4.6 Why do I have problems playing DVDs on my computer?
Description
This article is from the DVD Formats FAQ, by jtfrog@usa.net (Jim Taylor) with numerous contributions by others.
4.6 Why do I have problems playing DVDs on my computer?
There are thousands of answers to this question, but here are some basic
troubleshooting steps to help you track down problems such as jerky
playback, pauses, error messages, and so on.
* Get updated drivers. Driver bugs are the biggest cause of playback
problems, ranging from freezes to bogus error messages about regions.
Go to the support section on the Web sites of your equipment
manufacturers and make sure you have the latest decoder drivers as
well as the latest drivers for your graphics adapter and DVD-ROM
drive.
* Make sure DMA is turned on. For Windows, go into the System Properties
Device Manager, choose CD-ROM, open the CD/DVD driver properties,
choose the Settings tab, and make sure the DMA box is checked.
Caution: You may run into problems with an AMD K6 CPU. Check for a
BIOS upgrade and a CD/DVD-ROM driver upgrade from your system
manufacturer before turning DMA on.
* If you get an error about unavailable overlay surface, reduce the
display resolution or number of colors (right-click desktop, choose
Settings tab).
* Try turning off programs that are running in the background. (Close or
exit applets in the Windows system tray.)
* If you are using a SCSI DVD-ROM drive, make sure that the it's the
first or last device in the SCSI chain. If it's the last device, make
sure it's terminated.
More information on specific graphics cards and driver updates:
* Nvidia DVD Zone
* More to come...
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