dvd won't play DVDs just CDs Help!

I need some ideas. My DVD player hasn't shown up on MY Computer for 3-4
months. So I decided to wiggle the wires, and now it shows up, but it will
only play CDs, and will not do anything when I put any DVD in. (It used to
play just fine.)
Neither Real nor Windows Media 9 will play it. WMP says I don't have
some file in order to play it, but when I click update or download, it says
I have everything I need. Real just doesn't do anything.
Is this a DVD drive problem or a video card problem or neither? Or a
wire problem?

--
In His Name,
Martha
“Faith is exceedingly charitable, and believeth no evil of God.”

zmartha

I'd replace the DVD drive. They are less than $30 now so it shouldn't be a
big deal.


"zmartha" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I need some ideas. My DVD player hasn't shown up on MY Computer for 3-4
> months. So I decided to wiggle the wires, and now it shows up, but it
will
> only play CDs, and will not do anything when I put any DVD in. (It used
to
> play just fine.)
> Neither Real nor Windows Media 9 will play it. WMP says I don't have
> some file in order to play it, but when I click update or download, it
says
> I have everything I need. Real just doesn't do anything.
> Is this a DVD drive problem or a video card problem or neither? Or a
> wire problem?
>
> --
> In His Name,
> Martha
> "Faith is exceedingly charitable, and believeth no evil of God."
>
>

Pug Fugley

I would rather try to fix it. I just had to replace the video card. If I
have to buy too many things, then I may as well spend $800 and get a new PC.

"Pug Fugley" <> wrote in message
news:yoqVc.7823$ nk.net...
> I'd replace the DVD drive. They are less than $30 now so it shouldn't be a
> big deal.
>
>
> "zmartha" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> > I need some ideas. My DVD player hasn't shown up on MY Computer for 3-4
> > months. So I decided to wiggle the wires, and now it shows up, but it
> will
> > only play CDs, and will not do anything when I put any DVD in. (It used
> to
> > play just fine.)
> > Neither Real nor Windows Media 9 will play it. WMP says I don't
have
> > some file in order to play it, but when I click update or download, it
> says
> > I have everything I need. Real just doesn't do anything.
> > Is this a DVD drive problem or a video card problem or neither? Or
a
> > wire problem?
> >
> > --
> > In His Name,
> > Martha
> > "Faith is exceedingly charitable, and believeth no evil of God."
> >
> >
>
>

zmartha

On Fri, 20 Aug 2004 10:36:45 -0500, "zmartha" <>
wrote:

>I need some ideas. My DVD player hasn't shown up on MY Computer for 3-4
>months. So I decided to wiggle the wires, and now it shows up, but it will
>only play CDs, and will not do anything when I put any DVD in. (It used to
>play just fine.)
> Neither Real nor Windows Media 9 will play it. WMP says I don't have
>some file in order to play it, but when I click update or download, it says
>I have everything I need. Real just doesn't do anything.
> Is this a DVD drive problem or a video card problem or neither? Or a
>wire problem?

You cannot playback the content of a DVD video, right? But, if you put
in a DVD, does it show up in Explorer? Can you see that there are
files on the disc, like a video_TS or audio_TS folder? If so, and WMP
mentions a DVD decoder, you could need one of those. WMP does not play
DVD-video on its own, you need a decoder. They are provided by DVD
player software like PowerDVD or the like. If you do not have a
dedicated DVD player program, install one and if you do have one,
reinstall that one.

However, the whole wire jiggling issue makes it sound more like a
hardware issue so you may need a new drive like somebody already
mentioned. But, it won't hurt to try the software option first.

Good luck,
Mischa

Mischa van Dinter

Reinstall your DVD decoding software, usually PowerDVD or WinDVD .
--
Cari (MS-MVP Windows Client - Printing, Imaging & Hardware)
www.coribright.com

"zmartha" <> wrote in message
news:...
>I need some ideas. My DVD player hasn't shown up on MY Computer for 3-4
> months. So I decided to wiggle the wires, and now it shows up, but it
> will
> only play CDs, and will not do anything when I put any DVD in. (It used
> to
> play just fine.)
> Neither Real nor Windows Media 9 will play it. WMP says I don't have
> some file in order to play it, but when I click update or download, it
> says
> I have everything I need. Real just doesn't do anything.
> Is this a DVD drive problem or a video card problem or neither? Or a
> wire problem?
>
> --
> In His Name,
> Martha
> "Faith is exceedingly charitable, and believeth no evil of God."
>
>

