My dvd drive isn’t working. If I try to play a DVD, I get a message saying I need to insert a DVD. I think it thinks I’m trying to burn a DVD rather than watch one. All of my DVD playing programs crash when I open them. It was working fine this morning and I haven’t installed anything new or changed any settings since then. My laptop runs Vista.
Almost sounds like a software issue. Have you tried rebooting? How about a different DVD?
If that doesn’t work, try re-installing the DVD drivers. Go to Start->Control Panel->System->Device Manager. Find your DVD driver, right click, and uninstall. When that’s done, go to Action->Scan for hardware changes. Windows should download new drivers.
[QUOTE=JSexton]
If that doesn’t work, try re-installing the DVD drivers. Go to Start->Control Panel->System->Device Manager. Find your DVD driver, right click, and uninstall. When that’s done, go to Action->Scan for hardware changes. Windows should download new drivers.
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Windows might install the same (possibly corrupt) driver for the DVD player in that case. If it doesn’t work the first time around, get the make/model number of the DVD drive and check the manufacturer’s website for updated Vista drivers. Download those and use them to install the DVD player.
Also, some CD/DVD authoring programs don’t work well together. If the above doesn’t work, I’d recommend getting ride of any programs you don’t actually need.
[QUOTE=Flander]
Windows might install the same (possibly corrupt) driver for the DVD player in that case. If it doesn’t work the first time around, get the make/model number of the DVD drive and check the manufacturer’s website for updated Vista drivers. Download those and use them to install the DVD player.
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Sound advice in general, although in this case it’s probably not a worry, since it was working 12 hours ago. But getting newer drivers is (almost) always a good plan.
Actually, now that I think about it, it’s possible that he did get updated drivers, and those had a problem. I also note that it’s Tuesday, which is Windows update day. Was there a media-related Vista update rolled out today?
Thank you for the replies. I cussed it out and went to bed. The next morning it was purring just fine. 
But I think I’ll bookmark this thread just in case.
(I’m pretty sure my roommate is tired of hearing me yell, “I’m the fucking administrator! Do what I fucking tell you!” at my laptop.)
[QUOTE=Inner Stickler]
“I’m the fucking administrator! Do what I fucking tell you!”
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“I know, but are you SURE???”
[QUOTE=Inner Stickler]
(I’m pretty sure my roommate is tired of hearing me yell, “I’m the fucking administrator! Do what I fucking tell you!” at my laptop.)
[/QUOTE]
Oh, so you know my daily mantra?
(Fuck you Backup Exec! Cancel means Stop NOW, not say Cancel Pending for two fucking hours while the network slows to a crawl! Do NOT make me admin you!)