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Windows media player |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 2,078
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Windows media player
Don't know if this is in the right forum, as I'm such a technophobe.
Nine times out of ten that I put a DVD into my laptop to play, it won't. It uses windows media player. I've tried to open this up and it opens fine when a DVD isn't inserted but, not when one is. I usually have to leave it, as I can be trying for ages. Occasionally though, it will open up straightaway, no problem. Am I doing something wrong? I thought I just stuck a DVD in and it does it automatically...it does sometimes. |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Jul 2007
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Sounds to me like your DVD drive is struggling to initialize the DVD disc. How old's the laptop?
Can you play a CD without problems? Try a gentle cleaning of the playing surface of the DVD. There might well be fingerprints or other small marks on the playing surface causing problems. It's possible you've a DVD player whose laser reading head is beginning to fail so at the moment your getting random problems with loading and playing. It could also just be that the lens is slightly dirty and needs a clean. The ultimate solution might be to get the DVD laser head replaced/repaired. |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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Quote:
Sounds to me like your DVD is struggling to initialize the DVD disc. How old's the laptop?
Can you play a CD without problems? Try a gentle cleaning of the playing surface of the DVD. There might well be fingerprints or other small marks on the playing surface causing problems. It's possible you've a DVD player whose laser reading head is beginning to fail so at the moment your getting random problems with loading and playing. It could also just be that the lens is slightly dirty and needs a clean. The ultimate solution might be to get the DVD laser head replaced/repaired. I'll give the laser lens thingy a wipe and see what happens. Thank you. |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Dec 2007
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Dump WMP and download VLC player, it'll start up everytime once you've pointed the laptop in that direction.
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#5 |
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Join Date: Jul 2010
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As long as you're not "booting" from the DVD drive - ie, the computer is already running Windows - then, interrupt handling is done from within windows, and it sounds like an operating system fault.
When Media Player doesn't start, then, have a look at your optical drive within Windows Explorer, and see what it "thinks" is in the drive ......... You could also try re-installing Media Player - off Internet - or a different Media Player, to try and re-set the Windows parameters. (if therre's a problem with the drive or media, then, most likely Windows Player would start up, but then crash .......) |
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#6 |
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Quote:
As long as you're not "booting" from the DVD drive - ie, the computer is already running Windows - then, interrupt handling is done from within windows, and it sounds like an operating system fault.
When Media Player doesn't start, then, have a look at your optical drive within Windows Explorer, and see what it "thinks" is in the drive ......... You could also try re-installing Media Player - off Internet - or a different Media Player, to try and re-set the Windows parameters. (if therre's a problem with the drive or media, then, most likely Windows Player would start up, but then crash .......)
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#7 |
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Join Date: Jul 2010
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Sorry! Too much nerd jargon .......
The probability is, it's not a fault on the drive (failing laser), or a fault on the media ("bad batch" of burnable DVDs, since you;re not burning them, and are using commercial "pressed" ones that rely on "bumps", not dyes .......). 1. Try re-installing the latest edition of Windows Mediaplayer from Internet (you have Internet?). This is fairly easy. You click "download", then "install", then just acceept the defaults (keep hitting return). It's a fairly automatic idiot proof process. Doing this may re-set the "interface", between the optical drive, and the Windows operating system (the programs that "run" your computer). It's not certainly what's wrong, but probably is, and should do no harm. Note that, before any big software change, usually it's advisable to set a "restore point", but that would be irrelevant in this particular case since you're REPLACING the existing version of Media Player with a different version! PS -YOU DID MAKE YOUR SYSTEM RESTORE OPTICAL DISKS, DIDN'T YOU? IF NOT, THEN DO IT NOW !!!!!!!! http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...s-media-player |
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#8 |
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Quote:
Sorry! Too much nerd jargon .......
