Cannot Play a DVD in Windows XP (310436)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional

This article was previously published under Q310436

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to play a DVD in your Windows XP-based computer, you may see the following symptoms:
  • A black screen appears beneath the Windows Media Player DVD test.
  • The DVD starts to play, and then immediately quits.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur when you attempt to play a DVD that was created by using a Spruce Technologies DVD authoring system.

Certain programs that use this authoring system create a DVD disc that does not include a lookup table that directs the DVD player to the location of the video on the disc. This can cause an error in the DVD player program, and the video play is stopped.

This behavior can also be attributed to lack of Codecs, a compression/ decompression algorithm. Codecs may be obtained from the DVD manufacturer or OEM manufacturer. There are also third-party companies that will supply codecs on line for a nominal fee.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows XP. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322389 How to Obtain the Latest Windows XP Service Pack

This update is available on the Microsoft Windows Update Web site. Release Date: October 25, 2001

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help to prevent any unauthorized changes to the file. The English-language version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:
   Date         Time   Version     Size       File name  Platform
   --------------------------------------------------------------------
   12-Oct-2001  16:08  6.4.2600.0    356,352  Qdvd.dll   i386
   12-Oct-2001  16:08  6.4.2600.0  1,423,360  Qdvd.dll   Itanium 64-bit
				

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows XP Service Pack 1.

MORE INFORMATION

The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:9/26/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbenv kbdisplay kbbug kbfix kbmm kbWinXPsp1fix KB310436