Here' a couple of examples of DVD's that won't play (listed below) on my VAIO's OEM installed (Region 1) Pioneer DVD-RW DVR-K12D type DVD/CD-ROM drive(s) when using these applications and players: Tried using DVD Identifier, v4.2.0 [OCT-23-2006] and even v4.3.0 [FEB-18-2006] and the it reports by a default viewed tab of DVD+R/+RW, and instead of identifying the media any further, it shows only "Unable To Initialize Disc In Time : Not ready - Incompatible medium installed" [02/30/00] DVD Decrypter, version 3.5.4.0 (Lighting UK!) fails to recognize the disc stating only "Device not ready - Incompatible Medium Installed" DVD Shrink, version 3.2, fails to recognize the disc stating only "ERROR : Unable To Initialize Disc : Not ready - Medium not present [02/3A/00]" Neither Intervideo WinDVD 5 or WMP 10 will play or even recognize that the DVD is present using autostart or manual play. However, using my HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-5160D USB Device (Region 1) type DVD/CD-ROM drives, the following results are observed: DVD Identifier still fails to recognize the disc. It reports "ERROR : Unsupported Medium Detected [02:42:44] INFO : Disc Identification Requires DVD, HD DVD or Blu-Ray Recorder And Matching Media" DVD Shrink identifies these discs and proceeds to preview them. DVD Decrypter reports "Disc not empty" and does not display the clips, etc., nor will the decrypter icon un-ghost. However the drive info typically is as follows (ref. "I, Robot"): HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-5160D A302 (USB) Current Profile: DVD-ROM Disc Information: Status: Complete Erasable: No Sessions: 1 Sectors: 3,972,479 Size: 8,135,636,992 bytes Time: 882:48:29 (MM:SS:FF) Physical Format Information (Last Recorded): Book Type: DVD-ROM Part Version: 1 Disc Size: 120mm Maximum Read Rate: 10.08Mbps Number of Layers: 2 Track Path: Opposite Track Path (OTP) Linear Density: 0.293 um/bit Track Density: 0.74 um/track First Physical Sector of Data Area: 196,608 Last Physical Sector of Data Area: 16,468,414 Last Physical Sector in Layer 0: 2,238,943 Layer Information: Layer 0 Sectors: 2,042,336 (51.41%) Layer 1 Sectors: 1,930,143 (48.59%) --------------------- Various DVD's tested (with the above results): Global Media Corp. 2004, B/W HQ DVD, "Ozzie & Harriet" (Region 1) 20th Century Fox, Widescreen, DVD, "I, Robot" (Region 1) ---------------------- And yet another DVD (see below), while my players again won't work on it, and DVD Shrink works, but DVD Identifier reports somewhat differntly with "ERROR : Unable To Initialize Disc : Not ready - Medium not present [02/3A/00]", and DVD Decrypter reports again somewhat differently with "Device Not Ready (Medium Not Present)" and in this case, the disc info dialog box displays nothing whatsoever. 2003 Showtime Entertainment Networks Inc, "Things Behind The Sun" (Region 1) ----------------------- As the mentioned discs are pristine and regional codes are not of issue and both the OEM Intervideo WinDVD 5 and the 3rd Party WMP 10 players refuse to recognize/play these discs, I'm left to believe that the optical drive's drivers or decoders might likely be the issue. Of note, I have downloaded a number of codecs intended for use with WMP 10, and I have also tried to locate plug ins, but as for installing either of these, I'm at a loss as to how to do it (despite my previous efforts at doing so). That alone would seem the most likely cause to my issues, or so I might guess, given my level of noviceness. Note again, I have no problems viewing/playing these DVD's if using my external rewriter or my LiteOn recorder-player and yet there seems little to no difference in how 'Identifier, 'Shrink' and 'Decrypter fail/succeed in how they report these discs. As to where and how to start to resolve the issues of multiple DVD's refusing to play as well as them not being identified by 'Identifier, 'Shrink, and/or 'Decrypter, I'm led back to this being more likely an issue with my OEM optical drive and its decoders. Thanks if sharing your expertise, not to mention affording your time and energy.
Restored all DVD/CD-ROM functions simply by using Device Manager to uninstall my problematic DVD/CD-ROM drive. Rebooting then reinstalls the OEM DVD/CD-ROM drive.