The probability is, it's not a fault on the drive (failing laser), or a fault on the media ("bad batch" of burnable DVDs, since you;re not burning them, and are using commercial "pressed" ones that rely on "bumps", not dyes .......). 1. Try re-installing the latest edition of Windows Mediaplayer from Internet (you have Internet?). This is fairly easy. You click "download", then "install", then just acceept the defaults (keep hitting return). It's a fairly automatic idiot proof process. Doing this may re-set the "interface", between the optical drive, and the Windows operating system (the programs that "run" your computer). It's not certainly what's wrong, but probably is, and should do no harm. Note that, before any big software change, usually it's advisable to set a "restore point", but that would be irrelevant in this particular case since you're REPLACING the existing version of Media Player with a different version! PS -YOU DID MAKE YOUR SYSTEM RESTORE OPTICAL DISKS, DIDN'T YOU? IF NOT, THEN DO IT NOW !!!!!!!! |
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#9 |
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Join Date: Jul 2010
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ok, above link again:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...s-media-player 1. Before any major changes on your computer, make sure you've got backup copies of any important personal data. 2. You should have made the system backup optical media (recovery disks!), as soon as you purchased the computer, 1st thing. 3. It's most likely to be this, but not 100% certain. |
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#10 |
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Quote:
ok, above link again:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...s-media-player 1. Before any major changes on your computer, make sure you've got backup copies of any important personal data. 2. You should have made the system backup optical media (recovery disks!), as soon as you purchased the computer, 1st thing. 3. It's most likely to be this, but not 100% certain.
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#11 |
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Join Date: Apr 2008
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Click on the Windows logo at the very bottom left of your screen, the start menu will appear, at the bottom of this you will see a search box, type in autoplay when you have done this you will see a link to autoplay at the top, click on it & a control panel will appear with drop down menus allowing you to decide what happens when you insert a DVD, CD etc.
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#12 |
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Quote:
Click on the Windows logo at the very bottom left of your screen, the start menu will appear, at the bottom of this you will see a search box, type in autoplay when you have done this you will see a link to autoplay at the top, click on it & a control panel will appear with drop down menus allowing you to decide what happens when you insert a DVD, CD etc.
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#13 |
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Join Date: Jul 2010
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Quote:
I never knew I could do that...thanks.
this merely gives the default options! If the computer "detects" a dvd, then, it needs to know which media player to use. If u have only Windows mediaplayer, there's no other option available. The fact that it sometimes works suggests another problem ........ So, I don't think this is the answer, although, you can certainly try it! Either do as suggested above, or go into Windows "control panel" and re-select mediaplayer in default file association options. (added) try file association 1st, then re-load Windows Mediaplayer, then we could look at other things (aren't computers complicated!) ....... |
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#14 |
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PS ..... how old is computer? If brand new, shouldn't you return it to the shop?
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#15 |
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Join Date: Jul 2010
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....... as a way to quickly resolve this problem, I suggest downloading and installing Realplayer from the Internet. Selecting the default options will make this the "default" player, which should then show if the problem is a bad install of Mediaplayer, or something "more fundamental" ......
If this solves it, u can either keep Realplayer, or change back to Mediaplayer (still on the computer), or dowload a newer version of Mediaplayer, or completely uninstall Realplayer (fairly easy) ........... (before installing Realplayer, create a windows restore point, again fairly easy). |
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#16 |
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Here's a general explanation of file type associations, as it works in Microsoft's Windows. Note that, there's usually several different ways to alter them (for example, either through control panel, or examining a file in "properties"), and, the details are slightly different in each version of Windows ........
http://www.sensible-computer-help.co...ociations.html ...... when you shove a standard DVD itno the drive, the drive hardware tells the interrrupt handler ("this is a dvd"), but, correct operation of Mediaplayer depends on various data lists and structures being correct (they might not be for various reasons) ........ Generally, installing a mediaplayer will ususally re-set the default options, including any data corruption there may be, Its' also a good idea always to have automatic restore points set! If any problems suddenly develop, then you can try reverting to "previous configuration" ............. There's also an outside chance you've got a virus. Have you done a scan? Is your anti-virus up to date? |
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#17 |
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Quote:
Here's a general explanation of file type associations, as it works in Microsoft's Windows. Note that, there's usually several different ways to alter them (for example, either through control panel, or examining a file in "properties"), and, the details are slightly different in each version of Windows ........
