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 had this problem too (windows 7, WMP 12 it appears) with DVD's.

I believe it started in conjunction with me adding another drive to my system (?)

Anyway the fix that worked for me was (I think, anyway), to go to device manager (right click my computer -> properties -> device manager) and disable one drive. Then reboot. Now it works. Now re-enable the drive. Works from then on.  Weird.

Many other things that I tried resulted in the DVD being able to playback correctly *once*, then I would get the same message (ex: re-install video drivers.  DVD plays back once. Then error message again after that, or install a new audio codec, same deal. Weird.).

Other hints from the web:

"nero 8 maybe messes things up perhaps?" http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/problems-with-windows-media-player

"maybe it is using the wrong audio driver" http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic81860.html

"cycle a system setting, then it will play once, then cycle it again" http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_vista-sound/cannot-play-a-dvd-in-windows-media-player/e78aff8d-d921-4576-bc23-12f5c5ec9388

"make sure all of your monitor devices are enabled" http://www.vistaheads.com/forums/microsoft-public-windows-vista-general/111615-please-help-windows-media-player-cannot-play-dvd-because-there-problem-digital-copy-protection-between-your-dvd-drive-decoder-video-card-try-installing-updated-driver-your-video-card-2.html

if you updated your DVD's firmware to some "region free" firmware, then flash it back to standard (also somebody else in this thread mentioned that flashing it to its latest revision helped them, above).

Removing daemon tools might help, too.

Also somebody above mentioned a way to re-install DVD drivers.  That might help, too.

A reboot in there somewhere might be required, too.

GL! (of course, playback with VLC or PowerDvd 8 always worked fine, just not WMP...weird).

-r

PS now I get pixelated jerky play the first time I play it, but the second time it works fine. Also weird. But at least it works.  Also related is http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en/windowsdirectshowdevelopment/thread/77d75c54-d8d7-4616-907d-be627fc44bdc

Does your purchased software have any money back satisfaction guarantee period that you can make use of?  Maybe you can make a gift of it to someone else?

>Ians Cave:

I spent two bloody hours last night trying to perform every possible fix that I could think of for the problem we are joined in this chat to discuss.  Most attempted fixes were in direct response to the troubleshooting information and recommendations provided by my XP OS.  One attempted fix involved dowloading (and paying for) the Roxio CinePlayer decoding software, which did not help.  I have just downloaded (for free) the VLC Medica Player via a CNET web page, and now I can view the non-pirated, full-price DVDs that one would think I could without hassle watch on my Dell laptop, containing a non-pirated Windows operating system.  What a hassle!  Thank you for posting your suggested fix.  I am steaming that I have now purchased software that I cannot use.

I had the same problem playing new DVDs lately.

I already had installed VLC Media Player, and after reading the above threads, I simply opened VLC and had no problems watching the DVD.

A quick google will find places to download VLC for free, and when it updates, you can choose not to. I have accepted updates for 6 months now, and still no problems.

Good luck.