I wonder if you copy the dvd to your hard drive and play it from there....
if it will copy anyway...
the dvd drive could be dirty /dusty inside or going bad as mrsD mentions.

the dvd disk itself is clean and not scratched or smudged up?

Since you went back to the shop and they were willing to help, and since you’re having so much trouble, it may be worth it for you to go back with your computer and let the guy fix it on the spot with you there. Make sure to bring your Avatar DVD with you so that you can test it before you leave. Again, I would say if you know a computer person having them come over is still your best option.

From what you have been saying I think it is a good possibility that you are having compatibility issues and someone with some experience just needs to sort it all out.

However, I would agree with one of the previous posts that it is also a possibility that your drive is physically failing. It could even be both issues together.

I hope this helped a little, sorry I can’t do more. God Bless You.

Bernclay-

well I grabbed one of our dvd movies and mine won't play anything either - i don't get any pop ups or notices - nothing.

tried it on both xp & Linux Ubuntu 10.05 or whatever the version # is..

but didn't reboot yet.
I'll try it in the morning after the restart if I have time.

Okay, something new has developed.

I uninstalled the VCLan thing and re-installed it.

I then tried to play ALL OF MY DVDS. and when I pop in a dvd, the options come up and I try and select VLC thing and it get the failure message.

However!!!

If I pop in the dve, and I x out the options, and I go to my computer, and I see 'AVATAR in the E drive, I right click on it and select "open with VLC" and it opens and then it it is a (I don't know how to explain this), but dvd plays but it sounds like people are gargling when they talk, and the dvd moves slowly, in spurts.

This happens with ALL of my dvds.

So VLC works but it doesn't work.

I am now going to go online and find another dvd player thing.

If I succeed, I succeed, if I don't, and I don't know how I can test my dvd lightscribe thing to see if it's actually the lightscribe thing or the VLC player itself.

Well, maybe when your son comes home, he can give a few tips.

I only wish I had a better relationship with my own son, the computer genius. If I told him this, he would say "See, I told you life sucks and why do we exist??"

sigh!!!

Melody

Can you play music on that drive? Try that too.

What does my computer say is on the D drive?

Did the drive work before your repair person touched it?

I updated to WMP 11 last nite and am getting a lot of Microsoft updates for it today..
so maybe mine will play after those are all done.

Mel - what version windows media player do you have?
maybe you need to upgrade & update too.

I just don't use mine much so haven't kept it up to date.

in the WMP settings there is a tab with check box to get codecs automatically .

I have 2 cd/dvd drives and neither one will play the movie - but they read/write just fine - so it is the something with the WMP settings or the codecs on my system...

Hi. I just went to control panel, to add/remove programs just to see what version of Windows media player I had. Windows Media Player 11


Should I update this? How do I update this? Where do I find WMP settings. I did try and download the codec thing but it said it's not compatible.

And I never thought of putting in a cd to play music. I have two rom thingees. One is the dvd lightscribe thing, and the other is a plain old cd rom thing.

I can put a regular music cd in the dvd lightscribe thing and see if it plays music?

thanks much

Melody

I am doomed.

P.S. I don't have any CD's to put in this thing. I never use cds. I have my ipod

Jo and Mrs. D.

I decided to do a search on my computer for the codec thing that I downloaded the other day. I found it and clicked on install and I got this message:

THE CODEC PACKAGE FOR 7+ PLAYER HAS BEEN INSTALLED SUCCESSFULLY.

Then I get the following message:

WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER 10
This version of Windows Media Player is incompatible with this version of Windows.

Then it gives me a link to go to a specific website.

I went here:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...Downloads.aspx

Now here's my dilemma. I obviously have Windows Media Player 11 because when I went to Control Panel, add and remove programs, that's the only media player that was there and it said "Windows Media Player 11".

So what is this little message telling me about Windows Media Player 10? Is it telling me I should have 10, and that' why this codec thing is not working. Did I download the wrong codec player? What is 7+

I am thoroughly confused.

But I am going to do what Jo suggested and go and try and fine this WMP settings and try and find where it says "get codec automatically"


UPDATE, UPDATE UPDATE.

I found the Tools, Options, and where it says "get codecs automatically", and it WAS checked. It also asked me when I wanted updates and I checked 'daily", instead of once a week.

Now how do I go about getting the correct CODEC?

THANKS MUCH
Melody

And Mrs. D. Before the computer guy changed my motherboard, everything worked FINE. I played dvds just fine.
thanks much

Try putting the DVD in the CD drive. I have only one drive and it plays both. (in the D drive). Since your prompts are for the E drive, the D drive might work.

I don't know why you have two drives. The E drive might be a "write only" one?

I would look up your computer in Help and put in an E drive search.
See what it says about it.

I looked up Lightscribe: This is a BURN program. I think it is for copying DVDs to another disc. IF it is on your Edrive...that is an "external" drive, and maybe your players are only designed for the D drive. So please do try to play your movie off the D drive other CD rom.

Okay, NOW GET READY TO REALLY BE CONFUSED.

I tried to play my dvd in the regular CD rom drive (which is located right under the lightscribe thing). By the way, before I changed motherboards, I ONLY PLAYED DVDS in the lightscribe thing and I never had a problem

so just now I did as you suggested. I took a Disney DVD and put it in the CD rom drive. NOTHING HAPPENED. I then went to my computer and it didn't even register as being in the CD from drive.

This is what it says on the My computer screen.

Local Drive - C Local Drive D

Devices with removable storage

DVD-RW DRIVE E CD DRIVE - F REMOVABLE DISC - G

REMOVABLE DISK-H REMOVABLE DISK - I REMOVABLE DISC - J

So essentially I have two local drives. C and D
A dvd rewritable drive, a cd drive

and 4 Removable disc drives (whatever the heck this is I have no idea).

I do remember one thing. When I did the motherboard thing and the guy put everything back so I would not have to re-format my hard drive, he told me I partitioned your hard drive, you now have two hard drives.

I have no idea what this means, or what it does.

I go on the internet, with no problem. I go into my word processing software with no problem. I use my webcam with no problem.

But I cannot play dvds anywhere (because I don't have a dvd decoder codecs thingee).

that much I know.

So I want to know exactly which codecs thingee that I have to download so it will hook up with my Windows Media Player or Windows Media Center (or wherever codecs belongs), so I can once again play my AVATAR.

Thanks much
Melody