Windows Media Player Does Not Play Audio CD-ROMs Automatically (279614)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 7, when used with:
    • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
    • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
    • Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
    • Microsoft Windows 98
This article was previously published under Q279614

SYMPTOMS

Upon inserting an audio CD-ROM, you may receive the following error message:
Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.
You may still be able to play audio CD-ROMs if you manually select them in Windows Media Player, or double-click them in Windows Explorer, but they do not automatically play when you insert them into the CD-ROM drive.

Data CD-ROMs start up automatically, which indicates that the Auto Insert Notification is enabled.

CAUSE

When you install Windows Media Player, Media Player may not be set as the default program to be used for audio CD-ROMs.

This can happen if another program was set as the default player, or the default program type for Audio CD's is set incorrectly.

Note A failed or incorrect uninstall of a program that was previously set as the default Audio CD program type can result in this behavior.

RESOLUTION

To make Media Player the default player for audio CD-ROMs, follow these steps:
  1. Open Windows Media Player, click Tools, and then click Options.
  2. Click the Formats tab.
  3. Click to clear the CD Audio Track check box, and then click Apply. Now, click to re-select the CD Audio Track check box, and then click Apply.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Now insert a CD-ROM, and it should automatically play with Windows Media Player.
If this does not work, you need to manually associate Media Player with audio CD-ROMs. In order to change this manually, follow these steps:
  1. Right-click My Computer, and then click Explore.
  2. Click Tools, click Folder Options, and then click the File Types tab.
  3. In the Registered File Types box, click to select the (N/A) or (NONE) extension type, with a file type of AudioCD.

    Note There is no extension because it is referring to the format of an audio CD-ROM, which is not a regular file type, and therefore has no extension.
  4. In Details for 'AudioCD' file type, click Advanced.
  5. The Actions box should contain the choice Play. Click Play, and then click Edit.
  6. Browse to the location of the Windows Media Player and select the executible; it should be similar to the following:

    "D:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" (including the quotation marks)

    Add to the end of the line: /device:AudioCD "%L" (including the quotation marks).

    The full path under "Application use to perform action:" should be similar to the following:

    "D:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe" /device:AudioCD "%L"

  7. Click to select Use DDE and then click OK to save your changes.
  8. Now insert a CD-ROM, and it should automatically play with Windows Media Player.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:1/15/2006
Keywords:kbenv kbprb KB279614
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