Windows Media Player is a free, built-in utility developed by Microsoft that may meet your demands for playing audio and video files from your computer and media attached to it in practically any situation.
Well, as far as the attached media goes, it seems that Windows Media Player has trouble playing files contained on the DVD occasionally. Windows Media Player for Windows versions prior to and including Windows 8 has lost certain capabilities, making this issue more difficult to resolve than it should be.
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Method 1: Fix The Media Encoder.
Since the Windows Media Encoder entry you will need to repair is only available for versions of Windows older than and including Windows 7, this solution is unfortunately limited to those operating systems only.
However, if you’re on Windows 7 or an earlier version, you should still have a look at this option. A user with less credentials than an administrator cannot fix anything, thus always use an administrator account whenever possible.
Start by looking for “Control Panel” in the Start menu. To uninstall a programme, go to the Control Panel, then the Programs tab, and click Uninstall a Program. Find “Windows Media Encoder” in the drop-down menu and choose it with a single click.
To begin fixing the problem, select it from the list and then confirm any pop-up boxes that appear. Restart your computer after repairing Windows Media Encoder in accordance with the on-screen prompts. In case Windows Media Player is unable to play DVDs, check its compatibility settings.
Method 2: Improve Your Video And Audio By Upgrading Their Drivers.
Although it’s one of the oldest tricks in the book, updating drivers has been shown to fix at least a third of Windows problems, including some that emerge out of nowhere. Driver updates, even for legacy hardware, are still being issued for modern operating systems and software.
To upgrade your visual and audio drivers, please follow these steps: To access Device Manager, click the Start button, then type it into the search bar. Another option is to use the Windows Key plus R to open the Run dialogue box, then type devmgmt.msc. Next, select the OK button.
To upgrade a sound or video device, expand its category, right-click (or long-press on a touchscreen) it, and pick Update Driver from the context menu. You’ll need to check out the various areas, such as the audio inputs and outputs, display adapters, DVD/CD-ROM drives, and game controllers. Unfortunately, updating your drivers is a time-consuming operation that is essential.
Pick the option to look for newer driver software automatically. If Windows is unable to identify a suitable driver, you can manually search for and instal the latest version of the driver from the manufacturer’s website. It would be helpful if you could also do a search using the make and model of your computer.
Method 3: Put in the Right Codec Pack
Windows 10 and later versions have eliminated this feature, therefore this workaround is likewise limited to earlier releases of Microsoft’s operating system. Simply said, Windows Media Player isn’t a good option on Windows 8 or 10, and you probably shouldn’t use it at all.
You can use Windows Media Player if you have the right codec pack installed on your computer. With users attesting to the AC3Filter codec’s efficacy, we can confidently suggest it. The point is that any codec pack will do the trick.
If you want to download the complete version of the codec, visit their website and select AC3Filter 2.6.0b Full. It’s a fantastic option because it’s free and open source. To begin the installation procedure, double-click the downloaded executable file and then follow the on-screen prompts.
After the restart, you may launch Windows Media Player by searching for it in the Start menu or navigating to C:Program FilesWindows Media Player.To access the settings menu, press the Organize button in the top left corner of the screen, and then select Options. Select the DVD menu option and then the Advanced button.
AC3Filter is the recommended codec. The intriguing thing is that when you try to play a file off a DVD, the codecs will be prioritised based on their importance, and you won’t be able to choose which one to use.
While it is possible to adjust the order of installed codec packs, it is usually best to remove any others first to avoid incompatibilities and instability. If you were having trouble playing DVDs before, you should now be able to do so.
Method 4: It’s Time to Reinstall Windows Media Player.
Reinstalling the software is the first thing most people think to do when they encounter problems, and many users have tried this with no success. Still, some who have tried it report success, especially if your Windows PC was previously capable of playing DVDs.
First, try this Command Prompt change, which may fix the issue by itself; just double-check to make sure you didn’t miss anything after entering the command. Use the “Run as administrator” option that appears when you right-click “Command Prompt.” Take note: after pasting the following command, you must press the Enter key.
net localgroup “Administrators” “NT Authority\Local Service” /add
- To bring up the Run menu, press the Windows key plus R on your keyboard. If your version of Windows has this capability, you may also do a search for them using the menu’s own Start button.
- Simply entering Control Panel and selecting OK will launch it. When in Control Panel, select View by: Category and then look for the Programs area to find the Uninstall a programme option.
- After the window has opened completely, look for the option to toggle various Windows features on or off, and then navigate to the Media Features subheading. To find Windows Media Player, expand the drop-down menu. Then, in the pop-up window, uncheck the box next to it, click OK, and confirm the following dialogues. Please REBOOT your machine before continuing!
- After that, remove Windows Media Player by going to C >> Program Files >> Windows Media Player (or C >> Program Files >> Windows Media Player (x86) depending on your PC’s architecture).
- You may now reinstall Windows Media Player by returning to the Turn Windows Features on or off window and checking the box once more next to the entry for that programme. After the installation is finished, restart the computer again to see if the issue has been resolved.
