Why is it that sometimes I can watch DVDs on Windows Media Player and sometimes not?

Try VLC media player. Or a different one than what you have now

Try another Media Player, it may be the File Format. Try this freeware Media Player, VLC, 32 or 64bit?, found here along with Real Player Media Player: http://www.filehippo.com/download_vlc_32/ You can find many freeware/shareware programs here: http://www.filehippo.com/

LOL, wow that's an oddity, normally it's the other way around where it plays store bought but not burned. Make sure you are not trying to play Blue Ray in a Regular DvD Player.

Oh, one more real important point. If you're using Windows Media Player as the player, that might be your problem. Media Player cannot handle all types of media devices and sometimes they don't give you a message saying anything because it just don't recognize a disc is even in the drive.

Go to www.google.com and in the search box type "Download VLC Player" (without the quotes). Look for the site www.videolan.org/vlc in the search results and click it. That's where you want to download it from. VLC is an open source player that will play any type of video format. It is far greater than Windows Media Player. It installs in less than 3 minutes and it is fast and smooth. You'll love it. After you install it put your cd in the drive and you will probably be prompted as to which player to play it with. Click VLC. If VLC is not shown as one of the listed players chose the option to browse to chose it. Now after all this, if you still can't play the dvd, then your drive is faulty.

Hi ruggie_p,


Since you have an Internet connection to your PC, you should download codec to your Windows Media Player for it to play DVD's.
Mine is Cole2Media.

Hope this helps you a lot.

Thank you for using FixYa!

Download div x codec and also update your video drivers.

http://www.divx.com/en/software/divx-plus/codec-pack

Windows Media Player can play most CDs or DVDs but sometimes the format is not understood. The best all round free video player I have found is VLC which you can download at www.videolan.org

Follow this link to ninite.com and click on "K-Lite Codec Pack", scroll down to the bottom, and click "Get Installer." Download and install the installer, and enjoy your DVDs. Ninite

By default, Windows does not include a DVD decoder (which is what you need to watch DVDs).
If you are using WMP10: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/plugins.aspx
If you are using WMP11:
http://savvybytes.com/2006/10/02/playing-dvds-with-windows-media-player-11/

Install the codec and you will be able to watch DVDs!

this is dvd drive problem
clean your dvd lens and restart and check it