HELP! Windows Media Player Won't play DVDS!

Gizmos_dad

As the title says my PC WMP 9 (and now tried WMP10) has stopped playing DVDs. Keeps coming up with message 'Unknown DVD'. It used to play before no prob, however I recently used a Systen Optimiser software to try and speed up the lethargic pc. Not sure what this has done to the program.
Can anyone please help.

I have temporarily used another software to play the dvds, so there is no fault with the dvds, however would like to carry on using WMP as my default player.

Thanx in advance.

GD

Backbiter

It's not uncommon. My PC in work won't play DVDs through WMP - it never has and has always crashed the PC. I went thro the manufacturer's helpline and they just advised me to use another DVD player (Power Cinema) which works fine.

Sorry can't suggest a fix.

Gizmos_dad

I suppose I will have to live with it.
Though it is annoying having to use different software just to play dvds. WMP plays music no problem, just doesn't like dvds.

GD:mad:

ABH_3

Gizmos_dad wrote: »

I suppose I will have to live with it.
Though it is annoying having to use different software just to play dvds. WMP plays music no problem, just doesn't like dvds.

GD:mad:

WMP is a cumbersome piece of software anyway. Most people like myself who own htpc's don't bother with it, but instead use alternative players such as http://www.inmatrix.com/ or http://www.videolan.org both are equally as reliable once associated with dvd's and are lighter in terms of system resources. They also have the added bonus of coming with their own decoders.

Of course you may like to persist with trying to get WMP to play dvd's in which case you just need an appropriate decoder:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter/mediaadvice/0072.mspx#EW

HTH

BeerBelly

Use either of:

Win VLC (free and has codecs for just about everything)
Win DVD
Power DVD

With Media Player you will also find, sometimes the menus don't work correctly as well.

jampton

Another vote for the free and ever reliable VLC player from videolan

streather

i always use cyberdvd or media player classic with the k-lite mega codec pack

there's pretty much no video file around that the klite codec pack wont cover