How-To Geek

Ok, I have messed around with the american/europe settings and still nothing.

Windows Media Player will play discs I have burned myself with no problems.

It's just the ones I have bought in box sets that won't play, even though they worked before without problems. Please help! It's so bizarre.

Edit: Post about region code deleted. Now I see your post about the MPEG-2 Decoder. From the error message that is more likely then the region code.

Edit 2: Were you able to play DVDs before you installed Nero 8? If so it's possible you have an MPEG-2 Decoder but the Nero 8 install accidentally messed up the decoder settings.

Now that I think about it the same thing happened to me.
I installed Nero 8 and I get that error message when playing some DVDs on my computer when it worked fine before.
I never thought about a connection between the two before as I rarely play DVDs on my computer so it was a while after installing Nero 8 it happened.
Also I'm fairly sure installing an updated video driver like the message says will not help as if you could play DVDs before then there is most likely nothing wrong with your current video driver.
The problem that error is talking about is that there is software designed to make sure the DVD you try to play is not an illegal copy and something possibly the Nero 8 install screwed up that software so now the computer can't tell if it's a legal disc and thus won't play it.

Edit: I just tried some DVDs and they all play. So I guess my problem went away or none of the disc's I have are affected. I'll search on your problem some more and I'll post back if I think of any ideas.

Hmm. So far my search on Google hasn't found any obvious answers.
Here are a few things you can try though I don't know if they will help.
1. Check that the DVD region on the computer is set correctly.
Right click on "My Computer" and click manage.
Click device manager on the left.
Double CD/DVD drives or similar text.
Double click your DVD drive.
Click the DVD region tab.
Check that it's set to the right region for the DVDs you are playing.
Note if you decide to change it can only be changed 5 times.

2. Try uninstalling Nero. I don't really know how Nero 8 could have made DVD video playback not work but if it happened right after it's a possibility.

Thanks so much for your help, but neither option seems to have helped. I even went and clicked on my video driver, having finally located it under Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager, and clicked on update - only to be told I don't need an update and the one I have is fine. Yet I still get that message!! Ugh. I have no idea what is wrong with it.

Hmm, when i click to do that, I get a message saying "no driver files have been backed up for this device" and I get told to try troubleshooting again (which has no idea how to help). Think I should go ahead anyway?

Initially it was just a message suggesting that I change my screen resolution, etc. Now I have deleted Nero and exhausted every other option, it is consistently insisting that it is a problem with digital protection, etc. :(

Oooh, my windows media player still isn't working, but I am able to watch the dvds now through "intervideo WinDVD 8", so that's a massive improvement. Unfortunately my trial version will only last for a week or so. . . is my only remaining option to spend money on this software for something that was free last week? Annoyingly, I suspect so, right?

parker6 on your third post, you asked for a place to download the codecs. Yeah, i reckon your problem is with the codecs, try downloading K-Lite Pro codec package which i use on my vista, media player 11 and everything works fine. Here is the link for the download:
http://www.free-codecs.com/dow.....c_Pack.htm

hopefully that will work, or agreeing with taybay try vlc which supports many file associations and i use it at school to even play flash files etc. That should work.

Not a problem. Don't forget to stop back once in a while!