# Windows, Windows Media Player, CD Problem

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-windows-media-player-cd-problem/198136>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 28, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-windows-media-player-cd-problem/198136 "2003-08-28T04:56:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-windows-media-player-cd-problem/198136/1 "2003-08-28T04:56:59Z")

</div>

Hey all,

I recently installed Windows XP Pro on my new hard drive. I’ve got all the service packs, updates, and patches. Whenever I try to play CDs, they play fine for a while, then the audio starts crackling and breaking up. Pausing for just a second, then unpausing, seems to clear the problem up. But it is obnoxious and, if anyone knows how to fix it, I’d be grateful.

Wonder if it’s a loose cable from CD-ROM to sound board thingie? Hmm.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-windows-media-player-cd-problem/198136/2 "2003-08-28T07:59:47Z")

</div>

Try any other CD player program, of which there are many available for free, and that way you can at least eliminate that possibility.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-windows-media-player-cd-problem/198136/3 "2003-08-28T14:22:06Z")

</div>

Try Start: H

Input in the box: sound

You should find a lot of topics that make for interesting reading.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-windows-media-player-cd-problem/198136/4 "2003-08-28T14:55:50Z")

</div>

Thankee, both of you. It does it in Winamp, too. I swore I put that in, but I apparently didn’t.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mort\_Furd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mort\_Furd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mort_Furd)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2003, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-windows-media-player-cd-problem/198136/5 "2003-08-28T15:37:17Z")

</div>

That sounds like windows is playing the CD by reading the digital data. Try to convince Windows to let the CD drive do the playing - Windows should then take the audio from the drive and send it to your speakers.