http://www.sensible-computer-help.co...ociations.html ...... when you shove a standard DVD itno the drive, the drive hardware tells the interrrupt handler ("this is a dvd"), but, correct operation of Mediaplayer depends on various data lists and structures being correct (they might not be for various reasons) ........ Generally, installing a mediaplayer will ususally re-set the default options, including any data corruption there may be, Its' also a good idea always to have automatic restore points set! If any problems suddenly develop, then you can try reverting to "previous configuration" ............. There's also an outside chance you've got a virus. Have you done a scan? Is your anti-virus up to date? Downloaded realplayer and it's worked on a couple of DVDs but not some. So, have now tried windows media player, windows media centre and realplayer and it's still hit and miss. I'm thinking it may be something wrong with the bit I put my DVDs into. Some DVDs work, some don't and I'm told that a DVD can't be detected, even when it's in there. Maybe it needs a look at. It's just gone past the year guarantee (typical) but I shall get someone to have a nosey and see what's going on. Thank you for all your help. |
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#18 |
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Join Date: Jul 2010
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If a tame nerd is available, that's better than loadsa posting .......
Which being said, it would be odd for the drive to fail. The laser is nowhere near end of life, and focus is automatic ....... I would have suggested trying a distro mediaplayer, but, a real pair of hands (& connected brain) is best thing! |
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#19 |
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Join Date: Aug 2010
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Do you find the DVD not playing are making a lot of noise ?
Also, another DVD player worth trying is Windows Media Player Classic. It can be downloaded as part of k-lite codec pack from here. http://www.codecguide.com/download_k...k_standard.htm |
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#20 |
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Quote:
Do you find the DVD not playing are making a lot of noise ?
Also, another DVD player worth trying is Windows Media Player Classic. It can be downloaded as part of k-lite codec pack from here. http://www.codecguide.com/download_k...k_standard.htm |
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#21 |
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Quote:
Yeah, when the DVD won't play it keeps making a whirring sound, as if it's going to start any minute. After a while it shuts up and just doesn't do anything though.
You should get it repaired under warranty. |
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#22 |
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Quote:
I advised you in post 2 that the drive was probably failing.
You should get it repaired under warranty. |
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#23 |
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Quote:
Yeah, when the DVD won't play it keeps making a whirring sound, as if it's going to start any minute. After a while it shuts up and just doesn't do anything though.
Certainly the drive might be faulty, but it's unlikely, from the symptoms. India Rain, assuming the DVD does start playing, what THEN happens? If it plays normally, the drive itself is ok. If there's a drive problem, then, there will be continual crc errors, and the replay will just stop. Assuming drive is faulty .......if PC is desktop, you can replace the drive with a screwdriver. If a laptop, probably cheaper to buy a new computer.(but, u can use a usb external drive!). A very good test would be to download a distro from the Internet - say, the latest English version of Knoppix - and burn it. If that then works, you KNOW the drive is ok! |
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#24 |
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Assuming drive is faulty .......if PC is desktop, you can replace the drive with a screwdriver. If a laptop, probably cheaper to buy a new computer.(but, u can use a usb external drive!).
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#25 |
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Again, that's standard! All DVD drives do that when you insert a disc.
Certainly the drive might be faulty, but it's unlikely, from the symptoms. India Rain, assuming the DVD does start playing, what THEN happens? If it plays normally, the drive itself is ok. If there's a drive problem, then, there will be continual crc errors, and the replay will just stop. Assuming drive is faulty .......if PC is desktop, you can replace the drive with a screwdriver. If a laptop, probably cheaper to buy a new computer.(but, u can use a usb external drive!). A very good test would be to download a distro from the Internet - say, the latest English version of Knoppix - and burn it. If that then works, you KNOW the drive is ok! I'll probably pop it along to someone in the week, as I have no idea what I'm doing.
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