanent fix. 

If you need assistance to change system date, please follow the steps given below:

{Surprisingly lengthy instructions to change clock time - omitted}

I would really appreciate, if you could perform the given troubleshooting steps and e-mail me back with troubleshooting results. This will help me to understand the actual cause of the issue and thus I would be able to come up with appropriate warranty service or next sequence of troubleshooting steps.

Mr. Welch, I am sure that the resolution provided will help in resolving the issue. The case number for this interaction is XXXXXXXXX. The case has been documented and the contents of this case are available to all Dell support representatives. 

If you need additional assistance with this issue and you utilize our phone or chat support channels, please provide them with this case number. For additional assistance via e-mail, simply reply to this e-mail.

Thank you for choosing Dell.

Thank you,

Jayendra
Dell Rep ID 01444858
Dell Technical Support


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## brewerfan (Dec 2, 2006)

for tossing a few ideas out there. I just adjusted the date on my computer, and will restart the computer and give WMP a try shortly. I hope it works...thanks again.


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## brewerfan (Dec 2, 2006)

I just adjusted the year on my computer back one year...lol...it fixed my DVD playback problem. I can't believe it seriously worked.

A funny new problem has arisen though. Since my computers date is now set at December 1st 2005, all of my emails in Outlook are in one folder labeled "Beyond Next Month", instead of saying, "Today, Yesterday, Last Week". Oh well...I guess I should have bought a Mac!

Thanks for posting the correspondence with Dell.


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## 'mouse (Dec 12, 2006)

Thanks for the suggestions above -- I too have been fighting the Dell problem and based on the advice here installed AC3filter and it fixed everything, including CinePlayer. Dell should take note of this "fix" and pay the freeware author to fix their junk.


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## dvdproblem (Dec 13, 2006)

DVD won't play on my new DELL: 

I set the date on my computer back to 2005 or earlier to watch the DVD then switch it back to the current date when I am done. I am still looking for a Dell update to fix it but haven't found it yet yet.


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## defuse3388 (Oct 12, 2006)

If it is an out of box system sometimes you need to plug the DVD cable into the DVD drive which can be unplugged.


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