My DVD/Cd-RW ROM won't read DVDs in Windows XP Home Ed.

[simonchipmunk]

I installed a combo Cd-RW/DVD ROM in a computer, that's running Windows XP Home ED with SP3. It will read and write CD's but it won't read DVDS, which this drive is supposed to do.
I ran the so-called troubleshooter,but no solution.
I uninstalled thedrive in Device Mgr. rebooted and the driver9s0 were re-installed,but WinXP when it first sensed the drive gave the correct designation in "Found a new hardware device",but then changed it to
Cd-ROM.
i would appreciate any advice/assistance,short of beating the computer with a baseball bat.
thanks
simonchipmunk

 

[Wolfshadw]

What kind of DVDs are you trying to read? DVD movies require a codec to read the data on the disk.

-Wolf sends

 

[simonchipmunk]

wolfshad; I am trying to read Data CDs and install DVDs and Movie DVD's. it won't read them. I have WIN DVd and nero 7.0 Installed. i was told that the type of combo i have will not Copy,but the Cd-RW component reads and burns copies to CD's.
Device manager lists a video codec for the drive.Win DVD will not read a DVd Movie that I put in.the drive was listed as used but fully functional when I bought it.

 

[Wolfshadw]

For viewing movies. check to see if there is a free update to WinDVD. If there is not, try installed VLC from VideoLAN.org.

As for reading data DVDs, I'd check the model number against the manufacturer's web site to make sure it's actually a Combo-Drive.

-Wolf sends

 

[simonchipmunk]

For viewing movies. check to see if there is a free update to WinDVD. If there is not, try installed VLC from VideoLAN.org.

As for reading data DVDs, I'd check the model number against the manufacturer's web site to make sure it's actually a Combo-Drive.

-Wolf sends

wolfshade: I checked Hp and all I could find was the updated driver for it.porblem is I can't get it to install once I have downloaded it to a 1.44M/b diskete. the diskette contains a bunch of files,but none that say Install or Setup.exe

 

[Wolfshadw]

Look for a file with an "INF" extension. You should be able to right-click on it and select "Install".

-Wolf sends

 

[simonchipmunk]

I did that and found a file that says installation.This generated another problem. I opened that file, found an .inf file and opened it.The message I get is, '"the diskette is not formatted". The darn diskette was newly bought and was already formatted. Thank you for the helpful advice.