Cari

Thanks for the suggestions. I hope it isn't the HardDrive. I just bought
and installed a video card and am testing it so now I will try the Powerdvd
software. Can't hurt. I don't think I ever had a dedicated DVD software,
but the DVD player used to play, so I will try it. The drivers were
supplied by Winxp I believe.
"Cari" <> wrote in message
news:ipuVc.8082$ ink.net...
> Reinstall your DVD decoding software, usually PowerDVD or WinDVD .
> --
> Cari (MS-MVP Windows Client - Printing, Imaging & Hardware)
> www.coribright.com
>
> "zmartha" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> >I need some ideas. My DVD player hasn't shown up on MY Computer for 3-4
> > months. So I decided to wiggle the wires, and now it shows up, but it
> > will
> > only play CDs, and will not do anything when I put any DVD in. (It used
> > to
> > play just fine.)
> > Neither Real nor Windows Media 9 will play it. WMP says I don't have
> > some file in order to play it, but when I click update or download, it
> > says
> > I have everything I need. Real just doesn't do anything.
> > Is this a DVD drive problem or a video card problem or neither? Or a
> > wire problem?
> >
> > --
> > In His Name,
> > Martha
> > "Faith is exceedingly charitable, and believeth no evil of God."
> >
> >
>
>

zmartha

>Thanks for the suggestions. I hope it isn't the HardDrive. I just bought
>and installed a video card and am testing it so now I will try the Powerdvd
>software.

It sounds more like the problem is isolated just to the DVD-ROM drive, so
nothing else should be suspect.

BTW, if the problem is with a marginal optical pickup, there isn't much that
you can do to repair that problem except to replace the entire drive with a new
one. Replacement pickups will cost more than what the drive would be worth.

Replacement DVD-ROM drives can be had rather cheaply, so the comparison between
a $30 part and a $800 computer system is rather unfair.

To safeguard your new DVD-ROM drive:

1. Try to keep the computer clean of all dust. Occasional dustings inside the
computer or rigging the PC's internal ventilation a certain way are great ways
to curb excess dust accumulation. Dust kills optical drives.

2. If you smoke while using a computer, refrain! Smoke away from the machine
if you have to. Smoke kills optical drives. - Reinhart

LASERandDVDfan

Mischa:
When I look at the files on the disc, I do see TS folders. I am looking for
a free DVD dedicated software on the freeware newsgroup. I guess WMD codec
installing is the only free answer, but I don't know how to install them.
"Mischa van Dinter" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Fri, 20 Aug 2004 10:36:45 -0500, "zmartha" <>
> wrote:
>
> >I need some ideas. My DVD player hasn't shown up on MY Computer for 3-4
> >months. So I decided to wiggle the wires, and now it shows up, but it
will
> >only play CDs, and will not do anything when I put any DVD in. (It used
to
> >play just fine.)
> > Neither Real nor Windows Media 9 will play it. WMP says I don't have
> >some file in order to play it, but when I click update or download, it
says
> >I have everything I need. Real just doesn't do anything.
> > Is this a DVD drive problem or a video card problem or neither? Or a
> >wire problem?
>
> You cannot playback the content of a DVD video, right? But, if you put
> in a DVD, does it show up in Explorer? Can you see that there are
> files on the disc, like a video_TS or audio_TS folder? If so, and WMP
> mentions a DVD decoder, you could need one of those. WMP does not play
> DVD-video on its own, you need a decoder. They are provided by DVD
> player software like PowerDVD or the like. If you do not have a
> dedicated DVD player program, install one and if you do have one,
> reinstall that one.
>
> However, the whole wire jiggling issue makes it sound more like a
> hardware issue so you may need a new drive like somebody already
> mentioned. But, it won't hurt to try the software option first.
>
> Good luck,
> Mischa

zmartha

"zmartha" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Mischa:
> When I look at the files on the disc, I do see TS folders. I am looking
for
> a free DVD dedicated software on the freeware newsgroup. I guess WMD
codec
> installing is the only free answer, but I don't know how to install them.


If you want to play dvd movies on your pc, buy some damn player software,
like WinDVD or PowerDVD..

Biz

On Sat, 21 Aug 2004 15:15:29 -0500, "zmartha" <>
wrote:

>Mischa:
>When I look at the files on the disc, I do see TS folders. I am looking for
>a free DVD dedicated software on the freeware newsgroup. I guess WMD codec
>installing is the only free answer, but I don't know how to install them.

AFAIK, WMD codecs will not allow you to play back DVDs, you need a DVD
player. I have never used a free one, I've been using PowerDVD myself
as it came bundled with my VGA card, but I have tried google and found
this one: http://www.cliprex.com/. The DVD player on that site claims
to include the free decoders you need, although I have not tried it
myself.

But, how is it possible you were able to play back DVDs before and you
can not do that now? The fact that you need a decoder is nothing new,
you should have had one if you played DVDs.

Mischa

Mischa van Dinter