Windows Media Player cannot play this DVD because there is a problem with digital copy protection between your DVD drive, decoder, and video card. Try installing an updated driver for your video card.

Anonymous
2009-06-20T14:51:43+00:00

I am having difficulty watching DVD on Windows Media Player Inspiron Dell Laptop.  I get so far into the dvd and then the playback stops and the CD/DVD drive starts making a noise that sounds like the DVD is either stuck or catching, this has happened a couple of times burning CD's to itunes.  I can eject the DVD and when I do I get the following error message

Windows Media Player cannot play this DVD because there is a problem with digital copy protection between your DVD drive, decoder, and video card. Try installing an updated driver for your video card.

I.ve used the windows web help, I've downloaded the latest driver from Dell (nVidia) which is also the advice given on one the forum pages but still getting the same problem. I've also downloaded the Windows Automatic Fix application but this has not resolved it either.  I am using Windows Vista.

Can you help!!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2009-06-21T02:01:15+00:00

Hi Dansue,

Thank you for posting on the forum.

Sounds like you’re CD\DVD drive is starting to fail. Check with Dell to see if they have an updated firmware and Driver for your CD\DVD drive.  Uninstall the current driver that windows is using and install the updated one.  If you’re still hearing that catching sound, then it’s more likely that you’re CD\DVD drive needs to be changed.

Hope that helps, please post back and let us know.

JohnD

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-05-02T12:32:56+00:00

    I had this exact problem on my computer and tried everything and ended up installing VLC Player. However, after having several problems even playing video files I'd created myself along with several desktop issues I went looking again for a solution.

    I found the answer to my problem in a very helpful post for another problem but it also fixed the DVD issue. I found that somehow, Windows 7 had been switched into debug mode. I have no idea how this happened but switching it off and restarting solved the DVD issue as well.

    Go to the 'run' prompt and type 'msconfig'. Click on the 'Boot' tab and then click the 'Advanced' button. If Debug is ticked, then un-tick and reboot.

    All should now be okay with the DVD Player.

    Dave S

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-05-22T09:33:30+00:00

    I had the same problem on my Windows 7 PC with Windows Media Player 12.

    It was caused by installing the free version of Nero.  The fix was to uninstall Nero, including all traces of it on my hard drive and re-boot.

    However, uninstalling Nero caused another problem.  It deleted the iTunes device filter so iTunes wouldn't import or burn CDs and DVDs.  Luckily there's a fix at http://support.apple.com/kb/ts3299.  Don't bother removing and reinstalling iTunes - just do the registry change (and hit the Enter key after typing GEARAspiWDM).  If you don't know about registry settings, don't try it as one typo or slip-up could stop your computer working.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-08-07T23:22:05+00:00

    I just read this. I initialized Windows Media Center and it now works with the DVD player. Who knew. Obviously MS tech doesn't know. Thanks for the lead!

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-08-07T23:12:31+00:00

    You are  spot on! Just put a brand new DVD that would not play on my laptop with latest updates and Windows 7. It played fine in the DVD machine. So are the MS techs all unaware of this problem? Thank you for doing the research and letting the rest of us know. There may be other less expensive third party software that lets us use our computers are as true media centers.

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